from Tigerform
Translated from the Telugu by Sreekantha Gummuluri and Satya Gummuluri
Tigerform is a transla7on of Pulimuggu, which was wri;en ca. 1960 as part of a series of twelve novels collec7vely 7tled Purana Vaira Granthamala. The series presents Satyanarayana’s imaginings of ancient Indian historic characters based on his rigorous research into their narra7ves and chronologies as described in the Puranas. The core story of Pulimuggu is the downfall of Susharma, the final king of the Kanvāyana dynasty, at the hands of an enigma7c, 7meless character Jayadhradha, who wishes to install the Andhra Sātavahana dynasty in Magadha.
At a 7me in Telugu literature when free verse and social protest oriented wri7ng began to bloom, this drama7c literary novel uses archaic language and a classical style, yet it is notable for its surprisingly modern ideas of sexuality and rela7onships, and its abstract explora7ons of existen7al themes.
The sun was exactly overhead. The two had walked ten yōjanas in ankle-deep grass. Here onwards the land was desolate and devoid of vegetation. There was no clear path so they had to set an arbitrary goal and make their way towards it. They started walking towards a mound in the distance. After a while, they came upon a sandy river bed. Soon an ankle-deep stream flowing in a groove in the sand accompanied them. The sand along either side of the stream was wet. It was not plain sand, it seemed mixed with mud, it was sticky. They searched here for a long while but found nothing of interest. So they continued towards that mound they had set as their goal. After covering a great distance they entered a forest filled with thick multitudes of thorny bushes.
The terrain was uneven. At times the land rose high like an embankment. After some distance it turned a corner and then dipped into what appeared to be a river bed. There was no river there. They inspected the two sides of the bed-like land. No animals here. Do animals roam in the mid- day heat? They continued following the low-lying area. It slowly became clear that this was indeed a river bed. Some mud here and there, some sand, the rest, water. They walked alongside the river bed. Soon, a thin stream met them, flowing along their path. They were searching for the footprints of wild forest animals. They searched the river bank they were walking on.
Lioness, leopard, antelope, deer, jackal, bear... but nothing else, no other footmarks to be found. Although the second person assured that the river was crossable, the first one, of regal bearing, decided to stay by the bank and continue alongside the river. The river appeared to originate in a hilly region. The width of the stream was narrow here, but somewhere ahead it would widen into gushing waters, he thought. Here, the water flowed in between two close rocks. They might easily jump across the river. Even if they jumped and crossed easily now, what about later when they were on their way back? They had aimed to reach the mound. However, we are actually in search of a particular animal’s footprints, are we not, the royal one thought.
It was a wild animal, it was free to roam. When first spotted, it was seen on the hills, but surely it could roam the entire forest? The second man was a forest-dwelling tribal, a kirāta. He would not dare contradict the other person’s words. They walked on along the river. The river flowed by, now touching the foot of a hill.
After a while the river widened and changed course. It was no longer easy to cross it. On flat land water becomes shallow as it spreads, making it easy to traverse, but here the incline of the hill had caused the flow to cut into the edge, especially where it turned course, eroding the rock and giving the flow a treacherous depth. It was not safe to enter the water here, the current was swifter and the opposition from the uneven rocks underneath had led to the forming of rapids. The kirāta refused to cross the river there. The royal kshatriya on the other hand took off his clothes and descended into the water, tackling the fast flow with just one hand, the other carrying his clothes. The kirāta was astonished that someone who clearly led a life of comfort and luxury displayed such daring. It was hardly surprising that the royal person was actually an army general.
They crossed the river. It was an easy enough task for the royal, but the tribal struggled enough to have his respect for the royal multiply tenfold. From then on, the person who took the lead was the royal. Earlier, they had aimed to go towards the hill, but now the royal chose to change direction. He did not seem to know where he was headed, it was all incidental. How did he know which way to go? Was he following his thoughts? Did these thoughts arise from some logic? Was it destiny that he followed that particular path, or was it some fateful influence of the deeds of a previous birth?
