Krishna Katha - Story for meditation - 14/01/2011 - THE BOATMAN AND THE THORNS

THE BOATMAN AND THE THORNS

A certain boatman was troubled by the idea that the operation of pulling at the
cord for towing his boat was a miserable job involving great hardships, in as much
as it required him to trudge painfully along must uneven ground, over thorn and
brambles which often stuck into the bare soles of his feet.  Therefore if he
could manage to get rich somehow he would be in a position to tug at his cord by
bestriding quilts and mattresses which he would take care to spread over either
bank of the river.  The boatman was so foolish that he intended to carry all the
miserable pursuits of his poverty-stricken state into the condition of
affluence.  The consideration that if he could get rich , it might not be
necessary for him to tug at the cord at all would not penetrate his foolish
head.

MORAL:  We carry our concept of life in the material world over into the
spiritual world, thinking that it will be the same here.  However, when one
attains the wealth of spiritual existence, there is no need for him to suffer
any more.

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefited.