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KAMALSEN - THE POWER AND EFFECT OF VOWS

The couple, Shripat Sheth and Sundari once visited Shri Shilandhar Acharya and told him that both of them observed daily vows such a counting Navkarshi, doing Samayik, etc. but their son, Kamalsen, kept away from all this.  He would watch TV, play cricket, wander about, and chatter on the phone.

Kamalsen’s parents were very upset and anxious about the lack of devotion and spirituality of their son to their religion.  They therefore requested the Muni to give some advise to their son, so that his life would improve and he may be happy in this world as well as the next.  The Muni willingly agreed.

On reaching home, the merchant said to his son, “Well, my son, a great teacher is in our town.  He is very learned and his lectures are worth hearing.”  Then the parents took their son to the lecture, and after bowing to the Acharya, they sat down to listen.  The Acharya talked about a great many things, including hell, heaven, misery, Kevalgnan, etc.  After the discourse, the Acharya asked Kamalsen how he liked the lecture.  Kamalsen replied that he was too busy noticing the wind box movements in the throat of the Acharya.

At this, his parents were greatly dismayed and returned home disappointed.  Soon after, another great sage, Acharya Gunsagarsuri, visited the town, and the parents repeated the entire process.  This Acharya told the audience about interesting stories concerning the nine tastes (rasas); such stories attract worldly people.

Hence the boy began to visit the Acharya every day and listen with interest.  After a few weeks, the Acharya was leaving the town.  Kamalsen joined the people in sending him off.  Many people pledged to observe some vow in their life.  Kamalsen was also asked if he wanted to take a vow, and he said, “ I will not tell a lie excepting the dark and bright halves of the month.  I shall not put the whole coconut into my mouth nor shall I eat cow dung.”

The Acharya was embarrassed at the boy’s ridiculous behavior. Hence, to make amends, the boy vowed not to eat food without looking at the bald head of Simelo, a potter of the town. The Acharya was very pleased at Kamalsen for taking a vow, even though it was very strange vow.

One day, Kamalsen was about to eat his lunch when his mother reminded him about his vow.  That day Simelo had gone out to the forest to dig clay.  Kamalsen immediately ran to the forest to find the bald potter.  Here Kamalsen saw the potter digging the ground.  But while digging, the potter happened to come  across a jar full of gems and precious stones.

He started to hide it underneath a heap of soil, when Kamalsen shouted, “Yes, I have seen it.”  Kamalsen was referring to the potter’s bald head, but the potter thought that Kamalsen was referring to the jar of gems.

The potter did not want anyone else to know about the jar of gems.  So he proceeded to Kamalsen and told him, he will share the pot, fifty-fifty if he didn’t tell anyone else.  Kamalsen didn’t know what he was talking about but accepted half the share of treasure and returned home.

Kamalsen thought deeply as he went home, “A vow taken out of joke brought me this wealth.  Had I taken this vow in seriousness, I would have been richer.”

This incident changed Kamalsen’s life.  He then observed many vows and became very happy.  Well, even a small and strange vow brings untold happiness.

 The End

 

 

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