The royal was familiar with forests, he had climbed hills and swum across streams. He was an army general now, but when he had first come to the capital city of Girivrajapuram in his younger days, he had been an ordinary soldier. He had reached these heights through sheer courage and intellectual prowess. Over the past twenty years, he had familiarised himself with every corner of the Magadha kingdom. There was no place in the kingdom to which he had not marched his troops. Yet there are some frontiers even he had never explored before, some wildernesses where wild ferocious animals roamed, places devoid of the remotest of tribal inhabitation, deep hinterlands unpenetrated even by troops assigned to protect forests, areas over which he was the sole authority. In such an inhospitable place, the royal walked unafraid, as though he were on a familiar path.
At long last, after much walking, they encountered vultures flying above, some forest animals and the sounds of water birds. The kirāta sensed that a large water body – a lake – might be nearby. But since there were huge trees of dense foliage between the water and themselves, they could not see it. As they approached the shore, resting crocodiles slid silently back into the water. The fish that were jumping in and out of the water were quite large. This was an uninhabited place. No man had ever set foot here before. It had always been water-logged here. The footprints of many wild animals crowded the lake shore. The two searched for tiger footprints.
This lake spread wide. On the other side of the lake were mountains. Who would dare to swim to the other side? Even if they tried, they would only serve as food for crocodiles. They walked along the edge of the lake, inspecting it. The shore was half-moon shaped. Along its edge were enormous trees with a thick tangle of branches. Some trees were overburdened with fruit. Many trees were bent into the water. Behind the trees there was the lake, and inside the lake there were more trees. The water was thick and slimy, green and still. They searched up and down the stretch of shore. Should they go into the tangled growth, should they enter the water? If they descended into that loathsome slush filled with green scum and fish eggs, their legs would be soiled. These disgusting waters may be devoid of crocodiles but must be crawling with leeches, snakes, unknown biting insects, poisonous vermin, all lying in wait only to cause them harm. Without entering that morass, grasping at the snarl of branches, staying in the trees, on land, turning confused corners in the forest growth, skirting the lake’s edge, going onwards, in the midst of this labyrinth of trees, they caught sight of a treeless clear patch of water. This was a part of the lake too. There was vegetation around this spot, but not in it. To reach it one would have to wade through ten danussus of water.
They would still have to move through all this dense growth. They did not know how much longer the daylight would last. It was almost dark, but one could still see a little. How much time remained? Was it possible to turn back and reach a place that was inhabited? If they wanted to go back to where they had started, there was a river on the way, impossible to cross in the dark. It would be easier to cross the deep forest, while there was still twilight. But if they were to remain in the forest, with the sun setting, darkness thickening, would they be able to hide? Where were they to rest? It was better to turn back right away. And that was the moment when – at the place where they would have climbed down through the tangle of growth into the deep water to reach the clear treeless portion of the lake – they saw the footprints. Two tiger footprints and two human.
The tiger’s foot impressions were those of front paws. The human, located exactly at the place where the tiger’s hind paws should be.
If a man walks behind a tiger, the tiger’s four paw prints should be visible followed by a pair of human footprints. The prints are exactly as the kirāta had described... but they had left the hills and come this way. This is not the area he had alluded to originally. Why are these footprints here? What is the meaning of this? Again they searched for the prints. No more were to be found. They keenly looked at the treeless stretch of lake. There, to one side, was what appeared to be a big dry branch fallen between two trees. Why is this fallen branch so dry in so sodden a place? Is it a dry branch or something else altogether? Is it a crocodile? Can a crocodile float on water? Perhaps the waters are so shallow that the dorsal portion of the crocodile is visible above it? Why does it seem like a crocodile? It is somewhat wide and somewhat long. Could it not be a small boat? When there are human footprints here, why can it not be a boat? Why is there a boat here? Now the light had faded almost completely. And the royal insisted he must go into the waters to inspect this object.
