Starting from Ayodhya, the old man entered the forest, after traveling for several days. With no one in the forest to seek guidance from, he roamed about in the forest with no sense of direction, before finally arriving at the hermitage.
After reaching the hermitage, he sent word through a disciple standing at the doorstep that he wanted to meet Sita, residing there.
Sita came out in a moment.
Looking at the fatigued state of the old man, Sita told him, "You look fatigued and exhausted. First, have some food."
Even before Sita could complete the sentence, a disciple came from inside, carrying a fruit tray. He placed the tray before the old man.
"If you know who I am, you may not be so hospitable to me!" said the old man.
"Who you are doesn't matter. We follow the practice of offering food to anyone visiting this hermitage. Especially in the case of people who are old or fatigued, we would ask them any details, only after making them eat food" said Sita.
"Who you are doesn't matter. We follow the practice of offering food to anyone visiting this hermitage. Especially in the case of people who are old or fatigued, we would ask them any details, only after making them eat food" said Sita.
"No. madam, First, I will introduce myself. I am a washerman."
"Oh! But, in our hermitage, we wash our clothes by ourselves. We don't engage the services of a washerman."
No, madam. I didn't come here, offering my services as a washerman. I am coming from Ayodhya."
There was a trace of grief on Sita's face, for while. But, quickly changing her expression and assuming a cheerful disposition, she asked the old man, "Are Rama, his brothers and others doing well?"
The old man broke down suddenly and began to sob uncontrollably.
No, madam. I didn't come here, offering my services as a washerman. I am coming from Ayodhya."
There was a trace of grief on Sita's face, for while. But, quickly changing her expression and assuming a cheerful disposition, she asked the old man, "Are Rama, his brothers and others doing well?"
The old man broke down suddenly and began to sob uncontrollably.
"Madam, you still don't seem to have realized my identity. I am the one responsible for your having to come to the forest and live an arduous life here. It was only after listening to my thoughtless remark questioning your chastity that your husband Rama decided to send you to the forest" said the old man, amidst sobs.
There was a faint smile on Sita's face. "It happened several years back. Why talk about it now?"
"No. madam. I made a scandalous remark in some mood, without realizing the implications of my thoughtless and irresponsible remark. You had already proved your chastity to the whole world, by stepping into fire and coming out of it unscathed. It was cruel of me to have spoken ill of you, in spite of knowing about it."
"No. madam. I made a scandalous remark in some mood, without realizing the implications of my thoughtless and irresponsible remark. You had already proved your chastity to the whole world, by stepping into fire and coming out of it unscathed. It was cruel of me to have spoken ill of you, in spite of knowing about it."
Sita didn't say anything.
"I have been living in regret, blaming myself for my stupid and arrogant remark and getting seared by the flame of guilt that has constantly been burning inside me. I realized that I would be able to come out of my feelings of guilt only after meeting you in person, apologizing to you for my sin and accepting a punishment at your hands. It was only with that determination, I gathered information about your whereabouts and came to this place, after walking for several days" said the old man.
"I have been living in regret, blaming myself for my stupid and arrogant remark and getting seared by the flame of guilt that has constantly been burning inside me. I realized that I would be able to come out of my feelings of guilt only after meeting you in person, apologizing to you for my sin and accepting a punishment at your hands. It was only with that determination, I gathered information about your whereabouts and came to this place, after walking for several days" said the old man.
"I am sorry that I had engaged you in conversation, without asking you to take your food. Please have your food" said Sita.
"No, madam. You should award some punishment to me. Please ask someone in this hermitage to give me lashes with a whip or a crane."
"Ok. But, your body needs strength to withstand the punishment. You have come here, after a few days' travel. You might not have got adequate food on the way. Therefore, have your food first" said Sita.
"Will you award me some punishment, after I take my food?" asked the old man and began to eat the fruit.
"Will you award me some punishment, after I take my food?" asked the old man and began to eat the fruit.
Sita went inside. When she came out after a few minutes, she was accompanied by a disciple, carrying a spade in his hand.
The disciple began to dig a pit on the ground outside the hermitage.
'Why is this man digging a pit? Is he going to bury me alive into this pit?' the old man began to wonder, with apprehension.
Since the ground was moist, digging through the earth was easy. Within a short time, a pit with the depth of a few feet was dug.
Sita told the man who was digging the pit, "Enough. Now, please descend into the pit."
The man stopped digging, kept his spade aside and descended into the pit.
The man stopped digging, kept his spade aside and descended into the pit.
Sita asked the old man, "Sir! Can you tell me why the man is standing in the pit, without going under the earth?"
"Because the earth is supporting him" answered the old man, puzzled by the question.
"When he was standing on the surface of the earth, the earth was supporting him. But, even after he dug the earth and stood in the pit dug by him, the earth has still been supporting him.
"My father Janaka picked me up from the earth, when he was ploughing the fields. So, I am considered the Earth's daughter. Being the daughter of the Earth, which is an embodiment of forbearance, won't I have a little forbearance myself?
"When he was standing on the surface of the earth, the earth was supporting him. But, even after he dug the earth and stood in the pit dug by him, the earth has still been supporting him.
"My father Janaka picked me up from the earth, when he was ploughing the fields. So, I am considered the Earth's daughter. Being the daughter of the Earth, which is an embodiment of forbearance, won't I have a little forbearance myself?
"I don't want to punish you. You can return home with the satisfaction of having expressed your regret for your action and live your life, without any feeling of guilt.
"I have asked the men to give you a packet of fruits to serve you as food, on your way back. Please take it and leave. A disciple will come with you some distance to show you the way in the forest" said Sita.
Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue
The Path of Virtue
Chapter 16
Forbearance
Forbearance
Verse 151 (In Tamil)
agazhvAraith thAngum nilam pOlath
thammai igazhvArp poRuththal thalai.
thammai igazhvArp poRuththal thalai.
Meaning:
Like the earth that bears even those who dig through it, supreme virtue is to be patient with one’s deriders.
(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'kAnagaththaith thEdi' by the same author)
Verse 152 (Soon)
Verse 150
Verse 150
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