One day when he was returning from the river, the prostitute, to tease him asked, " Baba, Khare ho ya Khote?"-(are you pure or impure) The Saadhu(hermit) does not answer.

This question became a ritual between the two and continued for umpteen number of years. One day the Saadhu did not return from the river. As the prostitute waited anxiously for his return, a man came and told her that the saadhu had slipped on the steps of the ghat(bank) and was dying. He was waiting for her.

The prostitute went running to the river. On seeing her, the saadhu tells her to repeat her question. When she repeated the question, the saadhu said that he was Khara(pure).

He had not said so before because he was not sure that he would remain the same. Since he was dying, there was no time for him to change. The saadhu then closed his eyes.

Doodh aur Budh phat te der nahin lagti.(Milk and mind can turn bad in a moment) It is a fact that that there is no guarantee of human beings because they change from time to time. But it is also a fact that people evolve with time and experience.

Moral of the story

See the possibility that things and people can change at any time and don't hold onto judgement otherwise your judgement becomes solidified like a rock. It brings misery to you and others. The universe is in flux . bad may become good and good may become bad.

Recall your own younger days, some of the actions done at that time with great joy and fun might make you cringe now.

Much appreciated family planning -one child law in China has resulted in the aged population and spoilt child syndrome in China while India's much maligned population growth has resulted in the competitive advantage of a ready supply of young working youth to cater to the global working population shortage..