Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa – A story on the power of habit that keeps out truth

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to narrate wonderful stories with a moral or valuable lesson. Here is one such story on the power of influence and habit that keeps out truth.A group of fisherwoman who were on their way home from a distant market was caught in heavy rain. So they took shelter in the home of a flower seller. The florist opened the room where he used to stock his flowers and asked the fisherwomen to take rest there at night and start their journey early morning.

The room was filled with fragrance of various flowers and this made the fisherwomen uncomfortable. None of them were able to sleep.

Then one fisherwoman came up with an idea that they should sprinkle some water on their fish baskets so that it will generate foul smell which will make them sleep.
All the other women agreed to the idea and they sprinkled water on their fish baskets and kept it near their head and slept peacefully. The fragrance of the flowers did not trouble them.

Such indeed is the power of influence and habit. The worldly soul brought up in and accustomed to materialistic thoughts and surrounding cannot breathe long in an atmosphere of purity and renunciation without feeling restlessness and discomfort.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

படித்ததில் பிடித்தது - தனிமை

கண் சிமிட்டும் கணிணி
கை அருகில் பாடல் கருவி
குழுமியிருக்கும் மின் அணு சாதனங்கள்
ஆனாலும் அறை முழுதும் வெறுமை
இதன் பெயர் தான் தனிமை

குளிர்சாதன பெட்டியில்
உணவு வகைகளின் பட்டியல்
சமைக்க செல்லாத மனது
சுவர் ஓரத்தை வெறித்திருக்கும்,இமைக்காத விழி அது
இதன் பெயர் தான் தனிமை

ஆயிரம் நண்பர்கள் இணையத்தில்
மின் அரட்டை ஆரம்பிக்கலாம் நொடியில்
ஓசை கேட்காத பல நூறு குரல்கள்
பார்க்க முடியாத பல நூறு சினேகங்கள்
இதன் பெயர் தான் தனிமை

தலை மேலே அம்மாவின் ஸ்பரிசம்
திரும்பி பார்த்தால் காற்றுதான் முறைக்கும்
மூச்சை முட்டும் அளவு நினைவுகளின் கூட்டம்
ஆனால் கண்களில் மட்டும் கண்ணீர், துடைக்காமல் இருக்கும்
இதன் பெயர் தான் தனிமை

அழ வேண்டும் என்று இனம் புரியா ஆவல்
காரணம் இல்லாததால் அது மனதினுள் காவல்
அயல்நாட்டில் அடைந்திருக்கும் இளைஞர்களின் நிலைமைத
மிழ் என்ற தோழி மட்டும் துணையிருக்கும் கொடுமை
இதன் பெயர் தான் தனிமை

That's Why He Can Stop Your Elephant

Once upon a time there lived king who had a nice elephant. The attendant of the elephant used to take it to the river every day for a bath. One day as the attendant was bringing the elephant back to the palace, a little boy came walking up to the elephant. He took its trunk in his hands, saying, "Stop! Look at the way you are walking. The elephant stopped. "Walk gently, carefully," he told the elephant. He let go of the trunk, and the elephant started walking again. The next day as the elephant passed the same spot, the boy came running and stopped the elephant to reprimand it again. This happened several days in a row.
The attendant couldn't believe what was happening. He told the king, who sent his minister to check on the boy. In a few days, the minister came to report to the king. "Sir, I observed the boy. He lives with his grandmother. He's just a playful little boy. He seems ordinary, but he has absolutely no fear. That's why he can stop your elephant.

I can't believe it," said the king. "What do you mean?"

Sir, a mind without fear and worry can do anything."

The king wanted the minister to prove his point. The only way to do so was to make the boy worry about something. The minister approached the boy's grandmother. After hearing from her that the boy was allowed to do anything he wanted, the minister asked, "Has he ever asked for anything and been refused?"

Nho. I have given him everything that he wanted. He is just a happy-go-lucky boy."
Is he afraid of anything?"

Nothing at all."

The minister had to prove his theory to the king, so he said, "All right. When he comes home today give him the usual food, but add less than the usual amount of salt. If the boy asks about it, tell him that you don't have enough money to buy salt, so you had to be sparing with what you have left."

The grandmother said, "If the king wants me to do that, I shall do it." That evening when the boy came home, she serve his supper right away. After a few bites, the boy said, "Grandma, what is this? It's not tasty today." The grandmother repeated what the minister had told her, and the boy said, "Okay, Grandmother, I will get you some salt." He ran to the shop and asked the shopkeeper to give him a little salt. The shopkeeper explained that he couldn't give him salt without receiving money in exchange. "Where can I get some money?" the boy asked.
You have to go and work for it."

I don't know how to work."

Then you can't get any salt."

The boy was a little depressed. He went home. "Grandma, I don't know what to do. He wants me to go and work and get money so I can get some salt. I don't know how to work."
All right, sweetheart," said the grandmother, "it doesn't matter. Go to sleep. We'll talk about it tomorrow."
The boy went to bed, but he couldn't sleep all night. In the morning, the elephant came as usual, and as usual, the boy went to stop the elephant, but he couldn't do it. The elephant pushed him aside and walked off. All the young fellow had in mind was, "I couldn't get a little salt for my food."
That one small worry had taken away all his strength.

a nice story.........

One day I decided to quit... I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me... "Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?" "Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year, the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?"
"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. "Don't compare yourself to others." He said.
"The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come", God said to me. You will rise high"
“How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and bring back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

"Self Appraisal"

A little boy went to a telephone booth which was at the cash counter of a store and dialed a number.
The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:

Boy : "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?
Woman : (at the other end of the phone line) "I already have someone to cut my lawn." Boy : "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price than the person who cuts your lawn now."
Woman : I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.
Boy : (with more perseverance) "Lady, I'll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free.
Woman : No, thank you.

With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.

Store Owner : "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."
Boy : "No thanks,
Store Owner : But you were really pleading for one.
Boy : No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!"

This is called
"Self Appraisal"