(SJ. KISHORI MOHAN PAL, B.L.)
The Harmonist (Sree Sajjanatoshani)
September 1930
IT reminds one of the old story of an aged Brahmin who desired to lead a life of ease at the fag end of his career, after handing over his all to his son. He became infirm and invalid, so much so that like a child he meant to while away his time by living upon the most palatable dishes. For this reason, his daughter-in law felt much disgusted and made her husband also apathetic to him. She rings into her husband in this strain: ‘Oh, what ill-luck it is that I have been wedded to one under whose roof I cannot fully feed my children although I toil night and day.” Questioned by the husband the reason thereof, says she: “Don’t you know why? You seem not to know anything! You have kept your old father in the house. I have to labour hard to supply his endless demands; besides that, whenever any dainties are offered to the children, the old man’s mouth waters and he hankers after them although they are far too insufficient for the boys to spare. I am to suffer all these troubles. I will leave your home and go away to my father’s house.”
Out burst of feelings and effusions of utterances like these had a baneful effect upon the mind of the husband who, being thus initiated with the preachings of this preceptor of a wife, with a mind to remove all obstacles from the way of his servitude to her, constructed a hut for his father’s residence by the side of the way leading out of his house. At this the mother-in-law grew wiser enough to pass her days in ministering to the comforts of her grand-children thereby inviting no grudge and incurring no displeasure from the daughter-in-law. In this way, by constant adulation of the latter, the mother-in-law lost all regard for her husband. Nobody now cared for the old man save and except that, if not altogether, forgotten, he is offered handfuls of boiled rice after all the members have finished their meal.
As the old man’s son was one day going out to his place of business, the father cried out, “Oh dear Phanibhusan, I have had no meal and no-body takes care of me.” Phanibhusan foamed with indignation and said, “How inauspicious! You have called me from behind! As I am to attend my business I have finished my meal; and as to the boys, they, too, have done so along with me! But why are you so impatient when you are stopping at home?” The father replied, “Oh darling! I have been fasting since last night.” While going away the son muttered from a distance, “Very well, I shall see to that and hear you after my return. Tell me at my convenience.”
Sometime after when the maid-servant was passing alongside the hut, the old man called and addressed her, “Oh maid, please tell the housewife to give me some food as I have been without any since last night.” He, who is looked upon with indifference by the head of the family, is not cared for by the servants thereof. Those who are familiar with the story of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” will bear ample testimony to the truth of the remark. In the case of a son, it is, indeed, a horrible picture of ingratitude. So the maid-servant replied, “Oh ill-luck! leaving aside my work am I to look after you? That an old man is often found in his dotage is true. You say you had no meal yesterday? Then how had I to cleanse your dishes last afternoon?” Muttering thus the maid-servant took to her heels.
After meal the old man had to wash his dishes himself in the ditch by the side of his hut. Erelong when the housewife (the old man’s wife) came outdoors on some business, the old man catching sight of her, cautiously said, “Oh mistress! You did not give me any meal last night.” I feel the pangs of hunger now.” “What can I do? To err is is human! You will have your meal in time. Ah! I am afraid of carrying your dishes here”, was the rejoinder of the wife. The old man: ‘What can I do, mistress? The daughter-in-law is reluctant to allow me indoors, otherwise I would have gone into the house.” “No, no, why should you take that much trouble? My service is at your disposal. You will get your meal ready-made and there will be no trouble. You will have it in time”. With these words the wife retired.
As the day advanced the old man became restless with hunger till by reason of the acute pain his heart was about to break. Then with a heart full of sorrow and with earnest entreaties he heaved a deep sigh crying, “Oh! Madhusudan (God)”. The old man might have had a well-spent past; hence, it is said Madhusudan (God) in the guise of an old Brahmin with a stick in His hand appeared before him and shouted, “O brother Jadu! (such was his name) are you here? After a long time I have come to see you.” Brother Jadu, suppressing his cries a little, came out and not recognising the guest, looked vacantly towards him and said, “Welcome brother! here I am.” The newly arrived Brahmin said, “Well, I see you have lost your vision. Will you be able to recognise me if reminded? I think your memory has not failed? I am your old friend, Madhusudan.” “Quite so, brother! I have lost my head”, said the host. The guest then said, “Well, why do you weep? Are you fasting today? What is the matter with you?” The host opened his heart and narrated everything to the guest. Then God in disguise, handing over a few mohurs to his old friend, said, “Look here, brother! don’t spend any of these. I will take them back when I want them again. But I ask you to count them loudly whenever you find any of your inmates coming out or going into the house and then to conceal them to yourself. In so doing, you will find an end of your miseries, Being very busy, I retire now. When I come back home you will find me every now and then.” With these words the Lord disappeared.
