Deserve it and you will have it (contd....)

[Guest guest]

Swamiji narrated an anecdote from the Bhagavatham, which happened just

before the 'Nirvan' of Lord Krishna. Krishna and Arjuna were walking in

the forest and Krishna felt thirsty and asked Arjuna to bring water.

Arjuna went in search of water and conies across a cottage, wherein a

lady was worshipping Krishna. A picture of Krishna was in front of her.

She had applied 'kum-kum' and decorated it with flowers. In front was a

newly decorated cushion. On both sides of the picture, however, was a

naked sword hanging on the wall. As Arjuna looked in he was amazed. He

could not understand the significance of words there. The old lady

opened her eyes and saw Arjuna. Arjuna asked her for water and she

readily gave it. He also sought her permission to ask a question:

" Mother, I am greatly bewildered. I see that you are a great devotee of

Lord Krishna and your heart is saturated with love for Him. I see a

picture of Krishna and a cushion that has not been used by anyone. But I

wonder what those two naked swords are for. You are so old and you

surely cannot use them. And you are filled with love and the atmosphere

is so pure. In such an atmosphere, what could you possibly need these

swords for? "

 

The old woman said: " The sword on the left is meant for Draupadi and on

the right for Arjuna " . The bewildered Arjuna asked: " What is their crime

that you have kept swords ready for them? What have they done? "

 

She flared up and said: " You say they have not committed any crime. For

the sake of ephemeral power, Arjuna troubled and pestered the Lord so

much. For the sake of a throne, which after all is bound to pass, he

compelled the Lord to wash his horses and made all sorts of demands on

him. If I see Arjuna, I will cut off his head. Draupadi was the worst

sinner. She harried the Lord so much. While she was being stripped in

court she began to call upon Him and the Lord had to run to help her. He

had to change Himself into a roll of cloth to cover her and save her

honor. Why was she so particular about it? If she had left her saree go

when it was pulled, no harm would have come to her. After all the body

is a corpse and after it dies you do not care whether it is kept covered

or not. And on every slight occasion she was calling upon Krishna,

wanting Him to save her even though she had not given Him any devotion.

If I see her I will cut off her head too. " Arjuna was really taken

aback. Then he asked about the cushion. The old lady said that the

cushion is for true devotees like Uddhava and for Gopis who loved the

Lord selflessly, who did not make the least demands on Him in return for

their devotion and love.

 

After narrating this story, Swamiji told us that we should not use

the divine power for gaining petty material advantages which

are not going to last in any case. We should not use such great power be

used for spiritual growth and enlightenment? One's devotion should be

utterly selfless, should not be accompanied by any petty or trivial

desire Pleasure and pain come and go, and all misfortunes a fortunes do

not last. True devotion is free from selfish desire.

 

Mind can be trained by 'Vairagya' (detachment) and 'Abhyasa'

(studies). Realisation of transistorizes " Vairagya1. Ceaseless

meditation is 'Abhyasa'.

 

So long as even the slightest trace of ego remains, the objective cannot

be achieved. When the Sadhaka cannot tolerate such state and finds

himself incapable of doing anything else, then he reaches the limit of

Santi, Surrender in the real sense of the term comes only then, and this

results in egolessness and achievement of the goal.

- By O.V.G. Subramanyam

 

(Source Shri Sai Padananda October 1992)