Trifling Things

The great persons are always great in their own field but sometimes behave like a person below the normal level. A professor in Mathematics sometimes cannot calculate accurately the price of the vegetables worth some rupees in the market, or a writer sometimes fails to write an ordinary letter in a proper language. But such trifling things do not degrade them. The great scientist Isaac Newton made two holes - one big and one small for his favourite cat and kitten for coming and going at any time freely in his laboratory, lacking common sense that one big hole was enough for both of them and also go out of it. But this fact never discredited his worth in science.

The army commander of Peshva of Maratha Emperor Bapu Gokhale was a famous warrior. He could defeat the British army in one of the battle because of his bravery, courage and valour. Once, while shaving he got a small cut by the razor on the chin. He could not bear the pain. He expressed the agony in painful gestures. For teasing him the barber said, “Sir, you are the Commander of Maratha army. You fought many battles bravely. But still, I wonder you are not able to endure a small cut. How could you sustain the attacks of swords in the battlefield?” Saying this, he smiled sarcastically. Bapu kept quiet.

After finishing the haircut, he asked the barber to stand with a right foot forward; then placed his own foot upon the barber’s foot. Thereafter he took a giant spear and suddenly pierced it through his own foot with force. The spear head pierced in the ground through Bapu’s and Barber’s foot. The piercing was so painful that the barber starting crying loudly. The pain was severe and unbearable, Bapu kept cool and quiet. He calmly said, “This is the way we fight on the battle field and endure the wounds of swords”.

*The following is an extract from S.P.Nimballar's Pearls of Wisdom. Its an excellent story, immensely entertaining and inspiring. Please read it.

- Sachin Joglekar