Narayanasramam

[Guest guest]

A Peaceful & Joyous Mind by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

 

In the field of devotion, one thing is absolutely essential. Devotees

should learn to accept everything and all in the name of God.

Especially, they must accept the fellow beings.

 

Generally, a thief is somebody whom we can never like or accept. But

when you become a devotee, you cannot dislike a thief. His action is

wrong and therefore, in a way, the actor is also wrong. You yourself

need not thieve. You need not invite a thief to your house. You need not

encourage him to thieve. You need not accept or store the stolen

articles. But in the mind level, you must not hate him! Why? Because,

the God whom you love and adore is present in everyone; he is equally

present in the thief. As He is present in the virtuous man, so also He

is present in the vicious. When you recognize Him thus everywhere, you

will see the `oneness' of the universe.

 

Until the devotee reaches this wonderful realization of Oneness, I

don't think the devotion has been fully accomplished. Without this,

devotion cannot fulfill the devotee. This proposition may create a

conflict and contradiction in the mind. It is natural. The buddhi will

have to think repeatedly and rise above the conflicts and

contradictions.

 

Do you want to have a mind that is peaceful, joyous, clear and

expansive? Then you have to get rid of blamingness, and reach or at

least strive for this wonderful state of love and oneness. Why this lack of

fondness for each other? The cause is that there is no readiness; there is no

effort and persistence in you. The austerity that keeps one in the path of

expansion, is missing.

 

At every opportunity, develop fondness for each other. By loving anyone

sincerely – not for using the person later, but genuinely – you

will only be enriched. Love is a subjective personal affair. You may

even have love for the thief! 'Poor boy is thieving – what can be

done?' The mind should extend only sympathy. This is what the Maharishis felt

when they saw Ratnaakara and the result was that the thief got transformed, to

become later the famous Vaalmeeki. You may not be a maharshi, but can you not

have at least a small part of the

maharishi-element in you?