Do not become jealous of joy of others , they may be sad

Do not  become jealous  of  joy of others , they may be  sad

By

P.R.Ramachander

(I  was reminded about this folk tale when I read the tamil posting of my friend  Athreya Gothram Bairava Ramani. My thanks to him),

One   very sad person  thought  within him,

“I am so much sad   as no one   cares about me,
But think of that  God’s   statue inside  the temple ,

Every one cares  for it and also anoint   , worship   and honour  it.

That day  , he went  to the   temple  seeking solace  ,

But unfortunately   due to error,  he was locked  inside  the temple,

He tried   to sleep on the  rough   floor  of the temple but could not,

And  at midnight    he heard  the pillar   and  steps  inside  the temple  talk.

The  steps told, “Hey pillar friend    do you remember  that day,

When the   sculptor    who built   this temple  came to the forest ,

To select  stones and you remember   how  he chose   me for steps,

You for pillar   and  our friend  inside   the temple  for  making God.?

The pillar said  , “of course  I do “ and the steps   started   crying ,

And told , Except   when the temple   is ,    all  sort of people,

Insult me  by stamping   on me   and   also giving me pain.

And I am sad because  of this   and am jealous  of you   and  the stone God inside.”

The Pillar   could not hide  its emotions    and after   sobbing and weeping told,

“You are lucky as you   take   complete  rest   all night  but think of me,

I  carry the huge  temple   always  on my head  and that  too  without stop,

And  that God inside is lucky   as he is always  anointed   and worshipped.”

Then  they all  heard   the soft   voice   of God speaking, “You both ,

Are indeed lucky as   you have  only some  little  bearable physical strain,

Imagine  my pathetic case . I keep on  hearing   about   the sorrows,

And hardships   which every one undergoes and  when I  become  sad , I also cannot weep.”

The sad person    who heard   all this    told   within himself,

“I thought   that every in side  temple  were  floating in ocean of joy,

And now   I have understood  , that   my small  insignificant  worries,

Are  nothing  before  the sorrow   of those inside the temple.”