Pt. Balram Persad, Senior Member of the Dharma Mandal, Upaparamacharya of Swaha and Spiritual Leader of Om Shakti Mandali
As devotees, we must be steadfast and faithful in our devotions. We must seize every opportunity to do our best and give of our best for our own spiritual advancement.
We all know our present circumstances and the situations confronting us. There is a saying that today is unique, important and special, there has and there never will be a day like today. Therefore, it is in this day that I have the opportunity, here and now, in this body, at this point in time, to do my best. When we have that consciousness of the value of time, how precious time is, and what great opportunities lie. There is a story of the sage Narad that depicts this concept.
Narad Muni, during the course of his travels, came to a forest where there were two yogis. One of the yogis, who was sitting in prayer and meditation, had been sitting there so long that ants had built a nest on him. The yogi asked him, “Where are you going?” Narad said, “I am going to see God.” “Well,” the yogi replied, “Please do me a favour. Ask Bhagavan, how much longer do I have to wait and meditate to see Him? I do not wish to be born again.” Narad agreed, “I will convey your message to Shri Raam.”
Further on the forest, he saw another yogi. He was not sitting in meditation with his eyes closed but was jumping and dancing, clapping and singing. Narad asked him to explain his actions. The yogi said, “I don’t want to be reborn when I die.” Narad said to the yogi that he was going to see the Lord. The yogi requested, “Please inform the Lord, that there is a devotee in the forest who is singing and clapping and he doesn’t want to be reborn.” Narad agreed.
Both yogis had the same aim of being liberated but they were trying to bring about that change in their lives through different means. Sanaatan Dharma is not dogmatic in this regard. There are many ways of worshipping and reaching the Lord because humans have different temperaments. We must not condemn each other for following different paths. I follow a way that I find meaningful, convenient, satisfying and uplifting.
After some time he returned to the yogis and both asked the same question: “Did you see the Lord? Did you ask Him? What did He say?” Naradji said to the one who was meditating, “The Lord said you have to meditate for only four more lives and then you shall not be reborn. You will be in the Divine presence.” The yogi became unhappy on hearing this. He said, “Four lives? That’s so long.” He began to cry.
Narad then met the second yogi who was still joyously worshipping. The yogi paid obeisance to Narad: “O Narad, you are a man of your word. Did you meet Bhagavan? What did He say?” Narad said, “Bhagavan said that you will be able to return to Him and be free (pointing to a large tree) after being reborn as many times as there are leaves on that tree.” When the yogi heard this, he began to dance even more. He began to sing, dance and clap with even more fervour, enthusiasm and joy.
Naradji heard a voice and there was a flash of brilliant light and that voice said to the yogi, “My son, you are free at once. I am pleased with you because you have faith, patience and devotion in Me. Even though the tree has thousands of leaves, yet you are willing to be born again and again, because the many births are not as important as the opportunity to be with Me. Therefore, the voice said, you will be free, here and now. You will not be born again.”
The difference between both yogis is that one wanted to be free instantly while the other felt he had the consolation and the joy that it would happen eventually, in just a matter of time. The aim is for the soul to merge eventually with the Paramatma, just as a drop of water becomes one with the ocean. He did not focus on the many births he would have to undergo but the guarantee that at the end of these births he would reach his ultimate goal of seeing and being with the Lord.
There is a beautiful verse that explains this:
I sought my soul but my soul I could not see.
I sought my future but my future I could not see.
I sought my God and I found all three.
There is a game called treasure hunt where people go in search of different objects and when they find the prize, they get joy and feel uplifted. Let us go on a spiritual treasure hunt for ourselves. We are trying to discover the atma within us. We must use the pickaxe of knowledge, the spade of detachment, to remove the dirt of ignorance. We use the paths of meditation, prayer, faith and devotion, and we shall behold who we are, the Divine Being. At the end of the day, His grace will be revealed and we will sing, clap and dance in joy.
