Pundit And Soap Maker

/// The Pandit and the Soap Maker ////

A Pandit and a Soap maker went for a walk together. They were school friends

who had grown up to take different professions. They caught up with old times, shared a few laughter's, voiced opinions on various topics and then, with sarcasm in his voice, the soap maker said, "What good is religion? Look at all the trouble and misery in the world! The troubles and miseries are all still there, even after years thousands of years of teaching about goodness and truth and peace. Animosity and

bitterness is still there, after all the scriptures and prayers and sermons and teachings. People fight and kill in the name of religion. If religion is good, necessary and true, why should this be?"

The Pandit said nothing. They continued walking until he noticed a child playing in the gutter. Then the Pandit said, "Look at that child. You say that soap makes people clean, but see the dirt on that young one. Of what good is soap? With all the soap in the world, over all these years, the child is still filthy. I wonder how effective soap is, after all!" The Soap maker protested. "But, Pandit, soap cannot do any good unless it is used! And every time there is dirt, soap must be used. In fact, it is only soap that can clean." "Exactly!" replied the Pandit.

"What the soap does to the human body; religion does to the thoughts, emotions and beliefs of a human being." "As the soap cleans the body, religion cleans our thoughts, purifies our emotions and takes us closer to our maker." "Every time the body is dirty and stinking, soap is required. Every time my thoughts are dirty, sinful temptations take me off track, greed ego lust anger make me stink, my religion helps me come back on track. It stops me from doing wrong. It strengthens me. It cleanses me." "This is indeed the objective of every religion in this world." "Then why people fight in the name of religion? Why is there so much hatred in the name of religion? Why are people so possessive of their religion?" asked the Soap maker. "Aren't you possessive of your soap brand?" asked the Pandit and laughed. The Soap maker stood puzzled. The Pandit pulled his hand encouraging him to

continue walking.

"It is the insecurity within people that makes them fight in the name of

religion. When a person understands their religion, they CANNOT fight in the

name of religion. It is ignorance that makes them fight. Look at the fingers

of your right hand. They are all different. Yet they all belong to the same

hand. Just imagine if one finger is insecure that the other finger will take

over its place. Then, there will be fights. If the finger understands, it is

there to serve a purpose; it will work together with the other fingers. No

purpose is served when the fingers fight. If there is peace within, fights

cannot happen outside. All the religions of the world are beautiful and

needed. All of them serve a purpose. All of them clean."

They have reached the Soap maker's home. The Pandit was invited inside. The

Soap maker¹s wife presented them with cut fruits on a platter. The Pandit looked at the platter and said, "Some people like me, would like to eat these fruits using their fingers. Some adventurous ones would like to use chop sticks. Some with higher degree of etiquette might like to use forks and knives. Some would prefer using spoons. A child might want the mother to feed it. One alternative is NOT BETTER than the other. They all are just alternatives. They all can serve the purpose. They are all good. There is no point in fighting which is supreme. Depending on your likes, you can choose what you want to use, to eat. As long as the food properly goes

inside you, nothing else should matter. When people understand this, there

will be no fights in the name of religion. There will be harmony and celebrations."

The soap maker smiled. "If I do not fight over the brand of soap someone

uses, why should I fight over the religion someone follows? The purpose of

both is to clean, right?" The Pandit laughed at the brilliant simplification by soap maker. The soap maker had indeed got the point right. "Thanks..." he said to the Pandit. There was gratitude in his eyes. The Pandit too smiled. There was peace in their hearts. The world is beautiful...and looked clean too. :)