Lamp Insect

In the season cycle the late autumn was about to disappeared. Preparation of enforcing winter in the nature was started. A middle-aged man Mr. Ashique was coming back to his house after evening. He was advancing rapidly. Post lights’re passing one after another. He traced many lamp insects’re moving round the lights. A few of them were falling on his body also.

When Mr. Ashique entered into his house all of his children began to shout. They uttered jointly, “Dad, see, our rooms have become full of lamp insects. They’re falling on our bodies. How can we continue our study?” Mr. Ashique said to them, “In this condition you should have to hang a branch of tree or a cloth under the light. The insects’d sit on it and wouldn’t fall on your bodies.” Mr. Ashique stretched a white cloth under the light. The insects began to sit on it and stoped falling. The children became quiet and began to read their lessons. Mr. Ashique then sat on the sofa for rest.

Mr. Ashique was observing the activities of the lamp- insects. The insects’re moving round the light uninterruptedly. Moving round the light they’re ultimately becoming inert and were falling. So far their energy permitted they’re moving round the light. As it were they love the light very much and are sacrificing their lives for sac of that love. Seeing the scene Mr. Ashique became induced. He thought that if a man used to make himself induced in the love of the Almighty like those insects, the man would become spiritually salvated. He felt that the insects’re calling him to be induced like them. As it were they’re telling him, “Let us be a real lover of the Almighty. Burn yourself in the fire of love. Eliminate all passions. Be pure and perfect. Try to unite and be absorbed with the Almighty. Then you’ll get the taste of the spiritual union with the Almighty. Time is still waiting for you. Try to be a real spiritual lamp-insect.”

Base of a lighted lamp is dark

Mr. Maruf was a middle aged man. He was a government employee. His retirement was not far. He had two sons, two daughters and a wife. The elder daughter was a student of class ten, the elder son read in class eight, the younger son read in class six and the younger daughter  read in class four. One day Mr. Maruf was in rest after return from his office. Evening was about to come. Summon of evening prayer was announced. Mr. Maruf made ablution and stood for evening prayer. Just then the electricity failed. There was a single hurricane lantern in the house. Mr. Maruf’s wife lit it. After offering the prayer Mr. Maruf took seat in the drawing room.

The children entered into the reading room bringing the hurricane lantern. They put the lantern on the table and took their seats around.  Hurricane lantern created two shades in two sides. Children in shaded zones moved the lantern to get light in their sides. Others created objection. In that way they indulged themselves in a quarrel. Guessing the situation Mr. Maruf entered into reading room. He checked the situation. He told the younger ones, “You’re comparatively less aged. Let the elder ones to study as they’re student of higher classes than you. You’ll read after coming of electricity. Let’s come with me. I’ll tell you a charming story.” They agreed with him.

Mr. Maruf started to tell the story- Many years ago a king ruled a country. The king had an immense man-power as well as wealth. One day he wished to travel abroad. He informed his wish to his men. His men arranged everything for the travel. To the prior of his travel the king met everybody of the palace and asked, “I’ll go abroad. Tell me what is your desirable thing? I’ll bring that thing for you.” Everybody told the king about their desires. There was a parrot in the palace. It had been kept in an iron cage. It could talk like a man. Suddenly the king’s vision was reflected upon it. Coming near the king asked the bird, “Dear bird, I’ll go abroad. I’ve asked everybody of my palace about their desirable things except you. Please tell me what is your desirable thing? I’ll bring it for you.” The bird replied, “Your Excellency my lord, you’ve given me a good shelter with much care. I’ve no want. I used to get everything of my need before my demand. I’ve nothing to get any other desirable thing from you.” Hearing the speech of the bird the king said to it, “No, it’ll not be correct. I’ll bring the desirable things of all members of my palace, whereas if I’ll not bring anything for you, it would be very bad as you’re also a member of my palace. Please want anything to me for you. I’ll fulfil your desire by the grace of Almighty.” Finding no other way the bird replied, “Your Excellency my lord, you’ve to suffer a little for that.” The king replied, “What’s that?” The bird said, “There is a country far from here named ‘Kadimsthan’. That’s my home-land. There is a big banyan tree in that country. My close relatives live in that tree. If you go towards my country and if you’ll be able to find out the banyan tree you’ll tell them, “Oh birds, one of your offsprings lives in my palace under my supervision who’s sent a salutation for you.” If you do that, it would be enough for me.” The king replied, “It’s not any hard job for me. I’ll do that for you.”

