3. Sympathy (संवेदना)
Hema, was waiting for her son Sonu’s school bus. She saw Dubeyji with two Rotis , coming out a house opposite to hers. A boy in a dirty and torn rags came to him and begged alms.
“No, this roti is for cow.”
The poor lad went and sat beside his mother sitting nearby. Dubeyji fed one of the roti to the cow, the poor lad seeing one left over chappati and once again approached him.
Irritatingly, “Just move back, this chappati is for a dog. How dare you beggars come for alms in the very mornings.” And he offers the other roti to the dog.
“Maa, The Almighty is more happy when someone offers food to cow and dog. Doesn’t he?”
Just before Hema could give an answer to Sonu, the bus arrived. Hema was looking at the poor boy, maybe she was wondering whether he was looking at the roti, or was feeling pity of himself for not being a dog.
Original laghukatha by: Madhu Jain
Translation by: Kalpana Bhatt (Bhopal)
Dated: 05/05/2021
