Satyopanisad

[Guest guest]

Swami! It is most unfortunate that there is no tangible change in our lifestyle

though we have been here and listening to your divine discourses over the years.

We do not know the reason why it is so. Kindly show us the way.

 

Lack of practice is the only reason. When there is no power supply and it is

dark all over, can darkness be dispelled by just saying " lamp " unless you light

it? The hunger of a starving man can never be satiated by merely looking at the

menu with a list of the most delicious items. He has to eat some of the items to

appease his hunger, hasn't he? Can a sick man be cured of a disease by merely

listening to the formula and composition of the medicine without his taking it?

Can the suffering of a poor man be alleviated with all the knowledge of

Economics and Accountancy? Can you attain mukti by reading books without

practicing any of the instruction found therein? Instead of saying something

without doing, it is better to do and not say anything. I repeatedly tell you

that until you practice what you say, there is little effect even after

listening to talks for years together.

 

Take a small example here. Suppose you have with you a matchbox full of

matchsticks and you want to light a lamp. You will now have to open the box,

pick up a stick and strike against the side of the box to light it. In case you

fail to light the matchstick, even after striking it again and again, what does

it mean? You then come to discover the meaning: the matchbox is wet. You cannot

light a stick striking it against the box. What is to be done now? You have to

dry the matchbox in the sunlight for some time.

 

Similarly, you are drowned in the water of worldly desires and attachments.

Therefore, you can't light the lamp of wisdom. Dry your, mind with all its

limitless desires and thoughts of worldly comfort in the sunlight of

renunciation. Only then can you light the lamp of wisdom. You may be here

listening to any number of discourses for any length of time, but you will not

be able to achieve the expected results if you fail to translate the essence of

one discourse into your daily life.