Think Before You Speak!
Descending the ancient hill, the abode of Lord Gomateshwara, me and my friend were astounded having seen such a splendid work of art. We had come all the way from the City of Palaces, Mysore and we prided ourselves for that. Indeed we had been blessed to be fortunate enough to visit this place of divine sanctity.
On our way down, we spot an old man being carried up the flight of stairs in a ‘palkhi’. The ‘palkhi’ was no more than a cane chair with four men at the corners bearing the weight of the old man. I had read about this service earlier in a travel guide and knew it was to help the old and disabled who were equally enthusiastic as us, to experience the same bliss that we had just experienced, inspite of their physical weaknesses. As I cast away the scene from my mind, my friend drove my attention towards something that bowled me over. I realized that two of those who were carrying the old man were much more aged than the man being carried! Talk about irony! I was overwhelmed with a sense of pity and misery. I said to my friend in aversion that this was the difference between a man who possessed money and the one who didn’t. My friend was equally sickened seeing the sight and he didn’t waste a second to give me a nod in agreement. Somehow wealth had become significant enough to even determine our destinies, whether you are the slave or the master. The word ‘injustice’ hammered in my mind. Thoughts streamed in, we watched the ‘palkhi’ come nearer and nearer with the old man seated so comfortably, merrily talking his heart out. It wasn’t more than a minute, when the ‘palkhi’ passed by, we could catch only a phrase of what he was so busily narrating……….. “I am a blind man…..” he had said. The voice faded away but the phrase still echoed.
That evening, at the abode of the God, I and my friend realized that things may not really be what they seem. We had blamed a helpless man, but the ever forgiving Lord led us to the truth. If it wasn’t for Him, we wouldn’t have heard the very phrase; we wouldn’t have realized our mistake.
That evening, at the abode of the God, we learnt one of the most important lessons in life, “All that glitters is not gold!” So friends, think before you speak!
On our way down, we spot an old man being carried up the flight of stairs in a ‘palkhi’. The ‘palkhi’ was no more than a cane chair with four men at the corners bearing the weight of the old man. I had read about this service earlier in a travel guide and knew it was to help the old and disabled who were equally enthusiastic as us, to experience the same bliss that we had just experienced, inspite of their physical weaknesses. As I cast away the scene from my mind, my friend drove my attention towards something that bowled me over. I realized that two of those who were carrying the old man were much more aged than the man being carried! Talk about irony! I was overwhelmed with a sense of pity and misery. I said to my friend in aversion that this was the difference between a man who possessed money and the one who didn’t. My friend was equally sickened seeing the sight and he didn’t waste a second to give me a nod in agreement. Somehow wealth had become significant enough to even determine our destinies, whether you are the slave or the master. The word ‘injustice’ hammered in my mind. Thoughts streamed in, we watched the ‘palkhi’ come nearer and nearer with the old man seated so comfortably, merrily talking his heart out. It wasn’t more than a minute, when the ‘palkhi’ passed by, we could catch only a phrase of what he was so busily narrating……….. “I am a blind man…..” he had said. The voice faded away but the phrase still echoed.
That evening, at the abode of the God, I and my friend realized that things may not really be what they seem. We had blamed a helpless man, but the ever forgiving Lord led us to the truth. If it wasn’t for Him, we wouldn’t have heard the very phrase; we wouldn’t have realized our mistake.
That evening, at the abode of the God, we learnt one of the most important lessons in life, “All that glitters is not gold!” So friends, think before you speak!
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