Namokar Mahamantra Ek Anushilan

Author(s): Hukamchand Bharilla
Publisher: Todarmal Granthamala Jaipur

Page 38

GREAT HYMN OF OBEISANCE: A CONTEMPLATION
CLOSENESS WITH SELF
73
they also desire to live in pleasant atmosphere. Therefore, their servant who was looking after upkeep of kitchen also left. Thus, there was a need for a domestic servant. At last that Seth requested that very confectioner to arrange for a servant and that seven-eight year old child came to his own house as a servant.
Now the mother was in front of the son and the son in front of the mother, but the mother was miserable due to separation of her son and the son owing to separation of his parents. When mother used to sit for her meal, she used to find it difficult to eat; she used to remember her son and say, while crying -
"Who knows where my son would be, in what condition he might be? Whether he would be there or not? Or he might be attending to kitchen somewhere."
And if son, standing at that very spot, used to ask for a loaf of bread, she used to scold -
"Go and work now, I will give, if there is some to spare. You do not work and come every now and then to beg a loaf of bread."
She used to cry for her son and at the same time she used to scold him for a loaf of bread. What is all this? After all, why that mother is miserable?
What did you say, in the absence of her son?
Son is in front of her eyes. Lack of knowledge of closeness (relationship) with son and not the absence of her son is the cause of distress and misery of the mother.
Her son is not lost; he is in front of her; identity of son is lost; knowledge of closeness (relationship) with the son is lost. This is the unfortunate consequence of loss of identity, loss of knowledge of closeness relationship) with the son; she is drowned in the ocean of infinite misery, her entire happiness and peace has vanished.
For gaining happiness, she has not to search her son; she has to discover the knowledge of oneness (relationship) with him.
One-day a neighbour said, “Mother! I would like to say one thing,
but please do not mind - this child is yet very young. Please give him lighter work and better food in time."
Sethani got terribly angry and said abruptly, "What do you say? What sort of work he does? He remains idle whole day and he eats so much? How do you know, he keeps eating whole day."
Despite every effort to convince, Sethani was not prepared to accept that the child was being ill-treated anyway. What is the reason for all this? Merely, lack of knowledge of oneness (relationship) with him.
It is said that mothers are very good. May be, but only to their own children. Their behaviour with children of others would compel you to hang your head in shame. This is not true of all mothers, but those who are like this must once review their own behaviour.
Once another neighbour said very hesitatingly -
"Mother! One thing is occurring to me for quite some time but I would say if you do not mind. The thing is that in physical appearance and intelligence this servant looks like our Pappu. He has similar fair complexion, has similar curly hair. every thing seems alike, there is no difference at all and if he were there, today he would have been this big only."
Hearing this Sethaniji felt happy, because after all this concerned her beloved son; she said, "I too feel like this. He reminds me of my son all the more. I feel as if he is my son only."
Hearing the answer of Sethani, neighbour got encouraged and said, "Mother! Eight years have elapsed since Pappu disappeared and he has not been found yet and there is no hope of his being traced. How long will you be mourning his separation? In case you agree with me, why not adopt this child?"
No sooner she said this, Sethani became very angry, "What rubbish you say? Who knows to which low caste he might belong?"
The only reason for this behaviour of Sethani is the lack of knowledge of oneness relationship) with son. As a matter of fact, he is her son but her behaviour towards him does not change due to the lack of knowledge of closeness (relationship).