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Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The Demon
Once a poor priest got tired of his poverty and decided to go to the holy town of Kashi. It was a long route and he had just a packet of boiled rice to survive on. In the afternoon he decided to stop for rest and have a little rice from to sustain himself for the day’s journey. As soon as he settled down under a tree and started unwrapping his bundle he heard a voice saying, “Don’t”. When he looked around he could see nobody. He was startled and quickly packed his belongings.
The priest decided to wash himself first and then think about the problem. When he was washing his mouth at the nearby lake he again heard the voice say, “don’t”. The priest decided to be brave and washed himself and came back. The same voice again and again startled the priest when he was eating his rice and when he was washing his hands. Ignoring it he completed his rest and decided to go on with his journey after a while. The voice now pleadingly said “don’t go”. The priest was curious and asked aloud who was he and from where he was talking?.
“Look up”, said the voice. To the priest's astonishment he saw a demon sitting on a branch of a tree. When the demon realised that the priest was interested, he started telling his tale of woes.
I was a priest like you, he said. “I was an expert in music but did not share my knowledge with anybody. So after death I became a demon. I have been living on this tree for quite a long time. Now-a-days a piper visits the nearby temple and practices all day. He is not good at his art and it is torturous to listen to his tunes for the whole day. I feel as if holes are being drilled in my body. I am on my nerves ends and will turn into a terrible thing if this torture is not stopped.”
The priest was sorry for the musician demon and asked how he could help. The demon suggested that he be carried to another grove where he would not hear the torturous tunes. The priest agreed to help him but clarified that he would expect something in return. The demon agreed to give him something once he was removed from from the present place as then his depleted powers would return.
The priest found a grove away from the noise and placed the demon on a tree. Now it was the demon’s turn to return the kind gesture. He told the priest that he was going to posses the princess of Mysore and if he cared to earn some money he should visit the palace. As soon as the priest arrived at the palace the demon would leave the princess and the king would bestow the priest with wealth.
While returning from Kashi the priest remembered what the demon had said and decided to visit Mysore. When he reached the grand city he enquired casually about the happenings in the town and was told that a fearsome demon had possessed the princess causing great anguish. The priest realised that his bad times were going to change and at once started for the palace.
When he was taken to the princess he asked to leave them alone. When the chamber was emptied the demon talked to him through the princess. He told the priest that he had fulfilled his promise and would now leave the princess but the priest should not again come face to face with the demon if he possessed anybody else. If he ignored the warning it would bring death to the priest. With this warning the demon left the princess and the palace causing a thunderous noise declaring his departure.
The king was overjoyed and gave the priest a lot of money and land to help him sustain a family. Life was now settled and the priest married a beautiful girl from Mysore itself and settled in the town.
The demon meanwhile went straight down south and possessed the princess of Travancore. The king hired the services of learned men and magicians but to no avail. One day a visitor told him about the priest who had cured the princess of Mysore. A message was sent to the king of Mysore who in turn ordered the priest to go to Travancore and help the distressed princess.
The priest was now in a fix. Going in front of the demon meant death but refusal was not possible as it was a royal decree. Finally he took courage and decided to go. In the palace when the demon saw him he was furious and threatened that he would cut him into pieces. Now that it was a question of life and death the priest gathered himself and calmly said, “The piper from the temple will be glad to visit this place and play his atrocious tunes”. As soon as the piper was mentioned the demon cried out remembering the pain. He left the palace immediately with a loud noise.
The king was pleased and gave the priest so much wealth that the priest is still counting the coins.
The priest decided to wash himself first and then think about the problem. When he was washing his mouth at the nearby lake he again heard the voice say, “don’t”. The priest decided to be brave and washed himself and came back. The same voice again and again startled the priest when he was eating his rice and when he was washing his hands. Ignoring it he completed his rest and decided to go on with his journey after a while. The voice now pleadingly said “don’t go”. The priest was curious and asked aloud who was he and from where he was talking?.
“Look up”, said the voice. To the priest's astonishment he saw a demon sitting on a branch of a tree. When the demon realised that the priest was interested, he started telling his tale of woes.
I was a priest like you, he said. “I was an expert in music but did not share my knowledge with anybody. So after death I became a demon. I have been living on this tree for quite a long time. Now-a-days a piper visits the nearby temple and practices all day. He is not good at his art and it is torturous to listen to his tunes for the whole day. I feel as if holes are being drilled in my body. I am on my nerves ends and will turn into a terrible thing if this torture is not stopped.”
The priest was sorry for the musician demon and asked how he could help. The demon suggested that he be carried to another grove where he would not hear the torturous tunes. The priest agreed to help him but clarified that he would expect something in return. The demon agreed to give him something once he was removed from from the present place as then his depleted powers would return.
