A TRAIN JOURNEY WITH A LESSON

In the summer of 2003, Arjun found himself on a journey back to Hatia from Howrah aboard the Kriya Yoga Express – Train No. 18615. It had been a long day at Howrah, where he had appeared for an engineering entrance exam. As a budget-conscious student, he sought every opportunity to save money. While his father had allocated funds for a sleeper class ticket, he opted for a more economical chair car ticket, allowing him to pocket the extra money.

Seated comfortably by the window, he observed a middle-aged man in his 40s sitting in front of him, equipped with a briefcase. He sported a potbelly and constantly cleaned his teeth stained with red pan using a toothpick. He kept the briefcase on the seat meant for three people. Arjun smiled at him, and before he could say anything, this man suggested a scheme to save the seat and enjoy a night of undisturbed sleep.

The man advised Arjun to place his bag on the seat and, if approached, to lie about the seat being taken by someone else. His plan involved feigning occupancy and securing the luxury of an entire row to oneself throughout the night. Intrigued but uneasy about the idea of deceit, Arjun nodded hesitantly.

However, when the passengers arrived, Arjun couldn’t bring himself to lie as instructed by the man sitting in front of him. Instead, he simply offered them seats since they were vacant. The man gave Arjun a serious grin, but he paid no attention to it.

As the journey unfolded, a couple of well-built, six-foot men with large VIP luggage, adorned with Air India tags, boarded the train. At that time, air travel was a luxury in India, enjoyed by only a select few. When these men approached the seat in front of Arjun, the occupant executed the premeditated lie, claiming the seat was already taken.

Despite their humble demeanour, the two men went to the door and engaged in a serious discussion for about 10 minutes. Once the train started moving, the man in front of Arjun promptly transformed his briefcase into a makeshift pillow and comfortably laid down. His euphoria, however, was short-lived.

The two men, having observed the deception, confronted him about the seat and the misappropriation of the briefcase. In an attempt to deflect, the deceiver raised his voice and threw tantrums. To Arjun's astonishment, the two men responded with force, delivering a series of slaps.

Witnessing this unfold, nearby passengers rose from their seats in protest, ready to intervene. However, the man addressing the other as "boss" commanded in a commanding tone in the local language, "Bhaiya baat kar rahe hai, sit down all of you" (Brothers, we are talking, sit down). The crowd fell silent, and the boss asserted that they held the same tickets, asserting their equal rights.

Post-beating, the man in front of Arjun avoided making eye contact with him realizing that his honesty spared him from a similar fate. 

This incident, while a small lesson, underscored the idea that a simple and truthful way of life may not always be rewarding, but it can prevent one from unnecessary troubles.