A Story about the the Three Gunas

[Guest guest]

This is a story that Swamiji has told on several occasions:

 

The Three Thieves and the Traveler

 

Three thieves came upon a traveler on a lonely road. The first thief

said, "This guy is of no use to us. Let's kill him and take all of

his valuables." The second thief said, "Well, there really is no

reason to kill him. Let's just tie him up securely, throw him in a

ditch and take all of his valuables." That is what they decided to

do. They tied him up securely, hit him over the head, and threw him

into the ditch. They stole everything he had and ran off.

 

They had gone some distance away, when the third thief began to feel

badly about their actions. He said to the two others, "You guys go on

ahead. I have to go back." He did. He returned to the victim of the

crime and found him all bound up, lying in a ditch by the side of the

road. He untied him, bandaged his wounds, put him on his own horse,

and led him to the highway.

 

The victim said, "You have been so kind to me. My house is just down

the road. Why don't you come to my house and let me entertain you."

 

The thief replied," I can't go there. The police will ask me why I

was with the thieves in the first place. I will surely be arrested."

 

The first thief is the quality of darkness(tamas), who causes injury

to others. The second thief is the character of activity who binds

all of life with attachment to their actions(rajas). The third thief

is the attitude of truth,(sattwa) which can show us the way home, but

cannot

enter into the house. To enter into the house of God we must be in

complete peace, without any quality at all.(Nirguna)

 

The more sadhana we do, the more we come into balance and harmony

within, and the closer we get to entering the house.