Sadhvi Vishrut Vibha
There was a huge pond, full of pure and cool water, in the outskirts of the city of Varanasi. It was surrounded by a beautiful garden with blossoming trees which looked as red as fire. The flowers looked like burning flames and the stalks and leaves were always in motion due to the pleasant breeze. Creatures like frogs, tortoises, fishes, etc. lived in the pond, leading a peaceful life.
Once, in the evening, when there was no one around the pond, a pair of tortoises came out of it in search of food. Meanwhile, two hungry jackals also reached there in search of food. They saw the frightened tortoises and wanted them as their prey. Tortoises have a special kind of a hard shell covering their bodies. This shell protects them from the external dangers. As soon as they sawthe jackals, they withdrew their legs and neck into the hard shell and protected themselves by giving the impression of a round hard rock.
The jackals, who are very clever and cunning animals, understood this trick and hence, hid themselves behind the bushes and kept watching the activities of the tortoises. After a while, one of the tortoises, which was very restless and impatient slowly, took out his limbs and head one by one, being quite unaware of the danger, he would fall into. The observant jackals were waiting for such an opportunity. They jumped on the tortoise and ate it within a wink of an eye.
The jackals eating the impatient tortoise and the other tortoise did not move and saved his life by patience.
The other tortoise, which had a lot of self- control, did not move his body at all. He displayed unimaginable patience unlike the one who got killed. The jackals, who were waiting for this tortoise to eject out its limbs, failed to make this tortoise their prey. Finally, the disheartened jackals gave up and went away. Then, the tortoise safely reached the pond.
If we remain patient and calm during adverse circumstances, we can overcome the moment of peril and emerge as winners. In other words, self-control is the key to achieve success in life. In Jainism, the road to salvation is self-control.
