PARABLES OF SIVANANDA
By
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
First Edition: 1958
Second Edition: 1983
Third Edition: 1993
(4,000 copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 1998
WWW site: http://www.dlshq.org/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
(c) The Divine Life Trust Society
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh,
Himalayas, India.
Truth is simple. Simple are the words of God-realised saint. How simply our Gurudev, Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj, states the subtlest of spiritual truths, so that even laymen can understand! The Sage's compassion is such that he wants the truths of the scriptures to be made available to all, to whatever intellectual level they may belong. Therefore, he has literally exhausted all the methods of stating the truth. He has written commentaries on ancient texts; he has presented learned theses on metaphysical questions; he has narrated them in the form of interesting stories; he has given laconic expression to them in aphorisms; he has vividly dramatised them in his plays; he has sung them in songs and woven them into sublime poems; and now comes another potent method of instruction-the Parable. The story is interesting; the mind readily grasps it. The spiritual truth which is the other side of the story automatically gets inerasably lodged in the mind. The truth becomes not only clear, but indelible.
These Parables are of incalculable benefit not only for the Sadhaka to meditate upon, but for the spiritual propagandist-with the parables he can drive his sermon home into the heart of the audience.
-THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
1. Develop devotion through Japa, Kirtan, Sattvic food, worship (Puja) etc. Yearn for God-vision. Love Him with all your heart. Remember Him constantly.
2. Keep the company of saints, the righteous and the wise. Study devotional books like the Gita, the Bhagavata, the Ramayana, the lives of Saints.
3. The Name of the Lord is Divine Nectar. Name is your sole Refuge, Prop and Treasure. Name and Nami (God) are one. Always chant His Names with devotion. Do Kirtan. This is the principal Sadhana in Kali-Yuga.
4. Pray to the Lord from the core of your heart: "I am Thine. All is Thine. Thy Will be done. I am an instrument in Thy Hands. You do everything. You are Just. Grant me faith and devotion."
5. Feel the Presence of God with you. See God in every face. Behold the whole world as the Lord.
6. Practice Sadachara (right conduct). Cultivate virtues and eradicate vices. Be good. Be kind to all. Be humble. Be pure. Speak the truth. Control anger. Have a large heart. Develop compassion.
7. Teach the eye to behold the Form of the Lord. Teach the ear to hear the Lord's Lilas and Glory. Teach the hands to serve the saints and the poor.
8. Take refuge in the Lord. Do total, ungrudging self-surrender. Live for Him. Offer your actions to Him. His Grace will descend on you.
9. Have perfect trust in God. Faith is necessary to attain God. Faith can take you to the inner chambers of the Lord.
10. Constantly repeat some inspiring verses (praises of God's Glory) or some Mantras, or the Names of God. This will be your Divine background of thought.
1. Glories of Rama Nama are innumerable.
2. Rama who is All-pervading is realised when the devotee of Sri Rama annihilates egoism, and when all attachments due to egoism disappear by Rama Smarana (remembrance at all times).
3. Sri Rama resides in the heart of all individual souls.
4. Rama loves His devotee when he has surrendered his individual self at the feet of Rama.
5. In divine love the devotee is blessed by all-pervading Lord Rama with Self-Bliss.
6. The devotee is always at the feet (at the mercy) of Rama.
7. Rama loves His lover, and thus the devotee is initiated into Rama Nama by Rama Himself.
8. The devotee is full of Self-Bliss, and does not feel the necessity of any more than what is acquired through right endeavour by the Grace of Rama.
9. Sri Rama's devotee is directly under the shelter of Rama, and feels joy in the prayer: "O my Lord Rama; ever live in my heart and bless thy humble devotee with Thy Love only."
10. The devotee finds Rama in all individual souls, and Divine Love is directed by Rama, and blessed with patience.
11. Rama's devotee is always at the Feet of Rama, and works under the order and Will of Rama. The devotee of Rama works in his own self, belonging to Rama. The devotee devotes his self solely at the Feet of Rama.
12. May All-pervading Rama bless all humanity with Divine Love!
Part One
Chapter One
Parable Of The Butter Hidden In The Milk
The young daughter had gone to her village home for the first time from her city-dwelling. At night before retiring to bed, her mother opened a pot in which there was good cow's milk and poured a little buttermilk. The girl asked her mother: "Mother, that was butter milk; and why have you mixed it with Milk? The milk may be spoiled!" "Child," answered the mother, "that is the way to prepare the milk in order that we might get butter out of it." "But where is butter in it, mother?" "It is in every drop of the milk, dear; but you can't see it now. I will show you in the morning." In the morning the daughter saw that what was liquid the night before had become solid overnight. Mother put a churning rod into it and started churning the curd vigorously. Butter began to float on the surface of the curd. Then she gathered it all up and presented it to the astonishment of the daughter. The mother explained: "The addition of the buttermilk curdles the milk. Milk is transformed into curd. Then you have to churn it. By this process the butter which was all-pervasively hidden in the milk is obtained. At first you were not able to see it; it was hidden. From where has it come now? From the milk only. Therefore you understand now that it was there all the time. It awaited the process of churning to reveal itself to your great joy." The daughter, too, followed the same process and got the butter, for herself.
Similarly, a worldly man approaches a Mahatma and asks him: "O Sadhu, why have you renounced the world, and poured this new element of Vairagya and Tyaga into your life? Why don't you let the life take its natural course?" The Sadhu replies: "Brother, I do so in order to realise God?" "Where is God?" "He is all-pervading." The worldly man does not see and is not convinced. The Sadhu then explains how the inner personality which is fickle and outflowing should be made solid and firm. Then the churning rod of one-pointed concentration and meditation should be taken hold of, and this solid Antahkarana should be very well churned. Then God is realised. He is all-pervading, in every atom of creation. But He is not visible to the naked eye nor is He realisable by a man except through this process called Sadhana.
Just as a mother was necessary for her daughter to learn that butter exists in milk and that churning will bring it out, even so a Guru is necessary for a man to know that God is, that He is all-pervading, and that He is attained through Sadhana. If the aspirant follows the Guru's instructions, he too, can realise God.
Parable Of The Crow On The House-Top
A man came to a village and asked another man standing at the crossroads: "Friend, which is the house of Mr. Iyer?" "See that house on the top of which a crow is sitting. That is the house of Mr. Iyer," replied the second man. The first one went away. He returned after a week and was bewildered to find that no crow was sitting on the top of any house. Again he asked a bystander: "Which is the house of Mr. Iyer?" He replied: "That house with three storeys, which is built of stones-that is Mr. Iyer's house." Since then he never had any confusion about the house indicated.
Sastras speak of God or Brahman as the Supreme Origin of the universe: "Yato va imani bhutani jayante", etc. But this is not enough. For, there are times when there is no creation at all. Hence this is not a permanent definition of Brahman. Therefore they give Eternal Indications like "Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma", etc. By following these indications no one can ever miss to attain the Goal, viz., Brahman or God.
Parable Of The King's Dream
A king went to bed in his palace, which was guarded on all sides by sentries. Not even a fly could enter it and disturb the king. The bed-room was equipped with every kind of comfort and there was nothing lacking which enabled the monarch to enjoy the bliss of deep sleep.
Soon after he lay down he had a dream. A jackal had somehow entered the palace, attacked him and had bitten a toe of his left foot. In the meantime he hears the news that enemies have entered his kingdom and taken possession of all things. He flees in fear; but the toe gives him great pain. He runs to a doctor for medical aid. The doctor refuses to treat him as, though he was a king, he had no money to pay for the doctor's fees on the spot, for he had lost his kingdom. As a mendicant he runs away to the forest. There he finds a Mahatma who heals the wounds. Gratitude to the Mahatma wells up in the heart of the ruler, then he wakes up.
The dream vanishes. The king is still lying on his golden bed in the palace which not even a fly could enter. He finds that there is neither the jackal, nor the wound nor his running away to the forest. But the Mahatma's grace endures in his mind, and he, though it was all a dream and he has realised it, for ever cherishes the memory of the holy man's healing service and derives inspiration from it.
Similarly, the Jiva is truly the Supreme Monarch of the Universe. There is nothing lacking in it and it is in possession of supreme bliss- it is bliss itself. Yet, when the veil of ignorance is thrown over it, it dreams. In that dream the jackal of egoism bites it. The enemies of the senses overpower it. The happiness that it so long enjoyed is gone; it experiences pain and misery. It runs here and there in search of relief from misery and in search of happiness. Everyone in the world is selfish. Unless there is immediate benefit from it, no one is prepared to give it even a cup of water. Disgusted with the ways of the world, it runs to the forest-to the lotus-feet of the Sat-Guru. The Guru heals its wounds and awakens its higher soul-consciousness. The awakened soul perceives everything that happened as nothing but a long dream. Gratitude to the Sat-Guru who healed the Jiva of the dire malady of birth-and-death, alone remains. The Guru's Upadesa and his Grace alone endure when all else that was part of the dream vanishes. The awakened soul once again feels that it is the Supreme Monarch of the Universe, that nothing ever happened to its majesty, that there was no ignorance and no egoism, and that from eternity to eternity it continues to be the self-same Self-all-blissful, peaceful and immortal.
Parable Of The Woman Who Wanted To Adorn Her Reflection
A woman looked at herself in the mirror. Her bare body and head were unattractive. The reflection disgusted her. She ran in and brought a number of ornaments. She began to adorn the reflection with them. But she could not. When she took the ornament near the image in the mirror, it looked as though (in the mirror) the ornaments are being taken away from the reflection. At last, she started wearing the ornaments on her own self. To her wonder, the image in the mirror also put the ornaments on, and looked beautiful.
The reflection represents the Jiva and the woman the Self or God. The ignorant man finds that he lacks prosperity, wealth and happiness. He hunts for the things of the world and goes on accumulating around himself the wealth and luxuries of the world. These do not satisfy him or enrich his soul! The more he tries to adorn himself with the riches of the world, the farther they seem to recede from him in truth. Then he understands that his little self is but the reflection of the All-Pervading Atman, the Supreme Self. He offers all his wealth to the Self by doing charity to the poor, by self-abnegation and self-dedication. He serves the poor, the sick and the suffering and brings happiness to them with the Bhava that he serves the All-Pervading Self in all. He offers himself to the Self through meditation on It. He pays no more attention to the little reflection, the Jiva; but devotes himself to the adorning of the Reality. Instantly he finds that he (the Jiva) is the centre of all auspiciousness, of all beauty, of all happiness and bliss.
O Man! Abandon self-seeking, and seek the Self. You are not this body, mind, intellect and little 'I'; you are the Immortal, All-Pervading Satchidananda Atman. Realise this and be free.
Parable Of The Jack-Fruit In The Courtyard
A big jack-tree in a man's courtyard was laden with fruits. From the very bottom of the trunk up to the topmost branch it was dotted with fruits. As though one possessed with an evil spirit, the man rushes out towards the fruit several times. He touches the jack-fruit, but the surface is uninviting. He abandons it in disgust. Far away from home he had seen one palm tree. Walking in the hot sun several miles, he stands near the tree. His craving had reached its zenith. The few small fruits that hung on the top of the tree tempt him. He rushes forward. He falls on the bush of prickly pears and gets injured by the thorns all over the body. Not discouraged by this he tries to climb the tree. The scales that cover the trunk are hard and knife-like. They hurt him. But he does not mind. As he climbs, a swarm of poisonous ants that sting like devils, sting him all over the body. He has somehow managed to reach the top; such is his mad passion for the little fruits. The fruits are surrounded by hundreds of bees. When he lays his hands upon them, the bees angrily sting him. In spite of this, he tries to grab the fruits. Then and there he drops more than half the catch. With the remainder, he tries to climb down. Several fruits drop off his hand before he reaches the ground. He sits himself down to enjoy the few fruits left with him. To his horror he discovers that the major portion of these little fruits is hard nut; and then even the skin has to be thrown away. There is little pulp in the fruit. In disgust he throws the fruits away. Instantly he comes back to his senses, and begins to suffer with agony. The pain of the thorns, the bites of the poisonous ants, the stings of the bees, and the cuts produced on his body by the sharp scales of the tree - these seem to torment him all at once. It is now past several days since he left home. With his tattered clothes and bleeding body, he runs home .... to find that his father had been waiting for him with the delicious jack-fruit. The young man stumbles into the house and falls at the father's feet. Without asking a question, the father gives him new clothes, pulls out the thorns from his body, dresses up the wounds, all the time feeding him with the honey-like jack-fruit. The young man's happiness is now complete. Peacefully he sleeps on his father's lap.
Similarly, man ignores the fountain of Eternal Bliss that is within the core of his own heart. He is frightened away by the apparent initial difficulties in Sadhana. He does not care to cut open this rough exterior and enjoy the highest bliss. He is hungry. He runs away from home and from this tree that yields the best fruit. Over the burning sands of Samsara he runs hither and thither. Here he falls into the thorny bush of dishonour; there he knocks against the rock of failure. He falls in love with a woman. How many sacrifices-of a care-free life, of freedom from worry and anxiety-he has to make before he approaches her! Lured by illusory pleasure he succumbs to passion.
As he tries to go up this tree of wedded life, a thousand worries about feeding the children, finding money for his wife's sarees and jewels bite him all over the body. Even then he pursues the evil goal. He is intent on the little fruit of sensual pleasure. As he grabs it, several fell diseases prey upon him. He becomes sick of it all and, writhing with pain and disease, he realises that the world would not allow him to enjoy even the little pleasure which he thought was within his grip. He looks for a way-out.
While ascending this tree of family life, and even while descending, the sharp knife-edges of the demands of creditors and relatives tear his clothes and bruise him all over. He is now left with tattered clothes and a body which had been bled at a hundred places, and depleted of all energy. Tired, he sits down for a while and examines the fruits that have caused him all the trouble. Much of it is hard nut (the impenetrable heart of a woman, that gives her love the magic of magnitude, without the least real substance in it!) and part of it is mere skin. When these two are thrown away, there is practically nothing left-except the cuts and bruises, the stings and bites, the torn clothes and tired body. With supreme disgust, the man throws away the illusory fruit and runs home.
There the Guru is waiting for him, with the delicious fruit of wisdom, all cut and ready to serve. He wipes his tears, heals his wounds and supplies the new clothes of renunciation and devotion. The young man falls at the Guru's feet, and rests securely on his lap. With the supreme love and compassion that can flow only from a Guru's heart, the Guru feeds the disciple with the sweet honey of wisdom, of Atma-Jnana. Awakened in his innermost Self, man sleeps to the affairs of the world and enjoys the great sleepless Sleep of Samadhi.
Parable Of The Man And His Dog
A man went out for a walk with his lovely dog. He was very proud of the dog. It always went before him. This man had an umbrella in his hand. To show the people around him that his pet-dog would do anything for him, he made the dog carry the umbrella between its teeth. And it proudly walked before him, with the middle of the umbrella firmly caught in its teeth. Suddenly it began to rain. The man wanted to make use of the umbrella. But the dog was a hundred yards ahead of him. He ran towards it. The dog, not knowing why the master ran after it unusually, was frightened and ran towards the house at top-speed. The proud man was drenched to the skin, before be could reach the house and recover the umbrella.
The Jiva, blinded by pride and ignorance, entrusts its spiritual consciousness to the mind. For some time the mind seems to walk before and lead the Jiva; and the consciousness is there firmly held by the mind and the Jiva feels that it is safe. There is a heavy shower of miseries of mundane life and temptations of sense-objects. The dog-mind with the umbrella of spiritual consciousness had parted from the Jiva and is separated by great distance.
If the umbrella of spiritual consciousness had not been entrusted to the mind (which incidentally, could not make real use of it), the Jiva could have protected itself from the rain of miseries and temptations. Now, the faster he runs forward to get relief from miseries and temptations, the farther this relief seems to recede.
Thus, O Man, commit not the folly of entrusting thy spiritual wealth and welfare to the defective mind. It is most undependable. It will desert you in the time of trials. Learn to trust in the Lord alone. Make Him thy sole support.
Parable Of The Zamindar And His Agent
A big zamindar appointed an agent over his estates. The agent had been given vast powers over the estate. People were made to obey him and believe that the power to control them, to appoint them and dismiss them vested in the agent. Though the zamindar was watching the agent and his activities from a distance, he made it look as though he was absent. Gradually, the agent grew more haughty and arrogant and began to assume the powers of the zamindar himself! One day a Sadhu came to see the zamindar. The agent sternly rebuked the Sadhu and said: "Where is the zamindar? There is no such person here. I am the all-in-all. Whatever you want, ask from me." The Sadhu who had wonderful powers, at once shouted out, "O zamindar, please come and enlighten this man!" The zamindar, as though he was waiting for the call, rushed in. The agent hung his head down in shame and fell prostrate at the feet of the zamindar and the Sadhu. The zamindar promptly suspended the agent and re-appointed him only when he had thoroughly realised his mistake and had sincerely vowed never to deny the sovereignty of the zamindar, but to sing his glory to all that came in contact with him (the agent).
The zamindar is the Supreme Lord. The agent is the mind. The mind is born of the Supreme Lord; it shines in His light only, and has no independent existence, in truth. But it appears as though its powers are unlimited, because the Self has appointed the mind as Its agent to carry on the Lila of the world. The mind imagines that it is the controller of the senses, that it can give power to or withdraw power from the senses. Gradually, the wicked mind begins to deny a power superior to itself. Then comes the God-realised saint who reminds the mind of the Self. But the wicked man denies the existence of the Self. "Where is the Self or God? I am the all." But the Guru or the God-realised saint is not to be defeated so easily. He shouts the Lord's Name in the man's ears, and gives initiation. At once the man realises a higher Power.
He recognises the all-pervading, ever-present nature of the Lord. He surrenders himself to the Lord. The Lord at once dismisses the mind. When the mind vanishes, the Sadhaka enters into Samadhi and enjoys the Beatific vision. Then, when he returns from Samadhi, he is a thoroughly changed and chastened man. He vows never more to deny Him, but to sing His glory always.
Parable Of The Lost Wrist-Watch
A man was frantically searching for something in a dark room. He was weeping and shouting. He was making a mess of the things kept in the room. He broke some and tumbled on others. Yet, what he was searching for, he could not get.
A friend came to the threshold and asked for the reason of the man's misery. He replied: "O my friend, I have lost my wrist-watch. It is gone."
The friend said: "How can it go away from here? But, what a fool you are to search for it in the darkness! I have brought the light. Now, calm yourself. Think deeply and try to remember where it ought to be. You will soon discover it."
The man did so, and got the wrist-watch. The friend explained: "The watch was not lost, nor have you gained it now. It was there all the time. But because of the darkness that prevailed in the room, and because you were searching for it where it was not, you did not get it. You were ignorant of its whereabouts. Now that the ignorance is removed, you think you have got it. It was ever yours and was never lost."
Similarly, within the deepest recesses of man's heart is the Self, full of bliss and peace. But, blinded by the darkness of ignorance, man is unable to see it and experience the bliss and the peace. Searching for happiness and peace, he wanders about among the objects of this world, makes a mess to himself and the things of the world, causes misery to others and to himself, weeps and shouts. But the object of his quest is not found. At last the Guru appears with the lamp of wisdom in his hand. He says to the man: "Remove the darkness of your ignorance with this lamp of wisdom; calm yourself; restrain all the mental modifications. Then analyse all experience and meditate on the result. You will discover the Self. You had not lost it before; nor have you gained it now. It has always been there. Only you were ignorant of it. Now that in your pure heart and calm mind, the Self shines, self-luminous, you feel that you have regained it. In fact you had never lost it."
Parable Of The Door-Mat
A man was hurriedly entering the neighbour's house. He found at the threshold a colourful door-mat with the word 'Welcome' written on it. With callous ease he stepped on it with a proud stride. The door-mat slipped from its place, and the man fell down on his back, at the same time kicking the door-mat up. It fell down on the reverse side. He cursed the door-mat and the 'Welcome' written on it, and got up. Instantly his eyes alighted upon the door-mat again; but now he found the words: "Danger: Beware" written on it, i.e., on the reverse side of the same door-mat. He understood that it was intended for those who stepped on it carelessly, tempted by the word 'Welcome'.
A man of little intelligence reads in the scriptures 'Maya Tatam Idam Sarvam', 'Isavsyam Idam Sarvam', 'Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma', and thinks that there is no need for vigilance, for Vairagya and for Sadhana, as everything is pervaded by God! He slips down; he has a terrible downfall. Now, how could God thus let him down? Are the scriptures that said "Maya Tatam Idam Sarvam (All this is pervaded by Me)" false? No. He looks at them again. Now he discovers another utterance of the Lord: "Anityam Asukham Lokam Imam Prapya Bhajasva Mam" (Having come to this world of impermanence and misery, worship Me). Now he realises that if a man is careless and has no Vairagya, he would find that he slips at every step; that though the world is pervaded by the Lord, one should walk carefully and be equipped with vigilance and Vairagya.
Parable Of The Camel's Satisfactions
A merchant had to cross a desert. He engaged a camel to carry his heavy luggage. He loaded all the luggage on to the camel's back; and put a small empty tin also. The camel was breaking under this load and was unwilling to move. The merchant now removed the empty tin and threw it down. The camel felt that the load on his back had been greatly decreased and started to go, crossing the burning sands of the desert, without any further discontent.
This world-this desert of Samsara-is a place where Maya carries on her business. She throws the poor Jiva into the desert with its burning sands of endless pains and sufferings. The Jiva is loaded with countless cares, worries and anxieties, innumerable pains, diseases and sufferings. Occasionally, Maya removes a petty misery from the back of the Jiva; and a little pleasure is thus given to the Jiva. The Jiva foolishly imagines that it has been completely freed from all the miseries of the world and rushes headlong into the desert of Samsara. Poor deluded soul! The load is all the time there on it. It has been deluded by Maya's trick.
