Translation Error

It was one of Amma’s public programs in Mumbai, I was fortunate enough to do ‘Line seva’. I liked that seva because it brought legitimacy for me being nearer Amma and also gave the opportunity to do some thing little useful. I was asking the question to the throngs of people who came to see Amma, what language they spoke. I asked this question in multiple languages. It was around mid-night and I was feeling a little proud of my multi-lingual skills. One old lady came walking slowly and told Amma something in kannada. Amma asked if somebody could translate what she said. Somebody proposed my name and I was pushed in front on Amma. Amma asked the lady to tell me what she wanted to be conveyed.

The old lady said that she wanted her son to study engineering and said some more. I could understand the first part because most of it was in English. The later part just went over my head. I faithfully translated what I could decipher to Amma. Amma jokingly said “Son, why do I need you as a translator? I myself was able to understand that much because most of it was in English”. She laughed and everybody including me had a hearty laugh. Luckily somebody on the stage knew better kannada than me and was able to translate what the old lady said to Amma.

– Sathya