Selflessnes Is The Real Penance (Jajili)

December 22, 2001

Jaya Guru Datta,

Here is today's saying:

“Selflessness is the real penance. Sacrifice must also be selfless. Lack

of egoism is the firm foundation for selflessness and sacrifice.

Worship, penance or charity tainted with selfishness are futile . . .

in the distant past, a man named Jajili did penance for a long time. As he

sat still for days together without moving even an inch, some parrots made a

nest on his head. One day, he opened his eyes slowly and looked. He felt

very happy, thinking, 'Oh! I did such a wonderful penance for so long.

Even parrots stay in a nest on my head. My steadiness is so great!' The

parrots thought, 'What happened? It looks as though this man stopped doing

penance.' Jajili knew the language of the birds also. A swan came there

and said, 'He feels that he did a favor to the parrots by sitting still. It

may be good for him to learn something from Tuladhara, a goldsmith in

Kaasi.'

Listening to the swan's words, Jajili went to the goldsmith who was a trader

of charitable nature. Jajili narrated to the goldsmith what all had

happened. The goldsmith said, 'What can I say? Both gold and dust are same

to me. God sends the needy people to me, who take whatever money they want.

The entire wealth belongs to God. He is the owner. Who am I to give

anything to anyone? I am just a witness. I just observe silently.'

See! Jajili stopped his penance. He felt what all he did so far was very

great. In contrast, see how humble and charitable was the goldsmith!

Hence, the goldsmith was far better than Jajili . . . donation made with

egoism is not good just like the penance of Jajili."

Sri Swamiji

Jnaana Saagar, p. 210 - 211

Sri Guru Datta,

Swamiji Says

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