The house, on the platform of which
Panditji slept belonged to a prostitute. When the prostitute came
downstairs in the morning, she saw the hale and hearty handsome young man
sleeping on the platform. She was bewitched and dumbfounded. She woke him
up and asked, "Who are you? Where do you hail from? What is your
destination and what for are you going there?" Panditji replied, "I
come from Samtapur and am on my way to Kashi." At this the prostitute
spoke, "Sir, you told me everything but I got no reply as to why you are
going to Kashi? Please tell me." Panditji said, "O Gentle lady!
Don't ask this question to me. I am pained at heart by this." When the
prostitute again insisted, Panditji said, "Now listen, I stayed and
studied at Kashi for ten years. After completing my education, I came back
home. As soon as I returned to the city, the people gave me a grand
reception. Unfortunately that very day during a question-answer program
the people put to me a question, "What is the root cause of sin?" I failed
to answer this question. My heart was filled with remorse. This is why I
am returning to Kashi for further study."
The prostitute was very wise. She
said, "Panditji, today I am lucky to entertain a learned guest like you at
my house. Please go ahead only after taking mid-day meals at my house
today. I shall prepare food for you with my own hands. Till then please
take bath and say your morning prayers and perform worship." Hearing this
Panditji was in a fix. After a short pause Panditji asked the prostitute,
"Who are you and what is your profession?"
Prostitute - I am a human being. I earn
my bread and butter through prostitution.
Panditji - Curse it. O God! What a great
sinner I am! I have slept in the house of an unholy prostitute. I will
have to repent for this sin.
Prostitute - O dignified Brahman! I am also a human being like you. You
consider me mean and hateful only for being a prostitute. Once I was also
a young damsel of a dignified family, but the oppressions of your human
society have forced me to resort to this sinful life. Today you are my
guest, I shall
not let you go without taking meals. Panditji - O wretched lady! What do
you say? I am a holy Brahman - a Pandit. How can I take meals at your
house?
Prostitute - No, No, Panditji! Meals you
must take at my house. See there is a well in the compound of my house.
Draw the water and prepare food yourself and then take meals. You are a
Brahman, so after meals I shall give you a present of five hundred rupees
as well.
As soon as Panditji came to know
about a present of five hundred rupees, he was overpowered with greed. He
at once got ready to prepare the food himself. When the prostitute saw
that the food was ready, she came down and prayed to Panditji with
folded hands - "O supreme Panditji! I have committed great sins in
my life. I pray to you to purify me as well."
Panditji - How is that possible?
Prostitute - If you accept two morsels
of food from my hands, I shall be purified.
Panditji - Curse it. Why do you say
this? How can I, a Brahman, eat two morsels from the hands of a
prostitute?
Prostitute - Panditji, Please be
merciful and do so. I shall offer you five hundred rupees more. At least
accept one morsel from my hands and make me chaste.
Panditji agreed to take food from
the hands of the prostitute out of greed for money. As soon as she brought
her hand forward with a morsel to feed it to Panditji, the prostitute at
once dropped the morsel on the ground and slapped the Brahman severely in
the face saying, "O fool! You are going to Kashi to solve a quite simple
problem. I
have answered your question. The greed
with which you easily got ready to give up your religious faith and vows
has overpowered you and is the root cause of all sins."
Someone has rightly observed:
"Faith is like a bird, that sings
when the at dawn is still engulfed in darkness." On receiving a
satisfactory solution for his problem from the prostitute, Panditji
returned home.
From the above example we learn
that the more greedy a person is, the more disgrace he has to suffer. To
be over- greedy is a sin; greed is regarded as the root cause of sin.
Hence, in order to attain the virtue of supreme contentment every living
soul should discard the vicious tendency of greed and tread the path of
religion.
The great poet Reidhu has described
the virtue of supreme contentment or purity (Uttama Shaucha)
thus:
Sauch ji dhamangu tam ji amagaun
bhinrganu uvaugmu
Jarmarnr vinrasanru tijagpyasnru
jhaijyi ah visi ji dhu
Dham sauchu hoi manr sudhiyai,
dham sauchu venr dhanr gidhien
Dham sauchu kasaai ahavain, dham
sauchu nr lippi pavain
Dham sauchu lohu vajantau dham
sauchu sutab pahi jantau
Dham sauhuvanbh vay dharnri,
dham sauchu meydath nrarnri
Dham sauchu jinraim manrai, dham
sauchu sagunr anrumanrai
Dham sauchu sal key chae, dham
sauchu ji nrimalbhae
1. The virtue of contentment is a
part and parcel of religion; it is enthusiastic; it excels materialism; it
gives utility to life; it relieves one from old age and death; it
enlightens all the three worlds and is eternal. Pay heed to it day in and
day out.
2. The virtue of contentment can be
acquired through the purity of mind; it is acquired through purification
by the treasure of truth speaking. This virtue is attained by subduing the
evil passions and a man endowed with this virtue does not indulge in
sinful deeds.
3. The virtue of contentment lays
stress on abstention from greed; it leads one on the path of supreme
austerity; this virtue is attained by observing celibacy; and this virtue
of contentment is attained by discarding the eight types of arrogance or
vanity.
4. The virtue of contentment is
instilled in men by the study of holy scriptures; it is attained by
getting rid of the three thorns i.e., ambitions, deception, and wrong
belief; and finally this virtue is attained by maintaining purity in
thoughts.
Hence, O Mortal Man! Be contented,
be contented and be contented throughout thy life from cradle to the
grave; for according to a French saying:
'Grande fortune, grande servitude'
i.e., great wealth, great slavery.
To sum up, 'The pleasure of
possessing little is far more enjoyable than the prospect of getting much
hereafter. The little you have, if properly used, will bring you more than
you can expect or have the power to enjoy. Ambition ruins a man;
contentment secures him the peace and happiness of heaven.'
In fact, all our existence and
happiness in life depends on our mental attitude. Human mind is the
supreme power that governs all our actions. Only a calm and contented mind
will lead us to a blissful life. The great English poet Oliver Goldsmith
after his long tour of five European countries in search of peace and
happiness came to the conclusion:
Vain! Very Vain! My weary search to
find
That bliss, which centers in the
mind.
From 'Traveler' by
Oliver Goldsmith
Whatever is pure
is refreshing. Purity imparts freshness of vigor to both the body and the
mind.