Parable Of The Passenger And His Luggage
A villager had never before travelled in a train. He received an urgent telegram from his wife living in another distant village that she was very sick and that she wished to see and speak to him. The villager ran to the railway station and purchased the ticket. He got into the train and the train started. Unfortunately, the track just beyond the station was under repairs, and so the train moved very slowly over it. The villager had seen how the train usually sped along. He could not understand why it crawled at such slow speed. He was impatient to reach the wife's village. He began thinking hard and at last discovered: "What a fool I am! I am not only a burden to the train, but I have kept my bedding and trunk also as an additional burden over the train. It is only because of this load that the train is going slow." At once he lifted the trunk and bedding and placed it upon his head-to the amusement of co-passengers.
Similarly, man boards this train of life on earth. He is himself borne by some unseen power. But his wife (happiness) is in grave peril and he wishes to reach her quickly. Things do not always happen here as one wishes them to. The impatient man feels that if he takes on the responsibility of his family and children, of his business affairs and domestic concerns, on his own head, he would reach his destination-happiness-sooner. He forgets or is ignorant of the fact that in any case it is the train that carries him and all the weight that he might put either over his own head or down on the floor of the compartment. God is the protector of all. Yet the foolish man thinks that he is responsible for his wife and children, for his house, business, and property.
Parable Of The Man Who Lost His Mind
A man was playing cricket. Suddenly the ball hit him on the back of his head. His head reeled. Everything went dark. He fell down in a deathly swoon. He was removed to the hospital. After undergoing various operations and injections, he was brought back to consciousness. He asked for some-thing to eat. He cried looking with great fright upon the things around him. He began to question the people around him "Who are you?" "What is this?" The nurses realised that he had lost his mind. He had forgotten all his relatives; he was not able to tell whose son he was. The elderly nurse who brought him back to consciousness played the part of his mother. She adopted him as her son. The man believed that she was his real mother. He cultivated new friendships and made new friends. Hardly a year had elapsed before he was irresistibly drawn to the cricket field again. He played as well as he used to previously, though he could not recognise any of his old playmates. People marvelled at this strange transformation of the young man.
Even so does man play the game of life on this earth-plane. Death seizes him. Everything turns black around him. He loses consciousness. Messengers from the other world take him away; and cut him and torture him for the various sins he has committed while on earth. His consciousness is slowly revived on the earth-plane once again when a mother gives birth to him. He cries at the very sight of the strange things around him. He instinctively takes to his mother's breast and sucks milk. As he grows more and more conscious of the world, he begins questioning, "Who is this? What is this?" He has forgotten his real father and mother-God. The lady who gave him birth here says: "I am your mother." He accepts her as such. Then he develops a new set of relatives and friends. But very soon he begins to play the same old game of life, as he used to, irresistibly drawn by the previous life's Samskaras. Wise men marvel at this mystery of transmigration. Though the memory of his past birth is lost, the Samskaras and Vasanas are not lost! They lead him onward.
Parable Of The Greedy Pilgrim
A man wishing to go on a pilgrimage took a loan of Rs. 100 from his friend. He went to various places and then returned to his native place. When he met the friend from whom he borrowed the money, and when the latter demanded the amount, the pilgrim asked: "How much should I pay?" "Why, Rs. 100!" "Oh, you want the whole of it back?" What a wonderful question!
Equally wonder at the human being's conduct. The Jiva entered the vast field of Samsara and roamed about in various regions-as a mineral, as a plant, as an animal, and then as a man-with the help of the consciousness borrowed from God. In the human birth, the Jiva once again came very near the Home, viz., God. Now that the journey is nearly over, God demands that the borrowed consciousness be entirely given back to Him. In other words, man should realise that his entire soul belongs to God; and thus, his heart should be offered in its entirety to God. But foolish man, filled with lust and greed, with Moha and attachment, is reluctant to do so. What a great wonder! How powerful is Maya!
Chapter Two
Parable Of The Boy Who Watered The Root
A father wanted to test the intelligence of his two sons. He allotted to each of them the task of looking after a mango tree, promising to reward the boy whose tree yielded the best fruit in abundance. The foolish boy discovered that the leaves were withering off and that flowers were coming up at the end of the branches. Promptly he went up the tree and carefully watered every leaf. The leaves withered still more and the tree eventually died. The wise boy, on the other hand, went on watering the root; the tree was green and healthy and yielded delicious fruits in abundance.
Similarly, God gives human birth to man in order to test the evolution of his intelligence. The foolish man, eager to get the reward of Eternal Peace and Immortality, seeks to pay attention to the satisfaction of his sense-cravings, and to the acquisition of worldly knowledge, for he thinks that it is the right way. He dies the miserable death of an ignorant man. The wise man, on the contrary, devotes himself to the contemplation of God, the Root of all Creation, and thus obtains all the wealth and knowledge of the universe. God is well pleased with him and bestows upon him the reward of Immortality and Eternal Bliss.
Parable Of The Pandit And The Shawl
A Raja presented a rich Kashmiri shawl to a foolish Pandit. The Pandit had no idea of the value of the shawl. He at once wiped his nose and feet with the shawl. Irate at such stupidity, the Raja ordered that the shawl be taken away from the Pandit who did not know how to use it. And his peon snatched it away from the Pandit.
Similarly, this precious human birth has been bestowed upon us as a great gift by God. But the foolish man wastes it on woman, gold and fame. Death soon comes and snatches away this gift of God, grossly misused by man.
O man, utilise this precious human birth in Japa, study of scriptures, selfless service and meditation. Realise the Self and be free.
Parable Of The Cat In The Hammock
The man heard the soft, shrill noise of a baby crying, in the adjoining room. He thought that his baby-son had been disturbed in his sleep. He went to the room and found that there was movement in the hammock. He started singing a lullaby and rocking the hammock. This went on for nearly ten minutes, when, to his amazement, a cat jumped out of the hammock and ran away. Within the hammock he saw that. the cat had nicely punctured the baby's feeding-bottle and emptied the milk that was in it (The mother had taken the baby out).
Into the foolish man's ears fall the sweet, soft words of endearment that his wife and children utter. He is highly pleased and engages himself in serving them. This goes on for a considerable time, before he discovers that it was not their love for him that made them behave sweetly towards him, but their own selfishness. Inside the hammock of the household which he is managing, he does not find the child of people really devoted to him, but the cat of selfish relatives, who had throughout been busy emptying the milk of his own life and giving out joyous exclamations at having found such a fool as he is!
Brother, look into the hammock. The cat will jump out of the hammock. Do not be duped. Mind your business-the practice of Sadhana to attain Self-realisation.
Parable Of The Prostitute And Her Lover
A man was highly infatuated with a prostitute. He would spend hardly an hour at his own house even to take the delicious food prepared by his devoted wife. He never even looked at his wife, and in course of time almost forgot he had a wife, except at food-time. He had a very good friend and well-wisher who, realising that the man was heading towards great misery, took him aside one day and said: "Friend, you know how much I love you. Therefore, I request you to desist from visiting the prostitute." "Why? She is so nice to me and so beautiful. She is my very life. I can think of no enjoyment without her, and no life without her enjoyment." The friend said again: "I have a very good reason for asking you to give her up. You closely examine her body in the manner which I tell you. You will discover that she has got a fell disease. Contact with her will only make you succumb to this disease. Therefore, give her up." The man at once ran to the prostitute and examined her as instructed by the friend. He found out that the friend was correct. At that very moment great disgust for the prostitute entered his mind. He ran away from her house never even to pass by the street in which she lived. His wife was waiting for him in his house. She gave him untainted joy throughout his life-time. Later, even if, due to the force of previous habit, the man happened to pass by the street in which the prostitute lived, she herself would bolt the door and run inside, lest he should, in his anger towards her, abuse her and make it known to her other customers that she has the fell disease. The man, thereafter, constantly enjoyed the edifying company of his wife and enjoyed pure happiness.
Similar is the case of man's transformation. There is infinite bliss in his own heart. But he does not even care to look at this Self; he does not even know that It is there! All the time he is devoted to Maya, the objects of sense-enjoyments. Just for a little while-during deep sleep-he returns to his inner Self and there enjoys peace and happiness; but even then he does not even look at the Self, he does not realise that It is there. His eyes are blinded by ignorance. Now a Self-realised sage comes to him as his dearest friend and benefactor. He says: "O man, give up this Maya; abandon these sense-pleasures. Lo, behold! There is Supreme Bliss within the chambers of your heart. Go there and enjoy Infinite Bliss." But the man retorts: "What foolishness is this! How can there be happiness except in the objects of the senses? I derive the maximum pleasure in the sense-objects. I do not even believe there is any happiness outside these objects. I cannot live without them at all. How can I give them up?" But the sage pleads with the ignorant man: "Friend, look, I have a very good reason for asking you to abandon these sense-objects. They have a great taint. They are perishable and they are tainted with the character of bringing endless misery. Think of disease, think of old age, think of death, these are the qualities of the sense objects. When you waste your life over them, you get disease, old age and death. Give them up and enjoy immortality and eternal bliss." The man at once sits in a calm place and reflects over the sage's words. He realises the Truth. He banishes sense-objects from his mind. He runs back to his own home-the Seat of the Self-and there enjoys perennial peace and eternal bliss. Sometimes, on account of the force of previous Samskaras, he might even go very near the same old sense-objects. But, Maya runs away from him now, lest he should, when tempted by her, expose her nature to others, too, and prevent them from becoming her victims. Thus enjoying the Bliss of the Self throughout his life, he is eventually liberated.
Parable Of The Jalataranga Player And His Cup
A poor Jalataranga player was enjoying music in his dilapidated house, when it began to rain. Through the leaky roof, water began to drop right on his head. But he was not at all perturbed. Immediately, he took one of the cups which he was so long using to play on, and put it on his head. The cup received the water; and he went on playing as before, till the rain stopped, when he removed the cup from his head, and played on.
The poverty-stricken Jalataranga player can be compared to a young man who is not richly endowed with spiritual Samskaras. The building in which he lives, viz., the body, is not strong enough to resist the forces of nature; energy leaks through its avenues. As a Brahmachari, he studies Vedas and the scriptures in the Gurukula. He is enjoying the intellectual understanding of the great spiritual Truths. But when he becomes a full-fledged youth, there is a heavy downpour of opportunities favourable for the senses to be preyed upon by the forces of nature. He is not led away from the right path. He discovers that among the Sastras that he has been studying there are some which prescribe the Grihasthashram for a young man of his temperament. Thus he gets married. Though it is like carrying the burden of a family, it saves him from greater danger. He continues the music of Sadhana in Grihasthashrama. When the rain of temptations for sensual enjoyment stops, he renounces the world, and then continues the music of Sadhana, without having to carry the burden of the family on his head. He is indeed a wise man.
Parable Of The Koshakara Bird
The Koshakara bird lives inside the trunk of the tree. It bores a hole along the branch and builds its strong nest close to the bark. In order not to leave any room for invasion by any other creature, the bird goes on strengthening the nest on all sides, and leaves absolutely not a pin-hole in it! If it had left a hole it would get air to breathe. But since it is all blocked, for safety, the bird perishes inside.
