అనగా అనగా ..........
Once, near a village, there was a forest. In that forest a small peaceful place. A small river was flowing through that place. On the bank of that river, there was a big tree whose shade was cool and pleasant, Under that tree there was a Saint named Kaushik living in meditation. He used to go to fetch food by begging in the nearby village.
Among those days, one day, when he was getting up from meditation to go to fetch food, a crane excreted on him by sitting on the branch of the tree. The Saint got angry and looked at it with red eyes. By that moment, the crane burnt out into ash.
First he felt wonder, later little bit proud by his power. He had gone to village, stood in front of a house, and demanded for food as “Bhavathi! Bhiksham Dehi!” means “Oh host! I urge for food.”
The host was ready to donate food to him. But by that time, her husband returned home after long journey. Immediately she attended her husband. She arranged bath for him, served lunch to him made bed for him and served him to sleep with hand fan. Her husband relaxed and slept. Then she came to give food to the Saint.
By watching all this, the Saint was angrily waiting for her. By offering food to him, she said “Swami! To burn out into ash by your anger, I’m not a crane. Being house wife it is my first duty to serve my husband. Later only I perform my remaining duties. Please take this food.”
He got shocked by it. His ego and proud regarding the power of holy life was disappeared. He had fallen on her feet and requested her as “Mother! How could you know about my story happened in the forest? Please teach me knowledge!”
She said “Oh, Saint! There is a town called Midhila Nagaram, at a little distance from here. There is a man, called Tharma Vyadha. If you approach him, he will guide you properly.”
By saying thanks to her, he started about Midhila Nagaram. By enquiring about Tharma vyadha, he reached a place in that town. It was a butcher’s shop. Dharma Vyadha was a meet vender. There was meet quantities of several animals.
By watching such scene, the Saint was surprised and stand at a certain distance from that shop. By watching the Saint, the butcher, Dharma Vyadha approached him, greeted him and said “Welcome Saint! Is the house wife who sent you here happy and safe?”
The Saint got severe shock with surprise. He thought “How that house wife could know the burning down of crane in forest because of my anger and how this butcher is able to enquire about her? How the both get such miraculary powers?
In spite of meditation, by leaving family life, I could not achieve such power. How these two common people, who are leading their family life but not Saint Life, could acquire such miraculary powers of knowing things, happened for away with mind?”
By observing him, Dharma Vyadha said “Swami! You please wait for few minutes. You can’t bear this smell of meet. I’ll finish my work and come. You are thinking that how I got the power of knowing things which are not visible to naked eye. I’ll explain you after going my home. Please wait.”
By saying this, Dharma Vyadha quickly finished his work and closed the shop. He asked the saint to follow him to his house. When they reached home, Dharma Vyadha’s wife attended them and served him as guest. Dharma Vyadha attended his parents, done physical service to them; he attended the needs of his family members.
While the Saint was taking rest, after having dinner, Dharma Vyadha said “Swami! I do this type of meditation only. Whatever the devotional programs we attend, or devotional activities we perform, they are not greater than the service to our parents.
By carrying us in her womb, by bearing pains and giving us birth, by taking care to protect us in childhood, how much sacrifice and effort that our mother had done for us?
How can we show our great fullness to her? How much service we should do for her? For our future, for our protection, for our education, for our life build up, how much hard work that our father had done for us.
By respecting them, by doing physical service to them in their late age, we can make them to feel happy, and satisfactory. This is my way of living to achieve ‘Mukti’ i.e. Freedom of soul.
I’m leading life by serving parents, protecting wife and children, respecting others, treating poor and guests with kind. Because of this life style only, I’m able to lead peaceful life.
You may have a doubt in your mind. I am a butcher and I’m selling the animal’s meat. Is it not violence and sin? But here, I have to tell a natural secret or Dharma to you. In this world, all the living beings depend upon other living beings for food.
Only flying birds, animals are not living beings. All the trees, plants, seeds, fruits, vegetables, all are living beings. Because they are not showing movement from place to place, we should not think that there is no life in them. To live, to grow for one life, another life is base. This is Nature law.
