Sunday, December 21, 2025

Sipra's Diary: The Boatman And the proud Pundit.

 

  The Boatman   And  proud  Pundit   by  sipra Roy.

Words-570/page -2

 

We assume  and expect average people to have common sense . But it doesn’t happen always.  Common sense is the rarest thing to share as to the expectation of people Failure of Common Sense is pretty common in everyday domestic  or social life.

 

Once there was a great Pundit (pedantic) who was proud of his vast knowledge in Sanskrit scriptures.   He was invited by the Landlord of Nabadwip  and awarded as best didactic novelist in that region…..it added fresh feather to his pride !

 

After the celebration of Award ceremony the Pundit reached to the   bank of the river hastily to go home which was on the opposite bank of the river. He became worried to notice that there was no ferryboat  and the sky was  cloudy. But there was only one fishing boat with boatman. The Pundit rushed to him and requested to take him the otherside of the bank. He would pay him double . Watching at the sky worriedly the boatman said ,

“ Sir, it’s windy ; storm may come ; so let us set out quickly.  The Pundit boarded himself comfortably in small mattress provided by the boatman  as great  honour. 

 

In Pleasurable mood the Pundit recited two lines  from scripture .and asked the boatman ,”do you know its meaning?”

He nodded his head .

Pundit: “ O man ,Quarter part of your  life is useless!”  The sweating  man  continued rowing silently with hard effort against the wind .

 

Then the Pundit asked the meaning of another sermon which also remained unanswered.  The Pundit  sighed with comment, “ Fifty percent of your life is in vain ;  I really feel pity for you , man .!”

Now  I will ask you my last question in simple native tongue  and not in Sanskrit, OK?

“What is the goal of human life?” 

 

Boatman:  “I am born in a poor fisherman’s family ; I am illiterate ;I have to toil hard from morning to evening  to feed my family .  I have to take this  profession from early age of only eleven ;  Why are you putting me in shame with  asking these big questions ,sir ?’”

The pundit yet lamented ,

“ I am really sad for you !   75% off your life is in ashtray. Now you have merely 25% of wisdom, for the rest of your life!

 

Suddenly the Pundit tumbled down from the seat to manage his flying scarf in a gush of wind . As he tried to get his seatback, the scarf flew away far like a dry leaf by the wind .   To his horror he saw himself

hanging  from the  edge of the rocking boat  which was about to  be overturned in the  river  in stormy  waves of the river He was totally  wet  with the slashing water of the river. He cried out in fear of drowning.

 

The boatman hailed to him, ”Sir, can you swim? Try to follow me  by swimming .I am trying hard to save the boat from drowning but  seems impossible !”

 

 

“Nnoo, I can’t;” Pundit whimpered.

The boat twisted and swept away .

“ O my god, I am going to be suffocating ; save me please ….

 

The boatman replied with gasping breathe, “So sorry  for you, sir ; I am sure to reach the shore safely with my 25% of wisdom ;   but you have no way but to die  with your lofty  pedantism!”

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