Next morning the wanderer set himself on the route to meet the young man’s mother. He had not walked towards the interiors of the town until then. It never impressed him. But now he had a job in hand, to meet the young man’s mother and tell her that it’s not a sin to marry into another religion. The wanderer hoped he would convince her and there be no need for the sanyasin to interfere in this matter.
A small, nearly broken unclean house led him to the old woman. It looked dark from outside even on a hot sunny day. The door had no possible lock, nor could it be knocked at. The wanderer noticed her sitting in a corner, weeping. He called out for the young man, but the woman was deeply into herself for long before she got onto her feet. Without asking the wanderer who he was, she tried to close the door. He spoke softly and pleaded to get in. For a long time the woman ignored the wanderer who was seated on the same floor. Looking around the ceilings and the walls he noticed a photo frame hung with a garland on it. He must be her husband, the wanderer thought.
‘You people come to console but I have to suffer the pain nevertheless. Why don’t you leave us alone?’ the woman asked, enraged. The wanderer couldn’t make sense of her words for long before he understood why she wept.
It wasn't easy for the wanderer to be telling a stranger, a woman who's just lost her husband that she might as well lose her son. He heard her say whatever comforted her and silence prevailed for long. He knew it would eventually work in his favor. The old woman had already started looking in his eye with some hope and the anxiety had started to seem like belief.
'Your son wants to marry a girl from the tomb hall. She's the caretaker's youngest and most beautiful daughter. She cooks well and is caring.'
'You don't know anything', the woman spoke 'these people are cruel. They don't hesitate to kill anyone who goes against their staunch beliefs. Neither I nor my son will be spared. Let the caring girl care for her own life. I can sacrifice my life for my son but I can't see his life sacrificed' she said and turned away.
The wanderer doubted his own convincing abilities and chose to remain silent rather than aggravating the problem. He waited for her son to return until the evening, while the old woman gave him some stale food from last night. Before leaving he heard himself say to the woman, 'If you may please, do visit the cave temple early in the morning for all your worries would be dissolved.' The woman had not nodded, but he knew the outcome. Almost!
Continues...
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