FORGIVENESS
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” — Levis B. Smedes
As I study this quote slowly, glimpses of a tale that I read in my high school Hindi question paper come to my mind. I ought to point out that this is a tale that changed me. This is a story that helped me control my ill- mood and step by step stroll out of the darkness I turned to reside in. This is a story that gave a top-notch twist to my tale.
This is an incident from the lifestyles of the well-known Tamil poet, Thiruvalluvar. Thiruvalluvar was born in Thirumayilai (gift-day Mayilapuram, Chennai). A man of few phrases, he conceived and crafted the concept of seven-word Tamil poetry referred to as Thirukural. The notable sage has given mankind a manual to a peaceful life crafted as 1330 Thirukurals.
One such Kural that describes ‘forgiveness’ is
“Ennar seidhare oruthal, avar naana nanayum seidhuv”
Meaning — It doesn’t matter what someone has done to or for you, be it desirable or awful; always do good in return. This simple and humble man of great demeanour lived vivaciously by the way of his pronouncing.
Thiruvalluvar became a saree trader in his early days and owned a small shop where he exhibited stylish silk sarees. In the same locality, lived a notorious little boy who was arrogant beyond his years. He regularly played pranks on the elders in the locality, who grew tired of his misbehaviour and avoided him at all cost.
One day, the local boys told him about the saree trader, who was known for his calm and tranquil nature. The boy who bragged about being able to damage anybody’s temper in a few minutes, took it up as a challenge. The bored boys were excited to witness the scene that would unfurl.
The boy approached Thiruvalluvar in the guise of a customer buying a saree for his mother. He promised to pay the retailer in installments, who agreed but not unaware of the boy’s mischievous behaviour. The boy picked an elegant saree but whined about how it was too long for his short mother. He grabbed a pair of scissors and cut it half. He looked at the trader with a pleased look on his face and cut it further as it was apparently still too long. The trader remained nonchalant.
The boy giving excuses shredded the saree. Seeing the pieces in his hands, he frowned and stated that it wouldn’t grace his mother anymore. He decided to get rid of the pieces. Thiruvalluvar said unfazed, “Child, this will no longer be of any use to you. However, I can stitch the pieces up and make a fascinating table clot or scarf. Would you please give me the waste pieces?” The boy felt penitent of his actions. With tears in his eyes, he apologized to the Great Man and left the place with a lesson for life.
Thiruvalluvar could beat the boy up as any other trader would do and ask his parents to compensate for the vandalised saree. Instead, he chose to forgive the boy. If he admonished the boy, it would stain his character and only provoke the boy further. By forgiving the boy, he escaped moments of anxiety and earned some money, retaining his dignity. He is a righteous man, who achieved inner peace.
He teaches us the important lesson of the importance of forgiveness and the need to stay calm in this chaotic world.
Forgiveness is a way to discover ourselves on the inside. It isn’t a weak spot, instead the finest power of any human!
Written by— A.K. Darshini
Edited by — Anushka Gupta
