Chinna Katha

[Guest guest]

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,

graze them 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 Ganesha temple was being built in the town. It was decided that

the Ganesha 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 Ganesha 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 masters room and ate the food

that was kept aside for his master.. He also lay down on his masters

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 Ganesha on

your head. You nurtured a misconception that it was for you and that

is the cause for your suffering. Realising the truth, the boy came

back to his senses and behaved normally as before.

 

Moral:

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.