The tribal said, “We can come back early tomorrow, do not enter the waters now, do not take this risk! Let us turn back immediately. We should be turning back, for at night the forest is not the place to be, it has too many dangers!” The tribal inspected the ground closely, and found two more human footprints. “These footprints look like they belong to a human being about to enter the water.” The royal one examined them to ensure that they were not his own or his companion’s. “The earlier prints were coming out of the water, whereas these lead into the water. Both are similar. The human footprints are very near the water, so the tiger’s feet must have been inside that water, so those prints are not visible,” the kirāta said.
The royal replied, “I say that we can only agree that these footprints and those from the other location are half-human and half-beast.” It was now dark. It would be difficult to see anything. If they had to go back the same way by which they came here, they would have to follow the lake shore for a long distance. From there, how long might it take to cross the thorny bushes and the forest? The tribal said, “From this vantage point, the forest seems so deep. If such a creature chooses to come to this spot for water, the forest must indeed be deep here. To ensure a safe return, since we do not know the magnitude of this jungle, we should turn back and follow the same route we used to come here, keeping the same landmarks as before. If we continue forward on our present route, we can only reach hills and water flows which may not lead to inhabited areas. If we turn around, can we cross the forest? It is not clear. However, I do remember the way we entered the forest, even if vaguely, in this darkness. If we really so desire, we can wait for a few days and return here to inspect the area again. Or, when we return, we can continue towards the mound I had indicated earlier today to use as our landmark. In that direction, the prints are even more clearly visible. Over there I have, at two or three spots, seen these very prints with certainty.”
Both turned back. It was pitch black and it would take them two or three hours to walk through the forest. Fear was not something either felt. Both were courageous and strong. Yet, what use was courage in such a dark night, where dangerous unknowns lurked and might lunge at them any moment out of some desolate corner? The kirāta broke a branch, shaped it and in the darkness found a stone to strike against the flint he carried with him. “Now it is bright, let’s go on,” he said.
“Light me a torch,” the royal man said. “A torch in one man’s hand is only useful to one but not the other. The person bearing it may bring light to the one walking ahead of him, but himself would remain in shadow.” The tribal gave his own torch to the royal and lit another.
The royal said, “Oyí. It is already dark. We started at noon and travelled half the day. If we manage to walk back now without getting lost, it will be midnight by the time we return to where we started. It will be morning by the time we reach any habitation. Tomorrow we will spend sleeping all day. The day after, we might feel lazy, and the day after that, some work might come up. We won’t be able to come back here. We have torches in our hands, let us get to the bottom of this matter tonight. The time is right. Another time we might come back during the day, roam the forest and locate footprints, but even normal tigers are nocturnal, and a tiger such as this one would undeniably be night-loving.”
So the tribal said, “If we walk with the torches, jungle creatures will be repelled by the light and will avoid us. How can we discover anything then?” Though he said this, he still followed the royal’s steps and they returned to the spot where the trees bent into the lake. By then it was already late night. They reviewed the spot, inspected again the prints by torchlight. The royal declared that he would enter the water torch in hand, and inspect the crocodile-like object. The tribal dissuaded him. “What is the use? If it is a crocodile, it would be difficult to escape its clutches. If it is a boat, it cannot be moved. Let us assume it is a boat. Perhaps some man is using it? Why disturb it? He might be using it to go into the hills. Perhaps he lives there? Let us extinguish these torches, wait and watch the movements of this place. Even in the darkness we will be able to tell whether this is a man or an animal. If it is a man, we can climb down and catch him, if it is a tiger, we can kill it with an arrow.”
The royal replied, “No, we cannot kill it, it might be that very same tiger we are in search of. If its hind legs are human, we cannot kill it, we have to find out why they are so.” The tribal said, “If that is the case, let us wait on the trees and find out whatever we can. Tomorrow we can go into the city and return after making arrangements to catch the tiger alive.” This they agreed upon. The tribal climbed two or three different trees to find a satisfactory one to perch safely on for the night. They settled themselves side by side on the forked branches of a tree. Though the trunk of this tree was far from where they had found the foot prints, its branches spread towards the treeless portion of the lake and bent towards it and so they had a clear view of the spot. Faint starlight illuminated the spot, the water glittered. The surroundings were dark with shadows of branches. A strange glow began to spread in the sky. In the western sky, white clouds had started gathering. Behind those clouds, perhaps a moon. The clouds were bright. That light spread across the mountains to the north.
