THERE was a farmer who lived in the countryside.
He was a real jnani. He earned his living by
farming, He was married, and after many years a
son was born to him, whom he named Haru. The
parents loved the boy dearly. This was natural,
since he was the one precious gem of the family.
On account of his religious nature the farmer was
loved by the villagers. One day he was working in
the field when a neighbour came and told him that
Haru had an attack of cholera. The farmer at once
returned home and arranged for treatment for the
boy. But Haru died. The other members of the
family were grief-stricken, but the farmer acted as
if nothing had happened. He consoled his family
and told them that grieving was futile. Then he
went back to his field. On returning home he
found his wife weeping even more bitterly. She
said to him: "How heartless you are! You haven't
shed one tear for the child." The farmer replied
quietly: "Shall I tell you why I haven't wept? I had a
very vivid dream last night. I dreamt I had become
a king; I was the father of eight sons and was very
happy with them. Then I woke up. Now I am
greatly perplexed. Should I weep for those eight
sons or for this one Hani?"
The farmer was a jnani; therefore he realized that
the waking state is as unreal as the dream state.
There is only one eternal substance, and that is the
Atman.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
MAYA VANISHES THE MOMENT IT IS KNOWN
A PRIEST was once going to the village of a
disciple of his. He had no servant with him. Seeing
a cobbler on the way, he addressed him, saying:
"Hulloa! Good man, will you accompany me as a
servant? You will be fed well and taken good care
of, if you come with me." The cobbler replied: "Sir,
I am of the lowest caste. How can I come as your
servant?" The priest said, "Never mind. Do not tell
anybody what you are. Do not also speak to
anyone, or make anybody's acquaintance. The
cobbler agreed. At twilight, while the priest was
sitting at prayers in the house of his disciple,
another brahmana came and said to the priest's
servant, "Go and bring my shoes from there." True
to the behest of his master, he made no response.
The brahmana repeated his order a second time,
but even then the servant remained silent. The
brahmana repeated it again and again, but the
cobbler did not move an inch. At last, getting
annoyed, the brahmana angrily said: "Sirrah; how
dare you disobey a bralimana's command? What is
your name? Are you indeed a cobbler?" The
cobbler, hearing this, began to tremble with fear,
and looking piteously at the priest, said: "0
venerable sir, I am found out. I dare not stay here
any longer. Let me flee." So saying, he took to his
heels.
Just so, as soon as Maya is recognised, she flies
away.
disciple of his. He had no servant with him. Seeing
a cobbler on the way, he addressed him, saying:
"Hulloa! Good man, will you accompany me as a
servant? You will be fed well and taken good care
of, if you come with me." The cobbler replied: "Sir,
I am of the lowest caste. How can I come as your
servant?" The priest said, "Never mind. Do not tell
anybody what you are. Do not also speak to
anyone, or make anybody's acquaintance. The
cobbler agreed. At twilight, while the priest was
sitting at prayers in the house of his disciple,
another brahmana came and said to the priest's
servant, "Go and bring my shoes from there." True
to the behest of his master, he made no response.
The brahmana repeated his order a second time,
but even then the servant remained silent. The
brahmana repeated it again and again, but the
cobbler did not move an inch. At last, getting
annoyed, the brahmana angrily said: "Sirrah; how
dare you disobey a bralimana's command? What is
your name? Are you indeed a cobbler?" The
cobbler, hearing this, began to tremble with fear,
and looking piteously at the priest, said: "0
venerable sir, I am found out. I dare not stay here
any longer. Let me flee." So saying, he took to his
heels.
Just so, as soon as Maya is recognised, she flies
away.
SUCH INDEED IS MAYA!
ONCE Narada besought the Lord of the universe,
"Lord, show me that Maya of Thine which can
make the impossible possible." The Lord nodded
assent. Subsequently the Lord one day set out on a
travel with Narada. After going some distance, He
felt very thirsty and fatigued. So He sat down and
told Narada, "Narada, I feel much thirsty; please
get me a little water from somewhere." Narada at
once ran in search of water.
