Wisdom through Parables.
Culture 101: Unpacking Local Sayings and Stories.
I am retelling parables and other stories today to demonstrate how context matters, and why using wisdom in your context is an individual exercise.
Parable: Once the Preserver-God and his wife, the Goddess of Wealth were in conversation. Suddenly the Preserver-God stood up to leave, saying, “My devotee is in trouble. I have to help.” A minute later he returned. Puzzled, the Goddess inquired about His errand. The Preserver-God replied, “One of my devotees was being beaten by another man. He called to me, but as I rushed to help him, he also picked up a stick and started beating the other man. Seeing that he did not need my help, I returned.”
Meaning: Ancient Greek proverbs and Aesop’s stories illustrate the saying that “God helps those who help themselves.” Sometimes, this is modified when people of faith suggest that God helps those who do not help themselves. The above parable from a 19th century Indian saint’s teaching illustrates that faith in God will always rescue you when in need unless your faith is weak, like the devotee in the story who decided to abandon his restraint and started raining blows himself.
Parable: Once upon a time, two friends went deep into the forest to collect firewood. They heard the roar of a lion. Scared, one started praying to God religiously. The other said, “Why trouble God? Quick, let’s climb this tree and be safe.”
Meaning: This story shared by the same saint suggests that self-sufficiency is important. Use rational thinking and problem solving skills in times of danger. It is akin to the commonly told story of a religious man who stayed atop a drowning home, refusing to take the help of multiple boats that came by to rescue him, saying no because he was waiting for “God to rescue him.” Eventually, he drowned and wondered why God did not rescue him. To which God is said to have replied, “I sent you help many times in the form of those boats, but you refused them all.”
Parable: A man went to the local temple every day and prayed, “Dear God, I am poor. Please, please let me win the lottery.” Each day was a new twist on the same prayer rooted in his winning the lottery. Days and months passed. Growing frustrated, one day, he asked God, “Why don’t you answer my prayer, I have diligently served you these many months.” An unearthly voice in the temple replied, “Fool, first buy a lottery ticket.”
Meaning: This story is pretty self-evident, even if some may take offense at the man being called foolish by the Gods. It illustrates that prayers need to be rooted in practical action: Act, and have faith that your actions will bear fruit.
Literal Saying: Line (lakeer) of (ke) the poor/saint (fakir)
Someone who is exact or literal in following a rule.
Meaning: This is a popular saying in some parts of the country. The Urdu word, of Arabic origin, is ‘fakir’ meaning a poor person, an austere man or a saint. The proverb’s origin is traced to a saint’s teaching that may have been followed to the letter by his student, without applying the context in which it was given, and thus ended badly for the person.
Usage: Used when someone - especially in an official position - is using the rule literally even when it makes no sense or is detrimental to the outcome. Rather than apply it to the specific individual or context, a person who insists on using it blindly may be called a ‘lakeer ke fakeer’ - ‘someone who follows a strict line.’ Not considered a compliment!
I hope you enjoyed this post! Thank you for reading.
Wonderful !
Great work as usual.