The other day I read the story of a sage and a scorpion. A sage was taking a bath on the bank of a holy river when suddenly he saw a scorpion drowning in the water. Sage tried to save the scorpion, but it stung his hand. Sage, due to the shock of the pain, dropped it back in the water. But she immediately tried again to save the scorpion. This sequence went on for a while, and a curious onlooker asked the sage, “Sir, why are you trying to save this wretched creature?” Sage tells him we both are creatures of habit and character; it is my nature to be kind, and it is the scorpion’s nature to sting. We are both doing our ‘dharma’ (righteous action).
Scorpions cannot change their nature; they do not have the conscientiousness to act right or wrong, but Sage does have the intellect to know scorpions will bite me again. The conundrum is, should the sage let the scorpion drown and not endure the misery? Or it must not change, even if he must endure unbearable pain; he should try to save the scorpion.
This story is so relevant in a modern-day context. We come across so many people who are a replicate manifestation of the scorpion. You help them, and they sting you in return. They do this repeatedly. Many people believe that a kind and helpful person, the incarnation of the sage, is foolish and dumb to help a stinging scorpion again and again. They also have the opinion that people like Sage are born to be used.
And what is the wise man thinking?
This is my dharma and my destiny to endure pain, or maybe I am being punished for my bad karma in the past. Sometime the sage thinks it is time I change and let the scorpion face the consequences of his karma. But the question is: Should a righteous and kind person like Sage change because of someone else’s actions? Is it appropriate or justified? What do you think, readers?
Indu Bhargava has almost 23 years of professional experience in the field of training, counseling, education, journalism, and corporate communications.