Thursday, July 12, 2007

The test of tolerance

Remember the Karna-Parashurama story in the Mahabharata? Karna goes to Parashurama to learn the secrets of warfare from him. But since Parashurama has decided to take only Brahmins as his disciples (or because he hates Kshatriyas?), Karna presents himself as a Brahmin boy. Parashurama instructs him in all the techniques of warfare.

One day, Parashurama lies down under a tree to rest. Karna offers his lap as a pillow. As Parashurama sleeps, an insect bites Karna's leg. Karna doesn't move as he doesn't want to disturb his Guru. He tolerates the pain. But blood flows from the wound and wakes Parashurama. Parashurama takes in the scene, and tells Karna that a Brahmin couldn't have tolerated so much pain, and so Karna must be a Kshatriya. When Karna confesses that it is indeed so, an angry Parashurama curses him, saying that he would forget whatever he has learnt at a time when he needs it the most.

Now why am I quoting from the Mahabharata? Coz I often find myself in Karna's situation nowadays.

Sometimes, it takes a major effort to make the Little One go to sleep. After a long long time, I find her eyelids finally getting heavy, and at that time, I am usually holding her in a position that involves both my hands. At this stage, I am terrified to make the slightest movement, in case she wakes up.

And then, just then, my nose HAS to itch. My hands are full, there is no convenient surface within reach against which I can rub my nose, and I cannot call out loudly to someone to come and please scratch my nose for me. I just sit there like a statue, nose quivering, wondering which will be first - the Little One falling asleep, or me giving up, dropping her, and scratching my nose.

Sigh.

I wonder how many more tests of tolerance this kid is going to put me through!

24 comments:

Altoid said...

LOL! Much to finding this humorous at the cost of your discomfort, my curiosity is getting the better of me, so I HAVE to ask...which DOES come first? Tell me!

Viky said...

I'm sure your face ould be worth watching - even if S would have been around, I'm pretty sure he would rather enjoy the scene than help you out and ruin the fun!!!

I can almost imagine the looks -
U: Pleading look (bringing both of your eyes towards your nose tip).
S: Wide smile.
U: Grrr look (Oh so you won't do it, wait till my hands are free!)
S: Grins
U: Exasperated (Puhleeeze!!! I will make you your fave dish!!!)
S: Sideways glance. (Mum's there to make it.)
U: Gnashing teeth (@#$%^ will you at least bring some emery paper near my nose?)
S: (Almost on the verge of guffawing)


Little one wakes up, S runs for his life.

A Muser said...

OMG!!! Been there, done that! Scratched my nose, i.e. And of course, had a howling baby as my reward!

Bit Hawk said...

Haha...funny!
So you tolerated and got cursed by the little one? Or scratched your nose and woke her up?

Anonymous said...

What a great comparision!!! I really liked that story and your problem!!

These are minor issues compared to what a walking kid can do to a housewife. Then you will write a post on how Krishna was tied up by Yashoda !!!

chitra said...

yeh tho shuruwaat hai, aage aage dekho hota hai kya?

Anonymous said...

Ha hah ha... so what happens first? Have been a regular visitor to your blog eversince I read one of them a few days ago. Infact have finished reading all your earlier posts as well. Like you posts as well as Viky's comments!
SV

Sunita Venkatachalam said...

ROFLMAO ! Too much :)

Shammi said...

Funny how something as simple as an itch can take over your world! :D

Rajavel said...

That was a HUGE comparison !!! Look on the brighter side ! The kid is not going to wake up and curse you ! :)

Have fun !

Anonymous said...

ha ha ha.... terrible situation.been in situations lik tht before though :)

Shruthi said...

Altoid, depends on the intensity of the itch, I could say ;)

Viky, ROFL!! ROFL!! Viky, that was toooo good!

a muser, ha ha!! :))

bit hawk, I've done each a few times... but no, haven't got cursed yet ;)

Mohan, heh heh... seriously... looking at how restless this kid is, I am sure such a story is in the offing ;)

Chitra, gulp!

SV, thank you :)

Poppins, :)

Shyam, seriously! All I can think of is how to relieve that itch... and when I finally do so.. ahhh ecstasy!

Cheti, yeahhh thank heavens for that ;)

Maverick, tough, huh?

praneshachar said...

shruthi
it is the beginning as your little A
grows you will have different things to narrate and your creativity will get a lot of things to pour into this blog of yours for all of us to read and thanks for sharing.
each child is unique and gifts of god/nature to us.
Avani manege bhooshanavagi
appa ammage muddina kuvariyagi
avani ajji tata avarige muddina apsareyagi
shruthi avarige blog postsge spoorthyagi
nammellar mana tanisali nimma nammellara avani
bhagavantha avalige sada rakshane aashirwada nidali yendu prathisuve

pranesh

Usha said...

hahahha.Poor Shruthi!This is what they mean when they tell you that becoming a mother teaches you a lot.

rads said...

Godo Lord, finally I know someone else shares my 'itch' - It is ridiculous the number of times my nose itches esp when i have to stay statue!

Nicely put :)

Anonymous said...

Good analogy. Guess your lil angel gonna make you remember whole mahabharata.

Cantaloupes.Amma (CA) said...

Motherhood sure teaches you a lot ... :)

Shark said...

awwww I feel sorry for you. But have to warn you that it will only get more difficult :(

My sil had to hold going to the toilet for 2 full hours... because no body was in the house and her two kids were just refusing to sleep!!!

Expression ! said...

You have a real good sense of humor.
I wish you get through all the tolerance test with flying colors.

Crumbling Cookie said...

I knew that story, and my nose/toes/other body parts have itched at the most inoppurtune moments (baby sleeping in the arms..after you have a baby THAT gets to be the MOST inoppurtune moment ever). But I could never have related the two so well. Darn!
Oh well, at least I am a Kshatriya!
Hopped here from Poppin. Congrats on the thinking blogger award!

~nm said...

Hi! I loved reading the posts on your blog which I chanced upon today. They are quite funny adn interesting read.

Will be coming here for more..keep writing!

Shaji.k said...

A very interesting comparison. The days of caring for the little baby are testing you endurance limits. Hope you emerge from these trials with high levels of endurance and toughness.

ಉಉನಾಶೆ said...

wow!

dev said...

nose itch..eeee !!! that surely is one hell of a situation..
funny analogy though.!

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