When they had first reached the lake shore they had seen hills at a far distance, but they had not been aware of the mountains to the north across the lake, those mountains which made the lake reflect the light from the west. The light was illuminating the treeless portion and the path leading to it. From the fork in the branches where they sat, they could see any comings and goings of beasts as well as a human being who might enter the water and use the boat. On such a fortuitously located branch the two sat still with extinguished torches and the means to relight them immediately. Minutes passed. Forest sounds kept them company. The screeching of jungle fowl, the barks and howls of foxes, a bear’s low growl, monkey chatter, the chirping of birds, the scratching of a slithering snake as if a thorn bush was being dragged on gravel. There were strange sounds from the lake, large fish probably, jumping and hitting the water like the oars of a boat. Occasionally an eerie wail, like an infant’s cry. A cry that dredges up great fear and deep pathos alike. These two men though were unaffected by either emotion. They were intently focused on watching the three sites – the treeless portion, the area where they had found the prints and the inner part of the lake. A slight stir in the undergrowth. Was it a sound from the lake? A fish jumping? Or there, was the boat moving? They watched, time passed, for how long, they did not know. They sat motionless, not knowing whether or not they could utter a word.
In such a place, what is this creature? Is it a man, a beast-like man, or actually a half-beast? And so the minutes passed. The tribal touched the royal, who took it as a sign to look at the lake. Nothing there. He looked at the forest and sensed an animal moving. He peered intently into the dark. It was an unidentified animal. Standing by the path, it seemed to be either drinking the water or entering into it. Not a big animal, maybe a fox or a jungle cat. He was astonished that it displayed fear. This is the place where forest animals roam, even the time was right. The thought that there was fear in this animal’s movements stirred something in his heart, confirmed his subconscious feelings.
They continued sitting silently. The kshatriya was somewhat drowsy. He was one who led royal armies, one who was accustomed to sleeping on horseback. He could sleep while sitting. The tribal shook him by the shoulder. The royal one opened his eyes. Somehow, the treeless area seemed brighter.
Two fireflies. Were they tiger eyes?
It was no farther than forty yards from where they were. What is to be done? The tribal moved to brace his bow for an arrow. The royal one stopped him.
Is it here to drink water? This is not the sort of place where tigers drink water. Is it here to roam? Tigers, for their food, visit places in the forest at night where deer are abundant; they do not come to still water where trees are densely crowded together. Tigers do not even sleep in such places. Watching the way this tiger moved, it seemed more like someone out on a leisurely stroll, not a tiger stalking prey. Was this because the tiger was aware that this place was safe, uninhabited by man or beast? Or was this gait because it was so confident of its own courage? One has never heard of such characteristics being exhibited by tigers. As they watched, this tiger moved towards the water. Was it going to drink the water? No, it was entering the water. Was it going to the boat? It was swimming.
Was it a tiger at all? Was it a person? Do tigers’ eyes shine like this? When it entered the water, it behaved like a four-legged creature, whereas a man would walk into the water and then sprawl to start swimming. A long body had surely entered the water and was swimming. Now the two knew, they better not move, they better stay concealed in the leaves, not a sound must they make, the creature must not sense anything amiss. The creature arrived at the treeless portion of the lake and climbed the stump between the two trees. It pushed it into the lake and began to move. The stump was not a crocodile, nor a boat, it was just a stump. The beast had climbed onto the stump and was going forward, using its hands as oars. Hands? An animal could use its forepaws to move the boat forward. But would an animal have the intelligence to know this? When large rivers flood, an animal by chance might hold onto a log and float to save itself. Is it possible for a tiger to arrange a boat to cross a lake? Can it tie a boat to a spot? Can it not swim? How far can it swim? Has it improvised a boat because it cannot swim very far? While the tribal was filled with these thoughts, the royal one, without any indication, climbed down. The tribal followed. The royal one slipped off his footwear and the expensive jewels on his body, handed them to the other, and with a sword in hand he entered the water. The tribal grabbed his hand to stop him, to tell him not to be so foolhardy. The royal one shrugged off his hand and said, “Climb that tree again and wait. Wait until I am back, even if it is morning, or more than a day. Do not leave. If you get hungry, eat forest fruit.” And the royal went into the water. The water was shallow till the treeless spot, from there onwards he started swimming. The tiger had easily covered a hundred yards already. Unless he swam fast, he would not reach the tiger. What was to be done after reaching the tiger? If it sensed that someone was following it might turn around and kill him. So he had to move with stealth.
