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Yoga Varta May-June 2007

The Elephant has five legs!
by Sadashiv Nimbalkar

In mathematics if any student has not reached the correct answer but his/her method of solving the problem is correct and has reached the last step correctly, he/she is considered for some marks. In philosophy, however, it is said that nobody achieves the real truth - to go nearer the truth is enough.

One cannot attain Kaivalya, keeping one's form. If one reaches Kaivalya, one becomes one with it and cannot remain as the other person to say that 'I have seen, experienced the state of Kaivalya'. One has to remain aloof; one cannot become one with it, keeping one's separate identity. That shows that those who talk about Kaivalya are nearer to Kaivalya but not experienced Kaivalya.

In normal life, we are satisfied with 75% to 90% success. Cent per cent success is very rare. If one gets a first class in any subject, we take him as the master of that subject. Cent per cent knowledge is rarely expected from anybody. One small instance will shed light on this truth.

Once there was a middle-class family living in a town. They had two sons. One was normal and brilliant while the other was abnormal and mentally retarded. The father was very particular about the progress of the mentally retarded son.

His name was enrolled in a special school for the mentally retarded children.

Every time, whenever the father saw the progress book of his son, he felt sorry to see his son getting low marks. The father was trying very hard to improve his son. One teacher was engaged for him. Various books were purchased for him. However, none of them could help to improve the mentally retarded son.

One day the boy came home with joy and told his father that he stood first in the class. The father was very happy and surprised to hear it. ''What happened in the class?'', asked the father.

“'Today our teacher took a surprise test in the class. He asked, ‘How many legs an elephant has?’ and I alone got the correct answer”, said the son. “What was your answer?”' asked the father. “The elephant has five legs”', said the son. "And still you got the first place?'' asked the father.” Yes, Father. Is there any problem?'' asked the son.

Father went to the school, saw the teacher and asked him for an explanation.

The teacher said, "Your son's answer was nearer the truth. All other's answers were very remote from the correct one. Some said six legs, some said ten legs and some others said two legs. As your son's answer was nearer to the truth, he got the first place.''

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