ONCE, a young sannyasin went to a house to beg
his meal. He had embraced the monastic life from
his very boyhood and so had not much knowledge
of the world, A young lady came out from the
house to give him alms.
Seeing her breasts, the young sannyasin questioned
her if she was suffering from boils on her chest. To
that her mother replied: "No, my son, she hasn't
got any boil. A child will soon be born to her, and
so God has provided her with two breasts to
suckle the child. The child will suck milk from
those breasts after it is born." No sooner did the
young sannyasin hear this than he exclaimed: "No
more will I beg my meals.
He, who has created me, will feed me too."
Monday, December 31, 2012
A TRUE DEVOTEE'S FAITH
OMCT, while going to Kamarpukur, I was
overtaken by a storm. I was in the middle of a big
meadow. The place was haunted by robbers. I
began to repeat the names of all the deities: Rama,
Krishna and Bhagavati. I also repeated the name of
Hanuman. I chanted the names of them all.
What does that mean? Let me tell you. While the
servant is counting out the money to purchase
supplies, he says, "These pennies for potatoes,
these for egg plants, these for fish." He counts the
money separately, but after the list is completed, he
puts the coins together.
Is there anything impossible for faith? And a true
devotee has faith in everything: the formless
Reality, God with form, Rama, Krishna and the
Divine Mother.
overtaken by a storm. I was in the middle of a big
meadow. The place was haunted by robbers. I
began to repeat the names of all the deities: Rama,
Krishna and Bhagavati. I also repeated the name of
Hanuman. I chanted the names of them all.
What does that mean? Let me tell you. While the
servant is counting out the money to purchase
supplies, he says, "These pennies for potatoes,
these for egg plants, these for fish." He counts the
money separately, but after the list is completed, he
puts the coins together.
Is there anything impossible for faith? And a true
devotee has faith in everything: the formless
Reality, God with form, Rama, Krishna and the
Divine Mother.
THE BASIC FAITH
A MAN must have some kind of faith before he
undertakes a work. Further, he feels joy when he
thinks of it. Only then does he set about
performing the work. Suppose a jar of gold coins is
hidden under-ground. First of all a man must have
faith that the jar of gold coins is there. He feels joy
at the thought of the jar. Then he begins to dig. As
he removes the earth he hears a metallic sound.
That increases his joy. Next he sees a corner of the
jar. That gives him more joy. Thus his joy is ever
on the increase.
Standing on the porch of the Kali temple, I have
watched the ascetics preparing their smoke of
hemp.
I have seen their face beaming with joy in
anticipation of the smoke.
undertakes a work. Further, he feels joy when he
thinks of it. Only then does he set about
performing the work. Suppose a jar of gold coins is
hidden under-ground. First of all a man must have
faith that the jar of gold coins is there. He feels joy
at the thought of the jar. Then he begins to dig. As
he removes the earth he hears a metallic sound.
That increases his joy. Next he sees a corner of the
jar. That gives him more joy. Thus his joy is ever
on the increase.
Standing on the porch of the Kali temple, I have
watched the ascetics preparing their smoke of
hemp.
I have seen their face beaming with joy in
anticipation of the smoke.
THE SIMPLE SECRET
GOD can be realised through child-like faith
and guilelessness.
A certain person, on coming across a sadhu,
humbly begged him for instruction. The sadhu's
advice was, "Love God with all your heart and
soul." The enquirer replied, "I have never seen
God, nor do I know anything about Him; how is it
possible that I should love Him?" The holy man
enquired whom the other loved most. The answer
was, "I have nobody to care for.
I have a sheep and that is the only creature I love."
The sadhu said: "Then tend the creature and love it
with all your heart and soul, and always remember
that the Lord abides in it." Having given this advice
the sadhu left the place. The enquirer now began
to tend the sheep with loving care, fully believing
that the Lord abode in the creature. After a long
time the sadhu, during his return journey, sought
out the person he had advised and enquired how
he was getting on. The latter saluted the sadhu and
said, "Master, I am all right, thanks to your kind
instructions. Much good has come to me by
following the line of thought prescribed by you.and guilelessness.
A certain person, on coming across a sadhu,
humbly begged him for instruction. The sadhu's
advice was, "Love God with all your heart and
soul." The enquirer replied, "I have never seen
God, nor do I know anything about Him; how is it
possible that I should love Him?" The holy man
enquired whom the other loved most. The answer
was, "I have nobody to care for.
I have a sheep and that is the only creature I love."
The sadhu said: "Then tend the creature and love it
with all your heart and soul, and always remember
that the Lord abides in it." Having given this advice
the sadhu left the place. The enquirer now began
to tend the sheep with loving care, fully believing
that the Lord abode in the creature. After a long
time the sadhu, during his return journey, sought
out the person he had advised and enquired how
he was getting on. The latter saluted the sadhu and
said, "Master, I am all right, thanks to your kind
instructions. Much good has come to me by
Time and again I see a beautiful figure with four
hands within my sheep and I find supreme bliss in
that."
A DISCIPLE AND HER POT OF CURDS
ONCE there was an annaprasana19 ceremony in a
Guru's house. His disciples volunteered, according
to their powers, to supply the different articles of
food. He had one disciple, a very poor widow, who
owned a cow. She milked it and brought the Guru
a jar of milk. He had thought she would take
charge of all the milk and curd for the festival.
