FRENZY

FRENZY

Short Fiction – A Horror Love Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

From my Creative Writing Archives: A Horror Love Story

The terrifying nightmare grew.

It was just one revolving pattern of flames with inhuman sounds screaming at him from all sides. 

When he tried to use his limbs, nothing happened. 

He looked down at his legs and saw that the left one was hanging like a piece of bloody sack. 

He felt the searing crash of metal into his body. 

And then he heard himself screaming in frenzy as the blaze engulfed him and pulverised his entire body.

There was another voice now – a different voice.

He sat up violently in the pitch darkness, fighting the blanket.

As he recovered his wits, he realized that the door was partly open and he could see a pale figure in the light from the corridor.

“Are you all right...?” she asked. She entered the room, walked towards him and said, “I’m sorry, but you were screaming.”

Trying to steady his breathing, he said to her, “Bit of a bad dream, that’s all.”

She sat down on the bed and said, “I was shaken scared by your terrifying scream. It must have been a terrible dream.”

“Yes,” he said, and ran one hand over his wet face.

She reached out and touched his shoulder. “Lie back now. Try to relax. I’ll go and let you sleep.”

He looked up at her and pleaded, “Don’t go. Please don’t go…”

He took her hand and pressed gently.

At first there was no answering pressure.

Then she pressed back.

She touched his hair with her other hand.

He could feel the want churning inside him like fire.

He moved his hand and touched her skin.

“No,” she said quietly. “We’d better stop now.”

He pulled her gently beside him, feeling the yearning like a physical pain.

She did not resist.

Then all at once she was helping him.

They made love.

They made love, first with tenderness, then gradually building up into a passionate frenzy as they both become rough and hard, demanding more of each other, till they lay exhausted, their limbs still entangled.

He lay in bed in self-commiseration, wondering why it had happened.

His train of thoughts spiralled into an abyss as he thought about his agonising loneliness, his frightening, corrosive, desolate life, the terrifying nightmare, the frenzied act.

Was it an impulsive reckless act of love? 

Or was it wild rage? 

Or was it a desperate act of expiration?

The whole thing suddenly seemed sordid.

He turned towards her and started to say, “I am sorry...”

She instantly put her hand on his mouth and said, “Please don’t say it. What happened, just happened.”

He closed his eyes and lay still.

When he opened his eyes, he saw her standing near the door.

“It was good of you to come,” he said.

“Yes,” she said.

She quietly stepped out of the room, closed the door, and walked away from his life forever.

VIKRAM KARVE 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010

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.

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts. 

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm

Academic Journal Vikram Karve – http://karvediat.blogspot.com

Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll  
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

© vikram karve., all rights reserved

PASSION and COMPASSION - A Story

PASSION and COMPASSION

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Here is one of favourite teaching stories – a story which elucidates the difference between Passion and Compassion.

Two Monks were once travelling together on a long journey. It was the monsoon season and it was raining heavily when they suddenly reached a flooded stream where they saw a beautiful woman who wanted to cross the stream but was afraid as she was wary of the strong current.

On seeing the monks the beautiful woman asked them if they could help her cross the stream.

The first monk hesitated, but the other one quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported her across the water, and put her down on the other side.

The beautiful woman thanked him and departed.

As the monks continued on their way, the first monk was brooding and preoccupied. After a while, he could restrain himself no longer, and unable to hold his silence, he admonished the second monk who had carried the woman, “Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women. We monks don’t go near females, especially young and lovely ones, but you picked up that beautiful woman on your shoulders and carried her all the way!”

“Brother,” the second monk replied, “I left the woman back there. Why are you are still carrying her?"

Is this the difference between passion and compassion, between love and lust? Is love -  letting go, and lust - clinging on?

VIKRAM KARVE 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune,  is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts. 

