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The Birth of Karna
103
for youngsters if elders salute them. Now please tell me what brings you here. I am sure father is all right".
"No," was their clumsy reply. "At the moment," they continued, "he has the worst worry on his mind. And the cause of it is Durvasa Mahamuni's forthcoming visit to our capital." "But what is so disquieting about it?" demanded Kunti. "Should we not rejoice over the great sage's decision to spend some time in our midst? I fail to understand your panic."
"We may be looking silly, and ludicrous. Perhaps we are. But you do not have our problems, you see. You do not seem to realize what reputation the great sage has in the Three Worlds. You are very young and you cannot be expected to know everything. But your father thinks you are wisdom personified. He has sent for you in the hope that you will be able to tell us how best to receive the son of Atri."
"Oh, that is the purpose of your visit!"
With the arrival of Kunti, her foster-father felt greatly relieved. "Father,” she began, “I am surprised that you should be feeling sad and shaky, when you are truly the happiest and proudest man on earth. It is not every city that Durvasa visits and when he desires to be in our midst that is the highest honour he can do us. So let us welcome him enthusiastically."
"That is all right, my child," agreed Kuntibhoja. "But we never know when he honours us and when he reduces us to ashes. Even the gods are afraid of his temper. So my problem is, not whether to entertain him at all, but how. If something goes amiss in the courtesies he rightly expects from us, we are all doomed."
"Please permit me to serve him. I am confident that my sense of duty and dedication will endear me to the Maharshi.”
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