Angry at her poor offering, he threw the milk away
and said to her, "Go and drown yourself.', The
widow accepted this as his command and went to
the river to drown herself. But God was pleased
with her guileless faith and, appearing before her,
said: "Take this pot of curd. You will never be able
to empty it. The more curd you pour out, the more
will come from the pot. This will satisfy your
teacher." The Guru was speechless with
amazement when the pot was given to him. After
hearing from the widow the story of the pot, he
went to the river, saying to her, "I shall drown
myeslf if you cannot show God to me." GodGuru's house. His disciples volunteered, according
to their powers, to supply the different articles of
food. He had one disciple, a very poor widow, who
owned a cow. She milked it and brought the Guru
a jar of milk. He had thought she would take
charge of all the milk and curd for the festival.
Angry at her poor offering, he threw the milk away
and said to her, "Go and drown yourself.', The
widow accepted this as his command and went to
the river to drown herself. But God was pleased
with her guileless faith and, appearing before her,
said: "Take this pot of curd. You will never be able
to empty it. The more curd you pour out, the more
will come from the pot. This will satisfy your
teacher." The Guru was speechless with
amazement when the pot was given to him. After
hearing from the widow the story of the pot, he
went to the river, saying to her, "I shall drown
appeared then and there, but the Guru could not
see Him. Addressing God, the widow said, "If my
teacher gives up his body because Thou doth not
reveal Thyself to Him, then I too shall die." So
God appeared to the Guru—but only once.
A BOY ACTUALLY FED GOD
A BRAHMANA used to worship his family Deity
with food offerings. One day he had to go away on
business. As he was about to leave the house, he
said to his son: "Give the offering to the Deity
today. See that God is fed." The boy offered food
in the shrine, but the image remained silent on the
altar. It would neither eat nor talk. The boy waited
a long time, but still the image did not move. But
the boy firmly believed that God would come
down from His throne, sit on the floor, and
partake of his food. Again and again he prayed to
the Deity, saying: "O Lord, come down and eat the
food. It is already very late. I cannot sit here any
longer." But the image did not utter a word. The
boy burst into tears and cried: "O Lord, my father
asked me to feed you. Why won't you come down?
Why won't you eat from my hands?" The boy
wept for some time with a longing soul. At last the
Deity, smiling, came down from the altar and sat
before the meal and ate it. After feeding the Deity,
the boy came out of the shrine room. His relatives
said: "The worship is over. Now bring away the
offering." "Yes," said the boy, "the worship is over.
But God has eaten everything." "How is that?",with food offerings. One day he had to go away on
business. As he was about to leave the house, he
said to his son: "Give the offering to the Deity
today. See that God is fed." The boy offered food
in the shrine, but the image remained silent on the
altar. It would neither eat nor talk. The boy waited
a long time, but still the image did not move. But
the boy firmly believed that God would come
down from His throne, sit on the floor, and
partake of his food. Again and again he prayed to
the Deity, saying: "O Lord, come down and eat the
food. It is already very late. I cannot sit here any
longer." But the image did not utter a word. The
boy burst into tears and cried: "O Lord, my father
asked me to feed you. Why won't you come down?
Why won't you eat from my hands?" The boy
wept for some time with a longing soul. At last the
Deity, smiling, came down from the altar and sat
before the meal and ate it. After feeding the Deity,
the boy came out of the shrine room. His relatives
said: "The worship is over. Now bring away the
offering." "Yes," said the boy, "the worship is over.
asked the relatives. The boy replied innocently,
"Why, God has eaten the food."
They entered the shrine and were speechless with
wonder to see that the Deity had really eaten every
bit of the offering.
THIS FAITH OF A CHILD
A BOY named Jatila used to walk to school
through the woods, and the journey frightened
him. One day he told his mother of his fear. She
replied: “Why should you be afraid? Call
Madhusudana.” “Mother", asked the boy, "Who is
Madhusudana?" The mother said, "He is your
Elder Brother." One day after this, when the boy
again felt afraid in the woods, he cried out, "0
Brother Madhusudana!" But there was no
response. He began to weep aloud: "Where are
You, Brother Madhusudana? Come to me. I am
afraid." Then God could no longer stay away. He
appeared before the boy and said: "Here I am.
Why are you frightened?" And so saying He took
the boy out of the woods and showed him the way
to school. When He took leave of the boy, God
said: "I will come whenever you call me. Do not
be afraid."One must have this faith of a child, this yearning.
through the woods, and the journey frightened
him. One day he told his mother of his fear. She
replied: “Why should you be afraid? Call
Madhusudana.” “Mother", asked the boy, "Who is
Madhusudana?" The mother said, "He is your
Elder Brother." One day after this, when the boy
again felt afraid in the woods, he cried out, "0
Brother Madhusudana!" But there was no
response. He began to weep aloud: "Where are
You, Brother Madhusudana? Come to me. I am
afraid." Then God could no longer stay away. He
appeared before the boy and said: "Here I am.
Why are you frightened?" And so saying He took
the boy out of the woods and showed him the way
to school. When He took leave of the boy, God
said: "I will come whenever you call me. Do not
be afraid."One must have this faith of a child, this yearning.
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