The Cursed Gandharva

Long ago, there was a Gandharva, a supernatural human being, who loved all things of beauty. It was the season of spring. He entered a forest and was delighted to see the blooming flowers, the murmuring brook and the trees in their lush green form. The sweet music of the birds inspired him to hum a tune. He suddenly frolicked about. He did not know that he hit the vessel of a hermit. The vessel contains holy water from Ganga which flowed away.

“You are conducting yourself like a demon. Very well, become a demon”, cried the Hermit.

This was the most unexpected. The Gandharva wept bitterly and requested the Hermit to withdraw the curse.

The Hermit calmed down, ‘I cannot withdraw the curse but I can modify it. Whenever you see a human being in the forest give out a shout. The day you meet a man who will not be scared by your shriek, you will be liberated from curse’, said the Hermit.

Since then, Gandharva became a demon. Next day, he saw a wood-cutter entering the forest. He gave out a blood-curdling shout. The wood-cutter took to his heels. The next man did the same and so did the other travelers. Thereafter people of the villages around the forest stopped entering into here. Everybody came to know that forest has been haunted.

The cursed Gandharva went over to another forest. Same thing happened there too. He scared away many people.

Months passed, the demon at last stepped into another forest area. There astonishingly he saw a man who didn’t pay heed to his shout. The surprised demon even increased volume of his roar. Still the traveler did not care. The demon felt a shiver of joy, as change came over him. Within few minutes, he became his charming old figure, Gandharva.

He went to thank the traveler. The traveler looked at him with curiosity and said,” I am stone deaf since twenty years. It is misfortune that I cannot hear what you say”.

‘Your misfortune has become the cause of my good fortune. I give you a boon that you become capable of hearing,’ said the Gandharva.

Instantly the traveler hears the chirping of the birds and the music of the brook. He was overjoyed. The Gandharva narrated his story to him. Both thanked each other and went their ways.