TRUTH FOUNDATION was a giant organization established in
the year 1929. Its objective was ‘to explore truth for the benefit of the
people’. It was an establishment spread over 55 acres of land, with three
office buildings, a huge auditorium, a four storied library and a publication
section. Residential facilities for key functionaries and guests were located
on a separate piece of land.
The foundation encouraged original research on truth;
organized seminars, discourses, enlightenment courses, competitions and similar
activities; and acted as publishers of books related with truth. It had many
branches and representatives in other countries to manage its affairs.
Truth Foundation was a paradise for all intellectuals who
dealt with truth and could contribute in exploration and propagation of truth
through the activities of foundation. The management of Truth Foundation was
uncompromising in its policy that all its activities must generate surplus
cash. They believed that truth is a scare resource badly needed by the human
society and hence, to explore and propagate truth sufficient funds must always be
available with the foundation. No doubt, Truth Foundation was considered a big
resource of truth for all those who felt its need across the globe.
Truth Foundation organized a Talent Search Week once
every six months. Anybody upon payment 1000 US dollars could participate in
this event. The contestants were required the present their ideas on truth in
maximum 15 minutes before an expert panel of judges and some select audience.
Ten participants adjudged as the best were straight away attached with the
foundation as approved retainers. This provided them opportunities for gainful
assignments from time to time. Top three among the shortlisted ones also
received cash awards. This was a ‘walk-in’ competition and the judges had the
authority to reject any presentation after five minutes that was considered
below the expected standards.
The incident that I am going to narrate below occurred in
one such Talent Search Week organized by Truth Foundation. A shabbily dressed
participant started speaking;
“I am a beggar and my entry fee has been arranged through
small donations made by my fellow beggars. I am standing before you speaking
like an educated person; this is truth because you can see it with your own
eyes. I can go on speaking for fifteen minutes; this is a truth because you
have made such a rule. I can be thrown out of here by your guards if you don’t
like what I say; that could also be a truth. These are truths we have to bear
with as you and I have accepted them by our own choice. But these truths are
only half truths or quarter truths because I may not be able to utter the
second word if God does not want me to speak. That is full truth. I will drop
dead or lose my speech. We have no control over full truth. There are only two
full truths; the God and God’s will. We know nothing about them. You guys have made
a world where people like me have only a very few choices if we want to
live. For example, instead of a beggar I
could have become a thief stealing others’ properties. May be then, I would
have been better off. No, that couldn’t have been a better life; giving
problems to others and buying a fearful life for self, lest I get caught. I
chose begging. I chose to accept indignity of begging but gave you a choice of
graceful benevolence. You people converted God’s world according to your
choice. Your choice was bad. Your choice was violent. This is a truth. Yes, you
made this world, where big numbers of people have only few choices, very little
food and lots of indignity. Of course, this is not full truth but it definitely
is a big truth.” He stopped to look at the judges who were restlessly
discussing something.
The shabbily dressed man smiled and raised his voice.
“One knows nothing about the full truth but sometimes he can even predict
partial truths. Your violence will make you have me thrown out the gates… that
shall also be a truth….”
There was a sudden silence. A bell was ringing to break
that momentary silence. The shabbily dressed man was thrown out.
0 comments:
Post a Comment