Enclosed here are Inspiring and Motivational Tales and stories and with a good message from the March- April 2012 English edition of Akhand Jyoti magazine.
Akhand Jyoti is a monthly magazine started by Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya in 1936. The magazine carries articles from the writings of Shriram Sharma Acharya and similar other prolific contributors. It has worldwide distribution and is printed in multiple languages.
Quoted text: Inspiring quotes, short stories, tales and fables with a good message.
The Monkeys of Kashi and Swami Vivekananda:
"The monkeys of Kashi ( a town in India) were considered notorious and wicked. There is an anecdote connected with them which was often recounted by Swami Vivekananda. He would say " Once I was going to a place in Kashi. The area on the way was infested with monkeys who were quite notorious for tormenting the passers-by. They behaved in the same way with me too and they probably did so because they did not like my intrusion into their territory. With shrill shrieks they descended on me and started biting at my legs. It seemed impossible to get rid of them. I fled the place, but alas, the more I ran , the more the wicked monkeys would chase and bite me. Suddenly an unfamiliar voice rang in my ears: " Do not run away, confront them. I halted in my tracks and uttered a severe scolding to the monkeys. To my surprise -the monkeys, taken aback, ran away".
Message : Life has its share of adversities and challenges, we all have to face these challenges boldly and squarely and confront them without running away." ( From Akhand Jyoti magazine , March-April2012).
The Falcons from Arabia:
Once there lived a King who received a gift of two magnificent falcons from Arabia. They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. He gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be trained. Months passed and one day the head falconer informed the King that though one of the falcons was flying majestically and soaring high in the sky, the other bird had not moved from its branch since the day it had arrived.
The King summoned healers and sorcerers from all over the land to tend to the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly. He presented the task to the members of his court , but no solution was forthcoming. The bird had still not moved from its perch. Having tried everything else, the King thought to himself, "Maybe I need someone more familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this problem". So he commanded -" Go and get me a knowledgeable farmer".
In the morning , the King was thrilled to see both the falcons soaring high above the palace gardens. He said to his court, " Bring to me the doer of this miracle". The court quickly located the farmer , who now stood before the King. The King asked him, " My friend- How did you make the falcon fly?'. The farmer replied- "It was very easy your highness, I simply cut the branch where the bird was sitting".
Message -We are all made to fly ; to realize our incredible potential as human beings. But instead of doing so, we sit on our branches, clinging to the things that are familiar to us. The possibilities are endless but for most of us they remain un-discovered. We conform to the familiar, the comfortable, the mundane. So for the most part, our lives remain mediocre , instead of being exciting, thrilling and fulfilling. So let us learn to recognize and fly away from the branches of fear that we cling to and free ourselves for the glory of flight".
( From Akhand Jyoti magazine- March-April 2012)
King Vikramaditya and the Poet Kalidas:
King Vikramaditya and the poet Kalidas were strolling through the palace gardens. In course of their stroll the King remarked to the great poet Kalidas: " How creative and talented you are! You are a writer par excellence. I wish God had given you a matching and beautiful body".
The satire was not lost on the wise Kalidas. He did not say anything at that time. On their return to the palace, Kalidas ordered two pots, one of clay and the other of Gold. Both were filled with water. After sometime Kalidas asked the King - " Now tell me sir which of the two waters is cooler?'. "That of the clay pot" replied King Vikramaditya.
A smiling Kalidas then said - " Just as the ability to cool water does not depend on the pots outer shell and appearance, so also talent is unrelated to the physical appearance of the body. One should look at the inner abilities and not the external wrapping. It is the beauty of the soul that is Supreme. Learning and greatness are linked with the soul and not the body".
( From Akhand Jyoti magazine- March April 2012)
Aristotle and the rustic:
A rustic person once approached the great philosopher Aristotle. He wanted to know how to attain knowledge of the Absolute, or Knowledge of the Supreme. Aristotle gazed at him and then said the following: "Start washing your clothes and combing the hair daily. It is the process of continously removing your shortcomings that is called Sadhna and that leads to self realization and knowledge of the Absolute".
( From Akhand Jyoti magazine, March- April 2012)
Dear Readers -We hope you that have enjoyed reading these stories and gained from them. We invite you to read Akhand Jyoti Online by following the enclosed Link: http://literature.awgp.org/magazine
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