Mahan - the Great

Along the bottom of the river Ganges lives a village of creatures whose way of life was to cling tightly to the rocks on the river bed, and to resist the current of the river. One of them, 'Siddharth the adventurous', got tired of clinging. The monotony wearied him. He decided to place his trust in the current and allow it to take him where it would. His parents and friends cautioned him about the current, "It will smash you against the rocks and kill you." But Siddharth did not heed them and let go. Immediately he stumbled and was tossed against the hard rocks, which strengthened Siddharth's resolve not to cling again.

In time, the current lifted him free from the bottom and he got bruised and hurt no more. The clinging creatures saw him and marvelled at him, hailing him as 'Mahan - the Great'. Siddharth swaying in the current said, "I am no greater than any one of you. Dare to let go and the river will lift you free and you will discover your true worth." The creatures, still clinging, cried, "Mahan!" Siddharth flowed past, leaving the creatures to cling and make legends of a Mahan.


What are some of the things you are clinging to?

What holds you from letting go?


~Taken from "How full is your cup?: 64 stories that can transform the way you look at life" by J M Sampath~