Hitopadesa
Alias Animal farm
Vishnu Sharma narrates…
Once upon a time there was a
jungle. There were several animal in the jungle living peacefully amidst
conflicts, resolutions, discontentment, gratification, droughts, floods, hunger
and indigestion. Among other jungles, this jungle was known to be most civilized.
There were citations on the name of jungle that it cherished and flaunted.
The Jungle was inhabited by
lions, tigers, cheetas and also shared by less fierce animals, ruling less
evolved forms of life like butterflies, fishes and termites. Butterflies were
colorful and there were few unattractive moths, which no one actually
bothered. Fishes were nourished in
specified ponds carefully looked after by herds of animals. Fewer animals were
allocated to look after termites.
There were termites all over but only few
animals to look after. Termites were very unpopular, because they were
everywhere. The animals that looked after termites were considered useless,
since they couldn’t contain termite menace. The King Lion also hated termites
that were found in his mane. The king frequently used anti termite treatment on
the animals looking after the termites, but with no results. Termite control
was always high on the agenda of jungle.
Butterflies fluttered around some
lioness adding glamour to ambiance of jungle. Fishes were the highly evolved
lower form, not visible like termites. Looked after in closed precincts by
highly caring animals. The jungle spent lot of time and resources in up keep of
aquaria and ponds.
Every year there was an influx of
termites, fishes and butterflies. Soon the jungle will feel contaminated by
termites. There were several kinds of butterflies and fishes, looked after by
similar looking higher forms. The jungle started treating termites as pests and
persons looking after termites terminally ill.
Tigers and lions that looked
after lower forms lived in a large den. They shared common problems;
occasionally solved simple problems. Normally, animals of similar feather
flocked together, eating working and not working together.
Tigers and lions looked for rains
each month, but it rained very irregularly. Even during good monsoons, there
were scanty rains. The reservoirs never filled. In fact irregular rains didn’t
matter much for tigers and lions. Lions hardly needed rains; they saved rain
only for the rainy day.
The higher forms of life, meet
monthly to highlight their killings and compare and draw jungle law. In this
democratic jungle, the lion king prevailed and others democratically accepted.
It was wise democracy which made decision making easier, even if were to be
ineffective.
The jungle was managed by king
lion and other counsel of lions and tigers. They all worked without caring for
their mane. The working life included animals that worked, those who watched
others work. There were some lions that routinely dug their nose with one’s own
tails and sneezed; felt sick and stayed irregular. There were animals that made
loud noise, animals that worked silently, and animals that never made their
presence felt.
Frequently, the jungle heard how
civilized it was when animals from other jungles visited it. The jungle gave
sermons of civilized living showing fishes and butterflies. Termites were
avoidable but not often hidden.
Surmise
Hell !! With so many negative
things how does the jungle work ?
Thou shalt be positive !
How?
Simple, so many negatives things,
multiply to be positive.
If not ?
If not ! Add one more negative, it will be definitely
become positive.
Good jungle maths !