The enlightened see the same essence
In a wise man, a king, an outcaste, a dog or a crow.
—Bhagavad Gita

Life took on a sharp piquancy after Atulya and Mandakini left: with Maruti and his regular offerings of fruit gone, Mandakini’s supplies run dry, and the milk from the aging goats rapidly dwindling, Ishvari could no longer take nourishment for granted. Reluctant to forage in deeper jungle, she managed on the wild fruit and berries she picked on her walks through the valley. Then, on the twenty-first day following their departure, she found a reed basket sitting on the rock of healing. Inside nestled an abundance of fruit found only in the heart of the jungle, layered with feathery fronds to keep them fresh, and six loaves of unleavened bread. This tim...

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