At any point, he should not get too close. If he was too far, he would not know which way it turned. He swam like a cane, like a cobra, was he even human? If the one ahead was a tiger, was the one following a mighty cobra? Only his head was visible above the water, his body hidden. He thought that if the tiger looked back, he would immediately duck his head under the water. A flying fish, the tiger would think. Some tigers hunt for fish under water. If this tiger was such a one, it might come at him. Why would it come for him while there were so many big fish jumping in front and alongside it? He was trying his best to be completely silent, but at times he had to use his hands to paddle the water.
He tried to time his splashes in the water with those of the jumping fish so the tiger would not notice anything amiss. Not more than twenty yards distance between them now. It was moving forward without any fear, without ever sensing that someone was following it. Clearly, it must have been doing this for many nights. For how long? For so long nothing had happened, what indication was there that today might be different? Therefore the tiger moved without a hint of doubt. He, who was following blindly, had no clue about the direction nor the destination. He only knew one direction, that of the traveling log. He had been swimming for a long time. Why would a tiger use a boat? He had been swimming for nearly three hours.
Then the tiger took a turn. The stars shone bright in the sky. He sensed moonlight emerging out of the clouds. He could not lift his head to check. But he could see the reflected sky. If he lost sight of the tiger now he would not know the way back. The tiger continued in the new direction. He followed. A tree branch had found its way into the water. The tiger went around it. By and by it approached a stream running into the lake, the flow seemingly originating in the mountains.
It was summer, so the water was not flowing too swiftly. The tiger reached the stream and slowed down. What was the royal to do now? Swimming had become quite arduous. At times the water was deep, at times shallow, forcing his feet to touch the ground. He had to alternate between walking and swimming.
For a person standing in water, some sound is inevitable when he arches his body to swim. It was a tiger and not a tiger. If he made a sound, it would turn around, notice him and attack. It was difficult to fight back in slushy water. If it had been land, he could fight easily and kill it with his sword. He had already killed two tigers in that way. Grabbing one by the neck, he had cut off its sharp claws with a small knife. Then with a sword he had pierced the cave of its neck. He was strong, tall as a palm, with a torso of iron, fearless. But in this slush, their fight would be unequal.
As far as possible, he must not make any noise. Though he was careful, sounds unnatural to the forest arose from his movements. Why did the tiger not look back? If it was a tiger, surely it would know what noises belonged to the forest, just as a forest knows the sounds of a tiger? This creature does not possess the nature of a tiger. An animal born, raised, living in the forest would have sensed by now that these sounds were odd, misplaced. But this animal seemed oblivious to them.
He could possibly move faster now. The tiger avoided the flow at the centre of the stream and stayed to the sides, brushing aside protruding branches. It was going forward like a forest dwelling human in a small boat. Why was it travelling by water? It could have walked the lonely land to reach its destination, could it not? That would have made it easier for the royal in his stalking as well. By now, the night must surely have ended? Outside the forest, is the sun rising? At least the twilight of daybreak must be spreading? Or is it not time yet?
Families of birds living atop the tall trees on these hills first become aware of dawn, of that golden light of sunrise that spreads across the drape of the sari on the bosom of the lady of the east. Then those birds start chirping. Perhaps there are no birds on these trees? Can there be trees without birds living in them? Why not, when there can be a human-like tiger? Can birds live in a place where human tigers live? They can, if one went by what Sage Vālmiki said. Mārīcha took the form of a golden deer, and when he was killed his human form was restored. Birds lived in those forests. There can be birds here too.
Are they quiet because they are afraid of this tiger? If not birds, there must at least be monkeys, deer or boar here. Whenever a tiger enters a forest, animals warn each other of impending danger through their calls. Why is this not happening? After a long time he saw a mountainous region in the distance. The stream appeared to originate from a waterfall. He could hear the sound. He felt a glimmer of joy that his journey was probably finally coming to an end.
However strange this tiger was, surely it would not push the log onto the mountain? The flow broadened. There were large rocks around, encircled by splashing waters. This was a valley into which the water was falling and everything was wet. The royal continued following, hiding behind large rocks.
Previously, the way was dark, shrouded by dense forest cover. This valley region, though deep, was illuminated by light from the sky. The tiger’s path twisted and turned among the rocks, and settled into a specific direction. It looked like there was a lake up ahead, but the tree cover on the slopes slanted into the water, making it very dark. He could not see anything.
How to follow? To follow would be to get caught. This must be the destination. He could wait and explore the place after dawn. It seemed a big lake. Could there be a cave behind that sharp drop of the waterfall? He sat on a rock thinking about the difficulty of exploring in the darkness. He might reveal his presence to the tiger if he continued sitting here. So he lay down on the rock. He could hear the birds beginning to sing. Then he thought of the time that had passed since he and the tribal waited in the tree, the time that the tiger appeared, the moment he entered the lake, the moment he entered the stream, all were at night. Four jāmula time. It is summer, so some time has to be added. By this calculation, he estimated that in three ghadiyās, he had swum half a yōjana. It was that long a lake. From the sky a light was spreading, it was making lighter the green of the leaves and inflaming the red of shoots. The sun rose red like the setting sun, he bruised white clouds with his crimson nails, he touched the upper reaches of trees with the vermillion of dawn.
When will he discover the secret of the lake? A man might possess a body of iron, the valour of a lion, Brihaspati’s intelligence, but he has a mind. That mind will his body’s iron, his valour’s keenness, the depths of his intelligence, deceive. It will let him neither sit nor stand; he will be restless. So the royal started feeling the ache and the pain of lying on that rock.
He had not been this troubled when he had climbed down the tree, as he faced death every moment of his perilous journey in the lake, swimming in slimy mud, water, ditches, in midnight darkness stalking the tiger, none of that seemed painful. Perhaps the tiger stopped in the dark, sensing his presence? Perhaps it had an inkling? When the sunlight spread it would discover him. Therefore, stealthily he must slip into the water, into shadows. From the darkness one could clearly observe what was in the light. His movement from the rock into the water was like that of a crocodile. If the tiger had any doubts, this was like throwing sand in its eyes.
He proceeded through the water, lying low. Where could he find safety in that lake? How long could he manage to hide? He swam searching for something to take support of. He was noiseless. Brahma himself could not have traced him. He came across a tree root penetrating the water. It was mossy, quite disgusting to touch. He had a small knife on his waist next to his navel, and a sword besides. He scraped off some moss with the small knife and rested his foot.
He looked back at the rock he had just left. The tiger was swimming around it. He felt satisfied. Yes, the tiger had sensed something and wanted to confirm it. He felt more confident. If this were truly a tiger, it would not examine the area in this manner. Animals sense human beings by their natural instincts and behave accordingly. This was clearly not an animal, since it had not sensed his presence so far, and look at the way it was examining the spot! If it climbed up on the rock, it would see the wet impression left by a man, but then again, the stone could be wet because of many other reasons. It would always be wet here and might perhaps only be dry at two in the afternoon when the sun was overhead. The tiger encircled the rock twice or thrice and left.
He felt satisfied again. He made some odd movements, swam one way then another, pretending to swim into the distance. If the tiger had any suspicions about his being human, since humans make these eccentric movements, the tiger would have come at him. That he was human, this creature seems to not have suspected. It perhaps thought this was a crocodile.
Meanwhile the surroundings brightened, the light advanced and spread like the whiteness in an ash gourd flower. The tiger now moved towards the waterfall with a purposefulness in its movement, as though it had had a doubt cleared. The royal followed, hiding behind the rocks. There were many cliffs here, not one that did not appear sheer. The river was now shallow, pebble strewn. The mountains at the distance were now approachable. There may be caves. The tiger got down from its log, pushed it in between two stones and went on to the bank.
