Short Stories
യാരുക്കാകെ യാരുക്കാകെ, ഇന്ത വസന്ത മാളികൈ…..
നേരം ഏകദേശം ഒരു ഏഴ് മണി കഴിഞ്ഞിരിക്കും. സൂര്യന് പടിഞ്ഞാറ് അസ്തമിച്ചു, ഉമ്മറത്തെ വലിയ മാവിന്മേല് പക്ഷികളും, ദേശാടനം നടത്താന് ഇറങ്ങിയ കുറച്ചു കൊക്കുകളും തമ്മില് രാത്രിയിലെ വാസ്സത്തിനുള്ള ഇടത്തിനു വേണ്ടി മത്സ്സരിക്കുന്നു. ഉമ്മറത്ത് ചെറിയ വെളിച്ചത്തില് ഇരുന്നു പുസ്തകത്തിലെ പാഠങ്ങള് പടിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കയായിരുന്നു ആ കൊച്ചു കുട്ടി.
എന്നത്തേയും പോലെ അമ്മൂമയും കൂട്ടിനുണ്ട്. അപ്പോള് മുന്വശത്തെ ഗേറ്റ് ആരോ തുറക്കുന്ന ശബ്ദം കേട്ടു. ആരാ മോനേ അത്, ഒന്നു എണീറ്റ് നോക്കൂ? കുട്ടി ഉത്തരം പറയുന്നതിന് മുന്പേ ആ പാട്ടിന്റെ വരികള് വീടിലേക്ക് ഒഴുകിയെത്തി. യാരുക്കാകെ യാരുക്കാകെ, ഇന്ത വസന്ത മാളികൈ.….അപ്പോള് ഇന്നും വേലായുധന് നല്ല ഫിറ്റില് ആണ് വരവ് അമ്മൂമ്മ പറഞ്ഞു.
ഏതാനും നിമിഷങ്ങള്ക്കകം പടോന്നൊരു ശബ്ദം കേട്ടു കുട്ടി എന്നീട്ട് നോക്കി. അത് വേലായുധന്റെ വരവാണ്. എന്നത്തേയും പോലെ, വൈക്കീട്ടു പണി ഒക്കെ കഴിഞ്ഞു ഗ്രാമത്തിലെ കള്ള്ഷാപ്പിലേക്കുള്ള തന്റെ നിത്യ സന്ദര്ശനവും കഴിച്ചുള്ള വരവാണ്. റോടരികിലുള്ള വഴിവിളക്ക് കത്താന് വേണ്ടി കത്തുകയാണോ എന്ന രീതിയില് ഒരു ചെറിയ പ്രകാശമേ ആകെ അവിടെ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നുള്ളു. എന്നാലും വേലായുധന് വഴിയെല്ലാം മനപാടമാണ് എത്ര ഫിട്ടായാലും. പോകുന്ന വഴി തന്റെ യജമാനന്റെ വീട്ടില് ഒന്നു കയറുക , പിന്നെ പോക്കറ്റില് സൂക്ഷിച്ചു വച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന ഒരു കൊച്ചു പൊതിയില് നിന്നു രണ്ടു നാരങ്ങ മിട്ടായി അവിടത്തെ കുട്ടികള്ക്ക് കൊടുക്കുക. ഏതെങ്കിലും പഴയ ഒരു ശിവാജി പടത്തിലെയോ എമ്മ്ജിആര് പടത്തിലെയോ ഏതാനും വരികള് പാടുക. ആ കുട്ടികളോടൊപ്പം തന്റെ ഉള്ളിലെ വേദന മറക്കാനുള്ള ശ്രമത്തിലായിരുന്നു ആ സാധു. കുട്ടിക്കാലത്ത് എപ്പോളോ തമിള്നാട്ടിലെ ഏതോ ഗ്രമ്മത്തില് ജോലിക്ക് പോയതിന്റെ സമ്മാനങ്ങളാണ് ആ നുറുങ്ങു പാട്ടുകള്.നാട്ടില് തിരിച്ചെത്തി യജമാനന് നല്കിയ അഞ്ചു സെന്റ് സ്ഥലത്തുള്ള തന്റെ ഓല മേഞ്ഞ പുരയിടത്തിലേക്ക് കിടക്കാന് പോക്കുനതിനു മുന്പുള്ള ദിനചര്യ.
