DO YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED ?

THE ART OF MATRIMONY
PERFECT MARITAL COMPATIBILITY
IDEAL MARRIAGE - HOW TO FIND YOUR PERFECT COMPATIBLE MATCH
ANCIENT WISDOM
A Mulla Nasrudin Story
Retold By
VIKRAM KARVE

Do you want to get married?
Yes?
Then I think you must read this apocryphal Mulla Nasrudin Story titled THE PERFECT WIFE

Mulla Nasrudin was sitting in a tea shop when a friend came excitedly to speak with him.

“I am about to get married,” his friend said, “and I am so very excited.”

“Congratulations,” Mulla Nasrudin said, nonchalant,  pokerfaced.

“Tell me, Nasrudin, have you ever thought of marriage yourself?” the about to get married friend asked Mulla Nasrudin who had remained a chronic bachelor. Yes, Mulla Nasrudin was still a bachelor despite his advancing years.

Nasrudin replied, “Of course I did think of getting married. In my youth, in fact, I very much wanted to get married.”

“So, what happened...? Why did you not get married?” the friend asked curious.

“I wanted to find for myself the perfect wife,” Nasrudin said, “so I travelled all over searching for the perfect wife. I first went to Damascus. There I met a beautiful woman who was gracious, kind, and deeply spiritual, but she had no worldly knowledge.”

“Oh, how sad...!” said the friend, “then what did you do...?”

"Then I travelled further and went to Isphahan. There I met a woman who was both spiritual and worldly, beautiful in many ways, but her social graces were not of the highest standards.”

“What a tragedy...then what did you do...you gave up...?” the friend asked.

“No...No...I don't give up so easily...and I very much wanted  to get married...so I kept on searching for the perfect wife and travelled all over the world meeting so many women ... Yes, for many years, I kept on searching and searching for the perfect wife,” Nasrudin said.

“And did you find her...? Tell me, did you finally find the perfect wife...?” the friend asked eagerly.

“Yes,” Nasrudin said, “after travelling all over finally I went to Cairo and there after much searching I found her - she was exactly what I wanted. She was spiritually profound, intellectually accomplished, extremely graceful and truly beautiful in every respect, at home in the world and at home in the realms beyond it. I knew I had found the perfect wife.”

“Then why did you not marry her...?” the friend asked excitedly.

“Alas,” said Nasrudin as he shook his head in dismay, “Unfortunately, she was searching for the perfect husband.”

Nowadays, in the context of marriage, a big deal is made about marital compatibility and things like finding the right soul-mate etc. It is because of such ideas that some individuals who want to get married just can't make up their minds. 

For example, there is this beautiful and bright young girl. 

She wants to get married but it seems that she just can’t seem to a suitable boy who satisfies her “stringent” requirements. 

In case she prefers a “love” marriage she is surrounded by so many “eligible” boys, colleagues at work, in her friends circle, yes, so many good boys to choose from to fall in in love with and to get married to. 

In case she wants to go in for an “arranged” marriage, her parents and well-wishers have already lined up so many eligible boys for her. In fact, she has already “seen” and “rejected” a large number of boys much to the disappointment and embarrassment of her parents. 

None of the boys seems to come up to her perfect standards and high expectations.

But one thing is sure - she does want to get married.

Maybe she needs to read this apocryphal Mulla Nasrudin Teaching story: THE PERFECT WIFE

Though this applies to matrimony, let us look at the story from a higher plane.

Please close your eyes and introspect. 

Though this story is about marriage (finding the perfect wife), it applies to everyone who is obsessed with “perfection” in any aspect of life - the so-called “perfectionists”.

Do apply the story to yourself, to others, to situations you have observed yourself and others who strive for achieving “perfection” to the point of obsession. They not only want things to be perfect, they also want people to be “perfect”.

And if you are young and searching for a “perfect” soulmate or spouse, do remember this story, otherwise you will keep searching for your perfect mate all your life until it is too late and maybe you will remain single all your life ... LOL

PS: This afternoon I narrated this story to my wife. Now we have been married for over 30 years. Now you guess and tell me - why did I tell my wife this story?

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

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Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

      

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