Similarly, the Grihastha in his anxiety to shut out misery and pain, builds his nest of home and family, of his internal attitude to life, in such a way as to leave no room for any Vritti other than those of sense-indulgence (the material with which his cage is made), to enter his mind. If he had left one small hole of 'Vairagya' in this shell, he would breathe and be enabled to obtain food for the soul in due time. But since he does not allow even this, he perishes miserably within this hard and strong nest.
O man, even if you choose to enter the nest of Grihasthashrama, leave a little hole of 'Vairagya' in it, through which you can escape ' into the Wide World of God-realisation, when the time comes.
Parable Of The Man Who Was Afraid Of Mosquitoes
A resident of a village near a dense Himalayan forest did not get restful sleep in his house. There were countless mosquitoes that literally made a meal of him every night. Disgusted with this, he left the house and began to sleep in the jungle. He did not take the gun; he had no idea of the jungle. The cool breeze kept the mosquitoes away. He was happy. But a couple of days later, a tiger attacked him and killed him.
Similarly, a young man leaves the house, disgusted with its cares, worries and anxieties, and enters an Ashram. But he is not equipped with Sadhana-Chatushtaya, especially Vairagya. For a time, he seems to have attained the object of his quest; for in an Ashram he is not affected by cares, worries and anxieties. But soon, Maya over powers him and he falls a victim to lust, wealth or fame, and is lost.
Parable Of Two Businessmen
Two businessmen once set out for a distant land for doing business. They were both rich. They had heard well about the returns that their business would bring them in the new place. The first one, Rama, thought, "Let me invest my entire wealth. Even if the business be shaky in the beginning and there be initial losses, yet my foundation will be strong and I will gain in the long run." Accordingly, he invested his entire fortune and started the business in right earnest, on a well-established ground. With the usual losses in the beginning, he pulled on through the infant stages extraordinarily well and became a well-reputed businessman. As days passed by, he was getting from the establishment more profit than he ever dreamt of.
On the other hand, Govind, the second man, thought with a certain pessimistic attitude: "If I invest all my money and lose it, then I will neither have the profit from the new establishment, nor the fortune to live happily with the old wealth. So let me invest a little at first. If it is profitable, I will invest more and more of the old wealth; for, then, the new profits will help my living and there will not be any need for me to depend on the old wealth for my day-to-day living."
At first, he invested a little. That was consumed by the initial loss account. Then he invested a little, again. It too, was found to compensate only the initial loss without leaving him any profit. As years rolled on, he found that he had lost all his wealth and had nothing to live upon.
The two businessmen are like two spiritual aspirants.
Their going to a far off land is like the aspirants' going into seclusion for reaping a good spiritual harvest.
Like the businessman investing all his wealth at one time, an aspirant renounces his all at once. Like that businessman, the aspirant too, has got his shaky beginning, but has established himself well in the spiritual path. There is no fall back or final loss. He progresses rapidly and soon attains the bliss of spiritual life, the summum bonum of human existence.
Akin to Govind is that aspirant who takes to seclusion foregoing a little comfort, but keeping intact his old fortune to save him in times of need. The aspirant doubts: "If I give out all my wealth and also do not succeed in attaining the Goal, I may be forced afterwards to live like a beggar in this world. So let me keep something in store. On attaining that Bliss, I shall gladly give out this wealth. If I do not attain that bliss, I shall and can utilise this wealth in this world."
This aspirant like the second businessman, loses all his wealth when Time places its mighty hand upon him. Nor does he get the fruits of spiritual life, like Govind going without profit.
O man! Remember the words of the Lord:
"There is no initial loss here in spiritual effort, nor even reactions. Even a little understanding of this Truth (Law) will save you from very great danger."
Renounce your all, without any reservation; the fruits of spiritual life are there in your hands.
Parable Of The Two Birds And Garuda
A beautiful Garuda was flying high up in the skies. Two birds sitting on the ground watched the Garuda soar into the sky and float majestically at an incredible height. The younger bird felt waves of despair rise in its heart. "What is the use of flying at all," it said to the other bird. "If we fly, we should fly like the Garuda. If we can't, it is better to burn away our wings. I am not going to fly at all hereafter." The older bird replied: "Brother, this is not the right attitude. We, too, have wings. And, we can fly. We should not yield to despair. Let us do what we can. There is beauty in that." Saying so, the older bird flew away. The younger one had not got over its dejection, when a hunter came along and easily caught it.
A saint is ever soaring into the Divine and floating in the transcendental regions of Divine Bliss. All people cannot do that. But everyone has been endowed by God with some good qualities and some talents. Wisdom lies in utilising them as much as you can. If you do not, you are likely to fall a prey to Tamas and sink lower in the ocean of Samsara.
Chapter Three
Parable Of The Blind Leading The Blind
Fifty blind men were sitting in a Dharmashala. They were born blind. They all wanted to go to a distant place of pilgrimage. Four other blind men came along and joined this group. They said they were also going to the same place. "Friends," said the leader of the fifty, "we are blind and cannot find our way to the sacred shrine. Will you be able lead us? Do your eyes see?" "Yes, my dear friends," replied the four, "we have heard a lot about the sacred city and the way to reach it. We have a clear mental picture of the route. Though we do not see it with our eyes, we are confident that we shall not only reach our destination, but lead you all there with us. Follow us." They tied one another with a long rope. The best one among the four led the way. He had a mental idea of the way, no doubt; it was not of much avail. He was misled. Soon he fell into a deep ravine. Bound to him, the other blind men, not knowing where he was leading them, also fell into the ditch, one by one. All of them perished.
Similar is the case with the masses today. They hear of the Land of perennial Bliss, the Land where Holiness and Divinity abound. But they know not the way. They are waiting to be led there. In the meantime a few other blind men arrive there. They have heard a lot about the Kingdom of God. They have great intellectual understanding. They think they know the way, and not only that, they can lead others also. They are the scientists and scientific philosophers. They promise to lead the masses to the Kingdom or Immortal Bliss. The credulous public follows them. These leaders have a great intellect, but no self-control and experience. They go where their cravings and Vasanas and desires lead them. They fall into a terrible ditch of sensuousness, of materialism, and perish. All their followers also perish.
Hearken ye, all men; follow not the blind misleaders. Follow the sages who have the eye of intuition and attain the Abode of Supreme Bliss.
Parable Of The Cunning Man And Four Fools
A man went into a park. All the cement benches were occupied. He was tired and wanted a little rest. None of the occupants of the benches seemed inclined to vacate them. He thought of the best plan. He moved towards the corner of the park and started looking up, pretending to be wonder-struck at the sight. Thus he created eagerness in the four people, occupying the nearest bench, to see what astonished him. Drawn by the curiosity, they left the bench and came near him. As soon as they were near him, he turned round and went straight to the bench and stretched himself on it comfortably. Before they could find out what it was that he saw, he had settled down to a nice sleep. The four fools argued for a long time as to what he saw, but could not come to the correct conclusion.
This is what happens to many people in the world. Frequently a scientist or a politician springs up. He wants to lead a comfortable life with a good name and fame, power and position. He is intelligent; he finds that the common man is a fool who could be easily deceived. This scientist or politician pretends that he has discovered something astounding. People gather around him and worry themselves over his discovery. They enter into endless controversies among themselves over the nature of his discovery; while he himself settles himself down with a fat bank account, roaring fame, all comforts and conveniences.
O fool, be not deceived by the pretender. Approach the sage of true wisdom. He will enlighten you and lead you to the goal, Eternal Bliss and Perennial Peace.
Parable Of The Millionaire's Messenger
A millionaire wanted to send an urgent message to another rich man living in a neighbouring town. He called his best clerk and handed him the message saying: "Please take this urgently to my friend." The messenger delivers the message to the other rich man. This haughty rich man accepts the message and indifferently tells the messenger: "I hope you have had your food; if you haven't, take this fruit and get away." The messenger was deeply hurt. He goes away. A poor man on the way meets the messenger and with great love and solicitude offers a glass of cool water. The messenger is greatly pleased and refreshes himself with the water. The messenger reports the whole matter to the master who, realising that the insult heaped upon his messenger was verily insult to his own person, looks with disfavour upon the rich man who thenceforward lives estranged from the millionaire. The poor man is amply rewarded.
Similarly, God sends mankind His Messengers in the form of saints and sages. They come to the earth with the message of hope, of joy, of immortality. The haughty man filled with the pride of wealth, position and power, builds an Ashram for the saint or donates lakhs of rupees for the saint's mission;-but all these tainted by arrogance, Ahamkara and Abhimana. This does not please the saint. A poor man, on the other hand offers the saint a flower, a fruit or just water; and with it, he offers his heart to the saint. The saint is well pleased with him. Through the saint the Lord knows the comparative merits of the rich man and the poor one. He punishes the arrogant rich man and rewards the devout poor man. What matters is Bhava, the feeling; quality, not quantity.
Parable Of The Pseudo-Bhakta
Once there lived a coward who had a great desire to present himself before the eyes of the public as a great devotee of Lord Narasimha. He had neither courage nor wisdom; neither devotion nor sincerity. He went to a tattooer to get tattooed on his back the figure of Lord Narasimha. Thereby he thought that people would take him for a staunch devotee.
The tattooer began his work calmly. Within a couple of minutes, the coward, unable to bear the pin-pricks, and obsessed by the fearful thought that a lively Narasimha is coming to sit on his back, tremblingly asked, "Which portion of the Lord are you tattooing?" The tattooer replied that he was just beginning with the legs. The coward said, "Sir, the leg of the Lord gives very much pain. Pray, I don't want His legs. Please tattoo some other part of the Lord." The tattooer again started with the hands of the Lord and the coward replied in the same old way. Then the tattooer began with the head and when he announced it, the very thought of Lord Narasimha's head made the coward tremble violently, and he at once ran away crying aloud, "Lord Narasimha has been pleased with me. He has taken his seat on my back. Look, O men. Look, how great a devotee I am." The people saw on his back a few awkward scratchings made by the tattooer and mocked at the coward, and pitied his folly and ignorance.
The world is full of pseudo-Jnanins, pseudo-Vedantins, pseudo-Yogins. These persons are cowards, but they want to pose for great Yogins and Bhaktas. They do not possess the will to submit themselves to a Guru and learn patiently what the Guru teaches. They cannot face the obstacles in the spiritual path. They just catch a word or two that comes from the Guru's mouth and go about preaching the public under the impression that they have become realised persons. They are just like the coward who thought that Lord Narasimha has taken His abode on his back.
O man! Submit yourself wholeheartedly to a Guru. He will write a full ineffable picture of the Lord in your mind. Even without your exhibiting it, the public will come to know about the worth of that painting. Bear in mind that you shall have to face the obstacles and overcome them.
Be bold. Be courageous. Be patient. Be earnest.
Parable Of The Brahmanishtha And His Disciple
Once upon a time there lived a certain Brahmanishtha Guru. He was fully immersed in enlightening all humanity with his intuitive knowledge and experience, through all possible means, through delivering sermons, writing books, giving counsels, etc. He employed a certain disciple of his to take down notes, and compile the books. In course of time, the disciple virtually became a gramophone record, always repeating the words and expressions of the Guru. In so doing, he was puffed up with vanity and pride. He went about telling, "What does the Guru know? I remember by heart so many things. I can quote all the scriptures. I am a full-fledged Jnani who knows everything." In short, he became a renegade.
