jagdishlachhani@yahoo.com
LUKMAAN HAKIMU
Who have not heard the name of Hakimu Lukmaan? It was a very household talk tale. Story of Hakimu Lukmaan’s healing effects were famous throughout the Sindh. Lukmaan was a very learned Hakimu. He could diagnose every disease. Whoever referred Lukmaan’s clinic was sure to come out cured. There was a rare match for him in Sindh. His neighbour Rama was very much impressed by Hakimu’s healing effects. People were high praise for Lukmaan.
Rama had seven sons. He was a farmer, passed his days in utter poverty. He had a great desire that Lukmaan Hakimu should teach his wisdom to one of his sons so that they get rid of their miserable life.
Rama one day brought his eldest son to Hakimu Lukmaan and begged him for accepting his son as his disciple and teach him his profession. Lukmaan looked his son and critically assessed him. He said to Rama that the boy was of no use to him. To take this sort of training was not a child’s play like frying flesh with butter in frying pan. It is beyond his capacity to learn the art of curing the patients.
On hearing this, Rama touched Lukmaan’s feet and begged him; “Sir, I have come to you with high hopes. Please, sir, give him an opportunity.”
Lukmaan went in deep thoughts and said to Rama, “OK; but still I say to rethink.”
“No sir, I have nothing to think, you kindly accept him in your care.”
“OK let us try him. Lock your boy in the room opposite and take the keys with you. Come tomorrow in the morning and after opening the room, we will decide your son’s fate. But again I advise you to reconsider your decision and don’t put your son’s life in danger.”
But Rama did not come down from his decision. He locked his son in the room, took the keys with him and went home. He was very happy because Lukmaan had accepted his son as a student.
It was a peak time winter. People were shivering. As night approached, cold was getting colder. The boy in the room was shivering in deep cold. In the room, there was neither a cot to sleep nor anything to cover. The ground was full of stones.
The boy was in deep shiver. He cried loudly but there was none to protect him. He fell down crying and his body was frozen in cold.
In the morning, Rama came to Hakimu Lukmaan and went near the room. He started calling his son from outside but son did not respond. Rama opened the door and found his son dead in a corner of his room. He cried loudly.
Lukmaan Hakimu said to Rama “Now what is the use of crying. I had warned you that the boy had no caliber to become Hakimu. The one who is not able to protect himself, how can he treat others?”
After some time when Rama came down in grief, he started thinking, he had other sons too, why not bring another one. If he gets trained, he will not only earn much money but also name and fame.
He brought his second son to Lukmaan. On seeing the second son, he said to Rama, “Why are you after your children? I have already told you that it is not easy to learn Hikmat and to become Hakimu. I myself is in a search of a capable disciple, but there is no stuff in your son, therefore I advise you take him back.”
But Rama did not deter, “I am determined to make my son your student who will not only make you more famous but will be able to do away our poverty.”
At last on Lukmaan’s insistence, Rama locked his second son also in the room and went home with keys.
Rama’s second son also died in the same way. One after one Rama lost his six sons but he did not deter from his decision.
Now it was his seventh son’s turn. He locked him in the room and went home. He was in a depressed mood. The youngest son had consoled his father, “Dad, you don’t worry. I shall certainly meet you tomorrow in the morning.”
Night fall, severe cold, the boy’s body was in shivers, but he never lost his heart. He looked around; the room was empty, only some brick pieces lay on the ground. He started thinking and removed his clothes, put brick pieces in the clothes, kept on head and started running first slowly and then fast briskly. Fast running created heat in his body. He kept on running faster. His body became warm and started perspiring. Thus he passed his night.
At dawn there was a knock on the door. He had closed the door from inside. His clothes were torn into pieces. How could he come out naked? He called back from inside and told them that his clothes were torn into pieces, how could he come out naked? Give me some clothes to wear.” People had gathered outside to see the boy alive or dead. Lukmaan was also present. Clothes were thrown inside. Rama heaved a sigh of relief on seeing his son alive. Lukmaan also was delighted.
Boy came out, touched his father’s feet, bowed before Lukmaan and said, “Sir, with your blessings, I have come to serve you. Now order me what to do?”
Lukmaan blessed the boy and took him inside the room.
Lukmaan said to Rama to keep the boy in his care. If God likes, he will be a good Hakimu and earn a good name, but bear in mind, you will meet the boy only once in a year. For becoming a clever Hakimu, it will take not less than ten to twelve years.”
Thanking Lukmaan, Rama blessed his son and left for his home.
He was extremely happy today, feeling he had got a Kuber’s treasure.
On reaching home, he narrated the whole story to his wife.
The boy was quite brilliant. He started learning the art of curing patients sincerely. Lukmaan kept teaching him pharmacy, explained him about herbs. The boy also crushed the herbs, understood its gradients. The work was vast, tiresome, but the boy never lost heart.
