There live a street urchin called Junaid in the interiors of Baghdad. One day he was sleeping peacefully in an apple orchard when he was woken up suddenly by a stranger.
"Get up", screamed the stranger. The stranger than started to hit him with his legs and hands. Junaid was being given a thrashing that he wouldn't forget in a long time. For a minute, Junaid though he was having a nightmare. He opened his eyes only to discover that what was happening was real.
Junaid started shouting, ' Stop, who are you?. Why are you hitting me?" He tried to push the stranger away, but the stranger was too strong for him.
" What have a done? Why are you beating me so mercilessly?, said Junaid. But he received no answer. Tearfully, Junaid turned to GOd. He said, " Oh God, What sin have i committed? I am a good person. I don't harm anyone .. Than why this punishment?
Junaid got no response either from his GOd or from the stranger.
Suddenly, the stranger's grip loosened and Junaid got an opportunity to run away. He started to run as fast as he could. But Junaid couldn't run very far. The stranger came chasing him and pulled him down below an apple tree. The thrashing started again. The stranger was clearly mad. He started thrashing Junaid black and blue. Junaid was soon panting and sobbing. "Who are you? What have i ever done to you?", he cried but to no avail.
The stranger took out his sword, pointed to a rotten apple lying on the ground and sternly asked Junaid to eat the rotten apples lying on the ground. " But why?...
"EAT, EAT, EAT, More", the stranger said stuffing Junaid's face with more rotten apples..
Junaid wanted to ask the stranger what was going on but he was too shaken to do anything. He meekly complied. He silenlt said a prayer to GOD. " Please help me, my GOD.. Why are you doing this to me"
Once Junaid was exhausted with eating, he stopped. Suddenly, fresh blows came from the stranger on his stomach. Junaid was now giving up hope. All the tragedies of his life started playing in his mind. It appeared to him that his life was full of such absurd and meaningless tragedies. HE was frustrated and angry.
Junaid started mouthing curses and profanities to the stranger. Just as Junaid was about to pass out, the stranger took out his shoe and started thrashing him with that.
"Run, Run, Run" the stranger shouted. Junaid got up panting and started running as fast as he could. His body was covered with cuts and bleeding wounds but Junaid ran for his life. The stranger ran behind him. Just as Junaid would get tired and stop, the stranger would kick him again. And Junaid would start running.
"Faster, Faster", shouted the stranger. And Junaid ran the whole day and than in the night with the stranger behind him.
Just as the sun was about to rise at the horizon in the morning, Junaid reached a small lake. The stranger shouted, " Bend down and drink". Junaid complied.
"Drink More, and More", shouted the stranger.
Junaid drank till he could drink no more. That suddenly he got up and started vomiting all hat he had eaten and drunk in the last one day.
Junaid was suffering but he suddenly he started smiling. After all, his end was near which means all his suffering was coming to and end. He thought, " We suffer like this all all our lives and than die one day. "
He mustered all his courage and asked the stranger, " I will die peacefully, just tell me why you are doing this?"
A loving look came on the stranger's face for the first time and he pointed to the vomit. There amidst the rotten apples lay a long black snake, hissing and writhing with his tongue darting out of his mouth.
"I was walking by when i saw this black snake slide into your open, snoring mouth.", said the stranger.
" Why couldn't you just tell me that?" a shocked Junaid said. "I would have just obeyed you meekly, knowing that my suffering had a reason and purpose."
"Had I told you the reason, you would have died of shock and fear", said the stranger. "The suffering I gave you is a lot lesser."
Junaid fell at the feet of the stranger and said, " I am so thankful that your gaze fell on me. I am thankful for the suffering and pain you inflicted to AWAKEN me.
THE END
DISCUSSION POINTS
1. We all house black snakes in our bodies, thoughts and minds that only the suffering can bring to consciousness and expel. The story is a metaphor for our lives. We suffer yet fail to see the poison inside us. We have to be shaken and stirred to see what is inside of us.
2. There are times when we suffer intensely. This could be caused by some illness, loss of a loved one or a big family/financial crisis. At that time, we are suddenly shaken out of our 'normal' life routine. We are whipped and beaten by the circumstances and we weep. And we always ask GOD, Why is it happening, Why me? Our rational minds can't accept and believe that it is happening to us. Because we never know 'Why" it is happening to us, we suffer more.
3. This story helps us to see suffering in different light. Let us first understand what is suffering. It is our mental reaction to external event which is unpleasant from our mental perspective.
In case of Junaid, he was beaten, but since he was not knowing the reason the beating was seen as suffering. However, if he would have known the reason, he would have not thought it as suffering. The problem in our lives is also that we do not know the reason for an event.
4. Many a times, we are told that what we are suffering due to our past karma which is coming from the previous lives and the question we have is what wrong we did in our past lives? People use different kind of techniques like past life regression, or some kind of astrological methods to know the events of their past lives. But, the reality is that the nature has put a curtain to our past lives for a reason. Junaid could not have handled the fact that snake has slithered inside his mouth, he would have died of shock. Similarly if we all would know what we have done in our past lives, we would either become mad or we will be so much guilt ridden that our normal lives will get hampered. It will become difficult to live this life properly. knowing the actual course of events of past can accentuate our current suffering.
5. Now looking at things in a comprehensive way, it is not good to know why the event is happening but still event is happening to us. So what should be the response? Firstly, we should know that the event is being ordained by God. Secondly, when things are coming from the God, they are coming for us to remove some poison from our being which we have injected by doing some wrong in the past. Thirdly, it is better to keep the actual event of past hidden and cooperate with God to get rid of the poison which we have accumulated in our being. Fourthly we should stop seeing the event as suffering or a blessing because every thing is coming for us to grow and evolve.
6. Most of the times, painful experiences/ challenges bring out our blind spots. We promise to change, to improve and after some time fall back into the same old pattern only to suffer more in future. This cycle continues till its too late and than suddenly we realize that life has passed us by. Sometimes, knowing where we are lacking or what wrong we have done is not the redemption from the suffering. This is because sometimes knowing is not enough and the actual poison has to be removed from the system. Had Junaid known that he has swallowed the snake, it would have not changed the situation in any way until the snake has been vomited out. We think if we know the reason, we can better take care of it but that might not be enough. The corrective actions coming from the WILL of God could be and are more accurate cures of our sufferings.
7. Every suffering has a reason. It is our job to search for the reason. Even if we cant find it, we should have the faith that this suffering is for a reason. And we should surrender our suffering to the Almighty who alone might know the reason for it.
8. But, everyone, including the authors will tend to forget all this the next time we are hit by an adversity. And the hue and cry will continue. Hopefully, we will suffer less next time. it is the unflinchingly love and faith in the God which can help us ride the suffering in which we are beaten left, right and Centre.
STORY CREDIT: This story is based on the story "You never know why", from the book "Rumi, Tales to live By", by Kamla K. Kapur
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