Lesson - 25
Vasumati (2)
[After breakfast, seeing her mother going out with asana etc.]
Vasumati: Mother, are you again going to the nuns place?
Mother: Yes, dear.
Vasumati: I too shall accompany you.
Mother: No. The sermon shall take place there. You are still a young child. It is not possible for you to sit there attentively for an hour and a half and listen to the lecture without playing mischief, and not to get up in the middle of the programme. Therefore, it is not proper for you to go there.
Vasumati: Mother, No. I shall listen to the lecture attentively. I shall neither play mischief nor get up in between.
[Both arrived at the nuns place, suddenly mother saw a rose flower in her pocket.]
Mother: (politely) Dear, keep it away from you.
Vasumati: Mother, what is the objection with it?
Mother: It contains life. With the flower in hand, we cannot touch the feet of the nuns. Just by touching, the live flower gets troubled. That is why the nuns do not touch flowers. One must not carry any sachitta (live object) at nuns’ place.
Vasumati: All right, ma, I shall be careful in future. [leaving their slippers at the door, both of them went inside, bowed the nuns, spread the baithaka (containing asana, some religious books and a punjani) on the floor.]
Vasumati: Mother, what are all these?
Mother: These are religions books to be read till the sermon begins.
Vasumati: What is this thing interwoven with long threads?
Mother: It is called punjani. At night when one has to go here and there during samayika, one should go about brooming the path ahead with it softly. Even in daytime, if insects happen to creep around us, we remove them softly with punjani so that they do not get hurt.
While they were talking, the nuns arrived on the stage. All the people stood up. After recitation of Namaskar Mahamantra, all of them took their seats. The nuns delivered lecture on the mantra and explained the merits of the five padas independently. All the listeners and especially innocent Vasumati was exceedingly moved. The lecture ended. At last the nuns recited Mangala path (auspicious text). Vasumati hastened to get up.
Mother: Dear, Have patience. Let the women ahead of us pass first. Why hurry? Every activity should be done gracefully. Now, tell me what did you learn from today’s sermon? Listening to the preaching is beneficial only if you learn something from it.
Vasumati: Mother, from today onwards, I undertake the vow that I shall recite the namaskar mahamantra at least five times in my mind before starting any activity.
Questions:- Why did the mother forbid Vasumati from attending the sermon?
- Why did the mother ask her to keep the rose flower aside?
- Why is it necessary to have punjani during samayika?
- What lesson did the Vasumati learn from the nun’s sermon?
