count your blessings

Here goes another short story from my childhood that stayed with me....

In a village, there was once an ardent Shiva devotee. He followed a daily ritual to hand-pick beautiful flowers and then walk bare-foot to the Shiva temple to perform pooja (prayer) every morning. Be it wind or rain, hot or cold, he performed his pooja with fervour and devotion.

In the same village, lived another man, who was a non-believer of Shiva. Just out of sheer cynicism, he that he would go to the same Shiva temple, at the same time, and kick the Shiv-ling. He was consumed with as much cynicism and ill-will, as the devotion of the first man. It hurt the devotee to see this, and he would ask the Lord for forgiveness for his fellowman.

Years passed. One fine morning, the devotee after having finished plucking the flowers for the pooja, set to walk to the temple. On his way his foot was pricked by a bunch of thorns and bled profusely. Yet he managed to get the thorns out and made it to the temple. The same morning, the cynic on his way to the temple to kick the Shiv-ling found the most beautiful coin of gold. Thrilled that he would now be able to fulfill his immediate needs he gleefully strolled to the temple, and went again to carry out his loathsome deed by again kicking the Shiv-ling.

Puzzled by the sequence of events, up in their heavenly abode at Kailash, Goddess Parvati, wife of Shiva, put forth this question to Him, "Shiva, my lord, why is such pain inflicted on your unflinching devotee ? Why O Lord, did his years of penance and worship yielded him pain from thorns, while the ill-deed of his fellow bore him the gold-coin ?"

To this, The Great Lord Shiva replied, "My Dear One, all humans are born with a destiny. But, by virtue of their karma, they are all empowered to alter that destiny."

"My devotee, had in his destiny, to die a painful death, this day, this moment. But his ardent devotion and his good karma, averted his fate. He suffered minor temporary pain of a few thorns on his feet, in lieu of death. Instead, he is now blessed with years of health, wealth and prosperity. And beyond this life on earth, he has earned a life aboard heavenly Kailash."

"And, the one who harboured ill-will, he was destined today, to be the king of a vast kingdom, and a bearer of royal pleasures and wealth abound. But due to his kukarma (bad deeds), the ignorant is lost in savouring the single gold coin. It is the last remnants of what would have been an otherwise enviable destiny. And unless he mends his way, he is bound for a very troubling life ahead, and hell thereafter his death."

opportunity knocks once - but you can answer thrice !!

here's a story i remember from my childhood:

there was a poor farmer who lived with his wife and his blind mother. they were desirous of a child but fortune did not bestow them any. they lived a difficult life.

one night, after toiling all day in the field, the farmer went to sleep in the cot placed outside the house for summers. he dreamed of seeing a bright light. it was indeed lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. she was pleased with the industriousness of the farmer and told the farmer that she would grant him one boon.

the farmer began to think about what should he ask for ? if he asks for wealth, they would still be childless, and the mother won't be able to see. on the other hand, if he asks for a child, they won't have money to feed the child, and the blind grandma won't be able to see her grandson. if he asks for eyes for his mother, he would still be poor and childless. "Alas, if i could have all 3 wishes!" he thinks to himself.

the farmer, quite unprepared for this opportunity, finally asks the goddess to let him carefully think about what he really wants! lakshmi grants him an additional day and promises to return to grant him his wish whatever he may decide.

the farmer wakes up in the morning and remembers his dream. he goes to his wife and narrates it to her. facing the situation where they could have one of their 3 problems resolved, the farmer asks what should he ask when lakshmi returns to grant him a wish. but the clever wife had a plan :)

the next night, goddess Lakshmi again appeared in his dream and asked if he was prepared to get his wish. And he bows and brings his hands together saying: "dear mother goddess, i have one and only one desire and that is: i would like my mother to see her grandson being served food in a golden platter." lo and behold! goddess smiled at the resourcefulness and grants him his wish!

so the farmer becomes rich. he now has a beautiful mansion with many servants, his wife gave birth to a son. and his mother was able to play with her grandson live in riches.

value of the moment

here's a poem from my childhood that continues to inspire me, and touches everything that i do....try to do little things right and the big things will take care of themselves....

क्षुद्र का महत्त्व

छोटी छोटी जल की बूँदें सागर को भर देती हैं
बालू की रज् नन्ही-नन्ही सुधर भूमि रच देती हैं
क्षण-क्षण काल इकठ्ठा होकर लंबा युग बन जाता है
क्षण को क्षुद्र न समझो भाई, यह जग का निर्माता है |

छोटी-छोटी सी ही भूलें हमको बुरा बनती हैं
निज सुधर के पथ से हमको कोसों दूर भगाती हैं
दया भरे लघु काम हमारे और प्रेम के मीठे बोल
कर देते सबके जीवन को सुन्दर सुखमयी अति अनमोल |

Translation:

Significance of the insignificant
-------------------------------
tiny drops of water that fill the ocean

minuscule particles of sand that formulate the earth
moment by moment sums up to form an era
a moment is not insignificant by any means...it is the architect of the world !

seemingly insignificant misdeeds turn us into sinners
distancing us away from the path to righteousness
small deeds of compassion and loving and caring words
make (everyone's) life beautiful, joyful and very precious