The king started his travel. Many days, weeks, months were passed. The king traveled many countries. He collected all desirable things for the members of his palace. Then he started his return journey. Suddenly he remembered the bird’s word. He asked his minister, “Do you know how far the country ‘Kadimsthan’is from here? It’s the country of the bird of our palace. I’ve to go there.” The minister replied, “ It is not too much far from here.” The king ordered him to direct the travel towards that country. Approaching towords the correct way they reached the country. Searching a lot they became able to find out the banyan tree where many parrots were chattering. The king understood that these parrots were the relatives of his parrot. He addressed them, “Oh birds, one of your offsprings lives in my palace under my supervision. It has sent a salutation for you.” Immediately after hearing the king’s address an old parrot fell down from the tree and became inert like dead. Seeing the scene the king thought that- perhaps the bird was either father or mother of his bird. Knowing the prisoned condition of its offspring it became unbearable and dead. The king became very sad.

After return from the travel the king gave desirable things to all members of his palace but he didn’t go near the bird. He thought that if he had informed the bird about the death news of its relative the bird would be unable to bear the affection and would surely die. He loved the bird very much. So he decided not to disclose the death news of its relative to it. On the other hand the bird thought that perhaps the king had forgotten his matter. The bird became very sad thinking about its own ill-fate. With a very mournful mind it was spending its time.

One day the king came near the bird’s cage heedlessly. The bird got an opportunity to talk with him. The bird offered due salutation to him and asked, “Your Excellency my lord, did you go to my country?” The king replied, “Yes, I went there.”

The bird : Did you submit my salutation to my relatives?

The king : Yes, I submitted.

The bird : Did they do anything for me?

The king : I can’t say anything about the incident what was happened there.

The bird : Why my lord?

The king : It was a sad news. You can’t bear it. If you hear it then it may create any bad affect.

The bird : My lord, staying a long period in your palace I’ve made my mind too able to bear all sorrows. Now my mind is much strong. Any types of sad news can’t upset me. You may disclose it without any hesitation.

On repeated requests of the bird the king ultimately expressed the death news of its relative. Immediately after hearing the death news the bird began to flap severely and ultimately became inert and laid down inside the cage as if it were dead. The king called the minister and said to him, “The incident which already happened here what I had suspected before. The bird has died. For that reason I didn’t express the death news of its relative so long. But when I had expressed the death news today the bird didn’t tolerate. I’ve committed a great mistake. Now we’ve nothing to do.” The king ordered the minister to open the lock of the cage and bring the bird out and bury it in the flower-garden. The minister unlocked the cage and brought out the bird and put it on the floor. At that very moment the bird flew off and sat on high tree. The king, minister and other men of the palace became highly astonished. The bird said to the king from the tree, “Your Excellency my lord, I was prisoned in the iron cage in your palace for a long time. I thought a lot for my release but I didn’t get any way. When you told me about my desirable thing prior to you travel to abroad I remembered my guide bird. He used to solve our all problems. I thought that if I can inform him about my captivity he’ll must give me a solution. That’s why I sent information about my captivity tactfully by you by sending a salutation to my guide bird. He understood the matter and demonstrated the way of my release. He flapped, dropped down and acted like a dead. From his lesson I also understood the way of my release. That’s why I flapped and acted like a dead and I succeeded to escape myself from the iron cage prison. Now I’m free and I’ll go to my own country.” The bird began to fly and went behind the vision. The king, minister and all men of the palace became highly astonished and observed the liberation of the bird.

Mr. Maruf asked his children, “Do you know who composed this story?” Mr. Maruf said, “A great Persian saint Maolana Jalaluddin Rumi (Rh.). He wanted to express the lesson through the story that who’ll follow the lesson of real guide he’ll be able to over come his all problems. If we want the real emancipation of our souls we’ve to die before our deaths. That’s we’ve to leave our own sense and to follow the direction of spiritual guide. So if you follow the lessons of your parents, teachers and guide then you’ll be able to solve your problems. Do you understand the matter ? You’ll get more lessons from the story when you would be aged.”