At one time, one of the Guru's devotees was bereaved of a family member. The Guru pitched upon that renegade-disciple and asked him to condole for the bereaved family. The disciple duly went to the bereaved family and began in right earnest to deliver a Vedantic sermon. It all looked like a deaf man referring to cross-purposes. The inmates of the house were still putting on a sad face. All on a sudden, the Guru appeared in person before them. His very presence made them cheerful and happy and forget the loss of the member of their family. The Guru spoke but a word or two; and all of them were instantaneously transformed.
Remember the Kenopanishad, "Which one cannot think with the mind; by which the mind is known" etc.
Intellectual and theoretical philosophers live in vain in this world. They are of no use to humanity. Their talks do fall on the ears of the public like the Vedantic sermon given by the disciple to the bereaved family.
Can the moon say that it shines by its own light, that it helps you with its own light, that its light is superior to that of the sun? When the sun rises, the truth of the greatness of moon's light is plainly known.
So too where there is intuitive experience and knowledge, knowledge arising by itself in an experiencing heart, of what use is the knowledge of the brain?
Sages and saints and men of realisation live to enlighten all humanity. Even if they keep quiet, their very presence is able to transform all humanity, whereas a dry intellect cannot enlighten even one individual.
O man! Forget your intellectual attainments. The knowledge that you possess is not yours, but it belongs to the Lord. Acknowledge His superiority and submit to His will.
Parable Of The Good-Natured Youth And The Beautiful Girl
There once lived a young handsome youth who was proverbially good to all. He never did an act, either directly or indirectly, detrimental to human progress and good. Once he went about on a tour. On his way, he met a beautiful girl and immediately fell in love with her. She, too, did not object to it. Without much delay and deliberations, the young man returned to his house with the girl. But, prior to the date fixed for marriage, the young man learnt all about the girl's love for some other youth, as evinced by her through her actions. Without hesitation, he got her married to that man. A year passed by. The girl was about to forget the kindness of the good-natured youth. The youth, taking the help of a magician gave the girl a certain drug in the form of sweetmeat, on taking which she developed hatred for her husband; and abandoning him, returned to the good-natured youth. Thenceforth, they lived a happy life till the end of their life.
God and Guru are synonymous. They are comparable to the good-natured youth. All things that they do are always for the good of the individual and the universe.
The youth picking the girl is like God or the Guru choosing the disciple from the world.
The girl's love for another man is akin to the devotee's or disciple's love for earthly things. God and Guru allow it in the case of their beloved devotee and disciple. But when the individual is about to forget God or Guru, they through their mysterious spiritual powers (comparable to the magician's drug) turn the mind of the individual from all earthly objects and take him to their own respective abodes.
Their act of diverting the individual from worldly pursuits is transcendental, unquestionable. But, it is for the great good of the individual.
Parable Of The Well-Cooked Feast
Once upon a time there lived a Brahmanishtha Guru with a certain disciple of his. They were both living in one and the same Kutir. The disciple duly studied and mastered the various scriptures. He also served the Guru day and night.
His proximity with the Guru made him think that he was the only beloved disciple of the Guru. This further led him to believe that the other disciples, who were wandering hither and thither all through the year and occasionally visited the Guru, were not truly devoted to the Guru. All that only strengthened his ego.
One wintry night, the disciple returned to the Kutir after finishing some outdoor work. He heard the voice of another disciple, an occasional visitor, inside the Kutir. He knocked at the door. The Guru asked, "Who is that?" The disciple replied, as usual, "It is I, please open the door."
The Guru replied, "I am enjoying a well-cooked feast. There is no room for a second one in my feast."
The disciple misunderstood the Guru. He thought he was belittled and insulted before an occasional visiting Gurubhai, almost a stranger for all practical purposes. So, being annoyed and offended, he left the place immediately and went about wandering aimlessly.
As days rolled by, his heart, mind and ego got thoroughly burnt by the fire of separation from the Guru. His heart and mind, his very being as well, were cooked well by the fire of Viraha (separation). He forgot himself and went almost mad with Guru-Bhakti.
One day, all on a sudden, he rushed towards the Guru's Kutir and kept on knocking at the door aloud: "Gurudev, Gurudev" in a rich love-laden tone. That very sound drowned even the Guru's usual and formal question, "Who is that?" His mind was filled with the presence of his Gurudev alone. He was blind to everything, nay, neither he nor the universe existed for him; only the Guru existed.
The Guru knew well the voice of his disciple. He could no longer wait. He, too, rushed out and affectionately embraced the disciple, saying "I am now enjoying a well-cooked feast. There is no room for a second one in my feast."
God is omnipresent and non-dual. There is no room for a second one to exist by Him. There is no room for that little self of man in this vast universe.
As long as the little ego persists, you, too, should be wandering in the dark, undergoing all hardships like the proud disciple. In that state your being religious, your visiting temples and places of worship, your observing austerities - all those things cannot make you the beloved of God.
You should have Ananya-Bhakti, love of God for God's sake. Mere service of God with the thought "I am serving God" cannot become Ananya-Bhakti.
When your ego is consumed by the fire of Viraha, when your heart and mind are well cooked in that fire, nay, when your love for God is well cooked over the fire of separation, and becomes delicious and palatable to Him, when, in that state, neither you nor this universe exist to you, but only He exists filling your heart and mind, then and then alone, will you become the beloved of God. He will then rush towards you and embrace you like the Guru embracing the disciple.
Then both of you will enjoy a well-cooked feast at which there will be no room for a second one.
Kill the little self and say: "O Lord! All this is Thy Own Self"
Parable Of The Suspicious Man Who Got Drowned
Two men are standing on a rock in an ocean, away from the shore. It is getting dark. Clouds are gathering in the sky. Even a sight of the shore is lost. Waves are lashing on the rock. The ocean is getting turbulent.
In that darkness a man appears before them. "Come with me, I shall take you to the shore," he says.
The wise man readily follows him.
But the fool questions: "How will you take us across the waters?"
"I have got a boat with me," says the newcomer.
"I am ready to come with you," says the wise man.
"No, I won't come," says the fool; "suppose the boat is defective or the man is a dacoit?"
The wise man gets into the boat and safely reaches the shore, guided by the boatman. The fool is quickly swallowed up by the rising waves of the ocean.
Floating along in this ocean of Samsara, the Jiva, after great struggle, gets this boon of a human birth. The other shore of safety has not yet been reached. Time is fleeting. The evening of life has set in. Eye-sight is lost. The eye of wisdom is blinded by the gathering clouds of materialism and disharmony. Perplexed and prayerful the man stands on the rock of individual life.
The Guru comes to him with the boat of the Lord's Name or of Bhakti. He beckons man to follow him and get into the boat and thus safely cross over to the shore. The wise man readily does so. But the fool has a thousand doubts and a million misgivings. He questions the bona fides of the Guru, and the validity of Bhakti. Very soon he is once again swallowed up in the huge ocean of Samsara; and, sunk in it, he has lost the greatest opportunity of saving himself, given to him by God.
Parable Of The Luxurious Man
He was very rich. He led a luxurious life. He ate delicious dishes. He would throw away anything which does not come up to his highly developed sense of taste. This high living gave him violent dysentery. The doctor prescribed for him the most bitter pill. "Unless you take this bitter pill, you will die," he said. Without another word, the man took the pill and became well. Once for all he gave up the life of luxury so that he might never again fall sick.
When there is abundance of energy, in the full bloom of youth, man leads a sensuous life. He is accustomed only to the best of everything! He would scoff at renunciation, self-sacrifice, self-denial, etc. He is not interested in anything that does not give him the maximum sensual pleasure.
His physical energy is depleted. The Guru comes to him and points out to him that he is suffering from the most deadly disease of birth and death. He gives him the bitter pill of renunciation, self-sacrifice and self-denial. Because this is the only way of escaping from the disease of birth and death, the man swallows the pill, and resolves at that very moment, never to revert to his old life of luxury, of Godlessness and heedlessness.
Parable Of The T. B. Patient
A man is suffering from tuberculosis. The doctor finds that the disease cannot be got rid of so long as the patient is alive. Yet, he does not want to say so. Very encouragingly, he tells the patient: "Brother, you can be completely cured. But you must realise that the disease is a very serious one. it cannot be cured by medicine alone. You will have to observe strict dietetic restrictions. Then you can easily get rid of the disease." The patient assures the doctor that he would observe the dietetic regulations in strict accordance with his instructions. The doctor gives the medicine. The medicine is only an excuse for imposing the wholesome dietetic regulations on the patient. The patient takes the medicines and observes the dietetic regulations for some time and finds that the disease does not cause positive misery to him. With great joy he continues the treatment. The disease does not leave him altogether; but it does not cause much trouble, either. The disease lies within him, without manifesting itself; and dies with his natural death.
Similarly, when an aspirant approaches a spiritual preceptor, he lays before the preceptor his history, the many sins he has committed and the many evil Samskaras that are within him. The preceptor discovers that all of them spring from the greatest disease of ignorance, Mula-Ajnana, which can be cured only when the body-idea disappears. Yet, the Guru initiates the aspirant into a Mantra and says: "This is a very good medicine; but unless you practice Ahimsa, Satya and Brahmacharya, unless you get up at Brahmamuhurta and meditate, unless you are regular in your Sadhana, it will not be of much use. You must do selfless service, be devoted to God, meditate. Then you will be rid of this inner malady." The aspirant takes to the Mantra and practices the Sadhana. Soon he finds that he has a light heart, a clear mind and a subtle intellect. His conscience is clear. Encouraged by these salutary signs, he continues both the Mantra-Japa and the Sadhana. The evil Vrittis die by themselves within his Antahkarana, as they have no chance to manifest themselves. If, by God's Grace, he gets spiritual enlightenment before his death, with the death of his body, his Ajnana also dies, and he gets cured of this terrible disease of birth and death.
Parable Of The Deluded Pilgrim
Thousands of people were arriving at Rishikesh to have a dip in the holy Ganga. One man was rushing into the station and purchasing a ticket for Madras. Astonished that he should leave Rishikesh on such a holy day, without taking the opportunity to bathe in the Ganga, a pilgrim asked the man: "Brother, are you not going to be at Rishikesh on this holy day and take bath in the Ganga? Can you not postpone your visit to the South?" The man replied: "Friend, what is there in Ganga? I have taken bath in the Ganga day-in and day-out for several years. I have heard that he who takes bath in the Tamrapami river in the extreme South of India gets great merit. So, I am proceeding there." The people laughed at his foolishness.
People living with a great saint for a long time, often let their devotion to him wane. While millions of people from all parts of the world come to the saint to have his Darshan, the very disciples of the saint who are near him always feel that their salvation lies in some pilgrimage or in some Sadhana, to practice which they have to leave him! It is a great pity. It is better not to be over-familiar with saints and always keep the flame of devotion to their lotus-feet bright within you, unless your devotion to them is firmly established.