Thus five years passed away.
The boy now became impatient. He was in a hurry to become Lukmaan, but Lukmaan was just opposite, never worked in haste. Seeing the boy taking interest, Lukmaan gave the boy his note books, saying study them carefully.
The boy got immersed in studies. He read every word carefully.
Thus two more years passed away. Lukmaan was not in a hurry, but the boy wanted to pick up everything quickly.
Lukmaan knew pretty well that half knowledge is a dangerous one. Therefore he wanted the boy fully trained so that he could serve people better. But the boy was in a hurry and he thought he has learnt everything. One day he slipped from Lukmaan and ran away. When Lukmaan came to know, he spread his people all around to catch the boy. He did not want to take any risk. He knew pretty well that the boy was not yet competent to treat people well. If he fails, his name will be spoiled and patient will also come to harm.
On the other hand, the boy kept on running and kept on hiding in the jungle. One day while wandering, he sighted a hut in the jungle. He was tired, thirsty, and hungry. He went towards the hut, saw a carpenter with a wood head load, who lived there. He took pity on the boy. He kept him in his hut and gave him some food to eat. The boy slept after food. He got fast asleep. In the morning, when he got up, he found the old carpenter before him. The boy narrated the whole story to him. The old carpenter had no child. His wife had died. The boy started residing there. Carpenter loved him like a son.
The boy got fed up without work. He wanted to do something. He requested the old carpenter, “Sir, I want to learn your carpentry. I don’t want to sit idle.”
The carpenter started teaching him the art of carpentry. The boy was quite intelligent. He became very good carpenter very soon.
On the other hand, Lukmaan’s people kept on searching him. One day he went to the town for some work, got attracted to busy town.
On making enquiries, he came to know that Princess had declared her siyamvar. Princes of different places had come to participate in siyamvar. There was a peculiar custom in the kingdom. Every Prince had to bring his own rice for his food. All the rice of Princes were to be cooked by maids. When each one’s rice got cooked, they would start eating and others were waiting to see them and feeling teased. The boy was surprised when he heard about this strange custom.
Why not he too participate in siyamvar? He took his tools and went towards a nearby hillock. He searched for good stone. He chiselled those stones. The stones looked like white rice. He took them with him and came home.
The old carpenter was worried for the boy. He asked him “Son, where were you so long?”
The boy replied, “I had gone to the town, I came to know that Princess had declared siyamvar where Princes of different states were going there to participate in siyamvar. I also want to try my luck.”
Then?
The boy showed to him stone rice. But he was not having Princely dress to wear.
The old carpenter said to him “not to worry for Princely dress.” He went inside and brought Princely dress, kept in a wooden box. He said to him, “see this dress, I was rewarded from king long ago. Those were the days of my youth. I have kept it preserved with care.”
The boy was delighted very much to see the Princely dress. He had never dreamt to get such Princely dress so easily.
The boy wore the Princely dress, hired a horse and set out for siyamvar.
Many Princes from different countries had come there. They spent the day in merriment. On next day, on hearing the drum beat, all assembled in Royal Hall, where everyone occupied their allotted seats. The young boy was also present among them. Maids came and collected their rice. The boy also gave away rice for cooking to maids. In almost half and hour’s time, whosoever’s rice were cooked and ready, were served in plates for eating. Some Princes were eating and others were just looking at them.
The boy’s rice were also being cooked. Princes were busy in gossips. All Princes’ rice were served but the boy’s rice were not cooked because those were small pebbles. The King got annoyed, when the cooked rice were not served to the boy for long. The Princess also heard this. She went into the kitchen herself to see as to what was happening.
Princess started assessing the rice, so fine and looked like pearls. On assessment, she could realize that these were not rice, but stones artistically chiselled, looked like white rice.
What an art!
Princess admired the boy within and pondered, one who has such a matchless art, she will marry him only.
She came to Royal Hall and bowed before the King and went ahead.
Princes were waiting for the moment. Princess passed through the audience and put the garland around the young boy’s neck.
Everybody was in claps. The King was also very happy.
The King sent for the young boy and enquired, “Which place, you have come from? Which State do you belong?”
The boy got up and after thinking a while, he said to the King “I am not a Prince from any state. My name is Gopal.”
The King became very angry. He said to him “You have cheated us. You will be punished.”
Princess did not approve this. She said to his father “Dear father, you had arranged for the siyamvar and now I have selected my husband. Whatever has happened has happened due to God’s will. Now I can’t retreat from my wish. Please bless me and give me a send-off.”
The King went into rage and said “The boy has cheated us and he shall be punished. We don’t know him, his family background, how can I permit you to accept him?”
This did not have any effect on Princess. She told her father “The woman selects her husband only once, so have I, now you leave me on my destiny.”
The King still pursued Princess, but she was determined and did not change her mind.
The King left the Royal Hall in rage.
