BANGALORE: Somu was an ordinary mortal working in the king’s palace. Whenever he saw the luxurious bedroom of the king with its beautiful cot and the soft bed his imagination ran wild and his heart was seized with the desire to enjoy that comfort at least once. Daily the desire grew stronger and Somu waited for an opportunity to fulfill his wish. One day his chance came and he slept on the king’s soft bed. Such pleasures are addictive and whenever he could manage, Somu stole a quick sleep on the king’s bed. One day he was caught red handed by the king.Somu trembled in fear and thought that he would be dealt the harshest punishment. But to his surprise the king ordered him to sleep on the bed the whole night without moving an inch. He also ordered that a sharp sword be tied above the bed pointing towards Somu’s neck. You can imagine the plight of Somu. He could not sleep a wink. The morning ended his ordeal and the king summoned him to the court and asked: “Somu, did you sleep well? Did you spend the night in comfort?”Somu‘s face reflected the agony he had gone through. The king continued to speak and his words left an indelible mark on Somu’s mind:“I am not the happy person you imagine me to be. All my life, I experience the kind of anxiety and restlessness that you experienced in one night. Power goes along with responsibilities and dangers. If there is a sword above your neck every day, how can one enjoy wealth or comfort? The warmth which your torn blanket provides you is far superior to the happiness that my softest quilts provide.“This story depicts the predicament of people in power. To the outer world they might seem flooded with comforts and riches, yet their suffering knows no end. Ten people compete for one position. If one occupies the chair, the nine below try to pull him down. What happiness can power or wealth give then? Take the case of the politicians. First they fight for power. When they gain power, they struggle hard to retain it. As long as they are in power they are feared and respected. When they lose their position, they face neglect and despair. Today it has become a common practice to condemn men in power, especially the ruling class. If an organ of our body is diseased do we condemn it? We diagnose the disease and find ways to cure it. Similarly, corrupt politicians and bureaucrats are also a part of our society and we have to find out the root cause of their ills. If one person commits a wrong we can say it is the defect of the individual but if the whole group is corrupt and defective, it is the failure of the entire system. If we do not correct the defective system, the problem of corruption cannot be eliminated.A good farmer uproots the weeds totally, if he just trims the portion which is above the soil it grows again and again. The transformation and cure should begin at every home, school and community. If the fight for freedom that our grandparents staged has to fulfill its purpose, it is our responsibility to build a clean nation. Srimajjagadguru Shankaracharya Shree Shree Raghaveshwara Bharathi Mahasw iji, Shree R achandrapur ath, rendered in English by Sharada Jayagovind.
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