Akhanda Jyoti

[Guest guest]

A few more snippets from the monthly magazine of Gayatri Parivar,

entitled " Akanda Jyoti " . Please enjoy.

 

5.

A saint was giving a discourse on surrender to God to be able to

nullify the consequences of sinful deeds. Amongst the audience was a

dacoit, who had made plans to rob the pandits or the priests and the

rich amongst the audience, immediately after the discourse. There he

heard stories of Ajamil, Ganika, Tulasidas and Bilvamangal and about

how life-transforming changes came in their lives and they were

redeemed. He was totally shaken from inside. These stories were

narrated in such a forceful and sensitive way that the words

inspired him to give deep thought to the wrong deeds he had done

throughout his life and also to repent for the same. Immediately

after the lecture he fell on the feet of the saint, he confessed to

him all the evil deeds he had committed and got from the saint

guidance for improving his future life. He sincerely acted upon the

guidance and started living a pious life of devotion to God and

Service of the needy. Lord Krishna has promised in the Gita:

 

Api chet suduraachaarobhajate maam ananyabhaak /

Sudhureva sa mantavuah samyak vyavasitohisah //

 

That is " if even a very wicked person worships me with one-pointed

devotion, he should be regarded as good, for he has very rightly

resolved " .

 

6.

The palace of Napoleon Bonaparte had been furnished and re-

decorated. The whole palace was embellished with priceless paintings

and other objects of ornaments.

 

When Napoleon went to the bathroom, he saw obscene paintings of semi-

nude women in amorous poses. He turned back without bathing and told

the officials responsible for the décor, " Lear to hold women in

esteem. He who treats them as objects of sensual indulgence gets

ruined soon " . The officials not only removed the paintings from

there but destroyed them.

 

7.

A strong desire to go far, an indefatigable urge to rise high was

born in a young mind. There was no money and education in a foreign

country was costly. Somehow, the fare could be arranged. But what

upon arrival there? There was no answer. With inner determination as

the only support, he left for America for his studies. There, he saw

the life of luxury and opulence everywhere. Even an average American

was a rich person b y Indian standards. Money flowed like water.

Gold and silver had not much value. Everything was costly as to sink

the heart.

 

How difficult it was to live and study in such a place? But this

intrepid young man was not discouraged or dispirited. Money had to

be arranged after all. He began to work in the fields, and in the

gardens and even cleaned plates in a hotel. He faced boldly every

challenge that came his way and surmounted every obstacle with the

power of his determination. The person endowed with such unshakable

faith and exemplary dedication was Sri Jai Prakash Narayan. He was

never daunted by adversity, never got disheartened; he rose higher

and higher on the strength of his extraordinary mental resolve and

became the leading light of Indian Independence Struggle and later

Sarvodaya movement initiated by Vinobaji.

 

8.

There were two friends one a believer in God, the other, a non-

believer. The believer lived a simple life and in his general

disposition was amiable and courteous. He was also self-satisfied:

whatever he got, he found contentment in that. The atheist, on the

other hand, would remain absorbed whole day in making plans and

schemes of how to acquire more and more money and material comforts.

One day he asked his believer friend: " Your sacrifice is indeed

great. You have given up the entire worldly pursuits for devotion to

God " . The believer replied " My brother, your sacrifice is even

greater; you have abandoned God himself for this material world " .

The atheist learnt his lesson that day and completely transformed

his life-pattern. He began to spread his knowledge for the benefit

of others and for making them self-reliant. He changed his own

conduct and character, too.