Devika's story

Buddha said, “My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.” This is what Devika’s story illustrates.

Devika started her adult life as a simple woman, with no ambition of becoming famous or rich but with the humble wish of conducting herself in the best interest of all sentient beings. She resided in a one-room quarter, which served the purpose of both bedroom and kitchen. It was in a remote place – in fact, one of the remotest – with no electricity those days. But, those were golden days for her. She had the satisfaction of having made her clients happy and one day wiser each day. From a rural setting, Devika landed in the most highly urbanized centre of the kingdom – the capital – not out of her own choice but by virtue of being the wife of a man whose time had arrived for a new posting. This virtue kept taking her back and forth from rural to urban till some unfortunate turn of events landed her in the capital once again and for the final time.

Her days of distress, however, began with the arrival of the lustful man named Ravan. Nothing she did was ever good to him. She was scorned. She was humiliated. She was made to feel little. She was made to feel vulnerable. Ravan was in power. He was in control of people’s movements within the empire. People were rewarded positions if they pleased him. People suffered from continued humiliation if they did not please him. Devika watched and waited while he made positions for people he favoured and denied her husband the position he deserved. She was nobody. Her husband was nobody. They both could do nothing. Ravan had the power to do everything. It was like a game of chess, but Devika was not the pawn in the game. Neither did she allow her husband to be so. Those who were did not realize it. They were perhaps blinded by the belief that their future was made in the hands of this self proclaimed super hero. The cynical truth was that he was mean to Devika because she did not respond to his dirty advances. He had wished to add her to his hundreds of mistresses.

What became of Devika eventually? She left the kingdom to make her own destiny. She got to where she desired to be. She was empowered. She owned her life. She did what she desired to do. She earned what she deserved to earn. She enjoyed recognition for her ideas. She built credibility in the international arena. She now resides happily among the devi-gods, her praises being sung on earth.

What became of Ravan? He landed where he never imagined he would ever be. His dreams were all shattered. His image was marred. His self esteem was destroyed. He was stripped of all power. He was sent in exile. He could only repent and spend his time in prayer. His spirit is said to be roaming still between heaven and hell, begging to be liberated while people on earth choose to erase him totally from their memory. He is their bad dream, their nightmare.

And, all those who played the pawn in Ravan’s chess game were neither in the palace nor on the streets. Neither were they capable enough to live a dignified life with a decent earning. They fell into the trap of dependence forever. Their spirit is believed to be roving in the hope of being rewarded a position among the devtas by Ravan’s spirit.

Devika appeared in people’s vision and said, “Believe in the spiritual force that has the power to pull you into the arms of warmth and kindliness or push you into the steely cold of the dark dungeon.”