A moment of Satsang !!

[Guest guest]

!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

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Satsang is the way to cross the ocean of ignorance. There is nothing greater.

 

There was once a dialogue between Vasishtha and Vishwamitra. Vasishtha Muni was

a bhakti-yogi and Vishwamitra was a tapasya-yogi, one who practices much

austerity. It happened that Vishwamitra decided that he wanted certain

recognition from Vasishtha, and wanted Vasishtha to address him as

" Brahma-Rishi " . But Vasishtha wouldn't call him " Brahma-Rishi " . This made

Vishwamitra very, very angry. It is said, that if you can overcome anger, you

have mastered everything. But to master your anger is not so easy.

 

The story continues, that in his rage of anger, Vishwamitra killed the sons of

Vasishtha as revenge, and even stole his cow, the source of abundance. But,

still not satisfied with those acts of violence, Vishwamitra hatched a plan to

kill Vasishtha himself.

 

It was a full moon night, when Vasishtha and his wife decided to go to Satsang.

Unknown to them, Vishwamitra was waiting in readiness behind a bush, ready to

strike Vasishtha. It was a beautiful evening and the path along which they were

walking was bathed in the brilliance of the full moon light. Vasishtha's wife

mentioned to her husband how beautiful the light was, and he replied, " Yes

indeed, this light is a beautiful brilliance, just like the light of Sage

Vishwamitra. " Waiting behind the bush in quietness, Vishwamitra heard this

praise and in that moment all his anger dissolved. He thought to himself, " I

killed his sons, I stole his cow and now I was ready to kill him too, but still

he sings my glory! " He threw aside his weapons, came out to prostrate at the

feet of Vasishtha, who exclaimed, " Oh, Brahma-Rishi, welcome! "

 

Vishwamitra was filled with remorse and said, " To you Vasishtha, I will dedicate

my 16,000 years of Tapasya " . But Vasishtha just smiled and said, " Dear one, I

will dedicate to you one minute of Satsang " .

 

Anger is not easy to overcome and on hearing these words, Vishwamitra's anger

rose again at the seeming unfairness of this offer from Vasishtha. He strongly

complained and suggested that they go to Lord Vishnu to receive his judgement,

but Lord Vishnu said, " this is out of my jurisdiction, for God cannot go against

the action or words of a Saint. If you want an answer, you must go to Lord

Shiva " . So, off they went to Lord Shiva's abode and Vishwamitra asked him,

" Revered Lord Shiva, what is worth more, the fruit of 16,000 years of Tapasya,

or one minute of Satsang? " Lord Shiva said, " This is not for me to decide, you

must seek the advice of Sesh Naga, on whose head the globe of the world is

balanced. Lord Brahma dwells on Sesh Naga, the 1000-head serpent. On arriving at

the place of Lord Brahma, Vishwamitra asked Sesh Naga, " We have come to you to

receive your judgement, please tell what is worth more, the fruit of 16,000

years of Tapasya or the fruit of one minute's Satsang? " " Well, Lord Sesha said,

" if you could just balance the globe of the earth for a bit, I can come and tell

you. " Vishwamitra then invoked a prayer, " Dear Mother Earth, I offer you 16,000

years worth of Tapasya that you please remain suspended for a while, so that

Sesh Naga can release his burden for a moment to give us his verdict. " But

Mother Earth wobbled seriously and nearly fell. Then Vasishtha offered a prayer

to Mother Earth, " Dear Mother Earth, I offer to you the fruits of one minute's

Satsang, that you remain suspended for a while so that Sesh Naga can give us a

verdict. " Sesh Naga slowly moved away from under Mother Earth and she remained

suspended without falling at all. " That " , he said, " Is your answer. "

 

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