Massab's scooter

Heartfulness Story-42

Massab's scooter

There was a teacher named Praveen Bharti. He used to teach primary school children, his school was 7 km away from the village. The area around the school was completely deserted.

The means of reaching the school from his village were seldom available, so he often used to ask for a lift. And on the days that he did not get a lift, he would walk to school thinking "God has given me two legs, when will they be of use."

When Praveen ji stood waiting every day to ask for a lift, he used to think, "why has the government opened a school in a desolate desert, it would have been better if I opened a groceries shop in the village."

To get rid of daily troubles, Praveen ji collected money little by little, and bought a new shining scooter of Chetak company. Since he had himself faced so much trouble without a vehicle, Praveen ji vowed that he would never refuse anyone for a lift.

After all, he knew how embarrassing it was, when someone refused a lift. Now Praveen ji used to go to school every day on his shining scooter, and on the way every day, someone would ask him for a lift and go with him. Even while returning, someone or the other would join him.

One day, when Praveen ji was returning from school, on the way a person was waving his hand and seemed desperate for a lift. As per his habit, Praveen ji stopped the scooter and that person sat behind him on the scooter without saying anything. As they went a little ahead on the way, this person took out a knife and put it on Praveen ji's back and said, "hand over all your money and this scooter to me."

Praveen ji got very scared on hearing this threat, and stopped the scooter immediately. He did not have much money, but he did have the scooter, which he loved more than life. Giving the keys of the scooter, Praveen ji said "There is a request."

"What?" the person replied angrily.

Praveen ji pleaded and said, "Don't ever tell anyone from where and how you stole this scooter, and even I won't lodge a complaint, trust me."

The man was very surprised and asked, "Why?"

With fear in his heart and sadness on his face, Praveen ji said: "This road is very rough, utterly deserted, there is hardly any ride available here. If such accidents start happening on this road, then those few people will also stop giving lift."

Hearing these sentimental words, that person's heart started melting. Praveen ji seemed to be a good human, but he also had to feed himself. Saying 'Okay' the person took the scooter and left from there.

Next morning at home, when Praveen ji came to the door to pick up the newspaper, he opened the door and saw that the scooter was parked in front! His happiness knew no bounds. He ran to the scooter and started gently running his hand over it lovingly, as if it were his child. He saw a pice of paper attached to the scooter.

It read :

" Massab (master saab), don't think that my heart melted after listening to your words.

Yesterday, I robbed your scooter and took it to the village, thinking I would sell it to the scrap dealer. As soon as he saw the scooter, before I could utter a word, he said, "Hey this is Massab's scooter!"

In an effort to save myself, I said to him : "yes! Massab has sent me to the market for some work." But it seemed maybe that person had some doubt about me.

After escaping from there, I went to a confectionery shop. I was very hungry, so thought of eating something. As soon as the confectioner's eyes fell on the scooter, he immediately said: "Hey this is Massab's scooter." Hearing this, I panicked and said in a flurry: "Yes, I am taking these things for him, he has some guests at home." Somehow, I escaped from there as well.

Then I thought that I would go out of the village and sell it somewhere else. I was just a short distance away when a policeman caught me at the city block. And angrily he started asking me that "Where, are you going? And how did you get Massab's scooter?" Somehow, I made an excuse to him too and ran away from there.

I'm tired of running!

Massab, is this your scooter or Amitabh Bachchan? Everybody recognizes it. I am handing your belonging back to you. I have neither the strength nor the courage to sell it. Forgive me for the trouble caused to you, and I have refilled the tank of the scooter in return for the trouble."

Reading this letter, Praveen ji smiled and said, "a good deed always comes around."

If you are of a noble heart, then people around you will surely experience joy - Lalaji

*Lalaji (Shri Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh) was the founding guide of the Heartfulness meditation system.

Heartfulness | Lalaji