Finding no water nearby, he went far from the
place and saw a river at a great distance. When he
approached the river, he saw a most charming
young lady sitting there, and was at once captivated
by her beauty. As soon as Narada went near her,
she began to address him in sweet words, and ere
long, both fell in love with each other. Narada then
married her, and settled down as a householder. In
course of time he had a number of children by her.
And while he was thus living happily with his wife
and children, there came a pestilence in the
country. Death began to collect its toll from every
place. Then Narada proposed to abandon the place
and go somewhere else. His wife acceded to it, and
they both came out of their house leading their
children by the hand. But no sooner did they come
to the bridge to cross the river than there came a
terrible flood, and in the rush of water, all their
children were swept away one after another, and at
last the wife too was drowned. Overwhelmed with
grief at his bereavement, Narada sat down on the
bank and began to weep piteously. Just then the
Lord appeared before him, saying, "O Narada,
where is the water? And why are you weeping?"
The sight of the Lord startled the sage, and then he
understood everything. He exclaimed, "Lord, my
obeisance to Thee, and my obeisance also to Thy
wonderful Maya!"
"Lord, show me that Maya of Thine which can
make the impossible possible." The Lord nodded
assent. Subsequently the Lord one day set out on a
travel with Narada. After going some distance, He
felt very thirsty and fatigued. So He sat down and
told Narada, "Narada, I feel much thirsty; please
get me a little water from somewhere." Narada at
once ran in search of water.
Finding no water nearby, he went far from the
place and saw a river at a great distance. When he
approached the river, he saw a most charming
young lady sitting there, and was at once captivated
by her beauty. As soon as Narada went near her,
she began to address him in sweet words, and ere
long, both fell in love with each other. Narada then
married her, and settled down as a householder. In
course of time he had a number of children by her.
And while he was thus living happily with his wife
and children, there came a pestilence in the
country. Death began to collect its toll from every
place. Then Narada proposed to abandon the place
and go somewhere else. His wife acceded to it, and
they both came out of their house leading their
children by the hand. But no sooner did they come
to the bridge to cross the river than there came a
terrible flood, and in the rush of water, all their
children were swept away one after another, and at
last the wife too was drowned. Overwhelmed with
grief at his bereavement, Narada sat down on the
bank and began to weep piteously. Just then the
Lord appeared before him, saying, "O Narada,
where is the water? And why are you weeping?"
The sight of the Lord startled the sage, and then he
understood everything. He exclaimed, "Lord, my
obeisance to Thee, and my obeisance also to Thy
wonderful Maya!"
HOW IS MAYA
A CERTAIN sadhu lived for some time in the
room above the nahavat-khana (concert-room) of
the temple of Dakshineswar. He did not speak with
anybody and spent his whole time in the
meditation of God. One day, all of a sudden, a
cloud darkened the sky and shortly afterwards a
high wind blew away the cloud. The holy man now
came out of his room and began to laugh and
dance in the verandah in front of the concertroom.
Upon this I asked him, "How is it that you,
who spend your days so quietly in your room, are
dancing in joy and feel so jolly today?" The holy
man replied, "Such is Maya that envelops the life!"
At first there is clear sky, all of a sudden a cloud
darkens it and presently everything is as before
once more.
room above the nahavat-khana (concert-room) of
the temple of Dakshineswar. He did not speak with
anybody and spent his whole time in the
meditation of God. One day, all of a sudden, a
cloud darkened the sky and shortly afterwards a
high wind blew away the cloud. The holy man now
came out of his room and began to laugh and
dance in the verandah in front of the concertroom.
Upon this I asked him, "How is it that you,
who spend your days so quietly in your room, are
dancing in joy and feel so jolly today?" The holy
man replied, "Such is Maya that envelops the life!"
