THE GOODNESS WINS












I was just 16 when I watched the famous Kannada film, ‘Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu’. Translated into English, it means: Bhootayya’s son Ayyu. 


It was 1974. I was a typical teenager. This movie has forever remained etched in my mind. For the last few days, I have been thinking about this movie… Maybe that, the story is so timeless… and, the characters in the movie are so real. Just like the high-voltage drama of Ramayana and Mahabharata, the drama in this movie, to me, hits with the same directness. Time and time again.


All epics have the same theme: the battle between the good and the bad. And, all of them, invariably, end up with the same message: the good triumphs over the bad. That, fear, anger, hatred, revenge and envy… these are the forces within our soul which can drive us to do destructive things. And that, love, compassion, peace, tolerance empathy, forgiveness, and reconciliation… these are the forces within our soul which can drive us to do constructive things. 


All great stories tell us the same thing: we all have within our soul the same negative and positive forces… and, we have been endowed with the same potent tool: the freedom of choice! 


They tell us the same truth: in the end, only the goodness wins. 


They assure us with the same hope: the end of our anger is the birth of our compassion!


Yes, we need to pass through the burning hell of anger and hatred to reach to the serene heaven of compassion and peace. 


So, as each day rolls by, I become more and more aware of the presence of these two dominant forces in my life; I, also, become aware of the presence of freedom of choice. I become aware of the constant battle within my soul… the forces towards which my soul is more leaned… 


And, in the light of this very awareness, I am also able to see the dormant goodness of others – yes, including my tormentor or enemy, whatever I tend to call him. 






When I am able to see the goodness 


in my tormentor, my enemy… 


Oh yes! That’s the greatest virtue 


I can ever own as another fallible human. 


Yes, in my view, it is. 






 






So, the Kannada classic, ‘Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu’ has been haunting me, right since the time I woke up, this morning. There must be a reason. Perhaps - as Stephen Covey echoed famously the essence of Jesus’ timeless ‘Prodigal Son’ parable - to remind me, once more, this:

“Son, Life is all about ‘coming home’!”



GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: Monica Valdar

Comments

Jitesh Raj said…
Very thought-provoking. Keep it up.
- Jitesh
July 6, 2012 at 8:33 AM
Gerald D'Cunha said…
Thanks Jitesh. Love. Gerry
July 7, 2012 at 3:42 PM
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