One morning a villager went to the district office to meet his childhood friend who was a District Collector. That day the D.C seem to be in distressed, sensing his discomfort the villager friend asked him the reason. D.C replied, “My wife and my children are all down with viral fever. My son contacted viral infection in his school and now his sister and his mother are also infected.”
The villager asked, “What did the doctor say?”
“Doctor has prescribed some medicines saying they would recover in a few days time.” said the D.C.
The villager friend was surprised by the way his friend was behaving, he said, “If you are so upset about the illness of three of your family, how are you going to tackle an epidemic in your jurisdiction which is wide spread?”
“I will take charge and set a team to investigate the type of epidemic, treatment and preventive measures including sanitation will be carried out on a war footing. I will handle any such situation efficiently, with a cool mind” said the D.C.
The villager said, “If you can deal with such a major problem without getting ruffled, why are you so upset about a minor problem confined to three members of a single house?”
D.C was taken back he shot back, “Unlike the others, those who are ill now are my very own.” he said.
Such is the deleterious influence of strong attachment and of the feeling, “This person or thing is MY OWN”, that the collector who worked hard and efficiently discharged his official duties without losing his composure became inefficient and beset with worry when it was about his wife and children.
A pilgrim was on the way back to his home town. As it was night he halted at a Dharmashala. He appeased his hunger with the free meal offered there. Then desirous of doing something good, he joined the inmates in serving food to all the other pilgrims who had come there. Thereafter he helped in cleaning up the place too. Before retiring for the night, he engaged in conversation with others, expressed his sympathy to those who voiced their personal problems and also gave them a few beneficial suggestions. He behaved as if the Dharmashala was his home and the people there were his family members. Yet, his mind was fully at peace and he left the next morning without the least hesitation or regret.
After he had returned home, his wife asked him, “Where did you spend last night?”
“At the Dharmashala”, he replied.
“What happened I could not reach you over phone?” asked his wife out of curiosity.
“Nothing of any importance, I ate and then met few people from other place we were chatting for a few hours and then I slept. Early morning I left from there, that’s it.” said the man.
A person who has responsibilities will face a few problems that might affect either his duty or his family life. Our scriptures advise us all to lead a life without attachment. One ought to be like the District Collector when engaged in the discharge his official duties and like the pilgrim when engaged in social responsibility.
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