Hindu Religious Studies 89
A Simple Boy and Madhusudan
Long long ago there lived a boy called Jatil and his mother in a
village. Jatil's father died. They were very poor.
Jatil used to go to a teacher in a school for his study. There was a
deep forest on his way to school. The walk went through the forest.
Jatil was much afraid to walk alone there. One day he said to his
mother weeping, 'Mother, I'm afraid of going to school alone. Give
someone to accompany me. Otherwise I shall not go to school.'
Mother listened to Jatil and said, 'We are poor. How shall I appoint a
man for you, my child? There lives an elder brother of yours in the
forest. His name is Madhusudan. Call him if you are afraid. He will
go with you.'
Jatil got some courage listening to his mother. He has no more fear.
The elder Madhusudan will go with him. On the next day he again
walked through the forest. Going ahead a little he called loudly,
'Madhusudan, O my elder, come quickly to me. I'm much
frightened.'
But where was Madhusudan? Nobody came to him. Jatil loved his
mother very much. He also trusted her. How could her mother tell a
lie?
In fact, Madhusudan is one of the names of Bhagaban. He got this
name by killing a giant. Jatil's mother told him of that Madhusudan.
Who is there more than Bhagaban for them who are poor and have-
nots? So Jatil's mother asked him to rely on Bhagaban out of her
good faith.Jatil firmly believed that his elder Madhusudoan would come. He
called again and again in a piteous voice, 'Madhusudan, O my elder,
come to me quickly.'