A devout devotee, who takes refuge in the Lord, does not worry, that he has not yet had a vision of the Lord, he has not developed true devotion for Him and that his inclinations have not been purified and so on. If he worries, he is like a baby monkey, who by holding his mother, shoulders the responsibility of staying safe.
A devout devotee on the other hand, is like a kitten, which totally depends upon his mother, depends on the Lord, without worrying whether He appears before him or not, whether He bestows love upon him or not, and whether He purifies his propensities or not. A kitten folds its limbs and remains ready for its mother to carry it anywhere. Similarly a devotee withdrawing himself from the world, beholds the Lord by meditating upon Him, reciting His name and performing such spiritual activities. He remains fully satisfied and happy with whatever happens to him, regarding it as the Lord’s, sweet will.
A devotee is like clay, which leaves itself to a potter’s wheel. The potter mixes water in it, kneads it, crushes it, pats it, puts it on his wheel, shapes it and makes pots, such as pitcher, jar, and plates etc. Similarly, a devotee leaving himself at the Lord’s will, becomes free from worry and fear etc. Then the Lord’s grace showers on him incessantly. The more he is free from worry and fears, the more Divine grace is showered on him. The more he worries and has pride in his capability, the more impediments he puts in Divine grace. The Lord’s uncommon, unique, incessant and continuous grace is showered on a devout devotee, who takes refuge in Him.
When a fisherman casts his net, in order to catch fish, all the fish which come within the net are trapped. However, the fishes that come close to his feet, are not trapped. Similarly, beings having been attached to the world, get entangled and follow a cycle of birth and death. But those who take refuge in God, get over the deluding potency (Maya) of the Lord (Gita 7/14). There is an important difference between the attitude of the fisherman and the Lord. The fisherman wants to trap the fish, but the Lord wants beings to be liberated from illusion, by taking refuge in Him. So he declares, ‘Take refuge in Me, alone.’ A person gets entangled in illusion, by being attached to worldly pleasure.
As in a moving mill, all the grains are ground but those which are near the rivet are not pulverized. Similarly in the grinding stone of the world, people are crushed i.e. they suffer and follow a cycle of birth and death. But those who take refuge in God, escape suffering and the cycle of birth and death. However, there is a difference between, grain and devotees. The grains remain near the rivet, without making any effort, while devotees themselves, by having a disinclination for the world, take refuge at His feet. It means, that man (self), though being a fragment of the Lord, accepts his affinity with the world, and wants his desire to be fulfilled by it, he therefore has to suffer by following the cycle of birth and death.
A man’s affinity with the world is assumed, while with the Lord it is real. Affinity with the world makes him a slave to the world, while the affinity with the Lord, makes him a Lord, even to the Lord. If a person regards himself superior to others, because of learning, riches, power and even renunciation and dispassion, it means that he is a slave to them, because in fact he is not superior, but these possessions have made him feel superior. So the possessions are superior, rather than his real self. He is inferior to them. But if a devotee takes refuge in the Lord, and depends only on Him, the Lord makes him a jewel of His crown, or considers him His Lord. But, even then he has no superiority complex, no pride of his virtues. In that case, the Lord’s uniqueness descends on him and sometimes even the bodies, senses, mind and intellect become divine as their earthliness is completely gone. Such devotees with their bodies merge in God. Meerabai merged in the idol of Lord Krishna. Only a piece of her saree was left in the Lord’s mouth. Similarly, saint Tukarama (along his body) went to the abode of Lord Vishnu.
Narayana ! Narayana ! Narayana !
By Shradhey Swamiji Shri Ramsukhdasji Maharaj
www.swamiramsukhdasji.net
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