If you say ‘No. this is violence only’, my reply is – if I leave this profession and close my shop, all the non-vegetarians will change into vegetarians? That’s why you leave your doubt. To keep life in our body, i.e. for the sake of food, what we do is not violence. That to, somebody kills these animals and brings to me.
As per my duty I sell it and earn life food. In business I won’t cheat people. I won’t leave my duty and I won’t do other’s duty. I give food to hungered people. I take care of all my people who depended on me.
I share my neighbor’s problem, and help them. One more important issue-you see, human mind is very unstable. We have to keep it in balance. We should over power the Arishadwargams and emotions with peaceful, strong and stable mind.
We have to devote God in our work. We have to work with Trikarana Shuddi i.e. with mind, with word and with body. We have to work by leaving the tense of result and result to god. I do this much only. How much we useful to others, helpful to others, that much is our sacred life.”
By taking these words into mind, the Saint got peace and pleasure. With pleasant smile he took leave from Dharma Vyadha and left to his place.
This is the story!
Note: To read the application of this story to our life, click here: Mother’s Lap
అనగా అనగా ..........
Once in a lake, there were three fish living together called Deergha Darshi, Prapthakalagnudu and Deergha suthrudu. Deergha Darshi means the person who is able to look far into future i.e. best forecaster.
Praptha Kalagnudu means the person who is able to understand suitable knowledge according to the particular time i.e. timely knowledgeous. Deargha suthrudu means the person who always postpones the work to do. These names represent their nature.
Some days passed. The summer was approaching. Deergha Darshi called it’s both friends i.e. Praptha Kalegnudu and Deergha Suthrudu and said “Look friends! The summer is approaching. Our lake will dry up slowly. When the lake gets up dry, we can’t go anywhere. That’s why, now let us go opposite to the flow of water into this lake and reach some other big water source.”
Praptha Kalagnudu paid little interest on it and said “Friend, Deergha Darshi. Who can say about the future? No parameter as this lake will get dry up. So the intellectuals will think about the present problems.
In future if problems arise, let us solve at that time itself. Why should we feel tense & worry unnecessary about the problem of future. At present, this lake is like sea. It won’t get dry up. If it happens, them we can think about the solution. Why should worry now?”
By saying like this the second fish Praptha Kalagnudu was enjoying in swimming. However, the third fish, Deergha Suthrudu did not pay any attention on this conversation and was so careless.
By watching all this, Deergha Darshi thought that it was better to prevent the problem than to find out timely solution. So it left that lake, and reached into another big water sources.
Some days passed. Summer approached. The water in the lake evaporated and it got dry up. One day some fisher men came with nets, needle sticks, fish-hooks and other threads. They fished in the lake.
Prapthakalagnudu felt tense for some time. Then thought for tricks to escape from the death. The fisher-men were catching the fish and pricking them into a thin rope. Praptha Kalagnudu had held the rope with mouth as if it was dead and pricked to the thin rope among the middle of other dead fish. The fishermen didn’t notice it.
But the Deergha Suthrudu without having prior, precaution or timely solution, was caught hold by fisher-men and died.
The fisher-men finished their fishing and they washed their bodies as well as the fish hunted by them in water. At that moment, Prathakalagnudu gently slipped into the water and escaped.
This is the story!
Note: To read the application of this story to our life, click here: Mother’s Lap
అనగా అనగా ..........
Before taking birth of Bodhi Satwa, he had taken so many lives. Among them in one turn he had taken birth as a dog. He lived in a house of a Brahmin in Waranasi. He dedicated to serve to his master in watching the house.
One day his Mistress was taking milk from the udder of a cow. The dog was watching that beautiful scene. While calf was sucking milk from its mother cow’s udder, some cream of milk had raised in air from the mouth of the calf and flown in air. The dog jumped into air and caught it.
