“Life
is great if you take it seriously. Will
you? “
"Thy Own Self", Swamy
Chinmayananda.
In about
five weeks from now, it will be forty five years for the 'golden message' in my
autograph penned by Sri Chinmayananda Saraswati
(who graced our house for Pada Puja on 2.12.1970), one of the great spiritual
leaders and authority on vedic scriptures and Gita in India: Founder of
Chinmaya Mission. A true reflection of
the dictum, ‘Character is Destiny’. Yes,
I am destined to be great (Only, remember…. Only) if I take my life seriously.
So it was… the illusory world deluded me not to bother about the embedded meaning
of ‘Thy Own Self’ for well-nigh more than forty years.
Every magnum opus of a litterateur, and
exquisite master piece in porcelain or sculpture has a beautiful story to
reveal about it’s transformation from the initial ‘potter’s wheel’ stage,
passing through various ordeals, trials and tribulations.
‘Podaa nee todapagatte
!’ (Get lost, you broom-stick!- in tamil) The blessing from an irate primary
school mentor, in his anguish to see me class first, and I disappointed him
once in a blue moon. Humility turned me perseverant! Debut in English medium
college cherished a thrilling incident
in my life. At the first 'slip test' my science lecturer announced marks of each student
and gave back his or her answer paper by turn. Except me all were over. Anxiety prevailed in me. ‘Who is….?’ the lecturer
called my name. I stood up in embarrassment,
pondering over the possible guilt I might have committed unaware. “ What is
that ‘in situ’ written in your paper?”.
With a great relief, instantly I replied, ‘‘Sir, the latin term ‘in situ’ means
‘in its original position’. Since the
single cell amoeba has no definite size and shape it moves by temporary
protuberances called 'pseudo podia' (false feet). Hence it cannot be studied ‘in
its original position’ ". Lo, thumping of the tables by other students and
appreciation by the lecturer for my meaningful study of the subjects. The reward,
Ten by Ten marks! And subsequent graduation from the college that produced Sir
C V Raman, Nobel Prize Winner. A great scholar, and man of letters Sri
Diwakarla Venkatavadhani, our Principal.
At post-graduation, my Head of
the Department and Vice Principal and also my well-wisher (I was Secretary), Sri D L Narayana at
Sri Venkateswara University, later became Principal for Sri Nara Chandrababu
Naidu, present Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
One shall
understand from the above para, in good spirit, the efforts of the ‘Masters’ who 'shape' their students with commitment. A befitting anecdote follows now…….
'Once a
couple wished to purchase a good tea set for their home. They entered a crockery shop. After searching for a while their looks fell
on a beautiful Cup set. As the husband
was about to take the cup into his hands, he heard the cup saying, ‘Wait for a
minute!’ As the couple stood with astonishment,
the cup continued, ‘Please listen to my story first. Before appreciating my grand
looks,
you must understand how much ordeal I underwent in the hands my master before
adorning this shelf, in glitter. My
master initially found me in the countryside mud. By sieving I became fine
powder. Later mixed with water, made into a smooth lump with hard pressing by
feet. Put on potter’s wheel, I was whirled and whirled as if I was suffocating
for breath. I got a shape now. He dried
in the sunshine under scorching sun of the summer, I cried that I could not bear the heat. Nobody seemed to come to my rescue. Even
worse followed later. I was put in a kiln and exposed to very high
temperatures. It was a real hell for me.
Later after cooling he painted me with variegated colours. I thought at least
now he would leave me alone. But to add to
my woes, after painting was over, again subjected me to high temperature in the
furnace for fixing the colours on me on permanent basis. I am done! No more
tears left in me as my eyes became dried up by weeping and weeping. After
all this process was completed he brought before me a mirror to look for myself.
Lo, what a transformation from country earth to sparkling show case piece !
So, we shall always keep in our minds that "There is no Gain without Pain!"
Om Shanti!
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