Gopal took Princess with him and came to old carpenter’s place. On seeing Princess with Gopal, he was very much delighted. Gopal and Princess came forward and touched his feet. The old man blessed them from bosom of his heart.
Now problem before Gopal was, how to keep Princess happy.
He has to do some work now. Old carpenter had made him expert in carpentry. He started thinking to make some classic piece of art, which fetch him a very high price.
He made a folding cot. On opening it became a cot and on folding something else.
He came out for its marketing. He dressed himself like a trader. After due thought, he came to Princess Kingdom and came in front of King’s palace. He wanted to meet the King but courtiers were not allowing him inside.
He sent a word to King that he had brought a gift for him. The King sent for the trader in palace.
Gopal, in disguise, as a trader exhibited the folded cot. The King was surprised to see the magnificent cot, which he had never seen before. The King said to him “It is really a rare piece of art. What is the price?”
The boy replied, “Sir, it is a priceless piece of art. Its price cannot be fathomed, but I will charge you one thousand gold coins.” The King called his treasurer and ordered him to pay one thousand gold coins to the trader.
After getting one thousand gold coins from the treasurer, Gopal went to his home merrily.
Princess was also very happy to see that her husband had earned one thousand gold coins.
Now let us narrate Hakimu Lukmaan’s story. He kept on searching for Gopal. He wanted to get Gopal catched and punished. He had also suspicion that Gopal may open his dispensary. He had not completed his training and possibly his chances of his wrong doings and risk of his wrong prescriptions. This worried Lukmaan Hakimu.
Now Gopal also realized his mistake. He expressed his state of mind with Princess and old carpenter.
Gopal wanted to complete his training. He expressed his desire before Princess and old carpenter. Both liked the idea. Now listen to what Gopal did.
Now Gopal appears before Lukmaan as dumb, bare footed, in torn clothes for further training.
Lukmaan did not recognize Gopal. He took pity on the poor dumb boy and kept him as a servant, but asked, “What work are you going to do with me?”
Gopal replies through actions that he will do everything. Thus Gopal got a place in Lukmaan’s house.
Lukmaan got every work from Gopal. When Lukmaan checks patients, Gopal used to be with him. He listened and did every work of Lukmaan, because he wanted to learn everything.
Lukmaan had thought him dumb and silly, but Gopal took serious note of Lukmaan’s each activity of dispensing with attention.
Thus two more years passed away. Gopal was attendant of Lukmaan even during operations. Time was passing quickly.
Gopal did remember Princess, but Gopal had vowed to go back home after taking full training of Hakimu. Gopal’s father also wished Gopal to be fully trained.
One day, a strange case came before Lukmaan. There was a frog in patient’s skull, which had extremely made him impatient. He was neither able to sleep nor to sit.
Patient had heard Lukmaan’s fame. He had heard that Lukmaan could treat every disease.
He came to Lukmaan for treatment.
Lukmaan had to operate the patient’s brain, remove frog from the skull and save his life.
All arrangements were made for operation. Gopal was also present in operation theatre. He had a tray with medicines and instruments in his hand. Lukmaan Hakimu opened patient’s skull. He could find a live frog in skull.
Gopal observed Lukmaan during operation.
Lukmaan after thinking picked a big spoon from the tray to pick up the frog. As he spread his hand to pick up frog, Gopal shrieked. Lukmaan’s hand stopped there only. Now Lukmaan did not take time to feel that the boy was not dumb. He slapped the boy and asked him as to who he was?
Gopal confessed and told Hakimu the truth and said to Hakimu “Sir, I am under your shelter. You can kill me or leave alive.”
Now Lukmaan asked him as to why he had shrieked?
Gopal replied, “Sir, if you had picked up frog with spoon, it was just possible some fraction of brain would have come up with the spoon, which would result in either patient’s death or he would have gone mad”.
Lukmaan looked at him. He understood it and asked him, “Now what shall be done?”
Gopal replied, “Sir, now see how I am removing frog. He picked up a hot instrument, touched frog from its paws, frog jumped out after hot touch, and Gopal hurriedly picked a cotton pad and placed it on patient’s brain and covered it.
Now Lukmaan picked up frog and removed it from patient’s brain with ease, thus saved patient’s life.
Today Lukmaan was very happy because he has got a competent disciple. He taught Gopal all remaining things.
When Gopal became quite competent in Hikmat (Doctor’s profession) Lukmaan sent for Gopal and said to him, “Today I am very happy. I was always in worry, who will serve the people after me? Today I can solemnly affirm that people will never get disappointed from you. From today onwards, you will be in my seat and I will go for spiritual pursuits in the Kingdom of God.
Gopal after getting Guru’s signal got immersed in service of people. His mother and father also were happy to see Gopal’s glory. On the other hand, old carpenter, along with Princess came to Gopal.
And they lived happily ever after.
