Tolerance
It was the merry time of spring festivities. Hari keshbal went for a picnic with the members of his family. The elderly people were busy cooking food. The children were playing and banging about. Harikesh played pranks on his playmates. He either teased them or whacked them for no fault of theirs. His mischievous tricks were taken notice of by some elderly people. He was turned out of the children’s line.
The other children began to play again. Harikesh was now standing aloof with a scowl on the face. He was gazing at the children at play. All of a sudden there appeared a snake. The people rushed at it with sticks in their hands and beat it down with all their might till it was smashed to. death. Children began to play again as if nothing had happened.
A few minutes later a goh (a non-poisonous snake) emerged from somewhere. The people ran this time as well but they had no sticks. They only lifted it up and carried it afar to be left aside. Harikesh failed to understand all that had happened. He wondered why it had not been beaten to death. He went to an old man and begged him to explain the mystery to him.
The old man replied, “A snake always carries venom with it whereas a goh is a harmless non- poisonous creature.” This led Harikesh to think, “I have been turned out of the line only because I carry venom with me.”
A man who is free from venom is not annoyed by any one. Only he who vomits venom is troubled Venom changes into nectar as soon as e realises this truth.
Once a man’s brother was assassinated by his enemy. His mother bade him avenge his brothers death upon the murderer. She commanded him to kill her son’s assassin. He set out with his mother’s blessings. He was a man of courage. “Enmity above can put an end to enmity” was the a wave of thought that swept him along. What is not possible for one who has strong sense of determination? He caught hold of the murderer and produced him before his mother. He was getting restless to kill him. He drew out his sword from the sheath and asked the murderer, “Where should I kill you?” In a trembling voice he replied, “Kill me at the place where the persons who have come to your shelter are killed.” He was amazed at the reply.
The land under his feet seemed to slide away. He looked at his mother. The mother said-“Son! a man who has sought someone’s protection is not worthy of being killed.” He said, “Mother! how can I ventilate my anger?” The mother replied, “O son! you should not give expression to your anger at every place.” The sword was back in its sheath. The murderer bowed his head in shame. There are four ways of pacifying anger:
1. One should leave the place where one has got angry and should go to a lonely place.
2. One should remain quiet.
3. One should busy oneself in some work.
4. One should hold up one’s breath for a moment or two.
A king had a wise prime minister. He thought deeply over every thing. One of his grandsons was going to be married. He invited the emperor to attend the ceremony. The emperor went to his residence. The prime minister’s house was full of men and women. The emperor inquired of him as to who those people were.
The prime minister replied, “They are all the members of my family. We have a common kitchen for all of them.” The reply filled the emperor with curiosity to know more about it. He said, “How is it possible, my dear prime minister? How have you succeeded in keeping all of them together?” The prime minister said, “I have indured everything, my dear emperor.”
Tolerance is not cowardice. It is the manifestation of the power of love. He whose heart is not filled with a sense of sacred love cannot become tolerant. As the Ganges makes it sacred by allowing the dirty streams to merge into it, tolerance transforms weaknesses and acts of commissions and omissions of the members of a family and neighbours into harmony.
Questions
1. Why was Harikesh turned out of the line? What did he think in his heart?
2. What are the ways to make anger unfruitful?
3. How can a big family be kept together?
