Kannada Article by: K S Rajagopalan
English Rendering by: M R Bhashyam
Respond to (lekhana@ayvm.in)
There was a farmer. His children had no interest in cultivation. He died before time. His children searched the house. They found packets of seeds. They threw the seeds around the house with the hope that they may grow and did the best within their knowledge of cultivation. Some seeds did sprout but others did not. One predawn, they searched with enthusiasm for fruits amongst the plants that they had grown. Some thorns pierced their hands and hurt them. That was a thorny plant. "Is this the result that we should get for taking care of these plants?" they shouted. A neighbor was watching them. He enquired as to what had happened. "Though we grew a fruit-bearing plant all we got was thorns and pain to body and mind" they said. He responded saying "Your father had stored the seeds of thorny plants for fencing. Thorny plants have not grown out of fruit-bearing seeds. If you observe carefully, there are some fruit-bearing plants too. And you can also see that some of them have started bearing fruits. Some others will take a long time".
In a similar way, the seeds of good and bad karma sown over many lives fructify at the right time, some quickly and others at their own while. The bad deeds that we have committed knowingly or unknowingly in the past, give pain to us now and then. The wind which blows, sometimes also transports some thorny seeds which bear fruits. These appear as if we are suffering due to someone else's mistakes. Our responsibility is only this – to take care as much as we can by moving about wearing footwear and by removing the thorny plants and weeds wearing gloves. But it is inevitable to suffer the pain arising out of these activities.
Plants do not bear fruits forever. Similarly, hardships and happiness do not last forever. The thorns, the gum and the sweet pulp of jackfruit are all part of that fruit itself. One can enjoy the sweet pulp of the jackfruit remembering this. Similarly, being born as a human being, we have to find happiness in the midst of suffering. We insure ourselves to take care of the risks due to untimely illness and death. The words of Śrī Śrīraṅga Mahāguru that "the only insurance which always accompanies the soul is the Lord and get that insurance" have to be remembered always.
The person who is not disturbed when hardships occur, is a happy person. Similarly, the person who suffers from wants even though he may have all the comforts is miserable. Just as a person who is insured, bravely goes through hardships of life with fortitude, let us face the hardships of life believing in the Almighty. Let us try to overcome our difficulties to the best of our ability.
Note: The Kannada version of this article can be viewed at AYVM blogs.