Different Punishments for Same Crime.

Hi Guys,
  

About four decades ago, one day in a village primary school in the central India, I was quarelling with two of my classmates, when the Headmaster called us. He let me off with a reprimand but ordered the other two to get into the 'Murga' (Cock) position. One of my mates, who surprisingly at that tender age couldn't take that discrimination, asked, "Sir, why have you let SP off and given us the punishment. 

The Headmaster called us three to him. We sat down on the floor and he, seated on a wooden chair, narrated us the tale. It's one story that has remained etched on my mind for last so many years and has had immense impact. I wish to share this splendid story with you all.

*  In ancient India lived a king, who one day was presiding over a judgment. Before the court were brought three men accused of committing theft. 

*   When the first man was brought before the court, the King, giving him a puzzled look, exclaimed, "You!" and then he gestured his minister to let the accused go. A few minutes later the second accused was produced in the court. The King looked at him with concern and spoke, "I didn't expect this from you." The second man too was let off. Lastly, the third accused when brought in enraged the King, who shouted, "Put this man behind the bars."

*    The entire court was shocked by the King's judgment. After a few minutes the minister, mustering courage, asked the King, "Why have you given different punishments for the same crime?"

*    The King smiled and ordered the third accused too be let off and then asked everybody to reassemble after a month and in the meanwhile, the intelligence chief was ordered to keep an eye on all three accused and report to the court about their activities after a month. 

*     A month later the court reassembled to discuss the same issue. The King asked his intelligent Chief about the three accused. The Chief stood up and told the court. "The first man had consumed the poison and died. The second man had left the kingdom and gone to the neighbouring one to live there and the third accused was caught stealing again. 

*    To a stunned audience, the King, standing up, explained, "The first accused was an innocent man, who could not bear the humiliation of the accusation and hence ended his life. The second man too was innocent but more resilient and hence left our kingdom but the third accused was a perpetual thief and hence was caught stealing again. So, you've seen that there can never always be the same punishment for same crime."

*     How true it is?

Disrobing of Draupadi.

*   This shameful incident happened about 5000 years ago in India. Nowhere in the world such a despicable act against a woman has taken place since the dawn of the civilization.  A woman of honour was lost in the gambling by her husband in the name of 'Dharma'. And the winner ordered his younger brother to disrobe her.  In the court sat the King, the great family Patriarch, the family Guru and several valiant soldiers, who watched helplessly as the woman was being disrobed. Some men laughed and rejoiced, while the others shed tears. But none of the so called honourable men of the 'Aryavartha' stop this crime against humanity. 

*  And the five husbands, like eunuchs, watched their wife undergo this humiliation. It took might of the Almighty to save the honour of a helpless woman. What followed was the "Mahabharta", the epic war in which thousands of innocent lives were lost. Imagine the countless widows and orphans that war would have left behind. Did such a human loss of monumental proportion restore the honour of one woman? The history is silent on this. 

*   The Mahabharta was avoidable and should have been. It seems from the narrative that both the Kauravas and the Pandavas since the beginning were hellbent on fighting. But that was the 'Dwapar Yug'

*  Everyday in the Kalyug in India, the poor and helpless women are stripped and paraded naked. They suffer humiliation far worse than Draupadi's. And they have no Krishna to prevent their disrobing. Even the local police doesn't register their FIR. The poor Draupadis of present day India don't have the Pandavas to fight for them and so they do the unthinkable................... (end their lives).

Corporatisation of Democracy.

*    This picture tells the tale of millions of farmers across the world. The

      lush green forests and fields are being converted into concrete 

      jungles. The agricultural lands are shrinking rapidly in a world in which 

      millions don't get food to eat.   

*    Every five or four year’s elections are held in all democracies in the 

      world. Tall promises are made by the political parties and the 

      candidates. The common gullible masses always show faith in them 

      and are felt cheated by one political dispensation or the other, or all. 

*    The land, water and air that protect and preserve a Nation's resources

      are exploited by the corporate in connivance with corrupt politicians. 

      The discontent amongst the masses manifests in terms of uprisings, 

      which are often suppressed by brute force and once a while if an

      Orange Revolution or any other revolution does succeed, it soon turns

      chaotic and masses are disillusioned once again.

*    The common folks in mineral rich Africa and Asia  live in abject poverty,
      while their rulers have millions of dollars stash away in Swiss banks.

 *   Is democracy failing us? This question comes back to haunt me every

      time I read about elections in any country, anywhere !

A Year Long Journey.............

 " Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if 
    you were to live forever."

                                                  -  Mahatma Gandhi

*      The great man's words of wisdom are truly inspirational. 

*     A year ago It occurred to me that I should write a blog. I had several things to share with the readers. My poems, short stories, books and many other things. It was then I thought of painting. I had no previous experience of holding a brush. It was a tough decision but I was firm to learn it. During this period of one year, I learned a lot about several things. And I enjoyed sharing them with you all. 

*     And my journey of learning continues............