Chapter 1: Set on journey to Varanasi
Sharma is a well educated, honest, kind hearted and rich brahmin. He is popular among the town. He got a son who was intelligent and a good boy. He mastered the education sooner than other kids of his age.
Soon the son got to the age of marriage and the father started talking to the son about marriage. But the son was reluctant to marry anyone.
"I do not want to marry. Once a person marries he starts craving for money. If it is only my body, i can take care of it easily at least by begging for little bit of food. If I marry, I have to take care of my spouse, kids and their education. I would fall more and more in to the worldly matters. I already have both of my parents as worldly bonds. I do not wish to have more bonds and want to have the bond with only god. So, do not pester me to marry" saying this son ended the conversation with the father not giving the father any chance to convince him anymore.
Unable to change the mind of son, the father became sad and his health started to deteriorate. After some time the father died. Mother committed suicide unable to part with her husband. Even when his parents died, the son did not feel much sadness but felt happy since he does not have any bonds to this world and started searching for a teacher to learn about god and how to pray for him.
A few days passed and a saint came to their town on his journey and was residing in a temple. The son heard about the saint and went to meet him. There he saw the saint who has a god like aura around him. He looked other worldly with his aura which oozes of knowledge. The son greeted the saint and served him attending to all his needs from dawn to dusk for ten days. The saint understood the intention of the son and asked him who he is and what he wants.
"oh great saint! I am the son of Sharma. My parents died recently. I don't have anyone. Saints like you are my dearest. You roam around the world sharing knowledge. I don't have any worldly desires. So please teach me the way to get moksha. That is my only desire. Please be generous to me and teach me."
The saint used his powers to see the past of him. "I understand your intention. You did many good deeds in your past life. That is the reason you are more knowledgeable this early of age. you have a reason for your birth. You don't need my teachings. Your are mentally a saint already. Now become a saint physically too. Take a helper with you and go to Varanasi and meet the saints there. There you can get the moksha." The saint took out a diamond from his robes and gave it to the son. "Take this diamond and pray to it daily. With this you can know the stories from past, present and future. Since you got this diamond, hence forth you would be called "Mani siddha". Now go home." with this saint blessed him and went on his own journey.
Mani went home and became a saint. He started searching for a companion to go on journey to Varanasi. He approached a friend and asked him if he is willing to go with him. The friend rejected him. "What happened to all your education. You caused grieve to your father and caused his death. Now you are thinking to take people like me and kill them too??? These journeys are useless. You go on your own. I wont come with you. I don't want to leave my wife and kids to go on tedious journey with you"
Mani reached out to another friend. "Oh dear friend! Varanasi is a holy pilgrim. One visit and dip in holy ganges river is enough to make all your sins from past to present life to get cleared. Don't you want to visit that town? That town has many stories. I can tell you all the stories on the way. These worldly matters are enemies for your next life's happiness. Only by visiting Varanasi could you get rid of your worldly desires"
This friend also rejected him saying "Oh saint! Varanasi is a great place. But the journey is said to be horrendous. They say dying is easier than going to Varanasi. You are already a saint and has lot of knowledge. Why do you need to go there? For us common people, we may get some enlightenment via the journey to Varanasi. When you are already enlightened there is no need for you to go too right??"
Another person : Please don't get angry with me. But the journey to Varanasi is difficult. The people are prone diseases and also there are many thieves on the way. It is equal to death going to Varanasi. That is the reason no one returned from Varanasi. How could I come to such horrible journey?
Another person : My grand father was encouraged by someone to take on a journey to Varanasi with few people. The group of people took food and clothes they could carry with them and started their journey. My grand father is too orthodox. He does not eat food whenever and wherever. He cooked for himself and ate. After walking for a few days, their speed decreased by a lot due to tiredness. They came across a forest. In the night they camped in the forest. That night it started to pour down heavily. They did not have any shelter over their head and so they got drenched in the rain along with their food and clothes. At last the rain stopped but then they were robbed by thieves. They lost everything. But they continued their journey until the next town. By then they all got flu from the rain. In the inn of that town, they don't allow diseased people to enter. So they had to walk until the end of the town and saw some shelter and rested there. The owners of the shelter follow another religion. So they got into a clash and group of my grand parent was beaten a lot and thrown away from the shelter. They even got into dispute with local authorities. The people who were healthy got more of a trouble than the diseased ones. They couldn't bear the problems any more and discussed about going home. Many people decided to go home while ten people continued their journey to Varanasi. Among those ten people, eight people died on journey to Varanasi while other two reached Varanasi but died on return journey. My grand father came home six months later he left the home. He couldn't become a normal person for three months. He told the story of journey with horror in his face for many years until his death. So, I am not willing to come with you on such journey.
Mani is disappointed and started on his journey alone while begging for food on the way and praying to god. When he reached a small forest he came across a shepherd who was playing flute leisurely while watching over the sheep. Mani started little conversation with the boy.
His name is Kotappa and is an orphan. He spends his life peacefully by looking over the sheep which belong to a person who is taking care of him. Mani told him the greatness of Varanasi saying any one who went to Varanasi and dipped in Ganges and spent the night in the temple would born as a king in next life.
kota: who ever goes?
Mani: Yes. Even if bugs go there, they would get better life next time.
Kota: Then tell me the story of Varanasi. If I like it, i will come. I love stories.
Manisiddha started telling Kotappa the story of Varanasi and its greatness.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
chaitu743
chaitu743 Moksha is when your soul reaches god after death and you would no longer get any reincarnation.
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There might be some things you may not understand in story. Like traditions. I wont explain them in the story since it might become boring to few. In case you dont understand anything, just raise it in comment section and i can explain in comment section ^_^
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