The Art of Living

[Guest guest]

The Art of Living

-Translated from a discourse given by Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu

 

The birthday of a gallant knight of Rome was being celebrated with great pomp

and show. Different types of recipes were being prepared in the kitchen. Lots of

friends and relatives had been invited. The atmosphere was full of happiness and

zeal. Suddenly, a few soldiers of the king arrived with bare swords in their

hands and said to the knight, " You will be hanged to death in the evening at

6:00 PM. "

 

Immediately all the musicians stopped playing. The atmosphere became gloomy. The

faces of all friends and dear ones became sad.

 

Seeing this change, the knight said:

 

" What is the matter? Why is everyone quiet? Let the music play and let us all

dance. Fortunately, my death is happening on the same day as I was born. Till

now only the dancers were performing, but now even I will dance. Till now only

the singers were singing, but now even I'll sing. Where is the time left now to

feel worried and to cry? There is not enough time. Smile and sing and dance. Who

has seen the next minute... let us celebrate. I'll be hanged in the evening and

not now so play the music and let the celebrations go on. "

 

What could the poor musicians play? They had to obey the knight, therefore they

started playing the instruments with sad mood. As soon as they started playing

music, the knight started dancing merrily on the tune. The musicians were filled

with enthusiasm seeing the knight dance so naturally. This scene made others

worried. They lost the charm with which they had come for celebrations and their

hearts were filled with tears.

 

Inspite of all this the knight kept dancing in happiness. The soldiers who had

come with the message of death sentence were surprised at the knight's reaction

to the news. It was strange that the knight was so merry even after hearing the

news of his death... Bliss was getting reflected from each and every part of the

knight's body! It appeared as if time for meeting a dear one and not death was

approaching.

 

Those soldiers informed the king and said: " Out of enmity the message of death

sentence was conveyed to the knight to make him frightened. That knight is

overflowing with happiness instead of getting worried. He did not panic at all

after hearing the news. Will you hang such a man to death? Oh king! Atleast go

and see the man! "

 

Thereafter, the king himself went and was extremely surprised to see the knight

dancing happily. He asked the knight:

 

Have you become mad? "

 

The knight: " Oh king! Why should I be mad? One day death had to come. These

minutes are extremely valuable. The life which smiles even when death is

knocking at the door is a true life.

 

Those who have learnt to drink

The poison of sadness,

They have learnt the Art of Living,

this is the truth.

 

The one who loves death experiences the real pleasure of life. The one who is

not afraid of death is not afraid of any thing in this world. "

 

The king felt ashamed and thought, " It is not right to be enemy with such a

pious man. " Therefore, the king asked for forgiveness from the knight.

 

Then the knight said:

 

" Oh king! What should I forgive you for? So many birthdays arrived and departed,

but on this birthday you sent the special gift of life and death together. Oh

king! my heartiest thanks to you. "

 

Those who walk to reach the goal,

They do not ever complain.

And those who complain,

They do not ever reach the goal.

 

Those who have to reach their goal, what will they complain about? ...And those

who complain, what does his reaching mean? If our style of living is ruled by

complaining and thinking negative, then our strength will be wasted only in that

and we will not be able to reach the goal.

 

Those who have completed the spiritual journey and thus acquired the internal

joy and the internal peace - for such people even the message of death generates

the effect as message of birth. As the knight came to know that the king will

hang him to death, he neither felt sad nor did he complain that he is innocent

and had done no harm to the king, and that why his birthday is being turned in

to the day of his death. Instead he thought that it is better that he is dying

after celebrations. Such positive thoughts of his turned his death into life and

made the king ask for forgiveness!

 

In the same way if you meet death happily, then death cannot kill you. If you

see death happening, then you will become witness of even death. If you meet the

obstacles and troubles of this life with a smiling face, then no matter how much

painful the problem is, it will not disturb your peace of mind. Otherwise, Is

there any human being who has not faced difficulties and obstacles in his life?

Let it be the rich or the poor, Guru Nanak or Saint Kabir, Buddha or Mahavir,

Shri Krishna or Shri Rama.... everybody's life encounters sadness, difficulties

and obstacles but those who know how to smile, their problems become a boon for

them.

 

OM! I AM FREE.... I AM AT PEACE.