THE HOMA BIRD

TPHE Vedas speak of the Homa bird. It lives very
high in the sky. There the mother bird lays her egg.
She lives so high that the egg falls for many days.
While falling it is hatched. The chick continues to
fall. That also goes on for many days. In the
meantime the chick develops eyes. Coming near
the earth, it becomes conscious of the world. It
realises it will meet certain death if it hits the
ground. Then it gives a shrill cry and shoots up
towards its mother. The earth means death, and it
frightens the young bird; it then seeks its mother.
She dwells high up in the sky, and the young bird
shoots straight up in that direction. It doesn't look
anywhere else.
Persons who are born with God-consciousness
realise the danger of coming in contact with the
world. From their very childhood they are afraid of

the world, and their one thought is how to reach
the mother, how to realise God.

IT'S NOT EASY TO ATTAIN TRUE HUMILITY

A MAN went to a sadhu and said with a great
show of humility: "Sir, I am a very low person. Tell
me, O Master, how I am to be saved." The sadhu,
reading the heart of the man, told him, "Well, go
and bring me that which is meaner than yourself."
The man went out and looked all round but found
nothing whatsoever meaner than himself. At last
he saw his own excrement and said, "Well, here is
something which is certainly worse than myself."
He stretched forth his hand to take it up and carry
it to the sadhu when suddenly he heard a voice say
from within the ordure: "Touch me not, O sinner.
I was a sweet and delicious cake, fit to be offered
to the gods and in appearance so pleasing to all the
spectators. But my ill-fortune brought me to you,
and by your evil contact I have been reduced to
such a detestable condition that men run away
from me with faces turned and with handkerchiefs
covering their noses. Once only did I come in
contact with you and this has been my fate. What

deeper degradation may I not be thrown into if you
touch me again?"
The man was thus taught true humility and became
the humblest of the humble. As a result he attained
the highest perfection.

SELF-SURRENDER KNOWS NO COMPLAINT

WHEN Rama and Lakshmana went to take their
bath in Pampa Lake, they thrust their bows into
the ground. Coming out of the water, Lakshmana
took out his bow and found its tip stained with
blood. Rama said to him:
"Look, brother! Look. Perhaps we have hurt some
creature." Lakshmana dug in the earth and found a
big bull frog. It was dying. Rama said to the frog in
a sorrowful voice: "Why didn't you croak? We
should have tried to save you. You croak lustily
enough when you are in the jaws of a snake." The
frog said:
"O Lord when I am attacked by a snake I croak,
saying: 'O Rama, save me!' This time I found that it
was Rama Himself who was killing me; so I kept
still."

LORD NARAYANA AND HIS SELFDEFENDING DEVOTEE

ONCE, Lakshmi and Narayana were seated in
Vaikuntha, when Narayana suddenly stood up.
Lakshmi had been stroking his feet. She said,
"Lord, where are you going?" Narayana answered:
"One of My devotees is in great danger. I must
save him." With these words He went out. But He
came back immediately. Lakshmi said, "Lord, why
have You returned so soon?"
Narayana smiled and said: "The devotee was going
along the road overwhelmed with love for Me.
Some washermen were drying clothes on the grass
and the devotee walked over the clothes. At this
the washermen chased him and were going to beat
him with their sticks.
So I ran out to protect him." "But why have You
come back?" asked Lakshmi. Narayana laughed
and said, "I saw the devotee himself picking up a
brick to throw at them. So I came back."

SELF-HELP AND SELF-SURRENDER

A FATHER was once passing through u field with
his two little sons. He was carrying one of them in
his arms while the other was walking along with
him holding his hand. They saw a kite flying and
the latter boy giving up his hold on his father's
hand, began to clap his hands with joy, crying,
"Behold, papa, there is a kite!" But immediately he
stumbled down and got hurt. The boy who was
carried by the father also clapped the hands with
joy, but did not fall, as his father was holding him.
The first boy represents self-help in spiritual
matters, and the second self-surrender.

HOW A GURU TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLE TO SEE GOD

A DISCIPLE asked his teacher, "Sir, please tell me
how I can sec God." "Come with me," said the
Guru, "and I shall show you." He took, the disciple
to a lake, and both of them got into the water.
Suddenly the teacher pressed the disciple's head
under the water. After a few moments he released
him and the disciple raised his head and stood up.
The Guru asked him, "How did you feel?" The
disciple said, “Oh! I thought I should die; I was
panting for breath”. The teacher said, "When you
feel like that for God, then you will know you

IF YOU ARE EARNEST

A MAN may not know the right path, but if he has
bhakti and the desire to know God, then he attains
Hint through the force of sheer bhakti.
Once, a sincere devotee set out on a pilgrimage to
the temple of Jagannath in Puri. He did not know
the way; he went west instead of south. He, no
doubt, strayed from the right path, but always
eagerly asked people the way, and they gave him
the right directions, saying, This is not the path;
follow that one.' At last the devotee was able to get
to Puri and worship the Deity.
So you see, even if you are ignorant, some one will
tell you the way if you are earnest.