The Priest and the Pariah
It was time for both of them
To depart from their respective bodies
The Messenger of death had arrived
Both of them followed him silently
They reached a juncture…
Two paths – Uphill and downhill
The messenger gestured the downhill path to the priest
It was clear that it led to a sort of ‘demotion’ in the life-cycle of the soul!
‘Excuse Me’ – said the Priest…
‘You must be mistaking Sir ….like I am the priest –
I guess I will be following you uphill – whereas this pariah..
Needs to go downhill – please check your instructions properly!’
‘I am following exactly what I am told – don’t interfere with my work’
Replied the Messenger sternly.
‘No sir, You need to tell me why am I asked to go down…
in that dungeon sort of an area?’ – said the Priest.
‘Really! Well if you so wish – you are going down because –
Instead of spreading love, peace and brotherhood among people
You took upon yourself the job to –
Misguide, mislead & cheat the ignorant.
You sow the seeds of fear in their innocent minds.
You created stories & propagated superstitions in the name of God
You looted them just for your own convenience –
To fill up your own bank balance!
In the name of God you did everything that is against the Divine!
Where else do you think you will go?
To hell of course
But don’t you worry
All your colleagues – both Seniors & Juniors
Will soon join you here…
Do you want to know more?’ asked the Messenger.
The Priest was dumbfounded…but he did not quite give up!
‘Fine….but why is the Pariah going uphill with you?
he is dirty, uncouth and smelling of cheap tobacco…how come
he became eligible to go uphill? – asked the Priest.
‘Well, all he did, all his life was perform his duties to perfection –
Cleanliness is next to Godliness…did you ever happen to hear this…
bare minimum, very basic fact about the Gods….? No I guess….
So every morning he woke up, ready with his broom & bucket
He cleaned the roads and the drains
so that people could walk on clean roads,
so that parasites didn’t breed in stagnant drains…
thus saving many a ‘divine manifestations’ – human forms ie.
from falling sick or suffer from other ailments/ diseases
brought about by dirty & unkempt surroundings…
..hence by performing his duties as allotted to him
He became eligible to go uphill’
Explained the Messenger.
‘But he never ever took the name of God – he is a sinner –
who was not even allowed to enter the temple premises..’-
Screamed the Priest.
‘Whose temple – yours? The one you headed!?
Well… good that you did not let him enter that
Sinful area of yours that you address as ‘temple’…..!
…lest both of you together would have been going downhill today!!’
Saying this the messenger pushed the priest down…..
….and took the pariah up with him.