Rup and Basant

Estimated reading time : 2 mn

Story

This is a story of two princes, Rup and Basant. As their stepmother didn't like them, she sent them away from the family home. The boys went to live with some rishis, who taught them in meditation how to dive deeply into the ocean of silence. They lived a pure life and received blessings from everyone. Whenever one would smile, flowers would emerge from his lips and whenever the other would speak, jewels would emerge.

In this story, the stepmother wanted these two children to become insignificant, not known to anyone, and did not want them to attain the throne to the kingdom. However, her own son, who had become very wicked, ultimately proved himself to be unworthy of ruling. Finally, Rup and Basant, who had been sent to the jungle, became kings again because of their royal qualities.

The Supreme Soul always says that with the virtues of sweetness, cheerfulness, happiness and wisdom, one is able to claim a throne in the future golden-aged kingdom. Baba is Rup Basant and if we too become rup (embodiments of yoga) and basant (one who showers knowledge), we can claim the future kingdom.

Copied from Story Time - a collection of ancient stories for modern times (scanned bk book pdf 24 Mo).

Variants of the tale Rup and Basant

There are many variations of this tale. An English translation of the tale told in Punjab is The Two Brothers.

"17. Steel, Flora Annie. “The Two Brothers” In her Tales of the Punjab. London: Macmillan and Co., 1894, pp. 129-43."

Source: Sit Basant: Oral Tale, Sangit and Kissa (pdf)

There is another English version of the tale told in Bengal: Folk tales of Bengal on Wikisource