The electricity came back after the completion of the story. Mr. Maruf said to his children, “Now go to your reading room  and make your lessons but remember that- don’t make any noise and quarrel.” The children entered into the reading room but a cluster of thinking didn’t go from the brain of Mr. Maruf. A picture of a hurricane lantern was flashed in the screen of his mind and an invisible man began to say in his inner ears- “When a lamp is put on, the dark goes away and when the lamp is put off, the dark overwhelms than and there. There is a fine game of hide and seek of light and dark in the nature. The light is an energy but what is the dark? It always lies by the side of light. What is there in the dark? When light was created the dark was in existence. Only there was dark every where. The light was created from the dark. The dark is the root of all creations. The dark is the initial power. The dark is infinite. 

The representative of the Almighty creator the human baby is created in the dark mother-womb. The prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.) achieved the light of Islam from the dark cave of the mountain Hera. The dark is a mysterious world. In many cases the dark is considered as the symbol of ignorance but in other sense the dark is root of  all knowledge and power. A lighted lamp spreads light to its surroundings but there always lies dark in its base. A lamp can’t eradicate the dark of its own base. The dark surrounds the light. The dark was in existence initially, it is in existence at present and will be existed in future. The dark emerged the light from its own breast. Light is so valuable only due to the existence of dark.”

Mr. Maruf remembered the great men of the world. They were just like lighted lamps. They spreaded the light of truth throughout the world but at their own places there remained the dark. The great man Goutama Budhya preached the message of non-violence and love to the organisms  but the men of his own country didn’t accept his message. They dishonoured and tortured him. Budhya preached his lesson to the places beyond the Great Himaloya. For that reason there are many budhists found in Tibet, China, Japan etc. The prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S) preached the message of Islam. The men of his motherland Mecca didn’t accept Islam and tortured him. He was bound to leave his motherland Mecca. He went to Medina where Islam was accepted. Mecca was remained dark. Due to continious torture by the people of Mecca the race of the prophet (S) was bound to migrate to Persia after his time. That’s why the light of Islam was  spreaded widely in Persia. The births of many saints in Persia are the evidences of the facts. All these events remind us the quotation- “Base of a lighted lamp is dark.”

Unknown Bird

There was an old building of a landlord at Pataldanga. Before three generations the land-lord Mr. Shishir Roy constructed the building. He decorated the building with his artistic mind. The building was a beautiful example of old architecture. The    whole  premises was plan-wise decorated. There was pond with lily and marbelled bathing place, gardens of mango, berry, coconut, chewing nut, jackfruit, emblie, mahogany and other   trees. As it were a dreamland. At present there was no such aristocratic land-lordship. Grand son of late landlord Mr. Mihir Roy now lives in this building with his family. The previous glamour has become faded to a much extent. The building with its entire premises weared a weedy costume. 

Mr. Mihir Roy had no son but two daughters. Radha and Kanak. Radha was fourteen and Kanak was twelve years old. Both of them were beautiful. Three years passed their mother had died. Mr. Mihir Roy married again expecting a son but still now no offspring has been brought forth. Mr. Mihir Roy love his two daughters more than his life as they are the pupils of his two eyes. The stepmother is a woman of a respectable family. That’s why no misbehaviour is found in her character. Now the faded landlord building is resounded by the pleasing notes of Radha and Kanka.

One day at 12 o’clock Kanak said to Radha, “Radha, let’s go to pond for bath.” Radha replied, “All right, let’s go.” Radha took a brass-pot. She liked it much and used to take water with it from the pond. Reaching the pond Radha put the pot on the staircase of the bathing spot and said to Kanak, “Kanak, let’s go to pickup the oozed bakuls.” There was a bakul tree near the pond. The two sisters ran to there. They collected some oozed ripe bakuls. Radha was very fond of taking ripe bakul. Suddenly the vision of Kanak was directed towards the bathing place of the pond. She looked a beautiful black bird there. Kanak said to Radha, “Sister, look at the bathing place and see what a beautiful bird has come! It has beautiful red marks below its ears.” Radha saw and said, “Exactly so.” A plan was formed in Radha’s brain. She said, “Kanak, don’t make any sound. Let’s go behind the tree. We’ll see the activities of the bird. Do you understand?” Kanak agreed. Then both of them were observing the activities of the bird from the back of the tree. The bird looked to and fro and didn’t see any body. It flew to the brass-pot. Radha said on low voice, “If the bird enter in the pot, I’ll catch it. Let’s hide in the bushes of cassia near the staircase.” The two sisters crawled silently and hided themselves in the bush. They were observing the activities of the bird. The bird flew on the edge of the pot. It was looking inside and out side of the pot repeatedly and watching wheather anybody would come or not. In that way it wasted sometime in hesitancy. Finding no trace of any person it got down inside the pot. Then and there Radha run fast and covered the pot with her sari. The bird was caught in trap. Radha said, “I’ve captured the bird. Now I’ll catch it by my hand.” Radha pushed her hand into the pot and caught the bird. Radha said, “Kanak, take the pot. I’ll bring the bird.” Kanak took water in the pot and Radha brought the bird. They returned home. Their bathing postponed. Their father Mr. Mihir Roy was seated in the drawing room. Radha went there and said, “Dad, see, I’ve caught a beautiful bird.”

