<Prev |  Next>

Once a great king ruled a vast kingdom. The king was a scholar and a lover of arts. He frequently invited lot of pundits to his court and honored them. Musicians, therefore, entertained his court quite often. Being a lover of arts the king treated them with due respect and honor. Once, a talented musician performed in his court. Overwhelmed by his excellent performance the king praised the musician highly, honored him and showered him with lot of gifts.

The musician had a lot of people attending on him. It was the practice of these attendants to carry the musician in a palanquin. On his return journey from the king's palace, the attendants had carried him for a long distance. With a view to give them some rest the musician asked his attendants to stop the palanquin at a small town The musician alighted from the palanquin for a break while the attendants went to sleep.

There were a lot of young boys tending their sheep in the town. When they saw the musician and his entourage they gathered around them with curiosity. The musician was good-natured and had a child-like simplicity. So he conversed freely with these young boys. Some time passed in this manner. A little while later the musician felt very compassionate towards these boys. He thought, "These poor boys are always grazing sheep. They are illiterates. They never would have had the opportunity to listen to good classical music."

One who has home pities a beggar on the road. In the same way the musician felt compassionate towards these boys. So, he asked the boys, "Shall I sing a song for you?" The boys had no idea of music or rhythm or beat. Thinking that the musician was going to say something interesting, they sat around him.

The musician began to sing. He started with his usual 'raaga alaapanaa'. Out of total involvement in music, he, as was his habit, moved his head this way and that; the hands beat in tune with the music. He tapped his thigh lightly. He was thoroughly immersed in his music. After a while, he opened his eyes and looked at the young boys. All of them were crying! The musician was amazed. He had rendered music in innumerable courts and gladdened the hearts of many an audience. But here these innocent ones were crying! So he asked them the reason for their tears.

The boys explained, " While dying, our sheep bleat in a similar manner, jerk their legs, open and close their eyes. Now you are also behaving in the same way. You are about to die. That is why we are feeling sad and are weeping for you!"

The musician learnt a big lesson from this. However great a matter was, one should not perform or say it to those who have neither the aptitude nor the ability to understand it. From then onwards the musician entertained only music lovers.

<Prev |  Next>

Home • e-MM • Contact

Radhe Krishna