It didn’t take long for the queen Trishala to show all the signs of the pregnancy the entire royal family was so eagerly waiting for. The royal family knew the significance of the pregnancy as it knew who it was in the womb. Entire kingdom burst into celebrations as every citizen and courtier was aware of the prophecy made by the astrologers. All the inmates of the palace ran around in excitement. A permanent mood of jubiliation had set in into the palace. The king’s generosity knew no bounds. He distributed gifts to all the courtiers. The maids and the servants of the palace got rewarded. The ministers received precious presents. No alms seeker was allowed to go empty handed from the palace gates. The priests and Brahmins were given donations several times more than what was the custom.
Since the pregnancy Queen Trishala had entered a different zone mentally and emotionally. Her entire personality had undergone a transformation. She looked flushed with sublime happiness. Her skin glowed like petals of blossoming flower. She floated in a sea of peace and contentment.
Her state of mind and physical condition really was not surprising for ones who knew the truth. Queen Trishala was not carrying a foetus in her womb but a beautiful dream. As the dream grew up the queen could feel its movements inside her which made her squeal with joy. It often kicked to make her realise that the dream was a reality. The queen had concentrated her entire attention to the movements taking place inside her womb. She had become absent-minded blissfully to the other realities of life. Queen Trishala would come back to the realities of the world only when the king came to her to confide in him the sacred happenings inside her.
But the infant in there was a special one. He was the embodiment of peace, mercy, compassion, non-violence and the brotherhood of all living beings. His kicking inside the womb resulted in the squeals of his mother. He thought that although the squeals represented joy but still there was a touch of pain and discomfort. He could not think of causing any discomfort to his mother. So, he decided to lay still in the womb to allow complete comfort and peace to his mother.
As usual Queen Trishala eagerly awaited the kicks and wriggling-squirming movements in her belly. To her surprise she felt nothing. Everything was perfectly still inside her. It puzzled her. Was the baby sleeping or taking rest, she wondered.
Trishala was feeling uneasy at not sensing the presence of the child. She wanted her child to tell her that it was alright and kicking. But no signal came for a long time. By noon the queen began to lose patience. What was going on? Why the baby was inactive? She began to worry. Fears cast dark shadows on her face.
The maid servants noticed the change. The ever cheerful queen had suddenly enveloped herself in a gloomy mood.
The chief maid asked, “Queen, are you alright? Is something troubling you?”
“I am alright but…,” the queen left the sentence half finished.
“But what, O queen? Please tell us queen, everything will be taken care of. You need not suffer in silence. Our duty is to serve you in every way. Our livelihood depends on your well being,” a clever maid pleaded to Trishala.
The queen smiled at her and spoke, “I understand your concerns, dear maid. I was reluctant because it could be my silly idea. The worry of mine is that I don’t feel the presence of the baby inside today. He hasn’t kicked or thumped around like usual. That is making me uneasy.”
The nurse maid moved forward and confided, “You need not worry, O queen. As far as I know the little ones inside have their own funny moods. No one can predict correctly anything about them. One day they are all kicking and wrestling around making the mothers painful. Next day they can fall into inactive mood and go into a long sleep.”
Another maid said, “The astrologers have said that this prince son of yours will be incredibly illustrious one. To make that happen he should come out hale and hearty. So many pundits can’t be wrong.”
The queens smiled at the smart thinking maid. Infact, her argument gave the queen great comfort inwardly. But outwardly she still looked anxious.
The maid nurse thought it prudent to inform the king and have him consult the royal physician. The king at once summoned the royal physician and the royal priest and revealed to them his concern about the baby in the queen’s womb.
The priests assured the king that there was nothing to worry. The child was fated to be born and rule the world. The royal physician said similar thing in the physical context. He wanted to examine the queen but hesitated being a male.
Meanwhile, the child inside realised that by going into inactive mode he had caused more worries than the relief to his mother. The godly child learnt the first earthly lesson that a mother found joy even in her pain if it meant the well being of her child. He thought that strange was the ways of the physical world of earth which was beyond even the comprehension of the gods. So, the god child decided to go along the rules of the earth world and he started kicking and wriggling inside.
It instantly sent the queen squealing with joy. Her sudden cries of joy told the maids that the baby was again kicking and declaring his well being. A maid ran to inform the king about it. The king was so overjoyed that he rewarded the maid with his royal necklace of pearls. The priest and the royal physician also profitted from the rewards windfall.
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