With such holy lead of life, in next birth, he got a life of cow in same Kasi city. As a cow, he served his master and led a hermit life. With such holy life, he had taken a birth of king to the Kasi city. As a human being, that to as a king, he became egoistic and lead sinful life. As a result, he had taken a pig life next.
This is the story!
Note: To read the application of this story to our life, click here: Mother’s Lap
అనగా అనగా ..........
Once upon a time, there was a holy man i.e. Saint. He was nomad. One day he reached a village. There was a sex worker in that village. She was very beautiful and talented dancer. This Saint stayed under a tree opposite to her building.
Every day some gallants used to go to her residence to enjoy her company. The Saint used to watch all this. Gradually he had forgotten his meditation, devotion and totally his Saint life, and used to keep stones one another in a line as the symbol of number of gallants gone to her house.
On the other hand, the sex worker i.e. prostitute lady used to think about her sinful life and used to watch the saint under the tree apposite to her house. She desired to live such holy life, but physically she continued her earnings.
Days passed. Both of they died on same day. The angels came to take the soul of prostitute to heaven. The Yama Dootas i.e. soldiers to God Yama came to take the soul of saint to hell. The saint argued with Yama Kinkara as ‘Oh! Soldiers of God Yama! This lady had done sin though out her life as prostitution. I was a saint. How she was eligible to go to heaven and why I’m eligible to go to hell?”
The Yama Kinkara’s replied him “Look Son! She had done sin physically but she thought to lead holy life with mind. That’s why her soul is going to heaven where as her body is getting terrible treatment on the earth.
Everybody in the village is scolding her and throwing stones at her dead body. No cremation is taking place properly. The eagles and vultures are eating her body, as a punishment of her daily sin.
In your case, you were a Saint physically but you left holy thoughts and devotional thoughts. Always you thought about her sin, her gallant’s counts and about her jolly life. That’s why your soul deserves to go to hell.
But your body is getting grand treatment on the earth. Everybody in the village is praising you and throwing flowers at your dead body. Grand procession and rich cremation is taking place there. A granite tomb is constructing for your corpse. This scene you can watch on the earth from here, if you want.”
This is the story!
Note: To read the application of this story to our life, click here: Mother’s Lap
అనగా అనగా ..........
Once, there were two friends in a village by names Ramanna ans Somanna. Both were good friends. One evening both the friends met on the road. Ramanna said “Friend Somanna! There is Hari Kadha [Epic story entertainment] in temple. Let us go.” But Somanna refused it and said “No friend Ramanna! There is a dance program in the Sani Vada i.e. prostitute area. Let us go there and enjoy it.” But Ramanna refused it.
Then Ramanna went to temple to hear and enjoy Hari Kadha. But his mind was with Somanna at Sani Wada. He was thinking about the joy which Somanna was experiencing at Sani Wada. He didn’t hear single word of epic story.
On the other hand, Somanna went to Sani Wada i.e. Sex workers place to enjoy the dance program. But his mind was with Ramanna at temple. He was thinking about the virtuous deed of Ramanna. He didn’t watch single movement of the dance.
Days passed like this. After some years both the friends died on one day coincidently. The angels came to take the soul of Somanna to heaven. The Yama Doothas i.e. soldiers of God Yama came to take the soul of Ramanna to hell. Then Ramanna’s soul asked the yama doothas why they were taking him to hell while Somanna was going to heaven.
They clarified his doubt as “Look Ramanna! You had gone to temple every day but your mind was at Sani Wada only, Such that you done sin and deserve the hell. Somanna had gone to Sani Wada every day but his mind was at temple only, Such that he done virtuous deed and deserve the heaven. What we do with our body is not important than what we feel with our mind.”
This is the story!
Note: To read the application of this story to our life, click here: Mother’s Lap
అనగా అనగా ..........
Long long ago, there were two neighbors in a village. They were quite competitive and jealousies with each other. Whatever one purchase, the other purchases it immediately. Whatever one do, the other does it immediately.
Everybody in that village knew about them and tried to counsel them to drop their competition and jealousy, but in vain. Because of such competition, jealousy and imitation, their life became impeacefull.