Mr. Mihir Roy: What’s that?

Radha: See this.

Mr. Mihir Roy: Yes, it’s a maina bird. It’s a costly bird. It can utter crammed speech if it is trained. How have you cought it?

Radha: It entered into my brass-pot at the bathing place of our pond and I’ve caught it swiftly. Dad, I’ll tame it and I’ll teach it to speak crammed speaches. I need a cage.

Mr. Mihir Roy: Yes, I’ll buy a cage today.

Radha fastened the leg of the bird with a rope and fixed it to the rod of the window. She brought a cup of water and fed the bird. The bird drunk the water with its beaks. Radha asked her step-mother, “Mom, what may be given to feed the bird?” Her mother replied, “Usually it takes barley meal.” The mother had some barley meal in her store room. Radha brought the barley meal and rinsed it with water and gave it to the bird. The bird ate it. In the afternoon Mr. Mihir Roy purchased a cage made of iron wires. Radha kept the bird in the cage. Then the main duty of Radha became to take care of her bird and to teach it the crammed speeches. 

Two years were passed. Radha succeeded to teach the bird to speak crammed speeches. When Radha called it by uttering the sound “Maina”, the bird replied the crammed speech “Maina”. When any guest came to the house the bird used to utter, “Guests have come, give them seats for rest, etc.” Radha attained the age of sixteen. Radha’s father Mr. Mihir Roy was searching a suitable candidate for her marriage. Recently some one  have came to see Radha.

Mr. Mihir Roy was seated in the drawing room. Radha and Kanak said to him on a tone of extreme request, “Dad, we have no radio. Please purchase a radio for us. We’ll know the news, enjoy the songs and dramas. Now-a-days many families purchase radio sets.” Mr. Mihir Roy replied, “Yes, I’ll buy it.” On repeated request one day Mr. Mihir Roy went to Calcutta and purchased a radio set. Then their house became resounded with radio voices. Neighbours also began to come to enjoy the radio programmes.

One day the members of a respectable family of Shaorahpuli came to see Radha. They chose Radha. The male candidate was a youngman of gentle and polite nature. He had passed the academic degree “Entrance” before he joint the government service. Mr. Mihir Roy chose the candidate and marriage was settled. The date of marriage ceremony was also fixed. 

Radha came near the cage of the bird after the guest had left the house. Radha saw no bird in the cage. Radha became astonished and shouted, “Where has the bird gone?” A neighbour boy was stood there. He was a very naughty boy. He was about ten years old. His name was Krishna. He told Radha, “I’ve opened the door of the cage and the bird has flown away.” Radha became very furious and shouted, “Stupid, wait, I’ll bit you.” Hearing the noise Mr. Mihir Roy came and said to Radha, “Don’t bit him. A bird doesn’t stay in a cage forever. One day it flies away. You’ll soon go to the house of your father-in-law. Who’ll take care of the bird? It has understood the matter. It has become sensitive. That’s why it has flown away. The real Krishna has released it.” Radha began to cry loudly. Mr. Mihir Roy consoled her. 

Radha kept herself standing in the corridor like a statue holding the empty cage in her hand. Tears were streaming from her eyes. Mr. Mihir Roy was standing by the side of Radha. He became absorbed in a spiritual induction. He heard a speech in his inner ears – “Just like that bird an unknown bird is trapped in every human body. It’s the human soul. After a definite life period it goes back from the body cage. The empty body is remained left behind.”

Everyone of the house became silent. All were sad for missing of the bird. Hearing the crying sound of Radha other members of family rapidly came out from the drawing room. For that reason the radio-set had not been stopped. A song of a great saint Fakir Lalan Shah – “How the unknown bird comes into and goes out from the cage……” was playing. The echo of the   song was resounding the silent house. All members of the family were looking by their inner eyes – an unknown bird was flying to its own kingdom after the release from the prison- cage.