Parable Of The Sheep And The Wolf
A man was guarding a large herd of sheep. He sat on a small mound and drove away all the wolves that tried to approach the herd, even when the wolves were at a great distance. Evening set in. The man thought within himself: "Throughout the day I could deal beautifully with the wolves; not one could ever come anywhere near the herd. Nothing will happen at night, either. The wolves may not come at all; and even if they come, I will deal with them properly." Night fell. Whenever the wolves howled near the herd, the man would shout and imagine the wolves had run away. But throughout the night, the wolves were busy carrying away several sheep. When the sun rose again, the man discovered that more than half the herd had been taken away from him. He became wiser and even while the sun was shining the next day, he gathered enough fuel and lit a very big torch which drove away the western horizon; and in the blazing light of the torch he was able to see clearly and keep the wolves away.
Even so is the case with the Sadhaka. So long as he is in the living presence of the sun of his spiritual preceptor, he is able to guard the sheep of his spiritual Samskaras from being devoured by the wolves of vices. The deluded Sadhaka imagines that as he is able to guard the sheep against the wolves in the presence of the sun of his Guru, he is proof against sin. He feels that sins would not even approach him now! He ventures out. He wanders away from the preceptor, imagining that he is a Jivanmukta. He delivers fiery lectures attacking sin, vicious life, and Maya. But in the darkness of ignorance, made manifest in the absence of the Guru near him, the Sadhaka loses most of his virtues. Silently the wolves of vices, against which he himself has been shouting all the time, enter him and rob him of the greater part of his virtue. Then, when he returns to the Guru (if, by God's Grace, he himself had not been swallowed by the wolves of vice before his returning to the Guru), he discovers that he has lost much of his spiritual wealth by going away from the Guru. Becoming wiser, he now busies himself in acquiring the fuel of Sadhana-Chatushtaya, Yama, Niyama, etc. Even while he is in the living presence of his Guru, he lights up the torch of Discrimination. When this torch is lit, darkness does not approach him at all; and the wolves of vices do not trouble him any more. Then is he, really a Yogi and Jivanmukta. The light of the Guru shines for ever in and through him.
Chapter Four
Parable Of The Mourning Bird
Two birds, one male and the other female, had built a nest on the branches of a tree. They had a small family of young ones. Generally, the male bird would go out in search of food, while the female guarded the young ones. One day, when the male bird was out, a hunter came and aimed at the female bird. Though the female bird saw this, she was unwilling to fly away, lest the hunter should kill the young ones. Finding his opportunity, the hunter brought down the female bird with one arrow. The male bird just then returned to the nest and finding the dead female in the hands of the hunter, began to weep and wail along with the young ones. If, instead of that it had betaken itself to its wings, it would have escaped alive. But as it sat thus mourning over the death of its mate, the hunter aimed another arrow at it and brought it down, too. Then he had only to climb the tree and collect the young ones. The entire family thus perished without an effort at saving itself.
Thus is the case with human beings here. The parents are greatly attached to their children and grandchildren, and do not notice the approaching death; even when death stares them in their face, attachment blinds them and they cling to their children, while death inevitably drags them away. When a dear one dies, it is a signal for the bereaved person to betake himself to his wings of Viveka and Vairagya and fly away to the Realms of the Immortal, by doing rigorous Sadhana. On the contrary, the bereaved one wails over the loss and gets more and more attached to the family. The hunter (death) easily gets the next victim. Thus, one by one, people enter the house of Yama, without offering the least resistance. Even though they know that the death is inevitable, they sit idle inviting it, instead of busying themselves in conquering it. O man, you have the wings of Viveka and Vairagya; fly away before the hunter takes you away.
Parable Of The Professional Bargainer
After taking much toddy, a man went into a milk-stall and took some sweets and Pan (betel leaves). On coming out, he extolled the quality of milk sold in that stall, and said in an impressive way, "I have had just now a cup of milk in that shop. See, it has refreshed me and has given me enough strength and energy to come and roar in front of you. You, too, go to that shop and taste that milk."
The Pan cannot prevent his mouth from giving out the toddy-smell. His actions were not steady and betrayed his state of intoxication. People readily understood that that man has taken not milk but toddy and that he spoke not for guiding others along the proper lines, but to earn a wage, to procure money, for fulfilling his cravings. Therefore the Public condemned him and shunned him.
The bargainer-cum-drunkard is like the religious hypocrite who goes about preaching religion to earn money to satisfy his lower desires. Such people trade upon the religious faith of the public.
These hypocrites first plan well. They go to some spiritual resort for a short stay, like the drunkard going to the milk-stall. They put on external marks to cover their lower nature, like the drunkard chewing Pan. They, then go about preaching, posing themselves for fully realised sage, and talk about the heavenly bliss that they are enjoying. They talk impressively, but the public do understand their lower nature and cravings. These false preachers are condemned and shunned from every quartet
O man! your actions betray your thoughts. You cannot pose for that which you are not. Know this, and mould yourself. Become a true spiritual hero, and not a hypocrite.
Parable Of The Gardener And The Shep Herd
A gardener was proceeding towards his master's house one morning, with a flower-pot on his head; and in the flower-pot was a beautiful, green plant, for growing which the gardener had taken immense pains. On the way he met his friend, the shepherd, who was going to his house with a sheep slung on his shoulders. The gardener had not met the shepherd for some time. He greeted the shepherd with a big smile and the two began to talk. When the exchange of news came to an end, they went their way. The gardener wanted to take a look at the plant, before he entered the master's house. He lowered the pot from his head. To his horror, he discovered that there was not a leaf left in it, and that it was all but a naked stem. The sheep which his friend had around his shoulders had eaten away all the leaves while he was busy talking to him. How could he enter his master's house without the plant? He, therefore, returned to the garden, sorely disappointed.
A Sadhaka cultivates divine virtues in the garden of his heart. He has to struggle hard and exert much in order to cultivate even a single virtue. The virtue is a passport for him to enter his Master's House, the Kingdom of God. He carries the pot of his virtues, as it were, while proceeding to the Kingdom of God. But during his journey of life here, he meets a 'friend', who has with him the eater of virtue, viz., vice. Contact with this friend seems to be amusing to the man of virtue. But this is costly friendship. Very soon, the virtuous man discovers that the company of the 'friend' has denuded him of his virtues. He has lost the passport to the kingdom of God. He has to return to this world of pain and death, sorely disappointed.
O man, beware of wrong company. Have Satsanga. You will be spiritually elevated.
Parable Of Jaggery God's Naivedya
Having heard of the efficacy of worshipping the image of Vinayaka prepared out of jaggery, a man wanted to perform daily Puja to a jaggery-idol. He was a great miser. He did not want to spend much money on the Puja. Anyhow, he got the idol prepared and commenced the Puja. When the time came for offering Naivedya (food-offering) to the Lord, the miser did not know what to do. He had not brought anything for Naivedya, nor was he willing to purchase anything. He found that the idol had a big belly (Vinayaka is supposed to have had a big belly); and the belly was made of jaggery. "This jaggery itself will do for Naivedya," he thought. With a pen-knife, he cut a small piece of the Vinayaka's belly, placed that jaggery on a plate and offering it to the idol as Naivedya. To teach him a lesson, Vinayaka made him such a pauper that he had to feed on his own flesh and die a miserable death.
Some people approach saints and sages with impious intentions. They have heard that the worship of saints bestows all prosperity and glory on them. They approach the saints and speak honeyed words. They are misers. They will not spend even a pie on charity. They will even go to the extent of deceiving the saints taking flowers and fruits from the saint's own abode and making a show of offering them to him! Even the little of prosperity and intelligence they have is taken away from them; and they eventually die a miserable death, sunk in ignorance and delusion.
Parable Of The Patient Poor Man
There was a rich old noble who lived in a great palace. There also lived nearby a poor man in a dilapidated hut, who subsisted on crumbs of food cast away by others. But he was ever cheerful, and never complained of his ill-luck.
Once it so happened that the poor man had nothing to eat for a long while. So he went to the rich noble for help. The old noble received him kindly and asked what for he had come. The poor man said that for days he had nothing to eat and that he would be happy if he was given some food. "Is that all!" said the noble. "Come, sit down!" Then he called-out; "Boy! A very important guest has come to dine with me. Ask the chief to make ready the dinner at once, and bring some water to wash our hands."
The poor man was surprised. He had heard that the noble was a very kind man, but he did not expect such a ready welcome. He was all praise about his host. The noble at once interrupted him and said, "Don't mention it, my friend. Let us sit down for the feast." And the old noble began to rub his hands as if some water was poured on them and asked the poor man why he did not wash his hands.
The poor man found no boy or water but decided that he should do what he was told, and so he pretended to wash his hands likewise. "Now let us sit down to dinner," said the noble, and began to order various delicious dishes. But there was no trace of any food or even a single bearer.
Then the noble said to the poor man, "We have such wonderful feast before us. Enjoy yourself, my friend. You must finish all these fine dishes." And the noble pretended to eat from imaginary plates.
The poor man was faint with hunger, but kept his wits. He did not allow despair to overcome him. He also pretended to eat from the empty table. The noble now and then exclaimed, "What a delicious soup! The curry is wonderful, isn't it my friend?" The poor man replied, "Sure, sure!" "Then why not have some more," and the noble pretended to dish out some imaginary curry. Likewise, he pressed more and more imaginary dishes on the poor man and asked him if they tasted all right.
Though desperately hungry, the poor man thanked his host profusely and said that he had never eaten such a glorious feast in his life. He did not betray a sign of remorse. He kept on maintaining the face cheerfully without the least affectation, as though everything was real.
The noble was a generous person. He was a man of charitable disposition. He wanted to test whether the poor man would give way to despair. He had heard of his reputation that he never lost patience. He thought that such a contented, cheerful person as this poor man should not starve and suffer from poverty. But he had his doubts. So he himself wanted to test him. Now he found that, all that was said about him was true.
The noble then clapped his hands and a retinue of servants came in with all the delicious dishes he had been mentioning. An elaborate dinner was laid on the table. This time the poor man did not have to pretend. He now ate heartily with the noble.
After they had finished their meals, the noble said, "Friend, you are a man of infinite patience. You know well how to make best of everything and bear adversity cheerfully. You are the man I was looking for to manage one of my farms. You should live with me hereafter."
Thereupon the poor man did not have to suffer any more from poverty.
This story has several lessons for the common man to learn. When the poor man went to the rich man, he did not ask for any charity so that he might dispense with begging for some days. This shows that he was not greedy. He lived in the present. He wanted some food and he asked for only that. Now, if he had asked for some money, he would have got it, and would have spent it in a few days, only to revert back to his former poverty. He did not ask any more than what he needed immediately, and this paved the way for his good luck in being employed in the rich man's farm.
When the poor man was harassed by his host with imaginary dishes, he did not lose his patience in spite of his extreme hunger. If he had done so, he would have been asked to get out and would have lost his dinner as well as his unforeseen appointment.
He did not either complain about his ill-luck or bewail his misfortune as an ordinary beggar would have done before a rich man.
Hence the moral is that one must be patient and make the best of everything. One should learn to bear adversity cheerfully, do one's best, pray to God, and trust in His grace. One should never complain about one's misfortune. As one soweth so one reapeth. Hence there is no use in bewailing ill luck. One must learn how to master courage and build one's destiny through self-effort.