The priest found a grove away from the noise and placed the demon on a tree. Now it was the demon’s turn to return the kind gesture. He told the priest that he was going to posses the princess of Mysore and if he cared to earn some money he should visit the palace. As soon as the priest arrived at the palace the demon would leave the princess and the king would bestow the priest with wealth.
While returning from Kashi the priest remembered what the demon had said and decided to visit Mysore. When he reached the grand city he enquired casually about the happenings in the town and was told that a fearsome demon had possessed the princess causing great anguish. The priest realised that his bad times were going to change and at once started for the palace.
When he was taken to the princess he asked to leave them alone. When the chamber was emptied the demon talked to him through the princess. He told the priest that he had fulfilled his promise and would now leave the princess but the priest should not again come face to face with the demon if he possessed anybody else. If he ignored the warning it would bring death to the priest. With this warning the demon left the princess and the palace causing a thunderous noise declaring his departure.
The king was overjoyed and gave the priest a lot of money and land to help him sustain a family. Life was now settled and the priest married a beautiful girl from Mysore itself and settled in the town.
The demon meanwhile went straight down south and possessed the princess of Travancore. The king hired the services of learned men and magicians but to no avail. One day a visitor told him about the priest who had cured the princess of Mysore. A message was sent to the king of Mysore who in turn ordered the priest to go to Travancore and help the distressed princess.
The priest was now in a fix. Going in front of the demon meant death but refusal was not possible as it was a royal decree. Finally he took courage and decided to go. In the palace when the demon saw him he was furious and threatened that he would cut him into pieces. Now that it was a question of life and death the priest gathered himself and calmly said, “The piper from the temple will be glad to visit this place and play his atrocious tunes”. As soon as the piper was mentioned the demon cried out remembering the pain. He left the palace immediately with a loud noise.
The king was pleased and gave the priest so much wealth that the priest is still counting the coins.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Tenali Raman’s gift...
One day, the King Krishnadevaraya told his court jester Tenali Raman: ”When we have plenty of wealth, we should gift a portion of it to the poor and needy. Raman, you have plenty of money, houses and landed property, you can donate something to some poor people. Why don’t you do it?”
Tenali Raman answered: “Yes, my lord, what you said is right. I will arrange to give the gift of a house tomorrow!“
The king was very happy with Raman’s reply. Tenali Raman went home thinking about his answer to his king’s inquiry.
Raman was not willing or interested in parting with anything he had amassed, but he had promised to the king that he would gift a portion of his wealth.
So, he placed a notice board in front of one of his houses, which read:
“ This house will be given to any person who is satisfied with what he has!”
All those who passed by the house read the notice, but for many days, nobody came forward to claim the gift.
Then, one day, one person came to Raman, requesting for the gift of house. He said:” Raman, you have decided to give away your house. If you give it to me, it will be a great help.“
“You have no house of your own?” Raman asked.
“I have a house, but it is very small. And very old! My family is not able to live in it,” he explained.
Raman asked him: “ Have you read the notice before this house?”
“Yes.”
“What is written there?”
“This house will be gifted to any person who is satisfied with what he has.”
“You are not satisfied with what you have?”
The person was unable to answer Raman’s question. Raman would not give the house if he said he was not satisfied. So he replied: ”I am satisfied with what I have!”
“So you are satisfied with the house you have?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you come asking for my house?”
The person could not answer that direct question from Raman. He left, totally disappointed.
Next day Tenali Raman told the king that he could not give his house to some needy person as there was no one who was not satisfied with what he had.
Tenali Raman answered: “Yes, my lord, what you said is right. I will arrange to give the gift of a house tomorrow!“
The king was very happy with Raman’s reply. Tenali Raman went home thinking about his answer to his king’s inquiry.
Raman was not willing or interested in parting with anything he had amassed, but he had promised to the king that he would gift a portion of his wealth.
So, he placed a notice board in front of one of his houses, which read:
“ This house will be given to any person who is satisfied with what he has!”
All those who passed by the house read the notice, but for many days, nobody came forward to claim the gift.
Then, one day, one person came to Raman, requesting for the gift of house. He said:” Raman, you have decided to give away your house. If you give it to me, it will be a great help.“
“You have no house of your own?” Raman asked.
“I have a house, but it is very small. And very old! My family is not able to live in it,” he explained.
Raman asked him: “ Have you read the notice before this house?”
“Yes.”
“What is written there?”
“This house will be gifted to any person who is satisfied with what he has.”
“You are not satisfied with what you have?”
The person was unable to answer Raman’s question. Raman would not give the house if he said he was not satisfied. So he replied: ”I am satisfied with what I have!”
“So you are satisfied with the house you have?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you come asking for my house?”
The person could not answer that direct question from Raman. He left, totally disappointed.
Next day Tenali Raman told the king that he could not give his house to some needy person as there was no one who was not satisfied with what he had.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
When monkeys go on a fast - a folktale from Karnataka, India...
A group of monkeys decided to go on a day's fast to celebrate a religious festival.
“Before we begin, I think we should keep the food with which we’ll break the fast ready,” counselled the old monkey chief.
The monkeys nodded their heads in agreement. The youngsters were sent in search of food. They returned with huge hands of delicious-looking bananas.
“I think each of us should keep our share of bananas with us before we begin our fast, so that we don’t spend time distributing them after we break our fast. You can imagine how hungry we all will be by then!” said the chief minister of the monkey tribe.
The monkeys liked the idea and they all immediately collected their share of the bananas.
“Why don’t we peel one banana and keep it ready to eat? ” said one of the youngsters.
“Yes, let’s do that,” shouted a fat monkey in agreement. Just looking at the bananas was making him hungry.
“All right,” said the monkey chief. “We shall peel the bananas but under no condition should we eat them.”
So the monkeys peeled their bananas and carefully kept them ready for eating in the evening.
“Can I keep the banana in my mouth? I promise not to eat it till evening. Please!” a little monkey asked his father.
“Why don’t we all put a banana in our mouth? That way we can chew it immediately when we break the fast,” said his father, who had agreed to go on the fast only because his wife had not given him a choice. “As long as we don’t eat it, it should be fine,” he added.
So, the monkeys put the bananas in their mouths. One by one they eyed each other uncomfortably as they began their fast — and as you can imagine, within no time at all, the bananas disappeared down their gullets. And that was the end of their fast!
“Before we begin, I think we should keep the food with which we’ll break the fast ready,” counselled the old monkey chief.
The monkeys nodded their heads in agreement. The youngsters were sent in search of food. They returned with huge hands of delicious-looking bananas.
“I think each of us should keep our share of bananas with us before we begin our fast, so that we don’t spend time distributing them after we break our fast. You can imagine how hungry we all will be by then!” said the chief minister of the monkey tribe.
The monkeys liked the idea and they all immediately collected their share of the bananas.
“Why don’t we peel one banana and keep it ready to eat? ” said one of the youngsters.
“Yes, let’s do that,” shouted a fat monkey in agreement. Just looking at the bananas was making him hungry.
“All right,” said the monkey chief. “We shall peel the bananas but under no condition should we eat them.”
So the monkeys peeled their bananas and carefully kept them ready for eating in the evening.
“Can I keep the banana in my mouth? I promise not to eat it till evening. Please!” a little monkey asked his father.
“Why don’t we all put a banana in our mouth? That way we can chew it immediately when we break the fast,” said his father, who had agreed to go on the fast only because his wife had not given him a choice. “As long as we don’t eat it, it should be fine,” he added.
So, the monkeys put the bananas in their mouths. One by one they eyed each other uncomfortably as they began their fast — and as you can imagine, within no time at all, the bananas disappeared down their gullets. And that was the end of their fast!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Wishing you a very happy Holi...
Best wishes on the occasion of the Festival of Colours. Have a great day!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
When Goddess Lakshmi Had To Search For Shelter On The Festival Of Diwali
Not very long ago there was a king in India whose name was Rawal Prithvi Singh. His kingdom of Jaisalmer was very prosperous. He built up his capital with latticed windows and large havelies (palaces). He also captured some areas of neighbouring kingdoms. But he was not broadminded. His success made him unreasonable, foolish and haughty.
One day, while he was sitting in his royal court, a merchant came to him and showed him some valuable and precious jewels which he wanted to sell to the members of the royal family.
Rawal wanted to impress upon the merchant the extent of his richness. He brought the whole lot and ordered it to be thrown into a ditch. This was obviously a foolish and arrogant action, which annoyed Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. She took decision to teach the silly king a lesson. She made him take to gambling. As a result, Prithvi Singh lost all his wealth and kingdom and in sorrow, humiliation and despair, he along with his wife, left the kingdom.
With heavy heart, they walked on and on for many days till they reached Patan city. They decided to stay there on the outskirts of the city and try their luck. Rohini, his wife, was a woman of great beauty and very religious minded. She could realize that all this trouble was on account of a divine curse. She was a devotee of the God Vishnu. To stave off her bad days, she started a series of fasts and prayers.
One day, after her prayers, she came out of her hut to worship the tulsi tree. Having done so, she was about to get in when she saw a dead snake. Soon after, a kite appeared. It was holding a necklace in its beak. As soon as the kite saw the dead snake, it dropped the necklace and picked up the snake and flew away. Rohini deemed it a boon from God.
The necklace belonged to the queen of Patan. The kite had picked it up as the queen was bathing at a pond. It was lying there with the clothes of the queen. As she came out of the pond, the queen could not make out how the necklace had disappeared. An announcement was made all around the city about the loss of the necklace and a handsome reward and simultaneously announced for a person who could get the necklace back.
