Samskara

Praneshacharya, a devout Brahmin who has completed Vedic studies, returns to Durvasapura and is revered as the spiritual leader of the Brahmin community. His overarching goal is liberation (moksha) and he is willing to endure personal sacrifices to pursue it. The setting establishes his authority and single-minded pursuit.

To remain focused on moksha, he takes a wife who is invalid, thereby choosing celibacy as the price of his spiritual quest. This act signals his willingness to bear harsh personal consequences for his goal. It also sets up the moral tension surrounding his future decisions.

Although a Brahmin by birth, Narayanappa embraces a lifestyle outside the strict caste norms. His acts spark controversy among the villagers and threaten the social order of Durvasapura.

Narayanappa and his companions catch sacred fish in the temple tank and cook them, feeding a direct challenge to Brahmin authority. The act triggers collective outrage among the Brahmins and a demand for Narayanappa's expulsion.

The Brahmins confront Praneshacharya, asking him to remove Narayanappa from the community. Praneshacharya considers the request, weighing the severity of the offense against the possibility of reform.

He decides against taking the extreme step of banishment, hoping to convince Narayanappa to renounce his immoral acts. He believes dialogue and reform are possible within the village's frame of Brahmin ethics.

Narayanappa leaves for Shimoga to escape the pressure, but returns with a high fever and dies. His death deepens the crisis of ritual purity and raises questions about who can perform the necessary rites.

With Narayanappa dead, the Brahmins face a cruel dilemma: cremating a Brahmin's body risks pollution, but a non-Brahmin cannot perform the rite. They search for a solution within their constraints but find none.

He studies the holy books and goes to a temple to pray for guidance, spending a full day in contemplation. The scriptures fail to offer a clear solution, leaving him spiritually unsettled.

On his way home, he encounters Chandri and is entranced by her beauty. In a moment of weakness, he falls under her influence, an act that exposes a hidden guilt within him.

Chandri rushes home, discovers Narayanappa's body decaying, and arranges for a private cremation away from Durvasapura. She then flees the village, leaving the others to their complicating secrets.

Feeling the weight of his own indiscretion, Praneshacharya departs Durvasapura, hoping to escape the repercussions of his actions. The departure marks a drastic break from his role as community guide.

Eventually he returns to the village, determined to own up to his act and bear the consequences. The narrative stops short of revealing whether he finally confesses, leaving the outcome to the viewer.

The story closes with ambiguity about whether Praneshacharya reveals his indiscretion. The moral and spiritual dilemma lingers, inviting reflection on guilt, power, and reform.