There is a tale about an old
trick used to trap and capture wild monkeys. The hunters take a large nut with
hard shell. A hole is made in the shell, just sufficient in size to let a
monkey put its hand through it, but not big enough to let it withdraw its
folded fist from the nut, when it is full of grabbed food. They put into the
nut foods with fine smell such as orange peels, peanuts or small fruits. The
nut is fastened firmly to a heavy rock or large tree and the trap is left in a
place where monkeys visit regularly. Attracted by the smell of the food, an
approaching monkey may eagerly introduce its hand inside the nut and grab a fistful
of the food.
As the hunters approach, the
monkey tries its best to leave the nut, but by instinct the monkey does not
relax its grip on the food and so cannot escape from the trap. The frightened
monkey may scream and try hard to pull out its hand but it tightens its grip as
it lacks the sense to release its grasp. The monkey is then easily captured.
Like the monkey in this story,
we hold on to several silly pleasures and sinful situations. We have to be
ready to leave our attachment to worthless worldly pleasures and affinity to
material objects to gain true freedom and gather greater goals. Our desires
impede our freedom. We should detach ourselves from these tempting desires.
Otherwise we become slaves of sin. When
we clasp worldly interests we fail to open our hands to receive the bliss of
heavenly happiness. Will a person gain anything if he wins the whole world but
loses his life or soul?
.............................................................................................................
© By Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science &
Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's
College, Kanjirappally and Leo. S. John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath,
Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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