Shashvat was an aging eagle who lived in deep physical and mental misery. Neither could he find food for himself, nor could he defend himself. He was left in despair perched on a dry birch tree away from everyone.
He was perturbed about not being able to hunt and fly in the sky like in his younger days. He was an aging eagle with his bent beak and talons. His feathers had grown heavy, increasing the weight of the wings, and thus making it harder to fly.
He desperately wanted a new lease of life. At the age of 40 years Shashvat could feel the burden of his age. Shashvat went on a visit to the place where the wisdom of age was gathered. He had to take a decision whether to go through the painful process of change and live for another 30 years or die without giving it a best shot that he could? This question perplexed him the most.
He takes a decision to fight against all the fears and old beliefs that he had within him. The pain involved in the process of change would be so intense, that it would be a testing process for him. But Shashvat decided to opt for the change and the pain.
Shashvat waited patiently for the right time to set forth on his long journey to the tallest mountain top. He eyed the snowcapped mountains and after a few minutes of concentration he started his flight towards the mountain. After a painful flight Shashvat reached the mountain top, panting for his breath. His heavy wings had given him a lot of trouble enroute.
As soon as, he reached the mountain summit, he started to gather materials for his resting place. Then his 150 days of intense self-abuse would begin for the cause of a new lease on his life. Shashvat broke his bent beak against the rocks until it broke and fell off. He waits until his beaks grow back again.
Shashvat then plucks his talons which are also bent and unable to hold prey because of their age. Then another waiting period passes until the talons also grow again. After enduring the pains of both his beak and his talons, Shashvat now turns his attention to his feathers.
Shashvat plucked out his old feathers so that new feathers could grow. The next five months are spent getting into shape for Shashvat. At the end of the last month Shashvat takes his first flight, after his transformation into his new self. From that point Shashvat got a new lease of 30 more years of his life as an eagle.
Itinerant Storyteller 