At first there is clear sky, all of a sudden a cloud
darkens it and presently everything is as before
once more.
ENMESHED IN MAYA, BRAHMAN WEEPS!
VISHNU incarnated Himself as a sow in order to
kill the demon Hiranynksha. After killing the
demon, sow remained quite happy with her young
ones. Forgetting her real nature, she was suckling
them very contentedly. The gods in heaven could
not persuade Vishnu to relinquish His sow's body
and return to the celestial regions. He was
absorbed in the happiness of His beast form. After
consulting among themselves, the gods sent Siva to
the sow. Siva asked the sow "Why have you
forgotten yourself?" Vishnu replied through the
sow's body, "Why, I am quite happy here."
Thereupon with a stroke of his trident Siva
destroyed the sow's body and Vishnu went back to
heaven.
Everyone is under the authority of the Divine
Mother, Mahamaya, the Primal Energy. Even the
Incarnations of God accept the help of Maya to
fulfil their mission on earth. Therefore they
worship the Primal Energy.
kill the demon Hiranynksha. After killing the
demon, sow remained quite happy with her young
ones. Forgetting her real nature, she was suckling
them very contentedly. The gods in heaven could
not persuade Vishnu to relinquish His sow's body
and return to the celestial regions. He was
absorbed in the happiness of His beast form. After
consulting among themselves, the gods sent Siva to
the sow. Siva asked the sow "Why have you
forgotten yourself?" Vishnu replied through the
sow's body, "Why, I am quite happy here."
Thereupon with a stroke of his trident Siva
destroyed the sow's body and Vishnu went back to
heaven.
Everyone is under the authority of the Divine
Mother, Mahamaya, the Primal Energy. Even the
Incarnations of God accept the help of Maya to
fulfil their mission on earth. Therefore they
worship the Primal Energy.
SUCH IS THE PRIDE THAT MONEY BEGETS
A FROG had a rupee, which he kept in his hole.
One day an elephant was going over the hole, and
the frog, coming out in a fit of anger, raised his
foot, as if to kick the elephant, and said, "How dare
you walk over my head?"
Such is the pride money begets!
One day an elephant was going over the hole, and
the frog, coming out in a fit of anger, raised his
foot, as if to kick the elephant, and said, "How dare
you walk over my head?"
Such is the pride money begets!
MONEY IS ALSO A GREAT UPADHI
MONEY is also an Upadhi and that too of a very
strong nature. As soon as a man becomes rich he is
thoroughly changed.
A brahmana who was very meek and humble
used to come here12 every now and then. After
sometime he stopped coming and we knew
nothing of what had happened to him. One day,
we went over to Konnagore13 in boat. As we were
getting down from the boat we saw the brahmana
sitting on the bank of the Ganges, where, in the
fashion of big folks, he was enjoying the pure air of
the river. On seeing me he accosted me in a
patronising tone with the words, "Hallo Thakur!
How are you doing now?" At once 1 noticed a
change in his tone and said to Hriday who was
with me, "I tell you, Hriday, this man must have
come by some riches. Can't you see what a great
change has come over him?" And Hriday burst
into a loud laughter.
The possession of money makes such a difference
in a man!
strong nature. As soon as a man becomes rich he is
thoroughly changed.
A brahmana who was very meek and humble
used to come here12 every now and then. After
sometime he stopped coming and we knew
nothing of what had happened to him. One day,
we went over to Konnagore13 in boat. As we were
getting down from the boat we saw the brahmana
sitting on the bank of the Ganges, where, in the
fashion of big folks, he was enjoying the pure air of
the river. On seeing me he accosted me in a
patronising tone with the words, "Hallo Thakur!
How are you doing now?" At once 1 noticed a
change in his tone and said to Hriday who was
with me, "I tell you, Hriday, this man must have
come by some riches. Can't you see what a great
change has come over him?" And Hriday burst
into a loud laughter.
The possession of money makes such a difference
in a man!
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