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm

Academic Journal Vikram Karve – http://karvediat.blogspot.com

Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve 

Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll  
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

EATING OUT IN PUNE - TAWA GOSH GREEN MASALA at Cafe Good Luck

Eating Out in Pune

Mouthwatering Memories

TAWA GOSH GREEN MASALA at Cafe Good Luck
 

By
 

VIKRAM KARVE  

On Sunday afternoon we had a hearty meal at Cafe Good Luck comprising such lip-smacking dishes like Tawa Gosh Green Masala, Jungli Chicken, Tawa Kheema, Roomali Roti, Mutton Biryani, Caramel Custard, Fruit Funny, et al - a truly delicious and satiating meal. 

To celebrate, here is a mouthwatering memory of a foodie adventure I relished a few years ago at Cafe Good Luck in Pune 

If you are famished, do not have too much dough in your pocket, and happen to be somewhere near Deccan Gymkhana in Pune, where would you go to satiate your ravenous pangs of hunger? 

Good Luck - No two ways about it!

You will head for Cafe Good Luck. 

That's what I did one chilly winter afternoon.

And since I was feeling a bit adventurous I did not order my staple Chicken Biryani, or mutton cutlet curry, or even the Tawa Kheema, but decided to try out the exotic sounding Tawa Gosh Green Masala [the Gosh is not the Oh Gosh! type of Gosh but refers to meat or mutton and maybe better spelt Ghosht or Gosht but certainly not Ghost]. Maybe Gosh is okay – for you will say Oh Gosh How Delicious! the moment you take the first bite of the lip smacking gravy.

But then the metier of Cafe Good Luck is food, not spelling – Good Luck is not one of those “literary” coffee houses where you can while away time chatting or doing nothing – Good Luck is a place for serious passionate eating.
 

I like to see my food being made in front of me it enhances the totality of my gastronomic experience.

That is why I like Dhabas, and street food joints like Bade Miya [Bade Mian], Pav Bhaji, Bhel and Indian Fast Food Stalls, and when invited for a meal by some kind-hearted foodie I try to reach early and peek into the host's kitchen.

Some high-falutin restaurants too, like the Frontier Food specialty restaurant on the ground floor of Maurya in Delhi we used to visit long back, have huge transparent glass partitions where eager patrons can visually relish and savor their food being cooked in the kitchens before it is served to them on the table.
 

In Cafe Good Luck the Tawa is tucked away deep within the family area inside and I watch in anticipation as the generous mutton pieces, precooked [marinated and boiled], are blended into the freshly sauted green gravy right in front of me on the huge flat Tawa.

I go to my table.

There is an empty plate and a quarter-plate of sliced onions and lemon wedges.

I season the onions with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

I am going to squeeze some lemon into the gravy too, and later into a glass of water which I will drink on the conclusion of meal to lighten the rich spicy aftertaste. 

The sizzling Tawa Gosh Green Masala arrives with two piping hot chapattis.

I dip an exploratory finger and lick the gravy is yummy and my mouth waters in anticipation.

I fill my plate, squeeze a bit of lemon, and "bash on regardless".

The mutton pieces are large, well-cooked and succulent and there is even a marrow bone piece.

The gravy is lip-smackingly delicious.

From time to time I encounter whole pieces of sabud masala and spices like green cardamom, peppercorn, cloves, garlic, green chilies and strips of crunchy ginger, which add a kick and zest to the taste.
 

It is an excellent, fulfilling, wholesome meal which leaves me fully satisfied and satiated.

I am glad I was a bit adventurous and deviated from my staple biryani, kheema pav, mutton cutlet curry fare, and enjoyed the tawa gosh green masala.

I am sure going to try out some new dishes, maybe the exotic sounding Jungli Mutton or Chicken, or maybe the Chicken Shahjahan, the next time I visit my good old favorite Cafe Good Luck.

Happy Eating

 

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010
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. 

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, The Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/
Academic Journal Vikram Karve – http://karvediat.blogspot.com/
Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll 

http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

DETERRENCE

THE SNAKE AND THE SAINT

A Teaching Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

 

Deterrence - The prevention from action by fear of the consequences. Deterrence is the act or process of discouraging actions or preventing occurrences by instilling fear or doubt or anxiety. Deterrence is a state of mind brought about by the existence of a credible threat of unacceptable counteraction. 

