LEARNING FROM OUR OBSERVATIONS

LEARNING FROM OUR OBSERVATIONS

P K Routray
Edited by P.Gaan

An epic in India tells about Jadu, a King of the Jadu-dynasty
To serve his subjects well he used to visit his kingdom as a routined activity
Usually uneasy lies the head that wears a crown
Imperfect knowledge of life and restless mind were adding to king’s frown,
He was in search of a teacher,
To teach and preach him, “How to get a calm composure”
On his way in a forest,
He found a man at his best.
Solemn calmness in face, brightness in eye,
The scantily clad man was singing with spirits sky high.
No care for shelter and no worry for food,
Perfect peace and happiness in him, the king saw in his mood.
“Oh! Master” The King asked him, “Who is your teacher?”
To this the man merrily replied, “Sir, I have twenty four in number”
The earth is my teacher teaching me tolerance, forbearance and forgiveness.
Though we torment and torture, she tolerates and excuses; showing her greatness.
Wind has taught me detachment,
The sweet fragrance of flower or foul smell of gutter never its purity affect,
Sky is vast and ever accommodative, which my heart did emulate
Water by its coolness taught me how my temper to regulate.
Fire is flagrant and goes on upwards swallowing everything without any regret,
We should go up and up in spite of impediments and life’s many adverse effects.
The moon shines unfailingly careless about its cycles of waxing and waning
Man should always strive hard to perform his duty irrespective of his body growing or decaying.
The sun taught me to treat all with equality
It shines on good or bad equally maintaining its purity and equanimity.
A child has taught me, “How to live with spontaneity of my own”.
As he enjoys every moment with play and fun.
Fish is caught tempted by sense of taste, deer for the sound and elephant for touch,
Senses are dangerous unless they are kept under your clutch.
They are “good horses and bad masters” as the saying goes,
“Falling prey to their evil designs man’s downfall shows”
A spider devours its own creation, but the silk worm dies within its own,
Thus from a virgin girl, a prostitute and the honey bee, he learnt many a lesson.
An arrow maker taught him concentration and a prostitute’s repentance, the virtue of detachment,
He learnt a lesson of dispassion, seeing a small bird caught a big one dropping its prey renouncing attachment.
Snakes don’t make houses of their own,
They stay in other’s house without any hesitation.
Ocean taught him the virtue of fullness, and contentment was taught by the python
Bees taught him knowledge of collection and the moth’s death in fire, to shun attraction.
Attachment for dear ones caused the death of the pigeon,
Honeybee’s greed meets its end when its treasure collected is stolen.
From his discourse with the sage the King learnt all these lessons
An intelligent mind can draw conclusions from careful observations.
Acceptance of good and rejection of bad with the power of discrimination
With ever vigil on senses, properly tamed and conditioned by observation will show the right direction.
Mind can be our worst enemy and it can be also our best friend,
Applied properly, mind can be the best teacher in the end.
Mind is your own guru Oh King! How much do you ask?
Mind control from nature’s observation will make easy your task.