Lessons From A Pencil In Time
By Victor Epand
A story of spiritual instruction, when Mohan returned from his journey to Jagannatha Puri, he was a changed man, even those had never met him were impressed with his character, but those who had known him before were suspicious.
After his journey, he became suddenly happy, but many people could not under stand why. Within one year, Mohan had lost his wife from tuberculosis and his cows were killed by a tiger, which caused him to be grief sticken. Gurudeva asked Mohan to accompany him to Puri, and then continue to tell him that his ship would soon come and take him to his origin. Although, Mohan knew his guru was form India, he still had no ideal what he meant.
Two weeks after they reached Puri, the guru became seriously ill, which is when Mohan understood what he had meant. Mohan was called to his guru’s side, then the guru told him that his ship had finally come in. When Mohan returned home, the people in his village heard of the guru’s death and they suspected Mohan’s happiness. Mohan had not only lost his wife and his two cows, now he had lost his guru and his home, because he could no longer pay the rent, all in one year.
In no time, rumors began circulating, with the worst being Mohan was accused of the guru’s death. Finally, people questioned Mohan about his happiness, which is when Mohan told them what was going on. He told them that the guru had given him more than verbal instruction, which was a pencil. While away with his guru, Mohan had become one of his disciples and began telling them what the guru had taught him to cause such a change in his life.
He told them that the gift of a pencil can change everyone’s life. Although every thing had been taken from him, he still felt that held what was in him, which was his material plans. The guru had given him an envelope before his death and told Mohan not to open it until they boarded the ship. Inside the envelope was a pencil and a letter explaining that he had been the quickest of his students and knew he had a good heart, and that if he thought deeply about the pencil, then he would learn what he needed to.
The pencil was saying that if you stop from time to time to sharpen your tools, which meant his mind, body, and spirit. Mohan knew that he should sharpen himself by spiritual practice so that he could become pointed in one direction, which the creator. As a pencil draws in one way, Mohan knew also follow that one way in his life.
Like the pencil, what is inside is more important than what is on the outside. We should value what is inside ourselves and in others. He also understood that that when a mistake was made then it could be erased. When we make a mistakes, then we should immediately make amends by correcting the mistake. Thinking of how it has written a book, so we should always give credit to God and strive to become humble and willing instruments by surrendering to His plan.
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books. Please visit these sites for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Mohans pencil.
