The Miracle of Purun Bhagat:

Short Note:
 A pen picture of Purun Bhagat:

The Miracle of Purun Bhagat is a wonderful story written by the British writer Rudyard Kipling. The story
shows the emotions, strengths, weaknesses, perseverance, belief and trust of people in each other. The story
has many Underlying themes such as ‘return to nature’, ‘helping others’, ‘living a simple life’, ‘taking care
of others’ ‘Being true to yourself’.

Story is set in the year 1894. The story represents Purun Dass as one of the great persons of India. Who
had achieved so many in this world, but now as he has become somewhat old he decides to leave everything
at the peak of his life. He renounces (leaves) everything that he had earned everything that he had learnt of
this world and goes to a place of solitary (alone).

In the beginning of this beautiful story we find Purun Dass as one of the most important person of the
Mohini wala state. He was a Brahmin and of a high caste. Purun Dass was a quiet, close-mouthed young
Brahmin man. He received his English education from Bombay University and slowly but steadily kept on
working until he became the Prime Minister of Mohini wala state.

As a Prime Minister Purun Dass worked very fast efficiently and continuously for the Welfare of his state.
As a part of the reforms in the Mohini wala state Purun Dass made some changes. With the help of the
king of Mohini wala they established schools for little girls, made roads, and started state dispensaries/
hospitals. Also with these things Purun Dass made efforts for the betterment of Agriculture. They also
published “Moral and Material Progress of the State”.

Purun Dass was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (K.C.I.E). So his name
stood as Sir Purun Dass KCIE.

But at the peak of his life and after all his achievements Purun das resigned from all his positions, Palace
and power. As he accepts a new way of life he makes some changes to himself. He takes up a begging-
bowl and ochre-colored dress of a Sannyasi or holy man. He only had a few things with him. An antelope
skin a brass handle clutch under his arm and a begging bowl of polished brown coco-de-mere in his hand,
barefoot, alone with eyes cast on the ground he moved out of the city.

After renouncing everything Purun Das became Purun Bhagat. In the mountains of the Himalaya he went
to find peace for his mind and soul and at one place under the Deodar tree he found a deserted shrine of
Kali- who is Durga, who is Sitala. At this place Purun Bhagat started his new life as a Sanyasi.

At the shrine of Kali Purun Bhagat does not get fancy food delivered by people. He is given normal food
by the village people and Purun Bhagat has no complaints about it. In return for food Purun Bhagat gives
them his blessings and remembers them in his prayers sometimes he gives sage advice to the village people.

At the shrine of Kali Purun Bhagat has become one with nature. At the Shrine he makes new animal friends.
The langoor, barasingha, and Sona, the black bear along with some ideas and a Kasturi deer. Not only
makes friends with these animals but also shares his food with them and at the time of rains or any other
problems he gives them shelter and comfort. And because of this bond between Purun Bhagat is warned by
the animals that the villages were going to face a landslide. But with the help of the animals and his own
administrative skills Purun Bhagat saves the villagers by taking them on a high Hill across the valley.

In the final part of the story we find that after saving the villagers Purun Bhagat was going to make his
journey towards the Almighty. The final sketch of Purun Bhagat is like this: the villagers find him dead,
sitting crossed legged, he is back against a tree, his crutch under his armpit and his face turned to the north-
east, said to be the direction of the Gods and Goddesses.

● The Title “The Miracle of Purun Bhagat”

“The Miracle of Purun Bhagat” is a wonderful story written by Rudyard Kipling. The Miracle of Purun
Bhagat is a wonderful story written by the British writer Rudyard Kipling. The story shows the emotions,
strengths, weaknesses, perseverance, belief and trust of people in each other. The story has many
Underlying themes such as ‘return to nature’, ‘helping others’, ‘living a simple life’, ‘taking care of others’
‘Being true to yourself’.

Story is set in the year 1894. The story represents Purun Dass as one of the great persons of India. Who
had achieved so many in this world, but now as he has become somewhat old he decides to leave everything
at the peak of his life. He renounces (leaves) everything that he had earned everything that he had learnt of
this world and goes to a place of solitary (alone).

The Miracle that we think about and we talked about are different in various manners. To the miracles can
be said about the amazing change in the thinking, the changes in the way of living, the changes in the way
of interacting with others, the way a Purun Dass understands others. The way a Purun Dass becomes one
with nature and at last figuring out or finding out the life threatening problem that the villagers were
supposed to face and to lead them to safety.

a. The first miracle that we can see is a transformation of Purun Dass into Purun Bhagat. This is
nothing short of a miracle. We see that Purun Dass has achieved so much in so little time. Purun
Das became Prime Minister off Mohini wala state, he was liked and adored by the white people,
offices his own king and the viceroy of India. He had the power, position and everything one would
want. But Purun Dass decides to leave everything behind and becomes a Sanyasi. For a human
being to relinquish (let go of) so much power, wealth, position and success is a kind of a miracle.
b. The next miracle we can say is that when Purun Das became Purun Bhagat he went to the
Himalayas to find himself and to find peace. He decides to live in the shrine of Kali as a Sanyasi.
In this place there is no human being around for miles there are only trees and wild animals. And
in this place Purun Bhagat is made friends by the wild animals that live there. At the Shrine he
makes new animal friends. The langoor, barasingha, and Sona, the black bear along with some
ideas and a Kasturi deer. Not only makes friends with these animals but also shares his food with
them and at the time of rains or any other problems he gives them shelter and comfort. And because
of this bond between Purun Bhagat is warned by the animals that the villages were going to face a
landslide. But with the help of the animals and his own administrative skills Purun Bhagat saves
the villagers by taking them on a high Hill across the valley.
c. The biggest miracle that we find in the story is that Purun Bhagat is able to find out that there was
going to be a landslide with the help of the animal friends. Purun Bhagat not only saves the villagers
from the landslide but also take all the 70 villages to a safe place across the valley and onto another
Hill.
d. The final miracle in the story we find is the in the passing away of Purun Bhagat. After saving the
villagers Purun Bhagat sits under a tree, but by the morning he passes away. In the final part of the
story we find that after saving the villagers Purun Bhagat was going to make his journey towards
the Almighty. The final sketch of Purun Bhagat is like this: the villagers find him dead, sitting
crossed legged, he is back against a tree, his crutch under his armpit and his face turned to the north-
east, said to be the direction of the Gods and Goddesses.
So the title of the story is quite appropriate and suggestive.