THUS SPAKE THE VOICE

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THUS SPAKE THE VOICE

J.P.VASWANI

 

Away from the shouts and shows of the city,I sat in my

silence-corner in the garden. The flowers smiled. Little rain-drops

pattered on the new leaves of summer. But my heart was not happy.

"So many books have I read,"I soliloquised. "So many Lives of

Saints have I studied. And every morning as I wake up, I recite from

the scriptures. And every evening I attend the 'satsangh' (spiritual

assembly) with clock-like punctuality. But,alas! Year after year hath

passed by: I am no nearer the Goal. I see no improvement in myself.

And I often wonder if I am progressing or regressing."

In utter dejection I wept tears of sorrow. And then, it

seemed to me, I heard a Voice. It said: "Weep not, my child! But

hearken to what I say!"

There was something in the Voice which made me forget my

sorrow. The clouds were lifted: and the sun shone again.

"Speak that thy servant may listen," I said.

And the voice said: "It is true you have read many books. But

to the Pilgrim on the Path books are a burden. And you say you have

studied the Lives of Saints: your daily life does not bear witness to

it. To study is not to turn over the pages of a book. To study is to

ponder well, is to meditate, is to assimilate the teaching in one's

life. And every morning you read from the scriptures: are you any

better than the parrot who recites, again and again, the Name of God?

And every evening you go to the 'satsangh' at the right time: are you

any better than the temple-bell which at the exact hour calls the

worshippers to the shrine?"

The words were true, too true. I felt humbled. And I said:"Now

I understand why my years have been wasted in vain. Tell me, O tell

me, what I need to do."

And the Voice said: "O Pilgrim on the path! A triple treasure

hath the Lord given you. Guard it well! It may lead you onward with

quickening steps or it may prove your doom."

"What is the triple treasure? What are the three things which,

used aright will guide my footsteps to the Goal? I eagerly asked.

And the Voice said: "The three are: (1) will; (2) thought: and

(3)imagination. Keep them pure, undefiled. And so repeat the Holy Name

of God again and again and still again. And submit youself to a course

of self-discipline. For without self-discipline man drifts in this

world as dead leaves on the bosom of the autumnal wind."

And I said: "Speak to me more. To here thee is to be filled

with an indefinable stillness."

And the Voice said: "Many are the things I fain would tell

you. But not all at once. Gradually I shall unfold to you the pattern

of life which you may follow to develop your spiritual powers. Today,

let me but pass on to you the first lesson."

"What is it?" I asked.

And the Voice said: "Remember, the one barrier between you and

God is the ego. And instead of putting it down, you but strengthen the

ego and hug it to yourself as your dearest friend. Your actions, your

thoughts, your flights of imagination but feed the ego, until it has

become your master and lord. Break the tyranny of the ego--is my

first word to you!"

And I said: "I understand what thou hast spoken. I pray that

thou mayst give me some simple, practical instructions which I may

follow in my daily life to displace the ego from its position of

sovereignty and unlimited power."

And the Voice said: "A few simple suggestions let me make to

you today:

(1) When in the midst of friends or strangers, refrain from

pushing yourself forward. See how at the slightest excuse you try to

show yourself off.

(2) And so refrain from much talk. The less you talk, the less

you will be noticed and the more you will be permitted to recede in

the background. As it is, you talk too much: in fact, you always try

to monopolise conversation. Only this morning a friend came to you

and try to speak to you of the burden on his mind. He had scarcely

begun when you cut him short and delivered to him a discourse on

accepting the Will of God. Can you truthfully say that in every

situation of life you accept the Will of God? Then what right have

you to lecture to others? It will do you immence good if you remain

silent and let others talk.

(3) What helps is not your words but your vibrations. What

transforms is not your lectures but your silent prayers. So talk

little to those whom you wish to help but pray for them again and

again.

(4) Always keep clear of the desire of telling others of your

life and achievements, your inner struggles and experiences, your

opinions and aspirations. Live and grow in the thought that you are

as a tiny particle of dust and that no one cares for what you think

or say nor misses you when you are away.

(5) Your real value lies not in your outer, empirical self but

i your inner, imperishable Self: and this inner Self cares not for

the applause of others. It is firmly established in itself.

(6) Cultivate friendship with this inner Self. And meditate on

the significant words of the Gita:

 

He who hath conquered

His lower self of craving and desires:

He hath his supreme Friend found

In the Self, immortal, true!

But he who still a victim is

To his appetites and passions,

Verily, the Self becometh to him

Hostile as an enemy!

 

"Practice these six things for a week and notice the change

that comes upon you!"

"Tell me more, for thy words are as victuals to a starving

man!" I said. But there was no answer.

 

 

 

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