The master is the servant’s servant

A master and his disciples were sitting under a tree. The master saw a man taking a cow with him. Man had this cow tied with a rope, walking in the front and cow, naturally, following the man.

The master saw this, said – “see that cow it taking the man somewhere.” His disciples saw in the direction and replied, master you need to check it properly, the man is taking the cow somewhere. Master replied – what you see is not always the truth. Disciple replied – “please explain, in this case how cow is taking the man?”

Master replied – Do one thing unchain the cow, see who runs after whom? The master need not run behind the servant. Since the cow is tied, it has no other option but to walk behind the man but cow is the master. The cow has the freedom to go wherever it wants to do – if unchained.

I read this story as a kid, in Osho magazine. Earlier this year, One day I remembered this story. How? Let me tell you.

I and one of my colleagues were talking about Amitabh Bachchan. On one endorsement of his, I said that product does not gel well with his grand personality (my 2 cent, opinion). To that my colleague replied – “well that endorsement could be enough for him to arrange for salary of his whole staff for a year, at least.” Suddenly I stopped, remembered the story of cow and the man. I did not speak, just smiled.

Well, I had this talk with my colleague in the beginning of the year why writing now? The reason is – we have a maid who is so royal that she wakes up at 10 AM or late. Comes home 2 or more hours later than I had gone to office – needless to say I prepare tea and breakfast for myself, and our maid is a full time maid. So she in a way is master, I go for earning her monthly salary (e.g. my office) well before she comes for work. The other thing – we are hopelessly dependent on her. The way man is dependent on the cow in above story.

So the question is – who is the master and who is the servant?

Mirdad says (The book of Mirdad) – “the servant is the master’s master. The master is the servant’s servant.”

Disclaimer – 1. I’ve no intentions to demean Mr Bachchan he is a big personality.

2. Neither I intend to demean my maid – after all she offers me my daily bread.

Kind of related blog – Irony