June 30, 2013: Once there was a farmer who lived in a village. The man was poor. He tried to make his living through farming, but could not earn enough for a nice house, good possessions and fine clothes. He looked so ragged that some people in his neighbourhood would make fun of him. Yet, the man was content with what he had. He firmly believed in God and spent his free time in prayer and meditation.

Some of the man’s friends advised him not to waste his time in prayer. The man was happy with his own life, but they kept nagging him, forcing him to think that maybe he could be happier if he were richer. One night, the farmer had a dream, wherein a divine being told him to go into the city where he would find treasure. When the farmer woke up, being influenced by his friends to seek wealth, he decided to pursue his dream. As he had not travelled to the city before and was unfamiliar with its laws, a police officer found him wandering around and picked him up. He brought him to the police station. The officer asked, “What are you doing here?” The farmer explained, “I am in search of wealth. I had a dream and it told me that I would find a vast treasure here.” The officer said, “You are a fool. I have had many such dreams. You should remember that they are just dreams. I ignore every one of them. For example, once I dreamt of discovering wealth near a deserted hut in a village outside the city. The hut had a stream passing by it. And there was a small farm nearby. I never went there because dreams are not real.”

As the police officer was describing the house, the farmer was shocked. The house sounded exactly like his own! The man was overjoyed at the possibility of finding wealth so close to his own house. The farmer went to the spot and began digging. Soon he uncovered a large treasure chest filled with enough wealth to make him a rich man. He was amazed that all this time there was a hidden treasure near his own home.

This story describes our condition. We are constantly in search of happiness and love all over the world. Little do we realise that true wealth, true happiness and true love exist within us. We erroneously believe that happiness is an outward phenomenon. We think it lies in wealth, name and fame, possession and relationships. But true happiness lies within. God lies within us. God’s love is within. Instead of seeking treasure outside, we should sit in meditation and find the true wealth within. Then we will find our lives filled with love, bliss, eternal peace and happiness.

TRUE SELFLESS SERVICE

Then, there is an inspiring story of saint Eknath. He lived in Maharashtra. Once he was travelling with a group of his followers from Varanasi to Rameshwaram, in the south. The belief at that time was that if an offering was made to Lord Shiva in the temple at Rameshwaram, one would have good luck. So, Eknath and his followers stopped first at the Ganga to collect holy water to take as an offering for Shiva. As they headed on foot to Rameshwaram, they passed through a thick jungle. The pathway became narrower and narrower. Somehow Eknath got separated from his followers who could not keep up with him. The saint decided to stop and wait for them. He sat under a tree to shade himself from the scorching sun. As Eknath sat there, he spotted a donkey, which was lying on the ground. He approached the animal and found it thirsty. Eknath could feel the pain of the donkey and searched for water but could not find any. He looked at his jug of the holy Ganga water and thought for a moment. Should he give the water to the donkey, or save it for an offering to Lord Shiva at the temple? Soon he had the answer as he took the jug of the holy water and gave it to the donkey to drink. The donkey was so thirsty that he drank every drop.

As he was giving the donkey the holy water, his followers arrived. They saw the donkey drinking the water and started questioning the saint. “What are you doing? This is the holy water we are taking for Lord Shiva,” said one. Another said, “Now our trip to Rameshwaram is wasted. We will have nothing to offer there.” But the saint smiled and told his followers, “A true human being cannot bear to see another living being dying of thirst. This offering to save the donkey’s life is far greater than any other offering and brings great benefits to the giver.”

This story illustrates the vision of the saint and how he could feel the pain of all other living beings. The closer we get to God and our soul, the more compassionate we become towards the sufferings of others. The real service is in listening to the cries of others and tending to their needs. When we soothe someone else’s heart or apply balm to the wounds of others, we truly serve the Lord. That is the greatest offering.

Source: The Pioneer, DT. June 30, 2013.