Inner Transformation Series – 5 - The Protection Shield - Part 1

[Ravishankar.G]

Dear All,

Once, someone gave me some sweet prasad (consecrated offering) in a bag. Since it was the Lord's divine prasad, I placed it carefully in a corner, so that I could partake of it later. A few minutes later I turned to find a whole horde of little black ants marching towards the bag. As these ants are harmless and don’t bite, they are generally not killed in India. So I picked up a brush and patiently tried to push them away. But the ants were quite determined and persisted on attacking the prasad. I was at a loss, and didn't want to spend the whole day
brushing the little critters away. As I watched the ants, an idea struck me. How simple it was! I did not have to bother about the ants. All I had to do was simply protect the prasad from the ants. I quickly went to the kitchen, brought a big bowl filled with water and placed the plastic bag containing the prasad in the bowl. The ants could not attack the prasad anymore because they were now protected by the "fort" of water. Such a simple solution, yet it had evaded my mind for a long while.

Later that day, I went to satsang (Divine communion, a place where people hear and discuss spiritual topics). In the satsang, which was about the power of the Divine Names and the glory of chanting them, my spiritual Master narrated a wonderful incident from the life of a great mahatma. This great saint was once touring India by foot. He happened to set up camp for a few days in a village on the banks of the Godavari River. As it was mid-summer, the sandy river bank was scorching hot. The mahatma had to walk to the river from his tent for a bath. When he set out to the river, a disciple rushed to him with a pair of sandals and an umbrella. Suddenly the mahatma, who usually walked very fast, stopped and became thoughtful. Seeing the master stop in his tracks, the disciple was perplexed at first as he could not fathom the reason. But then he realized that such an act by his master meant that humankind was going to be benefited with a rare pearl of wisdom. So he waited. Slowly
the master turned to the disciple and asked, "When you see this, what do you understand?" The disciple did not understand and wondered what his master was referring to. Is it ever possible for a layman to comprehend the depth of a saint's thoughts?

The disciple humbly requested, "I would know if my master obliges to enlighten me on it."

The saint said, "In this summer season we find the sun is scorching us from above and the sands are burning us from below. But we have to walk this path to the river to take our baths. Now, to save ourselves from this heat, we can build an overhead cover extending from the camping place to the river. To save our legs from the heat of sand, we can build a wooden pathway. With the cover on top and a wooden path below, we will certainly be saved from the heat of the sun and sand. But is this a practical solution?"

The disciple replied, "True! It is not possible practically to build tents or wooden paths everywhere we go!"

"So what are we actually doing? To save ourselves from the scorching sun, we use the umbrella and to save ourselves from the heat of sands, we use a pair of sandals. Neither do we attempt to change the sun nor
the sand! We just use an umbrella and sandals personally to save ourselves, is it not? Now do you see? "Though the disciple did kind of understand the master's words, he wanted to hear more from his beloved
master and so said, “I still don't get it".

The master said, "We need not bother ourselves about how perfect or imperfect the world is.

!!! Will Continue !!!
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Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
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