Sadhvi Vishrut Vibha
Value Of Self Control
There was a cool and serene water pool, in the outskirts of the city of Varansi, 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, fish etc. lived in and around 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 hard shell covering their bodies, protecting them from external danger. As soon as they saw the jackals, they withdrew their legs and necks into the hard shell and protected themselves by giving the impression of a hard round rock.
The jackals, being very clever and cunning animals, understood this trick and hence hid themselves behind the bushes, while keeping a watch on the activities of tortoises. After a short while, one of the tortoises who 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 other tortoise who 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 its limbs, failed to make him their prey. Finally, the disheartened jackals gave up and went away. The tortoise then safely reached the pond.
If we remain patient and calm during adverse circumstances, we can overcome the moment of peril and emerge a winner. In otherwords, self-control is the key to success. In Jainism, the road to salvation is self-control.
