The Hen and the Pig

At the United Nations we had a panel discussion on the subject of my recently released book, As I See… The NGO Section of the UN in collaboration with Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation, a United Nations chartered NGO, organized it. The speakers were Mr Shashi Tharoor, Dr Hanifa Mezuoi, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait and myself. I would like to share what remained etched in my consciousness.

Panditji said, that every human birth is a message to that particular person born, to go through life again, only to do it one better, if he so understands. In others words, it is to provide another opportunity to improve our earlier performance. We may not be able to erase the wrongs of our past but we can correct, alter, and modify anything we become aware of and persevere towards. The key is awareness with persistence. To do it the way one desires to.  Panditji further said that nature gives such a choice only to human beings and not to any other living creature.

Humankind is the only species Pandit Tigunait further elaborated that can sit erect with neck straight, evenly balanced. He also is the only being who can sleep on its back straight like a corpse. And the only living creature who can regulate his own breath: He can hold it: hasten it: weaken it, slow it down and observe it come and go, as Gautama, the Buddha, taught and practiced.

Humankind is also firmly bound by an inviolable law of nature, which is,’ reap as you sow’, ‘the cause and effect’. Nature conspires to heighten the sharpness of senses when these are being optimally put to good use. And equally reduces support when not. When one wants to genuinely reach out to others, the best way to begin is, to first understand the needs of the persons one is getting ready to serve. Wisdom and Compassion ought to be natural partners and be equally cultivated. This is how Pandit Rajmani explained; Mahatma Gandhi came face to face with God through the extreme poverty he saw in Champaram. All those famished and hungry beings were the real representatives of the Divine for Gandhiji. And any service to God was through service of the needy that the Mahatma called daridra narayan. To my question, as whether, al

Shashi Tharoor gave an interesting concept of the United Nations by sharing a short story, a favorite of Kofi Annan he disclosed. Shashi narrated…there were a hen and a pig together talking about the problem of starvation in the world. And both were very concerned. The hen said,” Do you know my friend, between the two of us we can actually solve the problem of food for the entire world.” The pig was curious and asked, “How”? The hen said, “Simple while I lay the eggs you provide the bacon”? The pig said, “This is all very good. But do you know my friend for you it’s a contribution and for me it’s a commitment”?

            Our country at present and as always needs both contribution and a willing commitment in many areas, such as…Population stabilization, Integrity, People’s participation, Right to information, Clean and Secular Political Leadership, Responsive Governance, Responsible and Law-abiding Citizens, and Most of all, Value based Youth….

All these are not some one else’s duties. In some way or the other we individually are contributing to aggravating the challenges posed. The solutions do lie in our hands…Could we even begin by asking ourselves what do I do with whatever I see ?Jai Hind