 

Whenever I am asked to explain the concept of deterrence, I narrate one of my favourite stories from the parables of Sri Ramakrishna called The Snake and The Saint:

 

A group of persons from a village went to a holy man, a Saint, who was meditating in a cave in the mountains. They were very scared and complained to the Saint about large venomous snake who was terrorizing everyone in the village.

 

“This terrible serpent’s hiss can be heard for miles around,” they said. “He mercilessly bites everyone – the snake does not spare anyone and attacks even our wives, our children, our cattle, our dogs, everyone. Even the bravest among us have become afraid to venture out into the fields, which are dry, parched, uncultivated. Our granaries are depleted and empty. Our numbers are dwindling from death by the snake, and by starvation. Please help us. You are a great Guru and you alone can subdue and vanquish him.”

 

The Saint, realizing the gravity of the situation, went to the village, to where the snake lived, and as he approached, the terrible venomous snake moved swiftly toward him with upraised hood. The terrified villagers ran away, leaving the Saint to deal with the snake. 

 

The Saint looked at snake, slithering and undulating, his scales shimmering in the sunlight, dark and shining in his majesty, awesome in his length and his beauty.

 

“Come forth, O Magnificent One,” the Saint called out to the snake, and mesmerized by the aura and charismatic presence of the Saint, the snake suddenly he lost all his ferocity and glided towards the Saint and coiled up meekly at the Saint’s feet in obeisance .

 

“O you beautiful creature, what is it that I hear about you being the scourge of the village? Leave your destructive ways. Be good. Don’t terrorize the poor villagers needlessly. Stop biting them. Leave them alone,” the Saint said to the snake.

 

The snake bowed and nodded assent. He resolved to leave his evil ways and be good and promised the Saint that henceforth he would not bite anyone.

 

The venomous snake turned a new leaf, scrupulously kept his promise and began to live a life of innocence, without attempting to harm anyone.

 

The villagers were very happy, the fields flourished, the cattle grazed and the children came out to play fearlessly.

 

One day, several months later, the Saint passed by the village, searched for the snake and found the snake coiled near the root of a tree, lying mangled and half dead. The snake was utterly transformed. His scales had fallen off and he looked dilapidated, emaciated, innocuous, and badly injured. He had sores all over his body. The poor snake seemed to be on the verge of death.

 

“O My Dear Friend, what happened to you…?” the Saint asked the snake.

 

“This, O Guru, is the fruit of obedience, of being good. I obeyed you, I gave up my evil ways, I let the villagers alone, I stopped biting them, I stopped attacking them, and what happened to me? Now everyone pelts me with stones, beats me with sticks, even the children tease me and drag me mercilessly by the tail. But I have kept my promise that I made to you…”

 

The Saint smiled and lovingly said to the snake, “I exhorted you not to attack them, but I did not prohibit you from hissing… yes, my dear friend, I told you not to bite them, but did I ever tell you not to hiss…?”

 

The snake learned a lesson for life and henceforth got on in life safely.

A Hiss - that's deterrence, a psychological concept.

 

Now for the Spiritual Moral of the Story:

 

The unbridled senses are like the poisonous snake playing havoc among people.

 

The curbed senses are like the inactive snake almost beaten to death.

 

The sublimated senses cause harm to no one, while elevating their owner to sublimity.

Sublimation is the transformation of unwanted impulses into something less harmful – like hissing instead of biting…!

Tell me, Dear Reader, did you like this parable…?

 

VIKRAM KARVE

© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010

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 educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

 

Creative Writing by Vikram Karve: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm

 

Academic Journal Vikram Karve – http://karvediat.blogspot.com

 

Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve 

 

Email:   vikramkarve@sify.com

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

ETIQUETTE and SOCIAL GRACES

SOCIAL GRACES

TABLE MANNERS

A Teaching Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

On every occasion when we invite guests to dine with us, before the guests arrive, my wife gives me a moral lecture on social graces and table manners, especially on how I must talk less, let the guests eat first, take small helpings,  etiquette social graces…blah…blah…blah…basically on how I should “look after” the guests and not enjoy my own meal and I almost end up starving myself and feeling miserable.