In the evening when Rawal Prithvi Singh went to the bazaar, he noticed a good deal of excitement and asked a passerby what its reason could be. He was told about the loss of the queen's necklace and the reward that was to be given to one who could trace it. At night when he returned to his hut, he narrated the incident to his wife. When she heard this, Rohini's joy knew no bounds. She, in return, narrated to him how the necklace came to her.
In the morning, both husband and wife went to the palace and handed over the necklace to the queen. Rohini narrated to the queen how she got the necklace from the kite. The royal couple was very happy at the sight of the precious necklace and asked her what sort of reward she would like to have.
Rohini said, "I do not want money or land. All I say is that on Diwali festival night, no house in the whole city, including the palace, shall be lit with lamps. Those who want to light lamps may come to my hut and light them around it."
The king and queen were very much surprised at this request. But her request was granted.
Soon after, the festival of Diwali came. There were no lights in the city except around Rohini's cottage, of course, under the instructions of the king.
When at night, Goddess Lakshmi came to the city, she was shocked to find darkness all around. She could not enter any house, as per the custom on the festival of Diwali, as there was no light to welcome her.
At last she saw a lighted hut on the outskirts of the city and hurriedly proceed towards it. Rohini stood at the door with a big stick in her hand. She did not allow Lakshmi to get in, unless she promised to help Rohini and her husband. Goddess Lakshmi gave her word. She also promised them to help them regain their lost kingdom.
After getting the promise from Lakshmi, Rohini smiled and allowed her into her cottage.
Lakshmi passed the whole night in the hut and blessed the couple.
In due course, Rawal Prithvi Singh and Rohini got their kingdom back...and lived ever after.
One day, while he was sitting in his royal court, a merchant came to him and showed him some valuable and precious jewels which he wanted to sell to the members of the royal family.
Rawal wanted to impress upon the merchant the extent of his richness. He brought the whole lot and ordered it to be thrown into a ditch. This was obviously a foolish and arrogant action, which annoyed Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. She took decision to teach the silly king a lesson. She made him take to gambling. As a result, Prithvi Singh lost all his wealth and kingdom and in sorrow, humiliation and despair, he along with his wife, left the kingdom.
With heavy heart, they walked on and on for many days till they reached Patan city. They decided to stay there on the outskirts of the city and try their luck. Rohini, his wife, was a woman of great beauty and very religious minded. She could realize that all this trouble was on account of a divine curse. She was a devotee of the God Vishnu. To stave off her bad days, she started a series of fasts and prayers.
One day, after her prayers, she came out of her hut to worship the tulsi tree. Having done so, she was about to get in when she saw a dead snake. Soon after, a kite appeared. It was holding a necklace in its beak. As soon as the kite saw the dead snake, it dropped the necklace and picked up the snake and flew away. Rohini deemed it a boon from God.
The necklace belonged to the queen of Patan. The kite had picked it up as the queen was bathing at a pond. It was lying there with the clothes of the queen. As she came out of the pond, the queen could not make out how the necklace had disappeared. An announcement was made all around the city about the loss of the necklace and a handsome reward and simultaneously announced for a person who could get the necklace back.
In the evening when Rawal Prithvi Singh went to the bazaar, he noticed a good deal of excitement and asked a passerby what its reason could be. He was told about the loss of the queen's necklace and the reward that was to be given to one who could trace it. At night when he returned to his hut, he narrated the incident to his wife. When she heard this, Rohini's joy knew no bounds. She, in return, narrated to him how the necklace came to her.
In the morning, both husband and wife went to the palace and handed over the necklace to the queen. Rohini narrated to the queen how she got the necklace from the kite. The royal couple was very happy at the sight of the precious necklace and asked her what sort of reward she would like to have.
Rohini said, "I do not want money or land. All I say is that on Diwali festival night, no house in the whole city, including the palace, shall be lit with lamps. Those who want to light lamps may come to my hut and light them around it."
The king and queen were very much surprised at this request. But her request was granted.
Soon after, the festival of Diwali came. There were no lights in the city except around Rohini's cottage, of course, under the instructions of the king.
When at night, Goddess Lakshmi came to the city, she was shocked to find darkness all around. She could not enter any house, as per the custom on the festival of Diwali, as there was no light to welcome her.
At last she saw a lighted hut on the outskirts of the city and hurriedly proceed towards it. Rohini stood at the door with a big stick in her hand. She did not allow Lakshmi to get in, unless she promised to help Rohini and her husband. Goddess Lakshmi gave her word. She also promised them to help them regain their lost kingdom.
After getting the promise from Lakshmi, Rohini smiled and allowed her into her cottage.
Lakshmi passed the whole night in the hut and blessed the couple.
In due course, Rawal Prithvi Singh and Rohini got their kingdom back...and lived ever after.
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