രാവന്തിയോളം രണ്ടു പേരും ആ വീട്ടിലെ സ്ഥിരം പണിക്കരായിരുന്നു – വേറെ ആരുമില്ലാതിരുന്ന അവര്ക്കു എല്ലമെല്ലയിരുന്നു ആ കുടുംബം. അതിലും വലുതായി – അവരുടെ മരിച്ചുപോയ രണ്ടു കൊച്ചുകുട്ടികളുടെ സമ പ്രയക്കരയിരുന്നു ആ വീടിലെ കുട്ടികളും . വീണിടത്ത് നിന്നു പതുക്കെ പതുക്കെ എണീറ്റ് ആ വീടിന്റെ ഉമ്മറത്തേക്ക് അയാള് നടന്നു നീങ്ങി. വേലായുധനും ഭാര്യയും ആ വീട്ടിലെ അംഗങ്ങളെ പോലെ ആയിരുന്നു.
കുട്ട്യേ , ഇതു പിടിച്ചോളൂ , ഇന്നു വേലായുധന്റെ കയ്യില് ഇത്രയേ ഉള്ളു. കുഴഞ്ഞ ശബ്ദത്തില് വേലായുധന് പുലമ്പി കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു. അത് നോക്കി കൊണ്ടു ആ അമൂമ്മ പറഞ്ഞു, എന്താ വേലായുധ ഇതു? എത്ര പറഞ്ഞിട്ടുള്ളതാ നിന്നോട്, ഇങ്ങനെ കുടിച്ചിട്ട് സന്ധ്യക്ക് ഈ വഴിക്ക് വരരുതെന്ന്? കുറച്ചു നേരത്തേക്ക് ഒരു മൌനം. എന്താ ചെയ്യാ എമ്ബ്രാട്ടി, ഒരു രണ്ടു മിട്ടായി കയ്യിലുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അത് ഇവിടെ കുട്ടിക്കള്ക്ക് കൊടുത്തിട്ട് പോകാം എന്ന് കരുതി. എനിക്ക് അവിടെ കാത്തിരിക്കാന് വേറെ ആരാ ഉള്ളത്……..ആടി ആടി വേലായുധന് ആ പറമ്പിന്റെ അറ്റത്തുള്ള തന്റെ കൊച്ചു പുരയിലേക്ക് പതുക്കെ നടന്നു നീങ്ങി. എവിടെയോ ഒരു പട്ടി അപ്പോള് കുരക്കുന്നുണ്ടായിരുന്നു.
സര്ര്പ്പക്കവിലെ പാമ്പുകള് ഇഴഞ്ഞു നടക്കണ നേരമാണ് ഇതു.
എത്ര പറഞ്ഞാലും കേള്ക്കില്ല അവന് – അമ്മൂമ ഉച്ചത്തില് പറഞ്ഞു കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു…. അപ്പോഴെഴ്ക്കും ആ ശബ്ദം കുറച്ചകലെയായി കഴിഞ്ഞു . യാരുക്കാകെ യാരുക്കാകെ, ഇന്ത വസന്ത മാളികൈ….. ഏതാനും നിമിഷങ്ങള്ക്കകം അകലെ നിന്നു ഒരു കരച്ചില് കേള്ക്കാമായിരുന്നു, എന്നെ തല്ലല്ലേ , എന്നെ തല്ലല്ലേ,…… എന്നുള്ള കരച്ചില്… അപ്പോള് മുഴങ്ങി കേട്ട ശബ്ദം ഇതായിരുന്നു – ആര്രാടി ഇപ്പോള് ഇവിടെന്നു ഓടി പോയത്….. നിന്റെ മറ്റവനെ ഞാന് ഒരു ദിവസം കൊല്ലും…….. ഏതാനും മിനിട്ടുകള്ക്കകം ആ രണ്ടു ശബ്ദങ്ങളും നിലച്ചു. മറ്റൊരു ദിവസത്തിന്റെ അന്ത്യം. മറ്റൊരു നാളേക്ക് വേണ്ടി രണ്ടു പേരും മതിമറന്നുരണ്ങുന്ന നിശ്ശബ്ദത….പിറ്റേ ദിവസവും രാവിലെ വെളുപ്പിന് തന്നെ രണ്ടു പേരും അവരവരുടെ പണിക്കായി കൃത്യതയോടെ എത്തി ചേര്ന്നിരുന്നു…. മറ്റൊരു സന്ധ്യക്കും, മറ്റൊരു ജമിനി ഗണേശന് പാട്ടിനും, ഒന്നോ രണ്ടോ നാരങ്ങ മിട്ടയിക്കുമായി ആ കുട്ടികളും. അതിന് ഒരു പ്രത്യേക മധുരമായിരുന്നു.
