​​​Listen to Heart - Blindness not a Medical Disease ……


He is Blind….. He is Blind…… He is Blind….. This is a very
common 3 words sentence. When one hears this he turns towards
the blind person to observe his physical activities & so as I do.
I was travelling to my village. I boarded the passenger train. There
was lot of rush so I had to stand & travel. I could hear vendors
selling Pea nuts, Samosa, etc. I was enjoying the travel as I was
getting closer to my birth place. After few station crossed, I
happened to manage a seat. I was relaxed.

As usual we (all copassengers) started chatting, happened to meet a young boy from
my village. I could not recognize him as he was a kid when I used
to stay. Now the travel was becoming more interesting as could
relate myself with the sweet memories. I was enquiring about all
(Dadajis, Dadijis, Chachajis, Chachijis, Bhaeyas, Bhabhis & all who
ever I could remember). I heard a voice, “toffee, toffee…” I turned
myself & could recognize the vendor who had been selling toffee
for years in the same train. I was excited. I asked him the price
(Bhaeya kitne ke toffee hain) ? He said 5 for Rs 5 (Panch ke Panch).
I paid him & took 2 packets. He moved on selling. An elderly
person called him asked him how more packets he had left with by
now. The reply was 12. He paid him for all & said Thank You
(Dhanyawad) for your service.



The young boy asked me if I was interested to taste Peanuts & I
replied him in positive. With Penuts and Green Chille combination
the journeys was enjoyable one. A group of young students were
also enjoying in their group of 6-7 nos. They asked the vendor to
serve them peanuts and as expected he was asked to leave without
taking money. The poor vendor moved on. By seeing this I was
feeling bad but I kept quiet. I thought why should I get into it and
invite trouble for myself. We all co-passengers were looking at each
other. The eyes were saying something is going wrong but all were
like dumb. In the mean time we saw the vendor who was selling the
toffee stood up and requested on behalf of peanut vendor for the
payment. He was continuously requesting. Then I observed that
another person also joined to pressurize the young group to give the
payment and then others and then even myself joined. Finally they
paid.






I was feeling bad & then realized I am a weak person with having
everything the God has given me. I was weaker than the vendor
who was selling toffee. Weaker may not be financially but yes
weaker by mind, by heart, by humanity … and I felt and realized
that I was blind by all means mentioned whereas the hero

who made it happen was basically blind physically.

Still the question comes to my mind that is blindness a medical decease or a mindset.

This reminds me of general incidences in our country happening day in and day out.


I reached my village & met my friends. Ramesh is colleague of
mine who just bought a tractor to start his living. He got an order to
deliver sugarcane of 5 tons from village to the town. He was happy
about it. He placed his vehicle at field. The labours placed it well in
the trailer of the tractor. It was placed along the length. It was tied
up with a rope made in the field itself. It was weighed & a slip was
handed over to the driver. He had bought this tractor on loan so he
was happy when the order was confirmed. He started the journey.
He was singing different songs on the drive so that the time passes
away. He travelled about 40 kms then he stopped for a cup of tea &
by 3.00 pm reached the destination. He handed over the slip. The
vehicle got emptied. Sugarcanes were weighed. The store in charge
asked him “so 4.5 tons? “. The driver said “no it is 5 Tons”. It was
re-weighed but it was found 4.5 tons. The poor fellow was shocked.
He said I have brought all which was loaded and have not left the
vehicle alone. He was paid for 4.5 tons only. The money was
deducted from the agreed price. He was in pain. The days passed
and he got the same order again of sugar canes. He was careful this
time. Fortunately his friend was accompanying him in this trip. He
delivered the same quantity and got the full payment. He learnt in
the process that people used to try to pull the sugarcanes from the
trailer. Finally he kept a helper with him to ensure no one pulled on
the way. He started enjoying his work and was able to earn well.
This went on and on. This again forces me to think, ‘Is this not
Blindness?’ We take others’ property without asking as if it is our
birth right. This happens everywhere and we also do it and if not, at
least we never say “Don’t Do” to others. Having eyes we are doing
wrong, ‘Is blindness a medical disease or a mindset?’



I happen to attend an Orchestra. I don’t remember the organization
and the brand. I reached the auditorium. It was full. You could find
all age of people; Old, Middle aged, young & even the kids. It was a
family gathering for all. We bought Popcorns, cold drinks, etc. The
curtain was removed after the announcement. We were excited.
This programme became special for me. I am not a music maniac
guy but could observe the coordination of all the section at the
stage. We were told at the end that this group has even represented
at International level. The most astonishing and touching was that
the whole group consisted of people who had lost their seeing
ability physically i.e. they were blind by birth. They never let the
audience feel that the group was special. ‘Is blindness a medical
disease or a mindset?’



I was reading an article of Bhagavad-Gita. Dhritarashtra was blind.
He asked Sanjay to explain him about everything taking place at
Kurushetra. He knew that Duryodana was doing wrong with
Pandavas to fulfill his needs but still Dhritarashtra was quiet. Was it
because he was blind physically? He could have stopped the
Mahabhartha but due to his blindness for the lust of material
attachment & blindness for his son he could not see anything. He
wanted to achieve the unachievable. He could not see the inevitable.



He could not realize Krsn on the other hand. So his blindness went
deeper into his thoughts & actions. We all know that Krsn spoke to
Arjuna at Kurushetra when Arjuna asked him to move the chariot at
the center where Arjuna refused to fight and on the other hand same

was delivered to Dhritarashtra by Sanjay.


Then why was Arjuna able to understand and was ready to perform his duty. But
Dhritarashtra could not understand and was not able to perform his
duty i.e. to stop the war and do justice to both Pandavas &
Kauravas. It was basically his blindness had gone to the level of his
mind. He realized his mistakes when it was too late. He lost all his
hundred sons & his dignity.


We face similar situations in our day to day life. We move towards
the same fate due to our blindness caused due to false material
attachment, false dignity, false ego… A person should always try to
practice humanity and the rest will fall in line. The question still
remains open; for you to decide – ‘Is blindness a medical disease or
a mindset?’



Gita teaches us the way of Life which is the real side of life but we
in this materialistic have made it ‘The Other Side of Life’.

Dhritarashtra’s blindness is more of symbolic than actual. In fact it
is believed that “What did not happen in Maha (Bharat), does not
happen in Bharat (India) “.



All Glories to Lord Krsn & All His Loving Devotees….. Hari Bol……

Courtesy: Bhagavad-Gita As It Is (by His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada), Srimad Bhagavad-Gita (by A.
Parthasarathy & www.gitadaily.com ) Chapter 1: Text 1

For detail read the book - Listen to Heart: The Other Side of Life

Visit - www.anuragamvatsa.in