16 - Real Entertainment

Narayan went to the city of Surat to study B.Sc. His economic condition was not very good. In city, young men wore fashionable clothes. Narayan wore very simple clothes and lived within the limits of religion. Once, friends asked him, ‘Narayan, why don’t you wear clothes of recent fashion? ’ Narayan replied, ‘I like to wear simple clothes. Besides it is beyond my capacity to buy fashionable clothes and I am not at all fond of them.’ Friends argued, ‘But you look different among all of us.’ Narayan explained, ‘I do not believe in other beautification. It is more important to have inner purity. I do not like to spend unnecessarily, just to show off.You are not bothered whether your parents could afford or not. You make them spend unnecessarily just to show off.’ Narayan spoke this firmly, so that his friends couldn’t argue further. To change the topic, one of the friends suggested, ‘Let us go to library to issue a novel. I have finished the one I have.’ One of the friends asked Narayan, ‘Narayan, why don’t you read novels? ’ Narayan replied, ‘Novel means a story which does not lead to anywhere. Therefore, it is a waste of time and energy to read a novel.’ A friend spoke in English, ‘Narayan, it is Novel.’ Narayan replied in English, ‘Which is not well, why to read it?’ Another friend congratulated, ‘Wow! Narayan, it was a good one!’ Narayan said, ‘It is not for the sake of argument, I really believe it. A book which is not useful in shaping up one’s life is futile. Why should we read it? ’ the friends couldn’t find an appropriate answer to this. So they kept quite.

Once all the friends were discussing, ‘Tomorrow is Sunday. Let us go to a movie.’ All of them liked the idea. At once they agreed, ‘Yes, let us go.’ One of the friends spoke jokingly, -‘Narayan would meditate even in the theatre.’ He started laughing saying these words. Nobody joined him. One of them scolded, ‘Narayan really meditates God. You should not speak in this manner.’ Narayan said, ‘I am not at all offended. He is right. I am not interested in silly entertainment like cinema.’ A friend asked, ‘What kind of entertainment do you believe in? ’ Narayan explained, ‘The one which is Satwik. I enjoy meditating upon God and having Darshan of God. Once you experience it, no other entertainment is required. A soul wanders in many types of life forms. Such a wandering soul can attain human body after ages. This human body is the best means to attain God. I do not want to waste it for silly entertainment.’ The friends agreed. They said, ‘Narayan, you are right. We have not experienced the bliss. Therefore, we are trying to experience some happiness out of such activities.’ Narayan said, ‘All of you go happily, but please, do not force me to join you. I do not consider it as an entertainment. I am immersed in to the bliss of God.’ Nobody could insist Narayan to join them!

A few friends requested Narayan to teach them meditation. Narayan agreed happily to teach them.

Difficult words:
Bothered - Troubled
Futile - Useless
Offended - Angry or Displeased

Points to ponder:
- The real essence of a person is expressed indicated by inner purity, not by outer beautification.
- Muktaraj teaches that we should not make our parents spend unnecessarily just to show off.
- Muktaraj has the personality of an ideal student.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. In which city did Narayan take admission to study B.Sc.?
2. What did friends say Narayan about his clothes? What did Narayan reply?
3. Express the opinion of Narayan regarding novels and cinema.
4. According to Narayan what is real entertainment?
5. How did a friend tease Narayan?

Fill in the blanks :
1. I like ___________ clothes.
2. You look ___________ among all.
3. It is called ___________ means a story which does not___________ to anywhere.
4. Narayan would ___________ in the theatre.

Arrange in proper sequence:
1. More important outer beautification it is to have do not believe I in inner purity.
2. A ‘Novel’ story does not which means anywhere to lead.
3. The best to attain God is body means human.