Stories of Jivavarta: The Priest of Vanpore

Viprasta did a lot of things he didn't want to. He wanted to sleep till noon, but instead he got up before dawn. He wanted to take a hot water bath, but instead he took a plunge into the lake's freezing water. He then stood in the water, chanting the hymns he knew by heart, and hated, since his childhood.

He got out of the water, and walked towards his house. It was still dark outside, and there was a lamp burning in his house. His ceta, a slave boy of ten, was up and had plucked fresh flowers...