BE YOUR OWN JUDGE
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Today, I am sharing with all the voracious readers a very old story; but it has relevance with our life even today.
In a village, a potter was following his ancestral profession since so many years. He used to shape up clay and turned it into form of *chillum. A huge banyan tree, with wide stretched branches was growing since last so many years in the courtyard of the potter. Its branches seemed as if with extended arms, it was inviting passers-by to come and relax under its shade. When passers-by passed through that village, they were tempted to relax under its dense shade; sat their for sometime; filled * chillum with tobacco and enjoyed a few puffs from *hukka and moved on to their further journey, feeling utterly relaxed.
Once, a saint stayed in that very village for a couple of days. He observed that very often, passers-by halted under the tree, flourishing in the courtyard of the potter, relaxed under its shade; took chillum from the potter, filled it with tobacco and after enjoying few puffs from hukka, moved on to further journey.
The saint approached the potter one day and asked him, "Why do you make only chillum out of this clay? Why don't you give it some other form" The potter replied humbly, " Since childhood, I have seem my ancestors making chillums only and I am carrying forward my ancestral profession and earning livelihood in this way. Passers-by, too, relax themselves by some puffs from chillum and I, too, feel good seeing them relaxed."
The saint said, " If you care to follow my suggestion, instead of making chillums, you start making *surahi. When travellers come to relax under this shady tree, then, sell them surahi. Cool water will quench their thirst and you will continue earning."
The potter acted upon the advice of the saint and started making surahis. Sale was also reasonable good.
One midnight, the potter woke up, listening to laughter of somebody from his courtyard. Out of curiosity, he went over there and observed that a surahi was laughing in a very merry mood. The potter asked him, "What makes you laugh so heartily?"
Surahi replied, " I am very happy with this new form of mine. My body and soul are cool. I am the same clay; but previously, you used to give me shape of chillum. My consumers used to put fire in it . My bosom was fiery, but it caused burning sensation in the chest of consumer as well. Now, water is filled in me, which renders coolness to me and additionally, whosoever drinks this cool water, he ,too, cherishes it. I am very obliged to you for this new form."
The potter, too, was very pleased with this response and felt soulfully thankful to the for this proper guidance.
Now, be your own judge and decide that which form should be rendered to raw clay?
* Chillum : A short pipe, usually of clay, used especially for smoking cannabis
* hookah (also known as shisha, narghile, or hubble-bubble) is a single or multi-stemmed instrument for vaporizing and smoking tobacco or sometimes cannabis
* Surahi: An Indian clay pot with a long neck, used for storing water
Rajni Chhabra
Multi-lingual Poetess, translator and fiction-writer
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