രമേഷ് മേനോന്
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – Be thankful for what you have
Jaaju Jaaju stories are bed time stories narrated by a loving father to his son each night before going to sleep. These stories are collected from various sources. Besides the little one (who loves to listen to the story and sleep with his head on his dad’s shoulder sucking his little thumb), there are three other characters who listen to this daily – they are Kesavan – the elephant, Chakki – the cow, and Sundari – it’s little daughter. Each night, the story is ended at some point, to give curiosity to the listeners and it is started the next night with a question answer session. Enjoy reading each day as it is posted and pass it on to your little loved ones.
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: “I am blind, please help.” There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?”
The man said, “I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.”
What he had written was: “Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it.”
Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?
Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?
Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.
Invite others towards good with wisdom. Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.
Don’t believe your doubts and doubt your beliefs. Life is a mystery to solve, not a problem to resolve. Life is wonderful if you know how to live.
Bhagavan Baba says, “Life has to be an incessant process of repair and reconstruction, of discarding evil and developing goodness…. In the journey of life, if you want to travel without fear, you must have the ticket of a good conscience.”
Extracted from an email forward.
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – Importance of keeping one’s word
Importance of keeping one’s word
We all know that the pandavas left their kingdom for 13 long years for keeping up their word! Well, for Arjuna going away from the bhogas of a king, for the sake of truth, was not new. He did it once well before the aranyavaas. The story goes like this:
The kalyaanam of pandavas with Draupadi was an unusual one. However, it was perfectly according to dharma shastras. Infact Draupadi is one of the greatest pativratas and praised even by Lord Krishna for her Dharma vartana. A few reasons to justify the kalyaanam:
Kunti Devi, the mother of pandavas, who never knew what a lie was, gave her will.
Vyaasa Maharshi, one of the avataar of Lord Vishnu, ordered the kalyaanam to be done.
Lord Shiva, pleased with her tapas, gave a boon to Draupadi to marry the pandavas.
Pandavas, though were five physically, were all amshas of Indra, the King of the Gods. Hence, pandavas were actually one.
Naarada, again an avataar of Lord Vishnu, suggested some rules to be followed by pandavas and Draupadi for living together. This is because, though they were amshas of Gods and Godesses, since they had a human form some addition rules according to dharma shastras needed to be followed. One of the rules was that: Draupadi should spend one year with each of the pandavas and while she was with one of them, no other pandavas should visit the palace where they might be. In case of any breach of their rule, one-year pilgrimage was prescribed by way of penance leaving the kingdom.The pandavas and Draupadi were living happily until one day: a brahmana came running to Arjuna saying that the thieves had stolen his cows. Arjuna wanted to rush with him to catch the thieves but he realised that his bow and arrows were kept in Yudhisthira’s palace and he was there in the company of Draupadi. He hesitated for a while, then seeing brahmana’s plight he rushed in to Yudhisthira ‘s palace took his bow and arrows and ran to catch the thieves. After he caught the thieves and punished them, after restoring the cows of the brahmana, Arjuna came back to Yudhisthira and told him about his transgression of the rule.
Yudhisthira, knowing the reason of the breach of their rule, said their is no need for Arjuna to take the pilgrimage. Since it is a mistake committed towards him, and that too for a good reason, he will pardon arjuna . However, Arjuna would never break his word. He immediately set out for a one-year pilgrimage. May be this is why Arjuna is such a favourite sakha of Lord Krishna.
Morals in the Story:
The story shows how important it is to keep up ones word, whether it is of any consequence or not, how much ever difficult it is.
Arjuna, knowing that he will be punished for breaching the rule, did not stop doing his duty as a king to protect his people and punish the theif. Thus, one must always perform his duty without any laziness or any kind of fear.
Rewards for such people do show up as immediate difficulties, but in the end – it is truth is what always wins (Satyameva jayate). Arjuna’s win was in the way of gaining eternal friendship with the Lord.
Message:
Imagine if everyone keeps his word and always speaks truth — will we have corruption? will we have poverty? Though its a very difficult to inculcate, unless we are truthful there will be no development.
Like Arjuna if everyone does they duty — will there be such slow development for such a large community of intelligent people?
Temporal gains got by saying lies never will be permanent. They will not only bring us down on a long run in life, leave aside winning the heart of the God.
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – Birbal Catches A Thief
Jaaju Jaaju stories are bed time stories narrated by a loving father to his son each night before going to sleep. These stories are collected from various sources. Besides the little one (who loves to listen to the story and sleep with his head on his dad’s shoulder sucking his little thumb), there are three other characters who listen to this daily – they are Kesavan – the elephant, Chakki – the cow, and Sundari – it’s little daughter. Each night, the story is ended at some point, to give curiosity to the listeners and it is started the next night with a question answer session. Enjoy reading each day as it is posted and pass it on to your little loved ones.
