Attitude matters...

Once upon a time in Kasipatnam, there was a girl named Rukmini who got married and went to live with her husband and mother-in-law.

In a very short time, Rukmini  found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all. Their personalities were very different, and Rukmini was angered by many of her mother-in-law’s habits. In addition, she criticized Rukmini constantly.

Days passed days, and weeks passed weeks. Rukmini and her mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was that, according to ancient family tradition, Rukmini  had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing the poor husband great distress.

Finally, Rukmini could not stand her mother-in-law’s bad temper and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it.

Rukmini went to see her father’s good friend, Venkataramana, who sold herbs. She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all. Venkataramana thought for a while, and finally said, “Rukmini, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you.”

Rukmini said, “Yes, Venkataramana garu , I will do whatever you tell me to do.” Venkataramana went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs.

He told Rukmini, “You can’t use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspects you when she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly towards her. Don’t argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen.”

Rukmini was so happy. She thanked Venkataramana and hurried home to start her plan of murdering her mother-in-law.

Weeks went by, months went by, and every other day, Rukmini served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what Venkataramana had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother. After six months had passed, the whole household had changed.

Rukmini had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn’t had an argument in six months with her mother-in-law, who now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with.

The mother-in-law’s attitude toward Rukmini changed, and she began to love Rukmini like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives that Rukmini was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Rukmini and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter.

Rukmini’s husband was very happy to see what was happening.

One day, Rukmini came to see Venkataramana and asked for his help again. She said, “Venkataramana, please help me to stop the poison from killing my mother-in-law! She’s changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her.”

Venkataramana smiled and nodded his head. “Rukmini, there’s nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her.”