I will share with you an interesting story. Long back there was a young farmer who was devoted to God. A Guru approached him and wanted to initiate him into the Supreme Essence. The farmer replied that he had recently got married and hence he was not keen on this preaching. He asked the Guru to return after a few years.

After a few years when the Guru returned, the farmer replied that he was busy earning and raising his young kids and hence there was no time for spiritual pursuits. The Guru left and returned again after some more years. By this time the farmer was old. He now said that his children had all just got settled in life. He had recently begun new farming methods and hence there was no time for spiritual lessons. The Guru left.

The farmer died soon after. He was reborn as a bull on the same land. The Guru approached the bull and offered to preach it a divine mantra that would help in its spiritual elevation. The bull replied that it had to help the children with the farm related work and so there was no time. The Guru left and the bull died a few days later.

It was now born as a dog on that same land and was guarding the house. The Guru appeared once more and asked it to accept initiation into the mantra. The dog said that it was busy. It had to guard the house and the property and asked the Guru to come back later. The Guru left.

The dog died soon after. It was now born as a snake in the well there. The Guru returned after some time. The farmer’s children were furious on seeing him. They said, “Every time you come a tragedy befalls us. First our father died. In your next visit our bull died, thereafter our dog died. Now what is it that you want?”

The Guru calmly replied, “Your dead father has been reborn as a snake in the well over there. He had, out of love for you, hidden some wealth there. Having been reborn as a snake he is presently guarding it.”

On hearing this, the children rushed to the well. They found the snake there. All they wanted was the wealth. They did not care whether the snake was their father in its earlier birth or not. They attacked the snake and threw it away and grabbed the wealth.

The snake was badly hurt and was about to die. The Guru approached it. Now the snake was repenting for all its attachments and actions done due to this mad attachment for its kids. Realization dawned on it. It pleaded with the Guru, “Swami! Now I realize my mistake. I was blindly attached to these children and the property. I was trapped in it. Please preach me the mantra now.” The Guru said that he would give it at a later date and he disappeared.

Your worldly worries and attachments are similar to that farmer. These worries and attachments at times throw you into depressions. At such times, pray to the Guru to give you the needed energy. Repeat Jaya Guru Datta and Sri Guru Datta three times. You will feel better. Your anger will reduce. Practice this with faith. If instead you get angry with the Guru, what can he do?

There is no use of getting angry with your Sadguru who showers his blessings and love on you. Whatever may be the circumstances never get angry with the Sadguru. It is a great sin. Your prayer at times of difficulties should be, “What can Swamiji do? In what way is He responsible for my destiny? It is my fate and I need to face it.” If you have a cold you will seek treatment. Can you think of cutting off the nose?

Even happiness is a trait. It is as transient as sorrow. It misleads us. Hence along with anger, happiness and excitement should also be monitored and controlled. To control it one should analyze its origins. The root should be traced and cut. If the root is traced, anger automatically disappears.

Sadguru is trying to elevate you to higher spiritual levels. To help you get there He asks you to participate in pujas, or to engage in charitable deeds, serve food to the needy, build temples or engage in other tasks for the welfare of others in society.

Climbing a hill is indeed painful and stressful. But when you reach the peak, the body feels lighter. It is the same with spirituality. The Sadguru tries various means to make you develop a liking towards spirituality. Only after you reach a particular level, he can show you the real treasure- the Spiritual Knowledge, Self-knowledge. It is the climax. It is just like the climax scenes in the movies.

To get you to this stage He undergoes a lot of struggle. While He is struggling for your growth, you (addressing the devotees) seek to be immersed in worldly pleasures. You love untruth, cheating, whiling away your time and so on.

Having lived among cheats and liars all your life, you now imagine that everyone around you is a liar or a cheat. Having seen the ordinary Gurus who cheat, you assume that Spiritual Gurus are also cheats. It is your fate that is responsible for this misfortune.

After getting a Sadguru, do not distance from Him. As you have been trained to expect quick returns in every field, a quick cure for all diseases, you are expecting him to grant you instant liberation. As your desire is unfulfilled, you are distancing. You believe untruth to be the truth, duplicate to be the original, light to be the darkness and darkness to be the true light.

In order to get enlightenment, our body needs rigid training and discipline. That is what Swamiji is teaching you now. You have to understand this. He needs to ensure your mind and heart are ready for receiving that knowledge. They should turn totally pure. Only then the Knowledge will remain steadily in you. There is no value when anything is granted quickly. It slips away. That is why Sadguru has to grant slowly. Listen to the meaning of the Guru Gita verses. It contains everything. It explains everything. Your doubts will get clarified.

- Bhaktimala Aug 05