Chitragupta hoodwinked!

 Life in Yam Lok was becoming dull day by day, notwithstanding the hectic second by second activities. It was like an aircraft on “auto pilot” leaving the crew to look down on the cloud banks, heaps of mountains – some with snow caps, and the water bodies. Yama was not piloting an airliner and so he decided to do some serious thinking about bringing “life” in to the business of ‘the afterlife’, like the mortals infuse finds and talent to prop up their conglomerates against stiff competition. Though his undertaking  is an unchallengeable monopoly ,it generated monotony as a waste product.

These thoughts heavily weighed down in mind along with the climb down he did to avoid the wrath of Thrimurthies, sometime ago. As usual, Chitragupta was silently riffling through his calendar of death, amidst the floating ghosts! This deep rooted practice handed down by successive generations probably stood in the way of this present Chitragupta. Yama cast a look of aversion and wondered, “How one can be so old fashioned and attached to those leaves of the ledger?” Furthermore, this obstinacy of Chitragupta against change was really the reason why he, Yamadharmaraj, could not bring in any reform in his domain. He was all set to overcome this resistance even by steamrolling, if required.

Yet he wanted Chitragupta on his side as otherwise many dark secrets and ghost raids might come out like a can of worms. Yama prided himself in using this sort of idioms and phrases picked from the mortals during those innumerable excursions. Sadly, such nuances were not picked up by Chitragupta though he was always a fellow traveler. He concluded: ‘Chitragupta lacks the will to practice new things and now all these things are set to change!”

Broaching the subject of reforms, Yama said, “I have an idea. Why not take the cyber route to be in touch with our targets down-under?

As a matter of routine Chitragupta answered without even hearing what Yama  had just said, “ Why not?” and resumed his thumbing through the ledger.

Sensing a chance, Yama took his thinking one step further, “May be we could ask the ghosts of computer experts with us to think about this possibility?” Yama knew that if he used the one step at a time technique, Chitragupta would always utter the two syllables “why not”.

Cautiously Yama unfolded the next step, “once in place, we can come up with a free App that could tell our targets things they would like to or would not like to know?” Lost in his counts, Chitragupta one again said, “Why not?” Yama sensed now it is like a long haul airliner on auto-pilot. Yama was pleased once again in another appropriate usage of the mortal’s figure of speech.

Yama continued, “May be we could send out alerts on their date of departure which would be useful to know in advance, is it not”? Having heard the ‘not’ in the end, Chitragupta thought to modify his response a little and said, “Oh yes!” Yama was thrilled as his game plan was slowly leading the discussion in the way he wanted it to take!  Unaware of the hoodwinking by his leader, Chitragupta once again buried his nose in the pages where he hoped to find the solution to the erroneous entries that he had detected.

Yama continued, “We can remind them of the sins they have committed with  video clippings as part of the things they would not like to know.  What you say?” Sensing that Yama is confiding in him, more and more, before taking the decision, Chitragupta immediately said, “Yes, a good idea” though he had failed to connect the dots put in place earlier.

“I would mandate the ghosts of computer experts to write a ‘worm’ that will get activated once the App is downloaded. Then onward, the messages will automatically reach the targets via cell phones, desk tops and laptops. There will be no let up. How is the plan?”

Hearing Yama speak like that, Chitragupta decided to delay his response to ascertain whether Yama was continuing to confide in him. A look at Yama’s face reassured him and he hastened to answer, “Very good”.

Chitragupta asked, “What about others who don’t come under our purview?” Yama pitied his naive attempt in trying to appear in the role of a devil’s advocate,” He twirled his mustache fondly and counted the traps he had set up for Chitragupta to walk in and wondered when he would  learn to be alert before rushing with an answer or a question!

“Of course we have to take care of them too. How about reminding them to light this lamp, break that fruit, and distribute this grain or that pulse. Anything to keep them tuned to us. What would you suggest?” 

Chitragupta really started to feel very important now. Bloating with pride in being asked for suggestions, Chitragupta became tongue-tied and managed to nod his head vigorously in the affirmative.

Yama felt he had just navigated through all the vested interest vetoes that could have been exercised by Chitragupta. In a serious of innocent moves, Yama had reduced the dependence on the bulky ledger and its custodian. He hurried on a soul searching attempt – computer experts are in urgent need now!

After solving the problem of fudged entries, Chitragupta turned around and saw the retreating figure of his leader. He vaguely remembered answering the questions posed by Yama, little realising the fact that in effect he had surrendered his own supremacy by nodding his head involuntarily.