Inner Transformation Series – 5 - The Protection Shield - Part 2

[Ravishankar.G]

Dear All,

Contd....

Newspapers show us the state of the world. The world and its happenings scorch us! Virtues have gone to the winds. This state of the world is burning us like the sun from above and the sands from below. In such a
situation, it would be very pleasant to hear someone say that the world should be a better place or that the world should be changed or people should be more virtuous, etc. But is it possible to change the world in even an entire lifetime? Of course not! Still, is it not important for me to save myself from such a world? What is the way? The way is—just as we have our own sandals and umbrella, we should also pave a path of virtue personally for us. Irrespective of how the world is, we should clearly set our own path; a path of virtue. We cannot really be sure if we can change the world, but as an individual we can protect ourselves from the ills of the world by setting up a path of righteousness, a path of moral values for ourselves personally and holding on to it steadfastly. We should uncompromisingly hold on to the path irrespective of what situation we are put through. If we walk such a path uncompromisingly, name, fame, wealth and every kind of prosperity will ensue. Instead, if we hanker after name, fame and wealth and give up our moral values in such a pursuit, we will be the losers. Now do you understand? Just as we protect ourselves from the sun by using sandals and an umbrella personally instead of trying to change everything around us, we should set a path of spiritual values for ourselves and walk the path without trying to change the world around us. By doing so one can effortlessly attain name, fame and wealth."

Saints how wonderfully bring out profound truths and practicable paths out of mere day to day events! When my own Guru explained this beautifully in the satsang (Company of Holi), I immediately thought about the ants and the sweets. What had happened in the morning? I wanted to protect the sweets from the ants and was thinking only about how to stop the ants from getting to sweets. So my entire attention was on the ants. When I tried to push away the ants coming in from one direction, ants from another direction marched straight ahead. If I
tried to push those away, ants from a third direction marched forward. If I had to save the sweets from the ants by pushing them away, I sure would have spent the whole day doing just that! But the solution was simple. Protect the sweets by placing them in a vessel of water, like a fort. While I was thinking about this, my Guru's words from the satsang also rang in my ears.

My Swamiji said that people are usually confused with regard to Dharma. This is because dharma is very subtle. But there is a simple dharma. A dharma, following which, may or may not change others, but will definitely protect us. It will act as our fort. What is it? My SatGuru said, "It is the Divine Name of the Lord."

Chanting the Divine Names of the Lord incessantly saves us, who are also sweets, from the ants which are nothing but our automatic negative thoughts like jealousy, anger, pride, etc. These negative thoughts try
to etch away all the sweets of goodness in us like dispassion, love and wisdom. If we try to drive away one of these ants, the others charge at us! If we try to fight these negative thoughts, we will end up spending
our entire lifetime in it without any progress.

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