Day before yesterday (18th June, 2009) when I was sitting in a park with a few other gentlemen, the discussion centered mainly on the subject of late arrival of monsoon this year or rather on the non-arrival of monsoon till date. The gentlemen were telling of their various experiences of the days of summers and monsoons in their lives. They almost all agreed on one point that they could not remember having experienced ever of non-arrival of monsoon till so late in the season. I was so long listening to their stories and at last asked about the possible reasons for this peculiar phenomenon. One gentleman started explaining about depletion of forest areas, effect on weather due to burning of fossil fuel etc. He was interrupted by another gentleman, who appeared to be a very learned one and said that the late arrival of the rains was because of a curse and the wrath of a huge iron mound lying in a village. I asked him to tell us about the logical reasoning about the relationship between the mound of iron, the curse and wrath and the present natural phenomenon. He replied that my very asking for a reasonable explanation for his statement exposed my ideas and understanding developed as a result of my arcane emotions. I did not know the meaning of the word “arcane” and asked for the meaning of it. I admitted that my English (and why English alone, my entire learning) was only upto the very primary level of deciphering the alphabets. The wise gentleman was very pleased and loudly laughed at my ignorance “Ha Ha Ha”. I felt ashamed – ashamed at my own ignorance. The gentleman did not tell me the meaning of the word, nor did he give any answer to my question to him but continued to loudly laugh heartily at my ignorance and my shame. I meekly left the venue. The wise gentleman was highly pleased at my giving him the walk-over. At my house I searched for the meaning of the word “arcane” in the dictionary and found its definition as “secret”, “mysterious”.
The first lesson I learnt that day is that the desire to know the reasonable, logical or scientific explanation of a statement, idea or theory is in itself developed out of a secret or mysterious exposition of emotions.
The second lesson is more educative. Wise and knowledgeable people have the exclusive privilege of not answering a question directly but have the privilege of laughing loudly at your ignorance.
I went again to the park the next afternoon. The gentlemen of the previous day were all there. There was no rains, no clouds in the sky and the days and nights were very hot. One gentleman informed that his grandson had passed the 10+2 this year with good marks. The boy now wished to take up a certain course for graduation so that he might pursue for a professional qualification and asked whether it would be advisable to follow the course and what steps should be taken to prepare for the professional examination. The fool as I was (and I am) I told him that the boy should first find out about his liking, inclination and interest on the subjects and if it was found in the affirmative, he might go ahead. He should also discuss with other boys studying the course and for the professional exams and find out the details from them to enable him to arrive at a decision. Our wise gentleman immediately scoffed at my suggestion and declared that in order to qualify the professional examination an aspirant must have the blessings of a particular stone lying in his native village. This might be verified from all those people who passed the said examination and the village “Gunin” could confirm whther those people had the blessing or not and it would obviously be found that they had it. I felt meek before the so highly knowledgeable a person and did not make the mistake of asking for a logical or scientific explanation.
The third lesson I learnt : Blessings of a stone or any other such inanimate object is the only thing necessary to acquire knowledge or skill on any subject whatsoever and before pursuing studies in any course the aspirant should ascertain from such knowledgeable and wise persons who have the full knowledge about the blessings of the particular object whether he has the blessing or not. If he has the blessings, he may go for it and those who have not, can save their time, energy and money and devote it on some other subject or profession.
This afternoon I learnt the most valuable lesson of my life. A gentleman asked whether we should pay taxes to the government and if so why. One of the gentleman said that it is our duty as a good citizen to pay the correct tax and because it is the law of the land that everybody having a tax liability should pay taxes as per law. Another gentleman, whose grand-daughter was ill, asked whether he should call a doctor and arrange for her treatment. Everybody said that as the gentleman loves his grand-daughter and as the head of the family it is also his duty to make arrangements for her treatment. Our wise gentleman agreed but pronounced that paying taxes and making arrangements for the treatment of the girl should be done as it would earn blessings of some stone and would make some inanimate objects strong who control his life, fate and all.
The valuable lesson is : You do not do anything or act in your life as a matter of your social or moral duty or as a legal obligation, or out of love, affection or respect and for the blessings of the elders and the Supreme Being but to make some inanimate object strong in your some “mumbo-jumbo configurations”.
I shall not cease to continue my learning and shall share it with you as and when it comes to me and I am confident that it will enrich all of us.
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