Self-Giving

A person left behind in his will 19 camels to be distributed among his 3 sons in the ratio 1/2, 1/4, 1/5. The executers of the will wondered how this can be done. This story is a famous folklore of ancient Rajasthan. A saint came along on his camel. He was told about the apparent problem of division. He spontaneously offered his own camel making their count 20. Now, one-half, i.e. 10 camels went to the 1st brother, and likewise the 2nd brother got 1/4, i.e. 5 camels, and the 3rd brother got 1/5, i.e. 4 camels. Thus, 19 camels were distributed among the brothers leaving one camel still. The saint mounted on it and left, as that was his own camel. He solved the problem effortlessly without getting involved personally. No problem remains a problem once we seek the help of a true saint. Besides, the story also subtly conveys that unless a person is willing to contribute his own resource (time, money, patience, compassion, objectivity) he cannot really help in solving or empathizing with other’s problem. Are we willing to offer even our own time just listening to others venting out their inner issues? The story promises that what you offer in whichever form will remain with you. The saint did not lose the camel he offered in self- giving.
The story also has a deeper metaphorical context. We all have five senses of perception, 5 senses of action, 5 pranas, 4 aspects of inner being (mind, intellect, chit, ahankar) – totaling to 19. Unless the spirit, Lord, or Saint (spirituality and grace) is invoked, these 19 elements remain inert, non-functional (as in a dead body). Our journey gathers its intended meaning only when we begin to recognize this 20th essence or else we end up living a mundane existence (sensual, emotional, intellectual, social) which does not fulfill us nor give us then promised uninterrupted joy which is eternal. All that we do in life is aimed only at getting this ‘Anand,’ but we search for it and seek it in the limited pleasures which our senses, emotions, worldly knowledge can at best offer. Therefore, all that gives us pleasure, joy here finally ends in sorrow or greed or pain – a feeling of non-fulfillment inspite of how much we have.
Wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year in advance.