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| Sunday, 27 March 2005 |
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The power of god Sunday parable by Sunanda Mahendra "You all are too lazy and as a result I don't get a good harvest these days from my paddy fields" said Podinilame, the owner of the vast land in the village called Raddalana in the ancient Kurunegala district known at that time as Atugalpura. The farmers who toiled hard, knew that this was Podinilame's usual manner of speaking.
" During the threshing period, Podinilame would visit the field and watch the farmers at work. He would personally measure the harvest, before distributing it to the farmers. The farmers'-share, was always small in comparison with the lion's share that he got. "Oh! the harvest this time is not at all satisfactory", he would say and wait to see how his chief subordinate Heenrala would measure the share, in the traditional manner. Heenrala knew all the traditional rituals of sharing the harvest. In the first instance, he would look at the sky and think of the blessings of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha the Triple gem or trividha ratna and then worship the earth by clasping his hands together and then invoke blessings of the God Kabala or 'kabala deviyo la' who was supposed to be the guardian deity of the farmers. Then he would look at the face of Podinilame and say "Now I am going to commence the sharing of measures with the first share to God Kabala". "Why should we do that, as we normally offer that share at the collective alms-giving to his devalaya. If you go on sharing like this, I would never be able to get a good share, so why not put some of that into my share?" Podinilame would say. This land owner, is really a miser of the first order thought Heenrala. But he was compelled not to utter a word as it would result in the master's anger. So Heenrala calmed down and said; "You must not utter words like that master, as God Kabala is our guardian god, he waits and looks at us from the sky, whether we yield a good harvest or not, we ought to abide by the traditional ways of setting aside the share to Kabala Deviyo". But the master was deaf to the words of Heenrala. "It is alright, you should know that I am the owner of the paddy lands and you are my subordinate. So you should do what I say, and not what the God says. "At this point, Heenrala, was shivering as he had not heard words of this kind from his inheritors of the past. This owner had not learned farmer traditions, thought Heenrala. In order to obey Podinilame, Heenrala, measured a large share to be given to him and kept it aside. Podinilame was happy as the subordinate obey him. "Podinilame walked onto another side of the field, to see what the others were engaged in. They were all talking ill of their master, and as soon as they saw him, they began to continue with the work. Heenrala who was dismayed by the words of his master felt tired and wanted to rest awhile. A breezy wind blew across the fields, he closed his eyes for a moment and when he laid his head down he fell asleep. After a few minutes, he got up suddenly and saw an amazing sight. He could not believe his eyes. He saw Podinilame walking round and round with a large sack of paddy on his back. What is he doing like a mad man, he thought and was curious. Podinilame was panting and sweating, like a tired bull tied to a cart. "What are you doing master? Why are you walking round and round the threshing field like this?" asked Heenrala. Podinilame began to stammer "Who? Who? who are you?" he asked in a frenzy, not recognising Heenrala. "Can't you make me out, I am Heenrala, I am asking you, as to why you are carrying the sack of rice on your back?" "I am not carrying my share, instead, I am carrying the share of God Kabala to his devalaya". "But you wanted to have a bigger share didn't you?" "Did I say something like that? I think I forgot that I said so." "So do you repent for it?" "Yes I think something has gone wrong somewhere, for I cannot stop walking and this sack is too heavy for me, I will die soon, if somebody does not help me". Then Heenrala knew what had gone wrong. This may be punishment from God Kabala. "Heenrala, please do something to stop me walking, and I will give you anything you want. I am so tired, I don't know where I am going. Please help me get rid of this walking. Please hold me, Please hold me". Heenrala pleaded with God Kabala. He sat down and touched the earth with deep veneration and started praying and pleading with God Kabala. "Oh God Kabala, please forgive our master Podinilame and please stop him walking round and round the threshing field, I will see that he would never ever utter nasty words of the kind, he uttered, a few moments ago. Please pardon all of us. "He will die, if he walks like this. At least think of his good father and forgive him I will see that he will become pious from now on". Heenrala pleaded of God Kabala. All the farmers flocked to see Podinilame being punished. They thought that he would stop his bad behaviour, after this. "What are you doing?" Some farmers who surrounded Podinilame enquired "I am on my way to God Kabala as he wants me to come there with this sack of paddy", said Podinilame. The farmers knew that Podinilame had gone mad. After the lapse of a few moments, Podinilame's walking stopped and he fell like a log of wood. A village physician was brought to the spot. For a few days he was in bed and was cured. Since then, until his death, he gifted the first share of the harvest to God Kabala, and also distributed the land among the village farmers.
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"On the one hand, he was a very rich man who wanted to become richer and
richer, and his ambition knew no bounds, and on the other, he was exploiting
the farmers, by owning all their land and giving them a meagre sum of money.
While the 'land owner', Podinilame, became richer and richer, the farmers
became poorer and poorer. 
