Perception-set it right

 

During one monsoon season, it rained and rained in Chitravathi, a little village by a mighty river. It rained so hard that the river swelled up. Huge waves lashed against the riverbanks and carried away trees, houses and big chunks of earth. The villagers were really scared and prayed hard for the rains to stop. When finally the skies cleared, one by one people emerged from their homes. 

One of them was Raju. He walked down to the riverside. There he saw something that made him rub his eyes in disbelief. Why, a huge black rock had appeared there out of nowhere! And what was more, the rock looked exactly like the head of Ganesha, the god with the elephant head. Raju immediately prostrated himself in front of the rock. ‘Ganesha not only heard our prayers and made the rains go away, he has come himself to protect us!’ Raju shouted to no one in particular. ‘I must tell everyone about this!’ he yelled and ran back to the village to shape the news. 

Next came Ravi verman, the sculptor. He had spent so many days cooped up in his house waiting for the rains to stop. Now he was glad to be out in the open, and was thinking of his next piece of work. Suddenly he caught sight of the new rock by the river. It was just the right color, worn smooth with age and river water. It was perfect for the scene he wanted to carve! Giving a whoop of joy, he ran home to gather his carving tools. Just as he turned the corner, a merchant came by on his horse. The animal was thirsty and he stopped there for it to have a drink of water from the river. He too spotted the stone. ‘What a big stone!’ he remarked. ‘And it is nice and smooth and flat. Let me sit for a while on it and rest.’ After enjoying a nice rest on the rock, the merchant decided he would tell his friends about it. They were travelling together and all of them would be thrilled to be able to sit there for some time, by the river. He went off to find his friends. 

Just then, Ajit, a soldier, came on his horse. He got down and washed his face. While his horse was drinking water, he was looking around and the same stone caught his attention. He was surprised and said to himself, ‘What a huge stone on the riverbed! Maybe I should get it removed so that in an emergency it should not become a hindrance on the road. Our army can march better if such obstacles are not there. I must inform my commander.’ Thinking so, he rushed back to his camp to talk to his commander.

Later in the day Bholu, the village washerman, appeared by the river with his big bundle of clothes.

 To his astonishment, he found a crowd right around his favourite washing spot. They were all arguing over a rock! Pushing his way into the crowd, Bholu spoke in a loud voice, ‘Hey! What do you think you all are doing?

Raju now burst out, ‘This rock is a sign from Lord Ganesha, I want to worship it.’ Ravi verman raised his voice even louder and said, ‘No no, this rock is going to be used for my next sculpture.’ The merchant shouted, ‘I have invited all my friends to rest on it! It is ours!’ Ajit was giving orders to his soldiers to remove the stone. Bholu now grinned and said, ‘But this rock has been here for years and years! Earlier half of it was submerged in the mud. Now with the rains the mud has got washed off, and you are seeing more of it. 

The washermen of Chitravathi have been using this rock to do our washing for many, many years! There’s nothing miraculous about it. Now off with all of you, I have work to do.’ So saying Bholu emptied his bundle of clothes and set to work. What could the others do? They had to go away grumbling quietly to themselves.

Ultimately it is the same thing, exactly as how seven colors that appear in the sky when the sun’s rays are reflected by the rainwater,’

‘It all depends upon the way you look at it and always see right things in right perspective life will be good and blissful.