This evening, I turned the tables on her. When we sat for dinner, I told the esteemed guests and my fellow diners this delightful Mulla Nasrudin story – and then I went ahead and enjoyed my meal to my heart’s content.

       

Once a renowned philosopher was traveling through the wise Mulla Nasrudin’s village and he asked Mulla Nasrudin if he knew of any good place to eat.

Nasrudin suggested an eatery and the scholar, hungry for conversation, invited Mulla Nasrudin to join him for the meal.

Much obliged, Mulla Nasrudin accompanied the scholar to the restaurant, where they asked the waiter about the special dish of the day.

“Fish! Fresh Fried Fish!” replied the waiter.

“Bring us two,” Mulla Nasrudin ordered.

A few minutes later, the waiter brought out a large platter with two fried fish on it, one large fried fish and one small fish which was quite a bit smaller than the larger one.

Without hesitating, Mulla Nasrudin took the larger of the fish and put in on his own plate.

The scholar, giving Nasrudin a look of intense disbelief, proceeded to tell him that what he had just done was not only blatantly selfish, but that it violated the  principles of almost every known moral, religious, and ethical systems and started to deliver a moral lecture and pontificated on the subject of etiquette for a long time.

Mulla Nasrudin calmly listened to the philosopher’s long winded extempore moral lecture patiently and when the scholar had finally exhausted his speech, Nasrudin asked the visitor, “Well, Sir, please tell me, what would you have done?”

       

“I being a conscientious and cultured human being would have taken the smaller fish for myself,” pontificated the scholar taking a high moral ground.

“Good. Here you are,” Mulla Nasrudin said, and placed the smaller fish on the scholar’s plate.

Happy Eating !

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010
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 educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/
Academic Journal Vikram Karve – http://karvediat.blogspot.com/
Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.  

Happiness and Contentment

DOES MONEY BUY YOU HAPPINESS

ENOUGH is ENOUGH

An Inspirational Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

 

 

There is a Chinese saying – he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough  

 

Do you have a capacity for contentment...? 

 

Do you know when enough is enough...?

 

I am sure you have read a version of this meaningful inspirational story:

A fisherman lived on a tropical island.  He fished for his family and had plenty of time to play with his children, to enjoy the beauty around him and to be a good neighbour.

 

A yacht arrived carrying a wealthy entrepreneur.  The fisherman took him out for a day’s fishing. 

 

As the day went on the entrepreneur looked at the beautiful island with its silver sand fringed with palm trees, the calm blue sea filled with a rainbow of darting fish and saw the opportunity for development and making lots of money. 

 

He was a magnanimous man so he thought he must help the fisherman by offering him the idea, so he said to the fisherman, “Why don’t you build a hotel and encourage tourists to come to the island...?”

 

“A hotel...?” the fisherman asked perplexed.

 

“Yes, a hotel,” the businessman said, “In fact you should build a holiday village with a sports complex so people can come and relax.  It could be so successful that you could build an air strip so you can offer the whole package to the tourists so you can cut out the middle man and make even greater profits.”

 

“Why should I do that...?” asked the fisherman.

 

“You would make lots of money and be rich of course...!” replied the entrepreneur.

 

“How long would it take...?” asked the fisherman

 

“I would think it would take ten years to be really successful,” answered the entrepreneur.

 

“What would I do with all that money...?” enquired the fisherman.

 

“You could go on exotic holidays to a beautiful island where you could fish, play with your children and have plenty of time to enjoy the beauty all around you” replied the entrepreneur.

 

“But that is exactly what I am doing now, isn’t it...?” asked the bewildered fisherman.  

Sometimes we can have happiness and contentment here and now, but we still try to struggle and aspire and do not enjoy what we already have.

 

Money is like petrol in a car. 