Birbal Catches A Thief
Birbal was one of the nine gems in the court of emperor Akbar. He was respected by everyone for his intelligence and wit. Whenever Akbar was in difficulty, he called Birbal for help.
Akbar was very fond of jewellery. He had many rings of gold, pearls and diamonds. His favourite ring was the one with a large diamond at the centre and pearls around.
At the emperor’s palace, there were eight servants who looked after his clothes and jewellery. They also helped him get ready to go to the court. No one else was allowed to enter his room.
One day, the Emperor wanted to wear his favourite ring. But it was missing. Akbar ordered a search for the ring. But no one could find it.
Akbar then asked his men to call Birbal. When Birbal came, he told him about the robbery and asked for help. Birbal called all the eight servants who were in charge of the Emperor’s room.
He gave each of them a stick of the same size and asked them to come back with it the next day. He told them that the stick of the person who had stolen the ring would become longer by one inch that night.
The next morning, the eight servants stood in a line with their sticks. Birbal caught hold of one of them and took him to Akbar.
The man fell at Akbar’s feet and admitted that he had stolen the ring.
The king was surprised. He asked Birbal how he found out the culprit. Birbal said the thief had cut his stick by an inch fearing that it would grow.
This story is dedicated to all loving children
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – Three men and a Woman
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – Three men and a woman
This time it is a story about the famous King Vikramaditya.
Once three men disputed about a woman. This is a perfect example of a story that demonstrates the duties involved in lokasamgraha.
Keshav, the Brahmin, had a daughter whose name was Madhumalati. She had three suitors: Tribikram, Baman and Madhusudan. However, before Keshav could decide on the best suitor, Madhumalati was bit by a serpent and died. Each, deeply embittered by the death of their beloved, acted differently. They divided the relics of their beloved before parting and went their ways. Tribikram collected Madhumalati’s bones and became an ascetic. Baman tied up a bundle of Madhumalati’s ashes and went to live in the forest. He mourned Madhumalati’s death while in sannyasa lying in her ashes from dusk to dawn. Madhusudan, like Tribikram, became an ascetic. However, he was so disheartened by his love’s demise that he chose not to have anything to do with her remains.
On his journeys, Madhusudan learned how to bring the dead back to life. He hurried back and assembling the others brought Madhumalati back to life. The question that the vampire asks here is who should lay claim to her? The King answers correctly. Tribikram preserved her bones, and in doing so, placed himself in the position of Madhumalati’s son. Madhusudan, by restoring his beloved’s life, placed himself in the position of a father. Baman by preserving Madhumalati’s ashes and lying in them performed the duty of a husband.
King Vikramaditya is a ruler of high virtue. Obviously he knows the intricacies of lokasamgraha. This story outlines the various duties associated with different people in samsara.
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – Time-transcending Remedies
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – Time-transcending Remedies
Jaaju Jaaju stories are bed time stories narrated by a loving father to his son each night before going to sleep. These stories are collected from various sources. Besides the little one (who loves to listen to the story and sleep with his head on his dad’s shoulder sucking his little thumb), there are three other characters who listen to this daily – they are Kesavan – the elephant, Chakki – the cow, and Sundari – it’s little daughter. Each night, the story is ended at some point, to give curiosity to the listeners and it is started the next night with a question answer session. Enjoy reading each day as it is posted and pass it on to your little loved ones.
The story this time is one recounted by Kottarathil Sankunni reflects the relevance of the life style prescribed in modern times also. It seems that a pair of birds used to sit a on the branch of a tree near a bathing ghat and ask of everyone coming to bathe, ‘ko rukku?’ No one was able to understand the nature of the query and give a suitable reply.
One day Alathur Nambi, who was passing by, heard the cry of the birds and turning towards them composed a Sanskrit sloka. The sloka was acceptable to the birds and they flew away, after blessing the family of the Nambis. They were actually Aswini devas, the celestial physicians, who had come to check up on the technical efficiency of Ayurveda practitioners on earth.
What is relevant to us in modern times are the question and the answers. The question was actually ‘Kah arukku’, meaning ‘who is there who is disease free’. Nambi answered that he who eats lightly and at proper times, he who walks a little after taking food, he who sleeps turning to the left side, he who passes urine and stools promptly without delay and he who is controlled in satisfying his sexual urges will be free of diseases.
How modern is this advice! Even today, modern doctors suggest the same regimen as an antidote against modern lifestyle diseases like hypertension, elevated cholesterol levels, obesity and so on.
