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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