Devotees should not be fools

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NAMASTE

 

Most people think that to be a devotee and to be simple means that you act

like a fool in secular situations. Sri Ramakrishna tells us that devotees

should not be so. The following is a very interesting story on how Sri

Ramakrishna taught Yogen, later known as Swami Yogananda, as well as other

disciples, a very important lesson concerning this:

 

From SRI RAMAKRISHNA THE GREAT MASTER, pg. 647: It was from the Master that

we ( " we " and " us " are used throughout because the author was a disciple of

Sri Ramakrishna later known as Swami Saradananda to whom we are all grateful

for this book) heard for the first time, " My children, people become

simple-minded and liberal as the result of many austerities and sadhanas; if

one is not simple-minded, one cannot realize God. It is to these men of

simple faith that He manifests His real nature. " Again, lest anyone should

think one must be a simpleton to have sincere faith, he would say, " You

should become a devotee but why should you be foolish on that account? Always

discriminate in your mind between what is real and what is unreal, what is

eternal and what is transitory. And then give up what is transitory and fix

your mind on the eternal. "

 

Unable to harmonize these two statements, some of us got scolded now and

again. Swami Yogananda had then not yet renounced the world. He required an

iron-pan for his house and went to Barabazar to buy one. He reminded the

shopkeeper of the evil consequences of irreligiousness and said, " Look here,

take the just price for the article, and give me a good thing; see that it

has no cracks or holes. " The shopkeeper in his return said, " Rest assured,

sir, I'll of course do that, " and chose for him a pan and gave it to him. He

believed in the words of the shopkeeper and brought it without examining it.

But, when he came to Dakshineswar (where the Master lived at that time), he

found that it was cracked! when the master heard of this, he said, " How is

that? How is it that you bought the article without examining it? The

shopkeeper is there to conduct his business, not to practice religion. Why

did you believe him and get deceived? You should no doubt be a devotee, but

not a fool on that account! Should you be deceived by people? First examine

whether the right thing has been given and then give the shopkeeper the

price. See that the article does not weigh less than it should, before you

receive it. Again, there are some articles for which it is customary for the

sellers to give a little more than the quantity stipulated. Never neglect to

take that extra quantity also. " Many such examples can be given Suffice it to

remark that the Master's extraordinary shrewdness coexisted with wonderful

simplicity.

 

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Sri Ramakrishna shows us that shrewdness must be in balance and coexistence

with each other. Basically, some devotees aren't shrewd in these matters

because either they think that it is not important to give attention to or

they are just lazy to do secular things. Laziness said and showed time and

again that laziness in any form is not spirituality. He himself was so

unbelievably meticulous as far as keeping everything in order and in its

proper place and keeping everything clean. Whenever the Master went anywhere

he would make sure the devotee gathered everything that would be required for

the night as well as other necessities and when leaving the place he would do

the same while many times the devotee would forget without Sri Ramakrishna's

reminder. Sri Ramakrishna urged his devotees: You should no doubt be a

devotee, but not a fool on that account! I think this is a very important

message. May we all assimilate it and practice it.

 

Hari Om

-Om Lala