Stories for Children- Never tend to be egoistic By Sri.Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji-4

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Once a young boy found a job in a barn. Everyday he had to remove all the cow

dung, clean the whole place, feed, milk and bathe the cows, let them graze for

sometime and tie them back in the shed. His employer was a very strict person.

He would not tolerate even a

minor slip-up and would punish anyone who failed at his duty.

 

A new Ganesh temple was being built in the town. It was decided that the Ganesh

idol should be taken in procession along the streets of the town before

consecration in the temple. This boy was chosen for the job. He was bathed and

clothed in new silk robes. Fragrant sandal paste was applied all over his body

and he was adorned with garlands. The Ganesh idol was then placed over his head

and he was taken in

procession with the accompaniment of traditional music, bursting of firecrackers

and chanting of the Vedas.

 

Everybody prostrated to him. They lighted camphor and took ‘Arati’ reverently.

They also offered him milk, tender coconut water and the like to quench his

thirst. They held an umbrella over his head. They even washed his feet and

applied sandal paste and vermilion. His joy knew no bounds! He thought that his

life had changed forever. After the procession, he returned to the barn with a

fattened ego and felt no inclination to work. He went to his master’s room and

ate the food that was kept aside for his master. He also lay down on his

master’s cot and slept.

 

The master on his return saw the whole thing and was infuriated. He shook the

boy awake and gave him a sound thrashing. The boy was shocked and could not

understand anything. He thought, “Every body treated me with such reverence just

a few moments back! Even my master prostrated to me! Now why does he behave

indifferently? Why is he beating me so cruelly?” Thinking thus, he cried

inconsolably. His colleague told him, “You are such a fool! The respect that was

shown right from the morning was not for you but for the idol of Ganesh on your

head. You nurtured a misconception that it was for you and that is the cause for

your suffering.” Realizing the truth, the boy came back to his senses and

behaved normally as before.

 

Moral: Children! People respect us only for our social status, wealth, education

or skills. If these are taken away, they might not even look at us. If this fact

is understood properly, we will never tend to be

egoistic in our lives.

 

Regards