The Final Settlement

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A man from a village, Met me after so many years. I could recognize him as my childhood friend Pratibimb. We together were very happy to see each other. We decided to spend a whole day together, At a place that was free from the hustle-bustle of the city. So, we went to a hilltop near the city.

After settling there on a hill rock I asked him what are you doing? Where are you nowadays? Where are you settled?

As soon as he listened the word settle he became a little nostalgic. After some time he told me Oh, settlement! I will tell you my journey, and then he started.

I am a child from a very small village of this nation After education, I moved to the city to earn my living There I got a lot to learn and little to earn Here in this city one day I am met, my cousin He asked me, brother, what are doing? When are you getting settled?

I told him since the last three years I working in this city Changed my jobs three times because of reasons beyond my control I never complained about those but I wanted to get settled.

I am trying, but it is not happening In spite of all this, I am happy Because I have learned so many things in a short time in this strange city.

My cousin told me learning is fine But where is the earning? See me. I am almost the same age as you. I am having a good job, making good money Recently got married and taking care of my small family I have settled before you.

I said I am not against settlement But that is not my control. Although I am more qualified educationally than you but you are more qualified than me to give the answer to the question of settlement.

He told me that I should keep my learning side by side and focus on earning. Look Opportunity to earn, learning will happen there and even if doesn’t happen that is fine Because, how long we will keep learning we are getting older? Getting settled is more important in life.

I was puzzled over this conversation I was seeking the answer to my settlement I tried hard for two more years, but more than newer experiences of life I didn’t get much.

Whenever I got a new job I got a new domain to learn I will pay money from my pocket and after job hours in the evening burn my nights, register for courses, diplomas & certificates and learn that domain and get certified. This way journey kept going on.

After two years I moved far away, from that city There was a new environment so more learning Thus new jobs, new places and working with new people was my way.

Then came the time when my father asked Are you settled, the reason was obvious. I told, I want to settle but I am not able to settle He asked me, how long it will take to settle? I had that standard reply It is not in my hand, But I am happy I am learning.

My father told me all your friends and cousins got settled but you are accumulating education, knowledge, degree, experience. What is the use? Get settled my son. All can happen parallel. Learning doesn’t stop in life, even if you get settled.

I was like a wandering monk Kept moving alone, from one job to another, From one city to another Only with my wisdom But always happy Some get settled with a place Some get settled with money Some get settled with relations I was settling in myself.

The question of settlement is thrown to me Whenever friends, colleagues, relatives are around Where are you settled?

Probably by this time they assumed that I am settled That is why the question is “Where” Today on this beautiful hill Can I ask you a question?

I said, well you are my childhood friend We are very close to each other You can ask me anything I will give my best reply if not true I quizzed him.

He smiled and told Can you please tell me, The meaning of settlement?

I was happy that I finally he is asking this question to a wise person like me. I got the opportunity to give wisdom to my best friend.

So, I started speaking to him Without stopping, I continued for fifteen minutes But more I was speaking more emptiness I was experiencing in me Finally, I told, I have spoken a lot This is what I know and I meant by the settlement But I am also not happy with this answer.

He told me, if you, who is settled, do not know the answer, Then how come who is rolling like a ball on this planet will know? Yes the desire to settle was there in me But now that desire itself has settled.

Oh, I said, how come your desire of settling got settled before you settle in your life?

My friend told me For me, life is a journey This life is just a station in that larger journey For me, neither life started at my birth Nor it will end at my final departure from the body I will continue in some other form at some other place

So, tell me a place where I should build a palace for my permanent settlement? Many times I have built big palaces earlier and I got kicked out by the time This time I am thinking of not building any.

Everything is taken on rent here Never try to buy anything Take everything on rent, Use it with respect and then give that back to the owner Thank giver for giving me the opportunity to use

I am no more than a custodian of those things with which I enjoy life Once done then leave surroundings and objects around in good condition and move on. So that others after me can enjoy this planet.

I took my mother womb on rent so that I can manifest in physical form. My mother helped me, I came out from that settlement and thanked her Then my father gave me his house to live and study I studied and came out and thanked him

Several people have given me their houses in the cities to live I lived in their houses and moved out and thanked them Several employers gave me the opportunity to learn and earn I worked, earned, and learned. I thanked them and moved out

In fact this body, I have taken on rent from this mother earth On top of that, daily I take some more loan from her in the form of food But daily I thank her She allows me to walk on her chest And do whatever best I could She took my weight and side effects of my living here She tolerates my ignorance every day So one day I will say a final thank you for this body to the Mother earth.

Mentally I am settled, I am happy So settle that I do not have anything to lose, so no fear. So settle that I can work as hard as a donkey without bothering day and night. So settle that if I have to leave this body right away on this hilltop I am not afraid, I know I will come back and restart again around the same. Lapse of few ten-twenty years here and there will happen But in eternity that does not matter.

In this life, No desire to build an empire No desire to give big donations & building big temples No desire to live a lavish life But a strong desire to work hard with this body and mind To learn, understand and experience life in the best possible way Thus I keep moving

Now tell me in this continuous migration how to get settled & where? It looks, I am settled for a constant whose name is “the change”.

As my friend was puzzled many years ago I am puzzled today. Why?

Because I thought settlement means Having a big apartment in the best society in the city. Having children and Giving them the best education. Helping them getting settled in their job & life. Buy the costliest car and show it to my friends. Take all of them on a long ride and enjoy yourself with them.

Before getting old and dying, see all the place on this planet, as if this the first and last time here. Because they are saying “Jindagi Na Milegi Dobara” And if possible go and see the moon also.

Eat everything and drink everything possible, because that is why God has created all these things for we human Apart from that human is also creating so many interesting technologies to enjoy It is not for me then for whom?

But for all that I need to make lots of money That is why I working so hard. And this crazy man is saying I am finally settled in this constant changing world I don’t see that he got settled Still roaming, nothing fixed.

Finally, my friend told me Hari, this whole cosmos is mine Based on the need, I can live wherever I want When this whole cosmos has been built for me And I can live wherever I want, The only thing is I need to take care of is my Karma, Then where is a question of creating a house inside the house to get Final Settlement?

O merciful Reader, if you are settled in life Can you tell me whether my friend Pratibimba is foolish or wise? Because I asked him a question and now I myself am trapped in that question.

Hari Om Tat Sat Your Truly Hari