In an earlier post, I mentioned about interpreting scriptures for practical application in our lives. In this post, I’m sharing with you a story in a Hindu epic that inspired me greatly. It’s a pity that I forgot the names of the character and reference but the moral of the story inspired me all through my life.
In the ancient days, according to Hindu epics, it is a common practice for men to undertake penance to invoke blessing of gods. One such story goes like this:
A king undertakes penance with a desire to taste God’s food. Days go by; months go by; and years go by. After many many years of penance, the king is tired and thirsty. Then a lowly man walks by and enquires the tired king, if he needs something. When the king requests for water, the stranger pees in his ‘thiruvodu’ (earthen pot used by beggars for collecting food) and place it before the king. Annoyed by this, the king throws away the pot in anger. As the king throws away the pot, the lowly stranger transforms into God saying, "You threw away what you’ve been longing for – It was God’s food’.
We all long for that one ‘thing’ in our lives – be it the job that will get us out of our debts or the gal of our dreams, or the article that will take us to the pinnacle of fame. Call it ‘unfair’, but life never gives that in a golden plate. It comes in as a ‘pee in the earthen pot’.
In software industry, it always takes the form of ‘the risky project that none wants to handle’. Taking it could spoil your reputation. But there lies "God’s food", that one thing that you’ve been waiting for.
Those who know me, know that I grab such projects with all enthusiasm. (Sometimes it had been just plain ‘pee in the earthen pot’. When that happens, the emotional pain is too high. Still you learn something valuable about handling risks). But most often I end up as a winner.
Is this true only for professional life? No. I’ve found it to be true even in personal life.
Taking risks is a difficult decision. During the decision making phase, it drains you emotionally and during implementation it drains you physically. But there lies ‘God’s food’.
Hi !
Going through the above post – talking from a professional viewpoint I think being just about 2 years into the industry we don’t have the liberty to choose projects even if it’s a risky one … so the bottom line is “pee in the earthen pot” … got to take it whatever has been put my way.
Hey Joseph, I haven’t talked to you for a long time so I thought I would drop by and say Hi.
I’ve found it to be true even in personal life – coudnt agree with you more. How else can I justify my decision to get married?!
Taking risks is a difficult decision. During the decision making phase, it drains you emotionally and during implementation it drains you physically – touche’
You dirty fellow Salil.
this is so true~ the lotus grows from mud & muck.
so much of western culture emphasises avoiding disruption, chaos, the unknown.some yearn for “over the horizon” yet won’t paddle from the beach.
Risk is a dance on the edge of reality.
Perhaps I have too much spare time (haha) because lately I intrept life as an adventure: that is not an outstanding bill, but a village worker providing me services so that I can work-from-home; those annoying people in my life are gatekeepers of treasures (cultivating peace of mind through acceptance and knowing)..etc
It is empowering to take risks;; to experience the unknown and not spend one’s life as a seeker.
“Pee in Earthen Pot”
Who else could know that better and good?
No exaggeration, but I have been a witness of one of such “risky ventures” by the author and trust me, it could not have riskier than that!!
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I must though confess on the profound learnings of that one.
As someone famously quoted