Shon Mehta

A long time ago, there was a village near Vanpore , the capital of Yashantika. Like in any other village in Yashantika, all land in the village was owned by the Grahvars, the class of highborn landlords. It had been so for generations. Not only did the Grahvars own the land, they also owned the Cetas who worked on the land. The Cetas worked on the farms, cleaned the houses, and did whatever they were told to do. The Cetas rose early and worked till midnight. They did so every day of their lives, and when they could no longer work they were simply thrown off the land. For the Grahvars, this was not cruelty. They believed that Sarvabhu, the God of Gods, had arranged the world this way -- the Grahvars were born to rule while the Cetas were born to serve -- and what had been decided by God could not be questioned by men. Then came the Unification of Jivavarta, and with it a revolution. The old religion of Tapasi was replaced by the new faith of Ajabuhi. This new faith declared that the Cet...

A long time ago, in the Jivavarta mainland, a man escaped the ravages of an ongoing war and settled with his family deep inside a forest. Although he escaped humans, he could not escape the birds. When he grew his first crop, birds descended on his fields and started eating his crop. Enraged to his limits, he cursed at them, he shooed them away -- but the birds did not listen. They ate his entire crop. He sowed the crop again, but this time he was ready. As soon as a first bird descended, he killed it. It felt nice, he had finally done something. Birds did not stop coming, but he made a habit of killing a bird whenever he saw one eating his crop. After a few years, he killed them even when they were not eating his crop. He killed them merely because he had now become used to killing them. Every time he killed a bird, he buried its body in a corner of his field and put a gravestone alongside. On the gravestone he carved a little picture of him strangling the bird, a symbol of his victor...

Once, in the ancient land of Jivavarta, there was a small village. For ten years, the Imperial Officer governing the village took half of every harvest and locked away anyone who refused.  Over time, the people had enough. One evening, they gathered their weapons and stormed the fort. The officer fled into the night. That night, the village celebrated till dawn. For the first time in years, they slept believing they were free. Two weeks later, another officer arrived from the capital city of Vanpore. He did not come alone; he brought fifty men in heavy armor. To feed them, he immediately demanded two-thirds of the harvest. Soon, a gallows was raised in the market square. "But I thought we had won," whispered one of the younger villagers, staring at the fresh timber of the gallows. An old elder nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the noose. "We took revenge," the elder replied. “But We mistook it for change.  Anger rarely lacks a target. It usually lacks a solution....

Microfables of Jivavarta  is a collection of short moral stories and philosophical microfiction that explore human behavior, social dynamics, and resilience. These bite-sized parables are designed for readers seeking meaningful, thought-provoking stories in a quick, engaging format. "Hadwin's Gift"  is a featured entry in this collection, exploring the subtle psychology of expectations, desire, and the complex dynamics of interpersonal generosity. (Note: This is a newly revised, expanded version of the story originally published in 2016, now fully integrated into the Microfables of Jivavarta collection.) One day Hadwin asked his new friend, "What do want for your birthday?”  The friend thought for a moment, and then said "I don't know. I can never decide, what I want."  "But then, what should I give you on your birthday?" asked Hadwin.  "Why don't you surprise me?" said the friend.  “Sure, I will try." said Hadwin.  After hi...

The Balance is a philosophical study by Shon Mehta on the Moral Equality of Combatants, illustrating when a leader must choose mercy over execution. God King of Rongcha stands embodying the wisdom required to rule the Rongcha kingdom. Once upon a time, there was a great Rongcha kingdom. The great kingdom had frequent battles with the neighbouring kingdom. The reason for the battles was the border dispute between these two kingdoms. The king a wise man was getting old. So he thought of grooming his son as his successor. Therefore, the next time when the king went for the battle, he took his son along with him. His son, the young prince, was as brave as his father. In the battle the prince fought like a lion and captured a warlord of the enemy kingdom. The prince brought this warlord in front of the king. King leads the young prince to the border, teaching him that leadership begins on the battlefield. “What should we do with this scum?” asked the prince, pointing at the enemy warlord. “...