<Prev |  Next>

17. PINGALA, A PROSTITUTE

Pingala was a dancing girl in the country named Videha. She was a courtesan who made a living out of it. One night she dressed herself up with great care as her ‘profession’ demands. As was her custom, with a desire to tempt some men, she stood at the door-step looking at the passers-by. She wanted money and so she was set on finding a rich man who would look at her and come into her house to please himself. She waited a long time but none turned up. She spent the whole night walking in and out of the house. Pingala's face was drawn with disappointment and her eyes were filled with tears of anger and frustration.

Suddenly, she became disgusted and noble thoughts came to her mind. She said, "The person who has not realised the Atman is fit for nothing. He will never be able to shed the love that he has for possessions like wife, wealth, children and so on. He will not be able to give up the love he has for his own body. Look at me! I have never been able to control the course of my mind in the wrong path. In my desire to enjoy the pleasures of the body I have forsaken the Lord and I have become foolish. Inside me is the Lord who will ever be mine and will grant me liberation (‘moksha’). But I have been blind and deaf. All these days, I have been going in search of that happiness that lasts but for a moment and is accompanied by pain, sadness and misery. I have abandoned the Lord. This body is like a house built with loosely tied bamboo sticks and covered by thin skin. It is made of blood, water and bones. To gratify this body, I have lost sight of the Lord who still has the mercy to live inside this disgusting shell."

"I will not be foolish anymore. My eyes have been opened now; it is indeed proof that the Lord has not forgotten me though I have forgotten him. The troubles I have had are but blessings or else I would never have come back to the right path so soon."

And so, Pingala abandoned all her desires and went to bed deciding that she would think of the Lord and no one else. Like her, one should give up thoughts on worldly things and set one's mind on the Lord. This is the way to gain peace.

<Prev |  Next>

Home • e-MM • Contact

Radhe Krishna