Sookti Manjari

Once upon a time there lived a farmer. He used get good harvest by toiling hard for six months in the fields. He was therefore able to lead a restful and comfortable life for the next six months. This went on for many years.

One day, while he was ploughing, something hard stuck to his plough. However much the oxen tried, the plough did not budge an inch. The farmer then cleared the earth surrounding the hard object and found that there was a peculiar rock. He pulled it out from the ground, kept it aside and continued to plough. In the evening, while returning home, he took the stone along with him. Not knowing what to do with it, he used it as stepping stone in front of his house.

After a few days, a distant relative of the farmer visited him. As soon as he came, his eyes fell on the stone which the farmer had been using as stepping stone. Immediately he said to the farmer ‘give me this stone and I will give you a thousand rupees’. The farmer became surprised and suspicious and asked his relative as to what was so special about that stone. The relative did not say a word. After much pursuing, he said ‘O. K., I will help you sell the stone for a lakh of rupees. What will be my share?’

The farmer did not agree to this and said, ‘I have been cultivating this land and getting good harvest. You have helped me in selling my harvest by finding good customers. Never in the past have you asked for a share in the sale proceeds. Even this stone has come out of my land. Why are you demanding a share now?’

The relative replied "Look! You did not create that stone. You only found it. You do not have the knowledge of assessing its value. As far as you are concerned, it is merely a piece of stone and nothing else. Therefore, you do not deserve any money when you sell it. All the money should belong to me only because only I have the knowledge required to sell it. Still, out of goodness, I am willing to part with 50% of the sale value with you"

The farmer began thinking - "What is this! Even if I toil hard day and night for six months, I can not make a profit of more than a few thousands of rupees. Here is this stone, which can fetch fifty thousand rupees to him and fifty thousand to me It is now clear that compared to his knowledge, my labour is useless". In his innocence, he made his thinking known to the relative.

The relative replied "What is strange about it? There are two things which will produce wealth. One is hard work and the other is knowledge. Between the two, knowledge is more powerful".

The farmer agreed to part with 50% and sold the stone.

During the ensuing year, there was widespread famine. The condition of the farmer was somewhat better than others because he had stocked grains of the previous harvest. This year also, the farmer got a similar stone in his fields. This time, the farmer himself took the stone to his relative and asked him to help him sell it.

The farmer understood the situation and laughed. "How is it that hard work has taken the first place now? What about the superiority of knowledge"? he asked. The relative was speechless. The farmer continued "wealth can be generated only when knowledge is combined with hard work. Ploughing is not merely the work of the ox. It also involves the intelligence of the person who is behind the plough. Because I got the first stone on the upper surface of the ground, you thought that there was not any effort made by me in getting the stone. Assume that such stones are hidden deep inside our fields. Even if you know that they are there, you will not be able to lay your hands on it unless you do some hard work in bringing them out. Then you will realise the importance of hard work. Coming to the aspect of assessing the value. Value of a substance depends on our necessity for it and it keeps changing. Take for example these hard times. Gold and precious stones have no use now. Now food is the most valuable thing. For a person suffering from serious illness, medicine is more valuable than food. Irrespective of the kind of object which gains prominence in a given point of time, that object will possess both inputs - hard work and knowledge. It would be foolish to assume that knowledge alone can fetch riches".

The relative had to agree to the farmer’s logic.

The above story tells us not only about the relationship between hard work and knowledge, but also that ‘value’ depends on necessity and it keeps changing according to circumstances.

Man’s needs will not be the same at all times. Even in a given point of time, it will vary from person to person.

If we were to enlist the necessities of human beings, we will observe that all the worldly necessities are nothing but incessant efforts to achieve temporary and transitory pleasures. Even to achieve this, knowledge is necessary. Such knowledge which aids in achieving momentary pleasures is called as ‘Apara Jnana’.

There is another kind of striving if one wants to achieve permanent happiness. The knowledge required to achieve that is called is ‘Para Jnana’.

History is abundant with men who endeavoured in these two directions. Even in the present world, there are such men. The future will also see such persons. The seekers in the first path are always on the look out for ways and means to amass wealth for personal comforts. There is nothing strange about it.

Theoretically, the tendency of men who tread the path of ‘Para Jnana’ should be opposite to that of the above. That is to say, they should have no use for money and other worldly possessions. It is needless to say that those who have successfully treaded this path and have achieved their goal have no use for money and other material objects.

But, in this age of Kali, we see a situation which does not fit this theory. The following Sookti expresses astonishment towards such a state.

Paraapara jnaanavido vidopi

jnaanam tu vikreeya dhanam labhante

Aho dhanasyaapi kalermahattaa

paraarthasakto na hi kashchidasti

Even scholars who have mastered the knowledge of mundane and supra mundane worlds tend to ‘sell’ knowledge for the sake of money. Great indeed is the influence of money and the Kali age! No one seems to be interested in others’ welfare!

There are two aspects which need to be understood in the above Sookti. 1. By mentioning that the reason for the above undesirable situation is the influence of the Kaliyuga, and that the Kaliyuga stands on money, it helps us to take a less offensive stand against such ‘faulty’ persons. It indirectly says that one should realise that whenever and wherever such ‘faults’ take place, it is only the play of the Kali and should consider such situations as opportunities created by the Almighty to warn about the influence of Kaladeva (lord of time). 2. The second aspect is even more important. Those who wish to gain knowledge in the ‘Para’ path, will have already realised the worthlessness of money and other material objects. Such persons - under normal circumstances - should not be attracted to those who claim to teach the ‘Para’ knowledge, but aspire for money themselves. If they become attracted, they should realise for themselves that there is some defect in their attitude. They should try to correct themselves quickly.

What if there is no teacher to tell us what we should do? ‘Do not worry, no teacher is necessary. It is enough if you go on working for the welfare of others’ - says the above Sookti. It does not matter whether the teacher is a cheat or a noble soul. All that is important is that you should tread the path of social welfare by giving up selfishness. To do this, it is not necessary to acquire more power and resources. It is enough if one does not hide one’s abilities and resources which the Almighty has bestowed.

It is not important as to in how many ways you will use your energy and resources for the welfare of others. What is relevant is how much interested you are in others’ welfare. This is the crux of the message the above Sookti is conveying to us.