Patience is golden. Without patience life will be a total failure. One important point in this story is that when one goes to somebody for any favour, one should be prepared, to nod to his tune, if anything is to be expected from him.
Greed and the Grace of God cannot live together. Where there is greed, there good luck can hardly exist. One should learn to live in the present, and ask for nothing more than one's due.
With patience, cheerfulness, contentment and amiable disposition one should learn to make the best of the circumstances one is situated in.
Parable Of A King And His Hawk
A king had trained a hawk for purposes of hunt and reconnoitre. He used to take the hawk with him whenever he went out. Once the king and his huntsmen were riding home through a valley between the desert dunes. The king felt very thirsty. As he rode along the valley he found, to his great joy, some water dribbling down the edge of a rock. He at once dismounted and held out his silver goblet to collect some water. Meanwhile, his pet hawk which he carried with him, flew out and began to circle over the dunes.
After some time, when the cup was full, the king raised it to drink the crystal clear water with great eagerness. But before he could do so, the hawk suddenly swooped down from above and flapped its wing against the cup, so that all the water was spilled.
The king looked up and saw his pet hawk alight upon the top of the rock from where the water trickled down. He picked up the cup and held it again to collect the trickling drops. He had to wait a long time until the cup was full, and then when he was about to drink the water, the hawk dived down as before and knocked out the cup from the king's hand.
The king grew very angry. He collected the water again with great patience and for the third time the hawk did not allow the king to drink it.
The king was furious by now. He drew out his sword and shouted at the hawk: "This is the last time. If you prevent me from drinking the water, you will pay with your life." He collected the water again patiently, and this time he was wary with his sword as he raised the cup to drink the water. The hawk did come down again and knock out the cup, but as it did so, the king cut off its head with a quick sweep of the sword.
He grunted, "Now you had your lesson!" As he looked down for his cup, he saw that it had fallen inside a crevice where he could not get down. So he began to climb up the rock to drink from the source. When he reached the top, he found there a pool of water inside which there was a dead poisonous snake. The king was stupefied. He no longer remembered his thirst but only thought of his hasty action which resulted in the killing of the hawk which saved his life. The king then resolved, "I have learnt a bitter lesson today, i.e., never to do anything in haste."
Haste is the mother of grief. Develop discriminative power. Think well, and then act. Look before you leap.
Parable Of The King And The Astrologer
A king produced his horoscope before an astrologer and asked him about his future. The astrologer pondered the positions of the planets and consulted the Sastras and finally gave his verdict: "Maharaja, all your relatives will die before you, you will perform their obsequies with your own hands." The king became furious. He was very much attached to his relatives and could not tolerate such a verdict. The king at once ordered that the poor astrologer should be given imprisonment for life.
Then the king sent for another astrologer. This man was more tactful than the first. He found that the previous astrologer's readings were absolutely correct. So, he tactfully put the same truth the other way round. He said: "Maharaja, you have a very long life. You will live longer than all your relatives." This also meant that all his relatives would die while the king was alive. The same fact had been very tactfully told to please the king. The king was highly pleased with the astrologer and gave him rich and costly presents.
Therefore it is said that even while telling the truth, one should tell it in a pleasant manner. Even a truth should not be told in a way that will hurt the feelings of others. If it is told so, it is tantamount to untruth only. Your speech should be truthful, pleasant and beneficial.
Parable Of The Bearded Man And Gruel
Once a man with long beard and moustache was offered a glass of gruel (paste-like porridge) that will stick to the beard and moustache and spoil both. He liked the gruel so much that he could not afford to lose it. He also liked his beard and moustache which he tended so carefully and lovingly everyday. In his efforts to drink the gruel without spilling it on his moustache or beard, he took great care and exercised much caution in holding the glass at a distance, and the net result was that the entire gruel fell on the ground and nothing went into his mouth.
The bearded man is like a half-baked aspirant. His tending the beard and moustache is akin to the half-baked aspirant's devoting his time to keeping his physical cloak neat and beautiful.
The gruel is the wisdom-nectar that the spiritual teacher offers unto him.
In his efforts to keep the body free from pain, affliction, austerities, etc., the half-baked aspirant tries to keep himself aloof from the practice of Sadhana. He thinks that without doing practical Sadhana, he can derive permanent happiness in life.
Nor can he forgo heeding the instructions of the spiritual teacher, because they promise him the highest good. And the instructions that he receives from the Guru never do him any good, for he wastes them due to his folly. So, too, his stay with the Guru proves to be of no use to him. He has to learn much from experience, and then change his attitude. He has to abandon his love for the body and for bodily comforts, try to be benefited by his proximity to the Guru, by the instructions that he receives from the Guru.
Immortal Life is for the Spirit and not for the flesh. You can enjoy the former, only when you transcend the latter.
Parable Of The Heiress Who Marries The Ugly Man
There once lived a beautiful young heiress to a very great fortune. Many young men sought her hand in marriage. But she preferred to choose an ugly-looking poor youth who became perverted and unsteady in his worldly activities, on account of his love for that young lady. When the other suitors asked her the reason for her selecting a man who had neither good looks, nor wealth nor brain when compared to them, she replied:
"You can never be compared to that poor man; nor do you possess his eyes which are able to see both the worlds."
To be awake in love is hypocrisy.
The young heiress can be compared to the Lord possessing all wealth.
The poor, ugly-looking youth is compared with a devout aspirant who knows not anything beyond the Lord, to whom all the three worlds are verily found within his goal, there being nought besides it.
The other suitors are like devotees who pray for gifts from the Lord, but not for the Lord Himself.
To be awake in love is hypocrisy, for thereby you do not love the beloved for what the beloved is worth independently, but for the beloved's external beauty and riches.
To be awake to the external world is to forget the Spirit. It is worse than sleep.
Whether it is Vedanta or Bhakti or Yoga, it is all the same, as far as the main aim is concerned. You should forget the external world, be blind to it, and see all space and time within your Goal, the inner Reality.
Then the Self will reveal Its nature unto you; then God will love you and choose you as His best devotee.
Parable Of The Snake And The Rat
A venomous cobra had been caught and put in a basket. It was starving within. Intending to subdue it thoroughly and bring it under his control, the snake-charmer had given it no food at all for several days. The snake-charmer was away. Over the basket a rat was playing. The cobra knew it was the rat. It addressed the rat thus: "O Rat Maharaja! You are so kind and generous. You are indeed the king of all animal kingdom. Kindly shower your grace upon me!" The rat listened: "Who are you, speaking from within the basket? Are you not the cobra, my greatest enemy? Why do you flatter me like that?" "I am not flattering you, the Emperor of emperors," replied the cobra. "I hereby swear that I shall never again touch any rat in my life. Therefore, be gracious towards me." Pleased with the humble attitude of the cobra and the words of praise that it had uttered, the rat said: "O cobra, you are true; I am the Emperor of emperors now, because I am beyond your reach. You are nicely caught in the basket. I am pleased with your words. Now tell me what shall I do for you." The cobra replied: "May my forked tongue ever sing the glories, Maharaja! I pray that you might make a small hole on the top of the basket. This you can do in a minute; and that is all the favour I crave for." "Pooh!" said the proud rat, "Is it for this small favour that you have been so humbly praying to me? I will do it in a second." The rat instantly set to work. Even before the hole could be completely made, the cobra sprang out of the basket and swallowed the rat first, before escaping from the snake-charmer's dwelling. On the way the cobra met the snake-charmer and bit him hard, so that he, too, died of the poison.
The Snake-charmer is the Sadhaka. The snake is the vicious mind-the lower impure mind full of vicious Samskaras and Vasanas. The basket is the little Tapasya and Sadhana that the Sadhaka does to keep the vicious Samskaras in check. The rat represents just a little bit of good Samskaras formed in the mind which is yet laden with love of luxury and sense-pleasure. The rat thus plays a dual-role.
With great effort the Sadhaka "catches hold" of the vicious mind and puts it in the basket of Tapasya and Sadhana. The vicious Samskaras are starved out, by the Sadhaka's refusing to give them their food in the form of Vishaya-Bhoga. The Sadhaka now feels that by this method he will soon be able to be a full master of the mind and make it do as he wills. But when he is away, i.e., when he relaxes his vigilance a little bit, an object of worldly pleasure approaches the Sadhaka. The vicious mind rejoices inwardly. It tries to make the friendship of the object. But the slightly illumined intellect says: "You wicked mind, you are my sworn enemy; how, then, do you think, I shall release you from this restrictions of self-control? Will I allow you to indulge the senses once again?" The wicked mind is cunning, too. It sings the praises of the object of enjoyment painting it in divine colours. "You are not a temptation to me at all! Wealth is an instrument for doing service and charity. Women are my divine mothers. Luxury is just the hire that I grant this body which is ceaselessly working for the welfare of humanity. I have vowed never to indulge the senses." All hypocritical words!
It vows never to sin, never to indulge the senses, though released from the restrictions of self-control. A hole is made in self-control; there is a channel for the partially controlled mind to flow out towards the sense-objects. The vicious mind first makes a good meal of the little Viveka that has dawned in the Sadhaka, before it enjoys the sense-objects. Then while escaping-and the natural vicious force of the mind is redoubled now, on account of the starvation of the senses, and the repression of the desires-the vicious mind goes headlong and kills the Sadhaka. The Sadhaka perishes because of the lack of vigilance, and because of the small hole made in his Sadhana, in his Tapasya, by the contact of the lower mind with sense-objects.
O aspirant! Beware. Beware. Beware. Slacken not your efforts, your Sadhana, or your Tapasya, even for a second. Stick to your resolves. March to your Goal.
Parable Of The Woman Who Advertised Her Connubial Experiences
Modest women never tell others the sweet words of love whispered into their ears by their fond husbands, nor of their connubial experiences. A foolish woman thought, in her extreme pride of her husband's love, that if she told others how dearly her husband loved her and illustrated this with the words he had uttered in her ears and the happiness she has derived from his company, people would admire her and congratulate her on her good fortune. When she began broadcasting these experiences of hers, people laughed at her and mocked her and her own relations avoided the company of this immodest woman. Eventually, even the husband began to hate the wife for such immodest behaviours on her part. Thus she lost everything and spent the rest of her life in utter misery.
Similarly, good Sadhakas never tell others of their Guru's Upadesa or their spiritual experiences. But foolish Sadhakas, proud of their initial spiritual experiences, begin to advertise them in order to draw public attention and admiration. But alas, the public discover his vanity; and he becomes the laughing stock of the people. Brother-Sadhakas shun his company as he is a man of vanity. Overweening pride makes him lose even the initial contact with the Divine that he had and thus he forfeits the spiritual experiences granted to him. Thus abandoned by all he spends the rest of his life in utter misery.
O Sadhaka! Keep your Guru's Sacred Upadesa and your spiritual experiences a secret. Then you will grow spiritually and reach the goal quickly.
Parable Of The Bigoted Devotee
A foolish devotee had a golden image of Buddha, which she took with her wherever she went. In the course of her wanderings, she came to a monastery where hundreds of images of Buddha were present. She did not like the other Buddhas, she liked only her own. Whenever she burnt incense before her Buddha, she never liked that the fumes should go to the others. She drew a curtain round the image. In a few months her Buddha became dark and grim, while the others were shining brighter, still.
