Who is flloish?

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Who is Foolish?

-Translated from a discourse given by Swami Shri LeelaShahji Maharaj

 

Question: How can a householder do spiritual practices and enhance his/her love

for God?

Swamiji answering the question narrated a meaningful incidence:

 

Incidence: " There was a devotee named Gyana Chanda. He used to be immersed in

devotion for God always. He had a routine of practising meditation, singing

devotional songs and worshipping God every morning. There after he used to go to

his shop to work. He used to close his shop at lunch time in the afternoon and

did not open the shop after that. He used to devote rest of the time in serving

the saints, feeding the poor, listening discourses of saints and in donating

whatever he could for good of others. He used to be satisfied with whatever he

earned from his business and used to devote his life for love of God. Such

behaviour of his used to surprise others and they thought of him as a lunatic.

People used to say:

 

'He is foolish. He spends all his earned money in donations. He opens his shop

just for a few hours. He wastes the precious morning time meant for earning

money in doing worship. He can earn twice as much if he keeps the shop open the

whole day. He is mad.'

 

Once the richest businessman of the village called him over to his house. He had

made a red colored hat. The rich man gave that hat to Gyana Chanda and said:

'This hat is for fools. I have not seen a person more foolish than you so I'm

giving this hat to you for wearing. If you find anybody more stupid than you,

then you may give this hat to that person.'

 

Peacefully, Gyana Chanda took that hat and came back home. Once that rich man

became very sick. Gyana Chanda went to meet him and asked about his health. The

rich man said:

 

'Brother! I'm making preparations to go now.'

 

Gyana Chanda asked: 'Where are you planning to go? Did you send somebody there

to make preparations for your arrival or not? Are you taking your wife, son,

money, car, bungalow etc or not?'

 

'Brother! Who can accompany me there? No body can go with me. I will have to go

alone. I'll have to leave my family-relatives, money-bank balances,

bungalows-vehicles here. Nothing can stay together other than Soul and God

(Atman-Parmatman).'

 

After listening to the rich person's words Gyana chanda giving the hat (which

had been given to him by the rich man) to the rich man said:

'You only wear this hat.'

 

The rich person: 'Why?'

 

Gyana Chanda: 'You are more foolish than me. When you knew that every thing

-bungalows, bank balances, family etc will stay here, none of your friends will

accompany you, there is no true hope other than God, then why did you waste

whole of your life in acquiring only these things?

When one is rich and powerful then everybody flocks around for selfish reasons.

But nobody comes to help at times of trouble. Even after knowing all this you

developed attachment for things which will not stay forever, stayed away from

God and did not collect anything for your future. Therefore in these

circumstances who is more foolish than you?

Now you cannot do anything. You yourself are observing that none of your loved

ones is coming for help.'

 

Are they not the king of all fools who know the truth and still remain entangled

in the material world and stay away from God? While keeping attachment towards

worldly objects and relations, if time would have been devoted towards

remembering God, repeating the name of God, meditation, staying in the company

of the great saints and donating for good, then there would have been no reason

for repenting and feeling sad. "