What is important?

[Guest guest]

There is this story in Purana where Narada thinks of studying all the Vedas

in their entirity. And he desides to learn all the knowledge that is

available. He starts studying rigourously for 20,000 years! Then he wants

to know if there is anything left to study... Hence with this question he

approaches Lord Brahma and tells him that "Father, I have studied for more

than 20000 years and I think I have studied all that is there, but I need a

proof (certificate!) from you that I have studied everything. Also if you

think I have some thing more to study then please tell me..."

 

Lord Brahma smiles and to Narada to come along with him to a place where all

the knowledges are available, so that Narada can compare how much he

studied. Brahma takes Narada to a place where there are plenty of huge

mountains made out of pure Gold! They are all shining very bright and

illuminating the sky, attracting the onlookers to know them more! Narada

gets very intrigued by the sighting of those innumerable mountains. Brahma

tells Narada "Narada! You see each of these mountains stand for a specific

part of knowledge and combined together they become absolute knowledge..."

 

Then Narada wanted to know how much he learned. For that Brahma points out a

Rathole in the mountain and explains Narada that what ever Narada has

learned is Rathole. He explains that the more Narada learns the more the

hole grows bigger! Looking at all those mountains and comparing what he

learned, Narada feels quite disappointed and depressed.... Then he tells

"There is no limit to the knowledge"!

 

Then Brahma consoles him by advising him to understand *that* which is

trying to learn; understand *that* which is trying to compare; understand

*that* which is feeling devasted by its own comparision! Narada bows to

Brahma and leaves....

 

Reading and writing thousands of papers are nothing but Narada trying to

create a Rathole in the mountain of knowledge! However, we have to

understand that such an endeavour --- though yields intellectual

satisfaction --- takes us nowhere.... when you realize the word "nowhere"

then you will also realize that what you wanted to know is "now--here"!

 

Know what is important to you. Be brutally honest in finding out what is

important and execute! God be with you.

 

Yours,

Madhava