THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL

There is something called the inherent nature in a man and an animal. In birds and the fishes. In snakes and the flowers. But, all men are not alike as all animal too. All birds are not alike as all fishes too. The snakes and the flowers,  can’t be an exception, either. 

I have an inherent nature in me, which, sometimes, leaves me perplexed. I wonder: How has this nature come in me? I have tried to keep grudges, at times. But, I have failed. I have tried to hide my dark side… or the vulnerable side… abstain myself from revealing it to others easily… but, I find myself being very open and vulnerable, time and again.

Hurting someone or trying to get even with him, taking revenge or trying to destroy someone’s reputation  - all this doesn’t come easily to me… And, even if, rarely, I fall into its prey, I see myself restlessly trying to amend, make peace… re-align myself and move on in life.

Now, why do I, today, touch upon this subject?  Am I trying to blow my own trumpet? 

This morning, when I reached our gate, Varuna* was anxiously trying to get an auto. I was not so much in a hurry today. So, we both stood there for a while hoping that an autowala would stop. But, every auto that came along was already engaged… and, we had to wait, and try hard with lots of patience. Just then, a car came from inside our colony… I knew the man who was driving… an educated man, working for a good company… It was morning time, Varuna and myself were with our bags, and busy hunting for an auto. The man saw us, and just zoomed past.

I looked at Varuna and she shook her head. It meant this: “How insensitive our own neighbors can be!”

“Uncle, leave alone offering us this lift,” the young Varuna, who works as an engineer in a reputed company, said, “all that this man has done in our colony is cribbing, complaining and quarreling.”

I was surprised!

As  the Society Chairman, I did not want to form a judgment about one of our members… even though I knew this man’s nature. So, I wasn’t surprised when he did not stop his car and said, “May I help you.” I was not expecting such a gesture from this man. But, the young lady was vocal about voicing her feelings. 

Finally, an auto stopped and we both got in. 

 

It was one more day for both of us. Varuna went her way, I went mine… and, that car-owner had already gone his own!

I started thinking. Are all our members like this man? No, definitely not. Every other day, some one stops his or her car and calls, “Please come in.” Some horn and call you… Some turn their cars and come back to pick you up… and, some even phone you and tell, “I am here, waiting for you.”

“People are different… Some help, some don’t. Some crib, some praise… Some want friends and some want to be left alone. And yes, some build and some destroy.”

It is sad to see those little ants – 

thousands of them - 

working so hard, 

so patiently and for so long

to build their houses… 

and when they are ready, 

the poisonous snakes invade...

 to live in!

 

It is in ants’ nature to build houses. It is in snakes’ nature to invade in someone else’s houses!

I thought of telling one of my favorite stories to young Varuna. Here it is. 

Once, a monk was taking his bath in a river. As he was bathing, he saw a scorpion drowning in the water and, instinctively, the monk held his palm to save the downing creature. When the monk brought the hand out, the restless scorpion, wanting to free itself, started relentlessly stinging and, finally, fell into the water. The monk, once again, held his hand and lifted the creature up… and the scorpion continued to hurt, mercilessly, the holy man.

When this was happening, a man, who was bathing next to the monk, was left shocked with disbelief! “Sir, why are you doing this?” he asked the monk. “That thankless creature has left you wounded with blood… and, you still continue to save it?”

The monk held his hand for the drowning scorpion, all over again. Then, raising up the scorpion on his bleeding and bruised palm, he smiled at the concerned stranger. “Because, my dear brother,” the Wise-man replied, “that creature is doing its ‘karma’… and, I am doing my ‘dharma’!”

All men are not created alike. They are destined to do different things, in different ways… They are destined to walk the different paths… Live their different natures…

Someone had said: 

“All your life, be prepared...

If you are an anvil, bear; 

If you are a hammer, strike.”

Well, today, I can say the same thing in another way:

“If you are a scorpion, sting;

If you are a monk, bear.”

A monk is not a monk… without a scorpion!

*The name is changed

GERALD D’CUNHA

 

Pics.: Vivek D’Cunha