Ayurveda is a very scientific and systematized body of medicine. There are a number of popular stories as well as a body of scientific literature that attests to the efficacy of the treatment systems of Ayurveda. It is up to modern Indians to take up the cause of Ayurveda in a systematic manner as a life style regulating mechanism, which will appeal to the West also.
The “Garland of Legends”, Ithihya Mala, is a collection of legends prepared by Kottarathil Sankunni, a revered Sanskrit – Malayalam scholar who lived in the latter part of the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century in Kerala.
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – The Alathoor Nambis Celebrate the Ayurvedic Medicine Tradition
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – The Alathoor Nambis Celebrate the Ayurvedic Medicine Tradition
The “Garland of Legends”, Ithihya Mala, is a collection of legends prepared by Kottarathil Sankunni, a revered Sanskrit – Malayalam scholar who lived in the latter part of the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century in Kerala.
Ayurvedic Medicine in Ancient Kerala.
In Kerala, the system of specialization in medicine was institutionalized and practiced since ancient times. The tradition of ‘Ashta vaidyans’, a group of eight physician families, was an innovative concept that was borne out of the system. Each of these families specialized in a certain area of Ayurvedic medicine.
Once, when some young Nampoothiris, Kerala Brahmins, were spending their free time talking in the verandah of a huge Illam, thier traditional house, the discussion veered around to who was the best among the Ashta Vaidyans. An elderly member of one of the Ashta Vaidyan families, who happened to pass by, explained to the young men that there was no question of which family was better than which. He said that each family was specially trained in a particular aspect of medicine and together the Ashta Vaidyans represented the best of Ayuvedic medicine.
The Renowned Alathoor Nambi Family
One of the more renowned of the Ashta Vaidya families was the family of Alathoor Nambi. The family hailing from what is now known as the Malappuram district of North Kerala, near the ancient port of Ponnani, was specially known for their prowess in finding out the exact nature of a disease and prescribing the correct and proper medicines.
One story recounted in the Ithihya Mala throws light on the awesome power of the Alathoor Nambis. Once, a handsome Brahmin approached the Nambis with the complaint of itching all over the body, which in the course of time was marring his handsome body with black sores. The Brahmin was in tears, since all the other Vaidyas he had approached were of the opinion that the disease was irreversible.
Nambi examined the Brahmin and said that the only effective remedy for the disease was to consume oil collected from a python. The Brahmin was aghast. With a heart filled with sorrow, he slowly wended his way back home. On the way was the famous temple of Chamravattam. (Chamravattam is a place near Tirur, in Malappuram district of modern North Kerala). The Brahmin decided to stay at the temple and spend his last days there in fasting and prayers.
That night he had a dream. A bearded man, very authoritative, approached him in the dream and asked him to ensure that he takes a bath every day in the nearby Bharatapuzha River and to drink some of its water every day after bathing. The Brahmin religiously followed these instructions. Lo and behold, within a couple of months, the itching stopped completely and the blackened sores had also disappeared.
Overjoyed, the Brahmin went to Alathur Nambi to share the joy of his recovery. Nambi asked him how he had managed to procure python’s oil. The Brahmin replied that he had not taken any python’s oil, but had only prayed at the divine temple of Chamravattam. He also recounted the dream. Nambi then went along with the Brahmin and after seeing the temple and the bathing place; he walked along with the Brahmin on the banks of the river. They had only gone a short distance upstream when they saw a python lying dead on the riverbank, oil from the carcass flowing downstream along with the river water to where the Brahmin used to bathe.
The story shows that even the Gods had accepted the veracity and exactitude of the treatment meted out by the Alathur Nambis. Once the Nambis have chalked out a course of treatment it is virtually impossible to better upon it.
Jaaju Jaaju Stories – The Wicked Sons
From Jataka Tales
A very wealthy old man, imagining that he was on the point of death, sent for his sons and divided his property among them. However, he did not die for several years afterwards; and miserable years many of them were. Besides the weariness of old age, the old fellow had to bear with much abuse and cruelty from his sons. Wretched, selfish ingrates!
One day he met a friend and related to him all his troubles. The friend sympathized very much with him, and promised to think over the matter, and call in a little while and tell him what to do.
He did so; in a few days he visited the old man and put down four bags full of stones and gravel before him.
When the young men got to hear of this further increase of wealth they began to be more attentive and pleasing to their father than ever before. And thus they continued to the day of the old man’s demise, when the bags were greedily opened, and found to contain only stones and gravel!
(From “Indian Fairy Tales” by Joseph Jacobs)
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