He observed it. He could see its back very clearly. Are the hind legs that of a human or a tiger? Generally the fore and hind limbs of tigers are of equal length and the body is level. This tiger, however, had a low front and a raised back. While it was on the boat, the proportions had not been clear, but now he could see them clearly. The rear portion was quite a bit higher. The front resembled that of a tiger, but not the back, the hind limbs were not the limbs of a tiger. Perhaps it could stand and walk like a human? Why not? However, the tiger’s head and chest appeared quite heavy, which would prevent it from walking with any stability on two feet. Hiding behind a rock, he continued observing it.
The tiger covered the distance of a yard on land. The place was flat and there were steps ahead. It climbed. A hundred yards away, there was a cave. It entered. Was it safe for him to emerge now? Would the tiger come out again? Come out to make sure there was no human being outside? If it was a tiger, why was it travelling this distance? Why to this cave? How did it procure food? Why this area? This area constantly reverberates with the loud din of the waterfall, there would not be forest animals or birds here to hunt. So it was not a tiger. Was it human? If so, what would it eat?
It could visit nearby inhabited places for food. If it was a tiger, how could it go into villages? There must be a man too, living in the cave. They must be living together. Sometimes one hears such stories. He should not enter the cave hastily, he should wait outside and bide his time. Yet strength and energy were draining fast from his body. Strong and courageous he might be, but could he survive such a long wait without food? I cannot, he thought.
And yet, he was feeding his mind with determination. There was excitement in him. The tiger might re-emerge. It was morning, if a man was living in there he might come out for his morning bath. If a man appeared, he could greet him, talk to him. But he needed rest and food.
He had another thought. He could go swimming across the lake and find forest fruit. He could eat and rest for a while and then return to his vigil at the cave. But what if by the time he was back the tiger escaped? All his effort would be in vain. So, he should go to the cave and glance inside. There was a chance the tiger might be on the offensive and roar at him. Was he in a position to fight? Well, even the tiger must be weary. It might growl, but it will not attack. If it growled, it was a tiger. In that case if he came away from the entrance of the cave it might not attack him.
This is a tiger, yes. Yet somehow its hind quarters are unusual. In this creation, who knows what manner of creatures exist? Eighty four lakhs of living creatures – how can we possibly know of all of them, know the real nature of each animal? There may be bizarre and unseemly animals high in the vast sky, or deep underwater where man cannot reach. Evil, mischievous animals with faces not too different from those of humans. By now the daylight took the hue of screwpine flowers. He walked slowly to the cave entrance. It took no more than three moments to cover the hundred yards from where he had been hiding. He stood in an attitude of daring, facing the entrance.
“Who is that?” someone said.
Did those words come from a human or an animal throat?
Viswanatha Satyanarayana (1895-1976) is one of the foremost twentieth century writers in the Telugu language. He is renowned for a versatile and prolific body of work including poetry, novels, essays, dramas and short stories, informed by his scholarship of Sanskrit and classical Telugu, his traditional values, and his studies in subjects ranging from English literature to psychology, epistemology to aesthetics. He adhered to a strict traditional literary style, and displayed a command over classical Telugu which is unparalleled in modern times. Satyanarayana is a Jnanpith laureate and a Padma Bhushan awardee. His prose opus, Veyipadagulu has been translated into Hindi by former Indian Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.
Satya Gummuluri is an artist based in the Munich area. Trained in engineering and music, she has devoted herself to writing, music (composition/vocals) and conceptual art over the past decade, as well as doing editorial and translation work. She has performed and recorded with jazz and improvised music groups, and is currently engaged with Surfatial.
Sreekantha Gummuluri is a BEd/MA (Anthropology) from Andhra University and has worked as a secondary school teacher in Mumbai for many years. She has been a lifelong avid reader of Telugu and English literature, and has been writing fiction and poetry in Telugu in the recent years apart from doing translation work.