 

Money is not the car. 

 

Money is not the destination. 

 

The petrol in your car enables you to go from place A to place B. 

 

Now suppose you have reached your destination place B. 

 

Now money ( “petrol” ) will also enable you to go from place B to place C. 

 

But suppose you are happy and content at being at place B and do not want to go to place C....then tell me, Dear Reader, is the petrol of any use...? 

 

It is the same with money :  “If you know when enough is enough, you will always have enough”.

 

It would be apt to quote Warren Buffet:

 

“I really like my life. I've arranged my life so that I can do what I want... I get to do what I like to do every single day of the year…”

 

Dear Reader, may I wish you happiness here and now, wherever you are, and may you be content with whatever you have got.

 

Remember, Money is like petrol in a car... Money is not the car...!

 

Tell me, Dear Reader, do you agree...?

 

VIKRAM KARVE 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010

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.

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts. 

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

Academic Journal Vikram Karve – http://karvediat.blogspot.com

Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll  
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

© vikram karve., all rights reserved

Business Ethics Lecture Series Part 33 - Code of Conduct and Ethics

Code of Conduct and Ethics

CODE OF A NAVAL OFFICER

While clearing my bookcase I came across a booklet, we were given, about various aspects of Naval Life when I joined the Naval Academy way back in the 1970’s. In this booklet there was a quote by John Paul Jones - CODE OF A NAVAL OFFICER. These words made a lasting impression on me and I tried to imbibe and follow the spirit of the code in my career and personal life.

John Paul Jones, often called the Father of the American Navy, helped establish the traditions of courage and professionalism and is remembered for his indomitable will, his unwillingness to consider surrender when the slightest hope of victory still burned, and for promoting professional standards and training throughout his naval career.

CODE OF A NAVAL OFFICER

Written by John Paul Jones

It is, by no means, enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable mariner. He must be that, of course, but also a great deal more. He should be, as well, a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor.

He should not only be able to express himself clearly and with force in his own language both with tongue and pen, but he should be versed in French and Spanish as well.  ("Own language" obviously means English, which is relevant even today as English is the universal language of officers and the reference to French and Spanish probably pertains to languages of the crew of those days and in today’s context may refer to the languages or mother tongues of ship crew).

He should be the soul of tact, patience, justice, firmness, and charity.

No meritorious act of a subordinate should escape his attention or be left to pass without its reward, even if the reward is only a word of approval.

Conversely, he shouldn’t be blind to a single fault in any subordinate, though at the same time, he should be quick and unfailing to distinguish error from malice, thoughtlessness from incompetence, and well-meant shortcoming from heedless or stupid blunder.

As he should be universal and impartial in his rewards and approval of merit, so he should be judicial and unbending in his punishment or reproof of misconduct.

In one word, every commander should keep constantly before him this great truth, that to be well obeyed, he must be perfectly esteemed.

THE WOMAN and HER LOVER

THE WOMAN and HER LOVER
A Teaching Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE

Here is a teaching story I heard once somewhere - I think it is from the Panchatantra...

 

There was an old man, a good natured simple farmer, who had a young wife. 

The young wife was not satisfied with her aged simpleton husband, neglected her household work, and always yearned for the company of young handsome men.

One day, a smart young good-looking man saw her and seeing that she was alone went to her and said, “You are the most beautiful woman in the world and I am the most eligible bachelor. I have fallen in love with you the moment I saw you. Please give me the pleasure of your company.” 

The woman was delighted and flattered at the young man's seductive advances and soon they became clandestine lovers.

One day, the woman said to the young Casanova, “Listen my dear, my husband has a lot of wealth. He is old and of no use to me. I will take out all the money and jewellery and let us elope to some other town and then we both can live together over there happily ever after.”

The smart young man was very happy and asked her to bring all her wealth to the mango orchard at midnight where he would be waiting for her.

“We will both disappear in the darkness and head for the next town,” he told assured her.

The lusty woman waited till it was dark and when her husband fell asleep she stole all the money, jewellery and gold, packed it in a bag and left the house at midnight to meet her lover at a place he had indicated. 

