Ranjan Kumar Singh
Do you remember Vishnu Sharma? Yes, the same author who wrote Panchatantra. We all grew up listening to the stories of Panchatantra from our grandmothers. You may have even heard the name of Rumi. Rumi was born in Afghanistan, while he grew up in Turkey. But why am I mentioning their names together?
We all know about the author of Panchatantra stories that some king had given him the duty of teaching his foolish sons when all others had failed to teach them. And then Panditji devised a technique of teaching through stories. These were not ordinary stories, they were fables that imparted the knowledge of human nature, taught practical ways of life and laws of governance in a very interesting way. Since these stories are divided into five tantras or chapters, the collection is called Panchatantra. Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that it has been translated into almost all languages of the world.
Rumi or Jalaluddin Rumi was also a teacher. Excellent teacher by every account. He had written many books. It is said that once when he was sitting amidst his books, a mad looking person came to him. He asked Rumi, what are you doing? Rumi replied rudely, you will not understand this. The stranger then picked up Rumi’s books and threw them in the nearby pond. Rumi ran to the pond and somehow brought out those books. However, he was surprised to see that the books did not get wet even by drowning in water. Now he had to ask, what did you do? The man named Shams replied, you will not understand this. After that both became inseparable.
It is said that some people got Shams murdered out of jealousy. Rumi almost went crazy after being separated from Shams. He wandered into the streets in search of Shams, dancing and singing. These songs of his were no less than prayers. While searching for his companion, he reached Damascus where he realized that what he was looking for was he himself! He has so much absorbed every word of Shams within himself that now he was speaking his very language, he was simply repeating what Shams had said. He and Shams had become one. And thus, the wonderful writer was transformed into a great Sufi Saint. Abandoning his books, he started singing songs. Songs that introduced a human being to another human being, rather, a person to themselves.
Now you must have understood why I am mentioning Pandit Vishnu Sharma and Maulvi Jalaluddin Rumi together. In fact, the experiments by both proved that the world of knowledge is not confined to books. We can take our lessons from stories, and we can learn from songs too. Perhaps, we can learn even more than what we can figure out while sitting in the classroom mindlessly. Both Vishnu Sharma and Rumi are such excellent teachers, who teach us a lot informally.
Still, I probably wouldn’t have discussed the two together if I hadn’t read Rumi’s story Jesus and the Skelton. Rumi used to write in Persian, and his works too have been translated in several languages. The story is about Jesus Christ and the skeleton. Jesus Christ was an avid traveller and often someone or the other would accompany him in these travels. Once a person of low intellect was following him. They had walked some distance when they saw bones of some animal lying on the way. The man turned to Jesus and said, you are the Child of God. Nothing is impossible for you! Doesn’t it look like the bones of a human being? Why don’t you put back life into him? If you could teach me how to breathe life into a dead man, it will be my good fortune.
Jesus Christ kept ignoring him as he kept troubling him again and again. When all the efforts to convince him were unsuccessful, Jesus Christ with his virtuous majesty raised those bones again. However, those bones turned out to be of a lion and even before that person could understand anything, the lion was alive and pounced on him. And thus, the foolish man became the grouse of the hungry lion.
Didn’t we all read similar story in Panchatantra? You would recall the story of four disciples who were taught by their master the art of infusing life into the dead. At the same time, he also warned them that this knowledge should be used very carefully. Three of these disciples though became proficient in this art, yet they lacked practical knowledge. After completing their education, they ventured into the world. As they walked, they saw some bones scattered on the way.
The three disciples decided to test their learning. The fourth disciple tried to persuade them not to do so, but they would not listen. The first disciple joined the skeleton by his learning. It could be easily guessed that it was the body of some big animal. The fourth disciple warned again, but the second disciple went on to put flesh and blood to the skeleton. Now, the four found a big lion standing in front of them. He was still lifeless though. The fourth disciple tried to stop them again, but why would fools listen to him! The fourth disciple therefore went away in a safe resort. The third disciple put life into the lion with his knowledge. Soon the lion pounced on them and killed them all.
Both the stories teach us that for a successful life, not only education is required, but practical knowledge is also necessary. Foolish and stubborn, puts not just his own life, but also the lives of others at risk. In this sense, I find Vishnu Sharma’s Panchatantra and Rumi’s Masnavi unique. Both tell us that knowledge is not confined to books, which can be learnt sitting in the classrooms. Knowledge comes to us in various forms, be it stories or songs. We have to apply both, our heart and mind, to learn and understand. Rumi teaches us the power of love while Vishnu Sharma teaches us the power of practical knowledge.
The two stories come to me as surprise. In those times when the internet was not there and humans did not have the power of WhatsApp or Twitter, how could the lion of Panchatantra make his way to the story of Rumi! Which is the network that connects all the civilizations and societies of the world with a single knowledge base? Swami Vivekananda has rightly said, there is nothing new to say. However, there are many ways to say it. And that’s why Vishnu Sharma and Jalaluddin Rumi offer us the same story in their own distinct way.