Now, the time for the test is come. Finding the maid-servant coming towards him the old man began to count, ‘one’, ‘two’, ‘three’, etc. On hearing the sound the maid look the hint and all on a sudden fell down at his feet and said; “Baba Thakur, I bow to thee. What ill luck it is that with all the pressure of work on my back I don’t find time to give even a salute to you daily! Just give me the dust of your feet or I shall go to hell.” A little later the housewife came, heard the sound of counting ‘one’ ‘two’ ‘three’ etc. and muttered, “O I see the Karta (head of family) has got money not silver but gold. I committed a great mistake in disregarding him. Without a single word she ran into the house and returning with an oil pot in her hand said, “Oh Karta, how is it that death has forgotten me! Wholly engrossed in family affairs I have completely overlooked your service and ministering to your comforts. No, I shall not do that. I have a future before me. What shall I gain (in future) by serving the whole family? I say, Oh Karta, come, let me rub the oil over your person. I find your hairs have grown gray for want of oil. “What these words the faithful wife began to serve her husband. Then after bath a dishful of rice and curry arrived before the Brahmin who laughed in his sleeve and said within himself, “O, brother Madhusudan, I applaud your intelligence”. Then came the turn of the daughter-in-law who on catching the sound of counting said, “O maid, I see you are very obstinate. My father-in-law does not like any disturbance. Hence he lives separate. But why don’t you look after him? I am undone. I see huge sweepings at his door. I am tired of repeatedly telling you all this.” With these words she brought a broomstick herself, cleared the sweepings, ordered the maid to clean the room and in the afternoon sent her boy with a dishful of fruits and sweets for the lunch of the father-in-law.
The grand-father of the boy felt much pleasure to think of the ways of his friend Madhu, while doing full justice to the dish served to him. In the evening the house-wife took care to light the room and then feed the Brahmin sumptuously. The next morning when Phanibusan was going out, the old man played the trick and began to count, ‘one’ ‘two’ ‘three’ ‘four’ etc. “O! I see, father has reserved something to himself! They are gold-like—ay, they are so many mohars? Papa, have you got your meal?” “No, darling, how can I have my meal now?” ‘How is that? You are old enough and you require early meal. Very sad indeed! I must tell mother. Because I cannot stay at home and look after you, you are neglected! No, no, I must not bear this.”
More things there are in the story. Now if we pause here and think over the matter, what do we find? We find that money is the root of all intimacy of this world. Bereft of money even the mother disregards her son.
In this world we consider this our gross body to be our self and in relation to that we say ‘my house’, ‘my wife’, ‘my son’ etc., and the result is that one meets with the same fate as what has been narrated above. When one is in distress, nobody likes to call him his own because he will not be of any service to his physical body and hence people become angry with him. This world is governed by money, and mammon worship is the order of the day. Foolishness can go no further than when we pass our days in counting upon any one as our own by the relationship of money. The Srimat Bhagabatam has thus admonished us:
“yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ
yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ”
‘He who counts upon this gross body as his self, those of his wife and children as his relations, earthen materials as signifying Godhead Himself, water as the object of pilgrimage, but does not count God’s devotees as his relations, as objects of worship or pilgrimage, is considered to be an ass among the bulls i.e. the most foolish creature.’
We always forget that this body is not eternal and that our connection with things related to it will terminate in time. Hence if, instead of being in quest of things eternal, we search after those that are transitory, no-body will approve of our intelligence. We boast of our intelligence and entertain doubts as to the existence of Godhead. But where will it stand when any malady brings about a disorder of the brain? God is eternal and the jivas are His eternal servants. Bhakti (devotion) or service to God is the eternal religion of the jivas. If out of our pride of intelligence we deviate and fall away from this eternal religion, nobody will praise our judgment. “dhīraḥ tūrṇaṁ yateta niḥśreyasāya” i.e without wasting a moment intelligent people should at once strive after absolute good i.e. complete devotion to God but should not waste their time in the worship of transient duties competent to satisfy the transitory mundane desires of men. Those who are really acquainted with the Divine Truth cannot be henotheists because of the worship of many gods is meant for the good of this earthly body or for things mundane which is not the Absolute Truth. Those forms of worship are but Karma (activity for worldly ends) and are instrumental in bringing about our worldly bondage from birth to birth. Karma whether good or bad cannot lead us to the Absolute Truth.
Our former Acharyya Srila Kaviraj Goswami Thakur has said in his eminent book Sri Sri Charitamrita that (kṛṣṇa-bhaktira bādhaka yata śubhāśubha karma) all the good and bad ‘karmas’ are but bars to the attainment of devotion to Krishna. One feels astonished to hear this statement. Indeed, it is a new thing to be told that these so-called religious activities are after all a bar to ‘bhakti’. All the worldly people belong to the category of the ‘Karmins’ (in favour of fruitive actions) because they are born and bred up in that atmosphere and hence the teachings thereof have been ingrained in the marrow of their bones. Therefore, they feel astonished when they hear anything to the contrary. Although there may be pretensions of ‘bhakti’ in the society of the ‘karmins’, pure devotion is unknown to them and hence the knowledge of Absolute Truth is quite new to them. It may appear something new at the outset but one desirous of unmixed good should try to learn the Divine Truth gradually and thus make himself immune from the thought currents of the ‘karmins’.