The power of faith – A tale from Aitihyamala

This is a tale from the book “Aitihyamala” written by Shri Kottarathil Sankunni. Sankunni was born in 1854 CE in Kerala . He narrated and compiled tales from Kerala in this book which was published in 1909. The book contains tales pertaining to all genres – historical, mystic, folk, comical, bizarre and mysterious, but all reflecting the culture, beliefs and traditions of  Kerala.

Long ago, in the region of Kozhikode (Calicut) there lived a Vaidyan (doctor) who was skilled in curing people affected by poison – snake, scorpion or any other poison. He was very well-known. So, many patients came to him every day for treatment and he had become very rich over a period of time. The Vaidyan  had a few disciples too. After months of testing their capabilities, he used to teach them the Mantra (chant) to cure poison.

Near the house of the Vaidyan, in a small hut,  lived a poor boy called Kochuraman. Kochuraman used to marvel at the number of people coming to the Vaidyan’s house and leaving with happiness on their faces. Being a neighbour he had observed the Vaidyan’s lifestyle improving drastically over the years. He also knew that young boys were coming to learn from the Vaidyan. “How I wish I could also learn to cure poison and become rich like the Vaidyan!” thought Kochuraman. “I will ask the details from one of those disciples today itself and start learning…” he said to himself.

In the evening as two disciples walked out of the Vaidyan’s house, Kochuraman ran to them. “Chetta(brother), Chetta!” he called out. The boys stopped and looked back. “I also want to learn to cure poison Chetta…” said Kochuraman grinning at them eagerly. The boys looked at him and could gauge his background. With a sarcastic smile, one of the boys said, “Go to the Vaidyan himself and tell your wish and he will teach you the Mantra. Then chant the Mantra ten lakh times and then you will be able to cure poison. But hey! you will have to carry some offerings for the Guru. Only then he will teach”.

Saying so, the boys went away with a smirk on their lips.

“Quite a simple procedure…  but I don’t have anything to offer to the Guru…” thought Kochuraman. “What do I do?” Thinking thus he walked around his hut and suddenly his eyes fell on the yellow pumpkins which had grown on the creeper on the roof of his hut. “Wow! I will gift the Vaidyan some nice pumpkins” he said to himself. He climbed on to the roof and brought down  some fat pumpkins and felt very pleased with himself. “I will go early in the morning and give this to the Vaidyan  and he will give me the Mantra… Then I will practice it and will be able to cure poison like him and earn a lot of money!” he thought. The mere thought of earning lot of money brought a wide smile to his face.

Early next morning even before the sun rose, Kochuraman, carrying four fat pumpkins ran to the Vaidyan’s house. He knocked the door hard as if in some great urgency. The Vaidyan was just preparing to go for his bath. Hearing the sound of the knocking, the Vaidyan thought it must be some case of emergency and rushed to open the door. The moment he opened the door, Kochuraman dropped the pumpkins on the floor, of which one fell on the Vaidyan’s feet. He then prostrated himself falling at the feet of the Vaidyan and said “I want to be your disciple O Guru, so please give me the Mantra!”.

The Vaidyan was furious at someone disturbing him so early in the morning and then dropping a fat pumpkin on his feet. He yelled at Kochuraman saying “Viddi… Kushmandam” (Stupid… pumpkin). The next moment Kochuraman jumped up in joy. “I have got the Mantra, I have got the Mantra” said he, as the puzzled Vaidyan looked at him running back to his home.

After that Kochuraman was not seen in the neighbourhood for some months. How could he be? He had chosen a small cave in the nearby mountains and was sincerely chanting the ‘Mantra’. He had a rosary of beads to keep count. From dawn to dusk everyday he continuously chanted “Viddi Kushmandam, Viddi Kushmandam, Viddi……” And finally, one day he finished chanting it ten lakh times!

