| I tell you truly that the urge, dedication and love within a devotee are such that he cannot live without seeing his Master. It is like a mother who cannot live without her son. It is like a cow that goes out to graze but in reality her mind is ever attached to her calf. Likewise, a devotee has love and attachment for his Master. Bulleh Shah said, “The path leading to God is extremely subtle. Mullahs put obstacles in our way and do not allow us to progress. Elephants and horses cannot go there, as it is an extremely subtle place.” Who does go there? The mind, which acts as a hindrance to all human beings, is controlled by a spiritual person with a special technique. It is said, “Karani ka phal payega. ” As you sow, so shall you reap. How did Prahlad come to have faith in God? Once some kittens were born inside a potter's earthen pitcher. The potter was not aware of this and placed this pitcher, along with other raw pottery, inside a kiln. After some days when the fire of the kiln was extinguished, the kittens were seen playing inside the pitcher. Prahlad was amazed to see that they were alive, even though the pitcher in which they were lying had been burning in the kiln for days. Who had kept them alive? Then he believed that there is some Power which saved the kittens. He even defied his father, King Hiranyakashipu, who claimed that no power was greater than himself. His father tormented Prahlad a lot, so God finally killed him. Whenever devotees were tormented, God protected them. So it is said that God is omnipresent and the same power is within all of us. Great divine personalities incarnate from time to time to manifest that power. He is already present but one needs divine vision to recognize him. |
We need three things to be living. They are a ruler, a physician and the Spiritual Master. These days people are suffering from various fatal diseases which were previously unheard of. A lot of research is being done, but still doctors have not been able to find the right medicines. What will you do to save the lives of such sick people? That Power is omnipotent. That Power can destroy hundreds of creatures in a moment. Many examples about devotees are given in our religious scriptures. You can learn from the example of Shravan Kumar how to serve your parents.
Such kings as Shivi have ruled in our land. One day a dove landed in the lap of King Shivi and prayed, “O king, please protect me. I have small offspring. If this eagle which is following me eats me, then my babies will be orphaned and this sin will be upon you, because anyone asking for shelter must be protected.” So the king told the eagle, “I will protect the dove because it has come to me for shelter and I will not give it to you. However in return, I will give you anything else you may ask of me.”
The eagle replied, “O King, give me some flesh from your right thigh equal in weight to the dove. I will feed this to my children and will not kill the dove.” The king was happy that his body would be used for the benefit of the dove. Only those who work for the sake of others are great. There are so many human beings and the majority of them are like beasts. St. Kabir said, “ Nam japat kushti bhala, chui chui pare jo cham. Kanchan deh kis kam ki, ja mukh nahin nam. ”
He says that even a leper, if he remembers the Holy Name of God, is far better than a person of sound health but bereft of the Name.
So King Shivi went on cutting his own flesh and putting it in one pan of a weighing machine and on the other pan was the dove. But even though he cut a lot of flesh from all his limbs the scales did not balance. Then King Shivi himself sat on the pan. Then the god Indra who had been disguised as the eagle and the fire god Agni disguised as the dove manifested and said, ‘Shivi, you have proven yourself to be great in penance and sacrifice. We had, in fact, come to test you.”
King Shivi's name is indelible. It will live forever in our history and his sacrifice is an ideal for us. So we should also establish our own ideal by our service and remembrance of Holy Name.
