Once, a great Siddha was sitting on the sea-shore
when there came a great storm. The Siddha, being
greatly distressed by it, exclaimed, "Let the storm
cease!" and his words were fulfilled. Just then a
ship was going at a distance with all sails set, and as
the wind suddenly died away, it capsized, drowning
all who were on board the ship.
Now the sin of causing the death of so many
persons accrued to the Siddha, and for this reason
he lost all his occult powers and had to suffer in
purgatory.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
IF ALL IS REALLY UNREAL!
RAMA and Lakshmana wanted to go to Ceylon.
But the ocean was before them. Lakshmana was
angry. Taking his bow and arrow, he said: "I shall
kill Varuna. This ocean prevents our going to
Ceylon." Rama explained the matter to him, saying:
"Lakshmana, all that you are seeing is unreal, like a
dream. The ocean is unreal. Your anger is also
unreal. It is equally unreal to think of destroying
one unreal thing by means of another."
But the ocean was before them. Lakshmana was
angry. Taking his bow and arrow, he said: "I shall
kill Varuna. This ocean prevents our going to
Ceylon." Rama explained the matter to him, saying:
"Lakshmana, all that you are seeing is unreal, like a
dream. The ocean is unreal. Your anger is also
unreal. It is equally unreal to think of destroying
one unreal thing by means of another."
"IT'S NOTHING, IT'S NOTHING!"
IT is not easy to get rid of illusion. It lingers even
after the attainment of knowledge. A man dreamt
of a tiger. Then he woke up and his dream
vanished. But his heart continued to palpitate.
Some thieves came to a field. A straw figure
resembling a man had been put there to frighten
intruders. The thieves were scared by the figure
and could not persuade themselves to enter the
field. One of them, however, approached and
found that it was only a figure made of straw. He
came back to his companions and said, "There is
nothing to be afraid of." But still they refused to
go. They said that their hearts were beating fast.
Then the daring thief laid the figure on the ground
and said, "It is nothing, it is nothing." This is the
process of 'Neti, neti.'
after the attainment of knowledge. A man dreamt
of a tiger. Then he woke up and his dream
vanished. But his heart continued to palpitate.
Some thieves came to a field. A straw figure
resembling a man had been put there to frighten
intruders. The thieves were scared by the figure
and could not persuade themselves to enter the
field. One of them, however, approached and
found that it was only a figure made of straw. He
came back to his companions and said, "There is
nothing to be afraid of." But still they refused to
go. They said that their hearts were beating fast.
Then the daring thief laid the figure on the ground
and said, "It is nothing, it is nothing." This is the
process of 'Neti, neti.'
THE PROLONGED DREAM THAT WE CALL LIFE
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.
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.
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.
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