“Yesss!” cried Kochuraman in joy. “I have done it. Now I can cure poison like the Vaidyan. Yay!!!” And off he went in search of ‘patients’. Well, you see, he was a new Vaidyan and no one would come to him and so he had to seek patients. He walked to remote villages on the hills.

Initially, people were surprised to see a Vaidyan coming and asking for patients and they thought he was fake for they had never heard his name. But Kochuraman was as persistent in getting patients as he was in getting the Mantra. Soon his doggedness paid rewards. When he got his first patient, he prayed mentally to his Guru (the Vaidyan who gave him the Mantra), took some water in his hand, sprinkled it on the patient. And then, whispered the ‘Mantra’ in the ear of the patient so many times and in a fast manner. Lo and behold! The patient really became better and got cured completely. The onlookers marvelled at the effect of the ‘Sarpa Mantra’ (snake chant or so they thought!) uttered by Kochuraman.

Kochuraman was very pleased with himself. He started curing more patients gaining name and fame in no time and now he was “Vaidyan Kochuraman”. He earned a lot of money and built a nice house in a nearby village.

Now, it so happened that the Zamorin(ruler) of Kozhikode had an attack of poisoning. All the Vaidyans, including the one who lived near Kochuraman’s house were  summoned to the palace to cure the ruler. All of them tried their best but there was no positive result. The court physician, with his face downcast spoke to the Zamorin’s wife. “Extremely sorry Thamburatti!” he said, “We have failed you…” 

Just then, one of the close friends of the Zamorin suggested that they call Kochuraman as people talked highly of Kochuraman’s skill.

“Yes, please call him immediately” said the Thamburatti.

Kochuraman was summoned.  

Examining the Zamorin, Kochuraman said to the lady, “Please get a bowl of hot rice gruel (Kanji) ready. The Zamorin has not eaten anything for the past few days and so he will be terribly hungry when I cure him now”. All the people around were surprised at his confidence. Kanji was brought. Kochuraman  prayed to his Guru, sprinkled water from the small container he carried  and whispered the ‘Mantra’ in the Zamorin’s ears.

And, to the surprise of all, the Zamorin sat up and said “I am feeling ravenously hungry. Is there anything to eat??”

The Zamorin, was so grateful to Kochuraman that he decided to honour him by sending him home in a palanquin with all sorts of gifts. Flanked by elephants and horses and a musical band accompanying it, Kochuraman, sat in the ornately decorated palanquin, with bags of gold and silver coins, diamonds and silks kept beside him. The procession started.

At the end of the street where Kochuraman used to live, stood some people including the Vaidyan who gave the ‘Mantra’ to Kochuraman. The Vaidyan could not face Kochuraman. Looking down, he thought to himself, “This is that impudent fellow who came  some years back to learn from me. And I yelled at him. Now he has learnt  from some other Guru. Tch.. I was a fool to not accept him as my student”

Just then Kochuraman noticed the Vaidyan. “Stop! Stop the palanquin!” he cried. When the palanquin was lowered, he got down, took some bags of gold and silver coins and ran in leaps and bounds to the Vaidyan. Placing the bags at the feet of the shell-shocked Vaidyan, he fell at his feet exactly as he had done a few years back. Getting up, he said, “Please accept these O Guru! It is because what you taught that I am so successful today!”

“Me???” said the Vaidyan. “I taught you???”

“Yes” said Kochuraman. “You gave me the secret Mantra which is what I have been using to cure patients”.

The Vaidyan was even more perplexed. “I did not give you any Mantra” he said with a confused look on his face.

“Of course you did!” said Kochuraman. Then lowering his voice he said “Viddi Kushmandam – the secret Mantra, do you not remember? That it what I chant and cure people, O Guru!”

The Vaidyan was completely taken aback. This was impossible! Never had he witnessed the power of faith in play, though he had read on how faith plays an important part in cure. But here was a live example of how the faith of the disciple in his teacher could do miracles.

The Vaidyan was overwhelmed with humility and watched his ‘disciple’ with pride, as Kochuraman went back to the palanquin.