Question to Radhanath Swami :How can one be happy regardless of external situations?
Radhanath Swami narrates from the Vedic Text, Srimad Bhagavatam
...Part 2
What can we learn from the sun? (Radhanath Swami continues)
The Avadhut learnt the same spirit of selfless service from the sun. The sun evaporates water, and what does it do with the water? It creates rain and gives the water back to the earth. Sea water is useless for many of our purposes. The sun will evaporate that sea water and make it into pure rain water. Here in Mumbai, we live near the sea. But what happens if there is no good monsoon? There is unlimited quantity of water just two blocks away from here, at Chowpatty beach. But yet, everyday when the Bombay water department turns on water supply for a couple of hours, everybody is turning on their tanks and filling it up. Why? Because sea water is useless for all practical purposes. And if some year there is insufficient monsoons, there is very big cry of concern, “How will we survive? How will we wash? How will we drink? How will we cook?” So, can’t we appreciate the benediction of the Sun? The Sun is just taking that sea water, making it into something wonderful, and giving it back to society. Similarly a saintly person, whatever they learn they use it for the welfare of others. There is a saying, “One who has knowledge but does not enlighten others with that knowledge is like a lamp covered by a pot.”What is its use? Not just knowledge, but also skills, talents, and wealth; whatever we acquire, we want to give back for the welfare of others.
What can we learn from the fire? (Radhanath Swami continues)
The Avadhut made several wonderful observations. This first was that the flame of the fire looks like steady, but in reality it’s constantly appearing and disappearing. A flame only lasts a second and then it’s gone. It keeps regenerating as long as there’s fuel. Yet, it looks constant. Similarly, our bodies and the world around us, everything looks as though they have some constancy. But factually, the powerful waves of the river of time are creating change at every moment, imperceptibly. You’re all getting old. You may not see it, but it’s happening. The whole world is temporary, nothing will last, but we see it as constant. Whatever looks like it has permanence is actually very transient. The only thing that is permanent is the eternality of the soul.
The Avadhut also learned a very valuable saintly quality from fire. Whatever things you put in fire is consumed. It doesn’t disturb the fire. Similar is the nature of humility of a saintly person. Because his/ her heart is within the fire of devotion, if you give him/her praise, it will not be disturbed. A saintly person understands that everything is the property of GOD, so whatever praise comes belongs to Him. And even if you give gifts to a saintly person, he/she will not become egoistic or attached. A saintly person will understand it’s the property of Lord and will use it for the purpose of the Lord, for the purpose of others. In this way, a saint never becomes implicated, complicated, or put in a condition of bondage because of the fire of humility within the heart.
What can we learn from Water? (Radhanath Swami continues…)
When water is pure, it sounds very sweet when it flows. Similarly, a saintly person is a person who speaks and behaves in a way that is very pleasing to the hearts of others. And just as water purifies, the saintly person’s acts and words purify us.
In association with pure water that is transparent, our body becomes clean; in association with a saintly person, our heart becomes clean. Why? Because they transparently reveal the love of God that is within their hearts.
To be continued in Part 3...
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