The young handsome man took the bag full of money and gold from her on the pretext that he would carry the heavy bag for her and they both started furtively walking towards the next town.

After some time they encountered a river which was in full flow and which they had to cross. The woman told the man she did not know how to swim and she asked her lover to carry her across the flowing river on his back.

 

The smart young handsome man looked at the woman and thought to himself, “What is the point of wasting my whole life with this woman...? She seems a bit older than me too and soon may turn into a shrew. Also if she couldn’t be loyal to her own husband it is highly possible that she may ditch me too for someone else who is better looking, smarter, younger and handsomer than me. It is better I dump this woman but I must take her money and jewellery with me.”

 

With these thoughts in mind he told the woman, “Look, my dear, it is very difficult for me to swim across the river carrying both you and this heavy bag. I will first swim with the heavy money bag to the other side of the river and after keeping it there on the other side I will come back and carry you on my back across the river.”

 

She readily agreed to the suggestion made by her lover. 

He asked her to take off her clothes too and give them to him to carry across the river as he felt her clothes would hinder swimming when he would carry her on his back across the river.

Her imagination sensing amorous thoughts of both of their bodies in the water together, she took off all her clothes and gave them to her lover who swam across the river the money-bag and her clothes. 

Sitting on the bank of the river and covering her naked body with her hands, the woman began waiting anxiously for her lover to return.

 

Just then a jackal with a piece of meat in his mouth happened to pass by. 

The jackal saw that big juicy fish had been washed ashore by a wave and desperate to catch it the jackal ran towards the fish and in the process he dropped the meat piece from his mouth.

 

But suddenly another big wave took the fish back into the river waters.

Disappointed, the jackal went back to pick up the piece of meat, but meanwhile a crow dived down fast and took the meat piece away before the jackal could reach it.

The woman laughed mockingly at the greedy jackal who had lost the both the fish and also the piece of meat.

Hurt by the woman’s behaviour, the jackal said, “Don’t laugh at me, you stupid woman. I lost a piece of meat due to my greed but you have lost everything – your husband, your lover and your wealth – due to your lust.” 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010

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.

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU and The Lawrence School Lovedale, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts. 

Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: http://karvediat.blogspot.com

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com  

Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve 

Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

CODE OF A NAVAL OFFICER

While clearing my bookcase I came across a booklet, we were given, about various aspects of Naval Life when I joined the Naval Academy way back in the 1970’s. In this booklet there was a quote by John Paul Jones - CODE OF A NAVAL OFFICER. These words made a lasting impression on me and I tried to imbibe and follow the spirit of the code in my career and personal life.

John Paul Jones, often called the Father of the American Navy, helped establish the traditions of courage and professionalism and is remembered for his indomitable will, his unwillingness to consider surrender when the slightest hope of victory still burned, and for promoting professional standards and training throughout his naval career.

CODE OF A NAVAL OFFICER

Written by John Paul Jones

It is, by no means, enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable mariner. He must be that, of course, but also a great deal more. He should be, as well, a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor.

He should not only be able to express himself clearly and with force in his own language both with tongue and pen, but he should be versed in French and Spanish as well.  (Own language obviously means English, which is relevant even today and the reference to French and Spanish probably pertains to languages of the crew of those days and in today’s context may refer to the languages spoken by your ship’s crew).

He should be the soul of tact, patience, justice, firmness, and charity.

No meritorious act of a subordinate should escape his attention or be left to pass without its reward, even if the reward is only a word of approval.

Conversely, he shouldn’t be blind to a single fault in any subordinate, though at the same time, he should be quick and unfailing to distinguish error from malice, thoughtlessness from incompetence, and well-meant shortcoming from heedless or stupid blunder.

As he should be universal and impartial in his rewards and approval of merit, so he should be judicial and unbending in his punishment or reproof of misconduct.

In one word, every commander should keep constantly before him this great truth, that to be well obeyed, he must be perfectly esteemed.