Once upon a time, in a distant land called Manas, there were two golden swans named Gurumukh and Sumukh. These swans lived in a magnificent lake known as The manas-sarovar, which later became famous as Mansarovar and is now located in China. Their feathers were more beautiful than the white clouds in the blue sky, and their melodious calls surpassed the enchanting tunes of dancing nymphs.The king Gurumukh and Sumukh, his loyal general. They were identical in appearance, slightly larger than the other swans, and equally virtuous and noble. The only difference was that one was a king, and the other was his faithful commander.The news of these swans’ beauty and grace spread among gods, nagas, yakshas, and celestial beings. Over time, even the people in the human realm heard about their qualities. The the Emperor of Varanasi, upon hearing about them, felt a strong desire to bring those swans to his empire.
Promptly, The Emperor of Varanasi built of a beautiful lake in his empire. The lake also became a home to diverse species of fish and aquatic birds.The Emperor ensured the safety of all the birds residing in the lake, and soon, word spread far and wide about the enchanting sanctuary he had created. Birds from distant places started visiting the lake freely, enjoying its beauty and tranquility. One day, after the monsoon season,as the autumn season began, Gurumukh and Some of swan from his gaggle were flying over Varanasi. Their gaze fell upon the lake, and they were captivated by its beauty and the serene aquatic life. Immediately, they descended and spent some time there.While the rest of the swans were enjoying the beauty of the place, King Gurmukh was checking the safety of the place. The Gurumukh was not feeling good vibes there, soon he ordered everyone to return.When they arrived in Manas, All praised the Varanasi lake so much except The King. All the swans in Manas were eager to visit Varanasi after the monsoon.However, King Gurumukh and his general Sumukh did not agree with the other swans’ plan. Gurumukh explained that birds and animals have their own natural tendencies and expressions, while humans, known as “manav, often hide their true feelings behind their smiles.Despite his advice, after a few days, the king of swans felt compelled to bow down to the insistence of the other swans. Reluctantly, he decided to lead all the swans of Manas to Varanasi after। the monsoon.Arriving at Varanasi, the swans were immediately captivated by the lake’s beauty. They enjoyed the hospitality of the Emperor.
As feared, the Emperor made a plan to catch the swans by getting a fowler to cast a net. As soon as the king of Swan’s paw got stuck in the net, he alerted everyone with a loud voice and ordered everyone else to leave the place quickly while the other swans flew from the garden only Sumukh chose to stay with his king.Although the king allowed Sumukh to leave, the faithful general decided to live or die with his king. When the fowler returned to look at the net, he found one golden swan in the net and one near it standing calmly and confidently. Seeing the fowler surprised, Commander Sumukh told him that he could not leave his king. The fowler was stunned to see a bird speaking and he freed them.After all, a king is a king, so Gurumukh said that this fowler could even get death penalty for disobeying his Emperor’s order, so he would have to go with him and appear before the king.The Emperor of Varanasi and his soldiers were astonished to see two swans sitting comfortably on the fowler’s shoulders. The Emperor had asked them to trap and catch them. The fowler told the whole story that how those two swans had come to the emperor to save his life.The Emperor was astonished to know that the swans he had tried to capture were willingly sacrificing themselves. He realising the swan’s’ loyalty and devotion.
He immediately freed them. He honoured the wise swans and welcomed them back to Varanasi.In this way, after a few days, The King and Sumukh, the two extraordinary swans, returned to their homeland, Manas. They continued to be revered for their wisdom and devotion, and their story became a tale of loyalty and sacrifice, spreading far and wide across the realms.