Similar is the case with the narrow-hearted persons. They do not honour others' faith. But as a river without tributaries suffers dearth, their faith too lacks firmness and dies immature death. One should develop the heart to embrace the other faiths, also. The religion that embraces all and fights with none is the real religion. Such a religion alone will endure, while others will vanish like bubbles. Such an enduring religion is the religion of truth, purity, non-violence and love.
Chapter Five
Parable Of The Elephant's Bath
A mahout took an elephant to the Ganga and gave it a nice bath for over an hour. He applied pounds of soap and scrubbed its whole body nicely. He was thoroughly satisfied. He took it out of the water and was driving it home. The moment the elephant reached the bank of the Ganga, it took with its trunk a large quantity of dust and dirt and smeared its whole body with it. The Mahout realised that all his effort was wasted upon it. He drove it back to the forest and made it lift logs of wood. He extracted much work from it. Whatever effort he put forth in this direction was not wasted at all! He realised that the elephant was fit only for this, and it was wiser to take work from it than to waste time in bathing it.
Elephant is a Tamasic being. A Tamasic man given to all kinds of vices is comparable to the elephant. The Mahout is a saintly soul. The saint tries to clean the vicious man with the soap of scriptural knowledge and bathes him with Japa, Kirtan, etc. But the moment he finds a chance, the vicious man sprinkles dust and dirt upon himself.
The saint understands the vicious man's nature. He puts him to hard work. He extracts much useful work from him. The vicious man works like the elephant. Work eventually purifies him.
Parable Of The Mother's Trick
A mother was trying to give an ounce of bitter medicine to her child. However much she might caress and cajole the child, he would not take the medicine. She hit upon a wonderful idea. She placed a sweet 'laddu' before the child and said: "If you take this medicine, I will give you the laddu." At once the child drank the medicine. As the medicine removed the effect of the disease and gave him abundant energy, he ran away in great joy, even forgetting the 'laddu'.
If you tell a man, "Please do this Yajna (sacrifice)", he will not do, because he seeks pleasure through every action. Therefore, the Vedas offer Svarga, etc., as rewards for sacrifices. When man performs the sacrifices, his heart is purified and gradually wisdom dawns in him. He does not even bother any more for Svarga and the finite happiness there. In Supreme Bliss he gets liberated.
Parable Of The Boy Who Purchased One Brinjal For The Rupee
A man had two sons. He gave them ten rupees each one day and said to them: "These ten rupees you can spend as you like. But please bring me some brinjals for tonight's dinner."
They both went away to the bazaar. The foolish boy produced the ten-rupee note to the vegetable seller and said: "Please give me ten brinjals for the whole amount; my father wants to give a good dinner tonight." The vegetable-seller at once noticed the foolishness of the boy, gave him ten rotten brinjals and sent him away.
The wise boy went to the shop and produced a ten-rupee note and said: "Look, I want ten brinjals-the best ones at the cheapest rate. And, give me the balance." He got the brinjals for four annas. With two rupees he did Puja in the local temple and took the Lord's Prasad. He gave away five rupees in charity to poor boys who heartily blessed him and his family. For the balance he purchased the best spiritual books available in the book-shop.
They both returned to the father and produced what they had brought.
"Look, father what I have brought! Ten brinjals for ten rupees; they ought to be wonderful," said the foolish boy, and produced the ten rotten brinjals. The father threw away the brinjals in great disgust, remarking: "You have not only lost the money, but purchased rotten brinjals which would spoil even other good dishes. What a fool you are!" Turning to the other boy, the father asked: "What have you brought?"
The wise boy lay before the father the good brinjals, the sacred Prasad from the temple, the spiritual books, and added: "Father, these cost me only five rupees. I distributed the other five rupees in charity. How happy the poor boys were! They sent up heart-felt prayers to the Lord to bless us all. Surely, the Lord is well pleased with us all." The father warmly embraced the wise boy and appreciated his wisdom. "You are my own. I am well pleased with you. I hereby make you the sole heir to all that belongs to me. You and I are one."
The Lord gives riches to people in order that they might utilise the same properly. Artha should be utilised in such a way that it satisfies the three other Purusharthas-Dharma, Kama and Moksha-and not one (viz., Kama) alone.
The foolish man, however, spends all his wealth, all his energy and time, on the enjoyment of sensual pleasures. These pleasures that he purchases at such expense-are they really pleasures? No, they are all pain and rotten at the very core. They are useless.
The wise man, on the contrary, spends sparingly on the necessities of life, and lavishly on those items that enhance Dharma and earn Moksha for him. He does charity. He spends on Puja, etc. He obtains Jnana with the help of his wealth. (He feeds Mahatmas and Sadhus; looks after their bodily comforts, so that they could impart Jnana to him and look after his spiritual progress.)
The Lord is well pleased with the wise man. He embraces him. They become one. The man inherits divine Aisvaryas and shines as His Divine Heir-a great saint Siddha and Jivanmukta-on earth.
Parable Of The Honey And The Creeper
There was a big tree in the jungle. On the top of a branch there was a very big honeycomb. But the ascent to the top of the tree was difficult. One had to cut steps on the trunk of the tree and ascend; but that demanded great patience and intelligent work.
A slender creeper entwined that tree and reached up to a greater part of the height. It appeared to be strong, though it perilously dangled in the air.
A greedy man, desirous of possessing the honey, without much effort, began to ascend. the tree with the sole help of the creeper. He was too lazy to cut steps on the trunk of the tree and thought that the creeper was strong enough to take him to the top. When he was a few feet above the ground, a violent wind broke the creeper and the man fell down and fractured his limbs.
Similar is the case with those who try to ascend the tree of Divinity, in order to drink the honey of Moksha, with the help of the creeper of Kamya-Karmas, like Yaga, etc. The path to Moksha lies along the trunk of the tree of Divinity. You have to improvise steps on it, with some effort, which is Sadhana. You have to ascend step by step, starting with Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and then the pinnacle of Samadhi. There is no short-cut to this. , You cannot evade this responsibility. If, on the other hand, you climb with the help of Kamya-Karmas-though they, too, appear to be strong-they will not take you to the heights of Atmic splendour. When the wind of selfish desires, greed for the things of this world and the pleasures of heaven, blows, this creeper of Karma will break, and you will have a terrible fall.
O man, selfish works will not lead you to the Goal of Self-realisation. Only unselfish works will help you. Sadhana means something much sterner. You have to ascend to the top through the hard way. But once you reached the top, you will drink the nectar of Immortality and Eternal Bliss.
Parable Of The Ghee-Dyspeptic
A man took too much of ghee during a feast. He became ill. His digestive functions had become paralysed. He went to a doctor. The doctor said to him: "Please bring me one tola of ghee; I will prepare the medicine and give you."
The sick man was wonder-struck; "O doctor, I am suffering only from the effects of too much of ghee-drinking. Why do you wish to add to the trouble?"
"My dear man, please bring the ghee. I will show you what to do with it. The same ghee is your medicine now."
The sick man brought the ghee. The doctor added a few other ingredients to it and administered it in the proper dose. The man was cured. His appetite returned to him.
Similarly, by Karma is man bound to this wheel of birth and death. Egoistic action done with desire for fruits brings about rebirth with all its attendant miseries. The man approaches a saint for a cure. The saint prescribes service, work or Karma again! Can work itself snap the bonds of work? Yes. If the ingredients of selflessness and egolessness are added to it; and if it is done, not for the purpose of securing rewards here or hereafter, but for the purpose of curing one of the dire disease of birth and death. Then it becomes Nishkama Seva that will release man from this cage of Samsara.
Parable Of The Man Who Washed Mud With Mud
A young man had heard it said: "Ushnam Ushnena Shamyati." One day he was walking along the road, when he found he had to cross a muddy canal. On reaching the other side of the canal, he found that his feet were covered with mud up to the knee. He at once began to apply more mud, up to the waist. A wise man passing by asked the young man what he was doing. He replied: "I am trying to remove the mud." "But you are adding to it!" "That is in accordance with the rule that like cures like." "O fool," said the wise man, "that rule does not apply to this. By adding dirt to dirt, you will only become more dirty. Remove the mud by washing it with water and soap." The young man did so, and was clean.
Similarly, the Jiva which is thrown into this pool of mud, called Samsara, revels in it and adds more mud to it by performing all kinds of Kamya Karmas (actions with desire). It is led to believe that through such actions it will reap a rich harvest of happiness. But, as a matter of fact, the result is just the reverse. The Jiva is bound more and more strongly to the wheel of birth and death by these chords of Avidya, Kama and Karma. The Guru comes and enlightens the Jiva. He says: "O man, this is not the way to attain eternal bliss or salvation. Wash the dirt of Karma that has given you this birth here, with the water of Bhakti to God, and with the soap of desirelessness. Spiritualise all your actions. Then will the dirt that has covered your soul be washed away and you will shine in your pristine glory." The disciple thereupon practices Bhakti and Nishkama-Seva, and is finally liberated.
Parable Of The Two Travellers
Two men were travelling along a village road. One man gave out a cry, caught hold of his foot and sat down. He was in pain. A big thorn had entered his foot. He was unable even to lift it. The other man went ahead and then began shouting at the former: "You fool, it is getting late. If you don't come running, we shall not reach the destination before nightfall." The other man replied: "No, my friend; I cannot move an inch forward till this thorn is removed". "Why are you making such fuss on the way? Come on, get up; or, I will go away," and the friend went a furlong farther. He too had trodden over a thorn and writhing in pain sat down. As even a touch aggravated the pain, they were not able to remove the thorns themselves. There they were suffering the same agony, but separated from each other by unkindness; unable to help each other! Till a third traveller came along and removed the thorns from their foot, they lay down there. The third man came and removed the thorns and said to them: "Friends, they jest at scars that never felt a wound. If you have removed the thorn in the other man, when he had one in his foot, he would have accompanied you, and when you had the thorn in your foot he would have helped you. Thus would you march rapidly towards the goal, not by ignoring each other's pain."
Similarly, a hard-hearted man, when he finds a fellow-traveller on this thorny and rugged path called life, stricken with. pain and penury, laughs at him and goes his way. The nature of life itself is such that he, too, is soon stricken by the same kind of pain and penury. Beyond the reach of all help, this hard-hearted man also suffers. There comes a sage of supreme wisdom, who has the consciousness of Unity, and relieves them of their misery, and in the hearts of both implants the seed of love. He says: "O man, pain exists in the other man only in order to give you an opportunity to serve him and relieve him of his misery. Thus, serving each other, would you evolve rapidly and proceed to your destination. You may laugh at the other man's misery and say it is his Karma; but soon you might find yourself in the same condition. Understand the nature of the world. Serve all. Love all. Realise the Self in all."
Parable Of The Zamindar's Palace
A big zamindar had built a wonderful palace. To exhibit his wealth, he had lavished upon the palace all the costly features of art and architecture that the artists and architects of the time could think of. The palace was completed. It was unrivalled. The opening ceremony was made in