One day one man had gone to forest to make penance for God. He was known that the other would follow him. As per his estimation, the other also approached the forest and started meditation about God.
After some days, God had appeared in front of one man. God asked him to express his desire to fulfill. He asked the God whether he had given any boon i.e. fulfilled any desire of his neighbor. God said “No.” Then he prayed God to fulfill the desire of his neighbor and then come to him. God asked him “My dear devotee! Why are you asking me to fulfill the desire of your neighbor before your self?”
He said “Swami. I want double to my neighbor.”
God said “My child. It is not good. Think about your desire. Why you feel such competition and jealousy with your neighbor?”
But he again requested God to fulfill his neighbor’s desire prier to him.
God said “Well”. And he appeared in front of the other man and asked him to express his desire. He asked “Swami! What my neighbor asked you.”
God smiled at him. “My child. Why are you enquiring about him? Think about yourself.”
But he refused, and repeated the same question. God told him about his neighbor desire.
This man thought for a moment; and asked God “Swami! Make my left eye blind.”
God pitied on both and rewarded them. As a result, one man loss one eye and become partial blind and the other man become complete blind by losing both eyes.
Both of the men got appearance of God who could give them wealth, health or anything they want. But because of their jealousy and competitiveness, they got self harm.
This story prevents us from thinking negative to others, feels jealousy, competitive to others and imitates others.
This is the story!
Note: To read the application of this story to our life, click here: Mother’s Lap
అనగా అనగా ..........
Long long ago; there was a king. He was good and kind man. But he had short temper. He had a wise man as his minister.
One day, while practicing the war Arts, he lost his last finger [చిటికెన వ్రేలు] on left hand. Royal Doctors treated him and dressed his hand. He was sorrow for losing the finger. His minister was optimistic and spiritual thinking man. When the king was with grievance, to make him cheerful, the minister said, “Maharaja! Don’t feel sorry for what happened. Everything in our life is in God’s hands. That’s why think that everything happens in our life is only for the sake of our faith.”
The king felt angry. He thought what was the good and faith in losing finger on hand. He ordered his army chief to keep the Minister in prison and said to the Minister “Feel this as for sake of your faith.” Minister replied with sweet smile, “Why not my Lord! Definitely God is doing this for the sake of my faith.”
Some days passed away. The minister was in prison. The injure on the hand of the king were cured. One day the king had gone to forest to hunt the wild animals along with some solders. In those days, forest were thick, so that villagers would suffered from animals, so that there was a custom of hunting of animals by kings.
While hunting, the king rode the horse with great speed, so that he got departure from soldiers. He lost way in the forest. He got tired and thirsty. At that moment, he was captured by some tribal group. Those tribal had caught him with ropes and took him to their deity’s temple i.e. cave. The leader of those tribal has wanted him to offer as a sacrifice to their deity i.e. God.
They made him to bath, decorated him with a garland of forest flowers, and got ready to sacrifice him. They placed him on the altar. By the moment they wanted to cut his head in front of their deity’s idol, the tribal leader had observed his hand, shouted, “Leave him. He is a handicap. He has no five fingers on left hand. Leave him.” The king felt wonder to get a choice to live. He didn’t imagine that he could escape from death. He could recall his memory of his Minister who told him that all was for the sake of our faith.
The tribal group left him in the forest. By that time, his solders found him in the part of their search for him. At last they return palace.
Immediately after reaching the palace, the king approached the prison, released the Minister. He said apology to the Minister and narrated what happened.
With gentle smile the Minister said “Yes my Lord! Every event in our life is for the sake of our faith only. Though it seems too bad at that moment, definitely it might be good in long time. God do such only. That’s why we praise God. His love on us is that much. If I was with you, definitely I could fallow you. The tribal definitely sacrifice me to their deity because I have perfect body. God had saved me, done faith to me by keeping me in prison by you. That’s all.”
The king realized the truth. They lived happily for long time with positive thinking.
This is the story!
Note: To read the application of this story to our life, click here: Mother’s Lap
