Inspiration

[Guest guest]

Two stories related by Sri Ramakrishna keep coming to mind. One is about the

serpent which stopped hissing and the other about Mahout Narayana. Should we

just stop for a moment to remember these stories, we would get answers to

many of our questions.

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A venomous serpent infested a village field where children played among the

bushes and trees. The children complained to a passing monk, who overcame

the snake with a mantra and made it his disciple. He directed the snake not

to bite the villagers. The snake followed the instructions of his guru and

began to lead a passive life.

For some time, the children were surprised why the snake did not behave as

before but, before long, they realised that it would not bite whatever the

provocation. They began to treat it brutally, stoning the serpent, holding

it by the tail, kicking it, stamping on it, etc. The snake grew weak and

sickly and emerged only at night to eat for survival. The children took it

for dead.

One day, when the monk returned to the village, he was surprised to see

that the children were playing gleefully, not a bit worried about the snake.

On enquiry, they told the monk that the snake was probably dead.

The monk finally divined the snake at its hideout and asked the reptile why

it had fallen to such a state. The snake related its woeful experiences at

the hands of the village children. The guru then scolded his disciple and

said: I only told you not to bite. Why did you stop hissing?

 

HOW OFTEN DO WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO HISS WHEN NEEDED?

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An aspirant was walking on the road when he spotted an elephant, its mahout

astride it, coming along. The man walked on along the path of the mammoth

creature ignoring desperate calls from the mahout to move aside. Ultimately,

he was trampled badly by the animal.

His guru asked the aspirant why he had behaved thus. ``Didn't you teach us

that there was Narayana in every creature? " the disciple said. ``Yes,''

replied the guru. ``But why did you ignore Mahout Narayana? "

 

IF ONLY WE WOULD LISTEN TO THE MAHOUT NARAYANA AT THE RIGHT TIME, OUR

WORRIES WOULD BE GONE.