From a Lighted Lamp

It was a tale of my past when I was a teacher of a college. The summer vacation was noticed. My wife cordially requested me to arrange a tour in that summer vacation. I didn't refuse her. One day we went out for a tour-programme.  My elder sister lived in Dhaka the capital city of Bangladesh. We joint them and jointly decided to go to Cox's Bazar to see the sea. We're much happy for that. My wife said to me, "My dream is going to be  implemented."

In the next day early in the morning we started for Chittagong by train. We the husband-wife, our two daughters Tabassum and Tarannum and my elder sister and her two daughters Saki and Shamma were in our tour. My elder daughter was six and younger was three years old. The elder daughter of my sister was a student of college and younger daughter was a student of a school. We're seven in number advancing towords Chittagong, the hilly region of Bangladesh, seeing the outside sceneries through the window of the train. The as usual pictures of our reverine Bangladesh are the plain lands with green vegetations, golden paddy fields, reticulated rivers with boats, small villages with bird’s chatterings and tree shades which attract the mind of both natives and foriegners. Besides these there're also hilly regions in Bangladesh. The hills’re decorated with varieties of plants, streams coming from the hills, many groups of tribes, sea and sea-beach also attract the visions of the tourists. Our minds became much eager to see the hilly dreamland of Bangladesh.

Seeing the outside sceneries we reached  Chittagong station in the afternoon. One of our relatives lived there. We took shelter in their house for our holt. We visited  Chittagong city within a day so far the opportunity permitted. We became charmed to see that hilly city. We climed the Batali Hill and saw the whole Chittagong city. Next day early in the morning we started our journey to Cox's Bazar. We crossed many hills and jungles and saw wild elephants. Our minds're oscillating with the sense of joy and uncertainty. At 2^.00 pm. we reached Cox's Bazar. We took rooms in a hotel. There also lived a relative of us in Cox's Bazar who helped us to make our tour success and conveyed a cordial hospitality to us.

Next day we went to Cox's Bazar sea beach. We saw the sea. It was actually the Bay of Bengal. We became fully absorbed with sea-beach atmosphere. Many men and women're there. Sea-roar, vast blue sea-water, rolling of sea waves with crowns of white foam attracted our minds. We became inclined to collect oyster-shells and became wetted. Our imaginations’re materialized. Memory of the day would never be faded.

In the second day at Cox's Bazar we visited many places. We purchased some dolls made of oyster-shells. We visited a pagoda situated on a hill. We got up by staircase and entered into the pagoda. We became astonished to see the highly decorated wooden structures of the pagoda. We saw many men and women who gathered there with fine dresses. They're Buddhists. We came to know that the day was their festival day. We saw a giant statue of Buddha which was glittering like gold. There was a lighted lamp at the foot of the statue. Everybody had a lamp in his hand. All persons lighted their lamps one after another from the lighted lamp which was kept at the foot of the statue. The entire room became illuminated with the light of their lamps. Then the recitation of their holy scripture was started. We're glad to observe their function. Then we returned to the hotel.

I was in rest in the hotel. The pictures of lamp enlightment in the pagoda were flashed in my mind. I sank in the sea of thinking world. Many thinkings're gathered in my mind. I though that if million of lampls're lit from a lighted lamp then the lighted lamp doesn't loss its little bit of  light. I thought further that every lamp has no power to light itself . It has to need the touch of a lighted lamp for its enlightment. There're very few persons  in the world who're selected by the Almighty to direct the reprobate men to the path of love, honesty and peace. Conveying worship to the Almighty and doing good deeds they become perfect and achieved mercy and recognition from the Almighty. They become lighted by the holy light of the Almighty. They're just like the lighted lamps.They're noble persons. They used to disperse the light of love, honesty and peace to the mankind and eradicate the evil wills from the heart. The reprobate men become pure by their light of love and knowledge. By dispersing their light to the innumerable persons of the mankind they don't lose a little bit of light of their own. Inspite of that their light gradualy becomes more intensified and spreads into many branchs. Our Earth always waits for those lighted sons. I heard a silent word in my inner ear--. “Just now innumerable lamps’ve become lighted from a perfect lighted lamp.”