Guest guest Posted December 30, 2005 Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 Dear Georgeson, Thank you for posting this. I think it is a very important lesson on Dharma. Jai Ma! Prasadini GeorgeSon wrote: > There is a Gita called the Butchers Gita. > As far as I know it is respected Indian > scripture. Here is Swami Vivekanandas's > version. > > >From What is Duty in Karma Yoga by Swami Vivekananda > > A young Sannyasin went to a forest; there he > meditated, worshipped, and practised Yoga for a long > time. After years of hard work and practice, he was > one day sitting under a tree, when some dry leaves > fell upon his head. He looked up and saw a crow and a > crane fighting on the top of the tree, which made him > very angry. He said, "What! Dare you throw these dry > leaves upon my head!" As with these words he angrily > glanced at them, a flash of fire went out of his > head--such was the Yogi's power--and burnt the birds > to ashes. He was very glad, almost overjoyed at this > development of power--he could burn the crow and the > crane by a look. > > After a time he had to go to the town to beg his > bread. He went, stood at a door, and said, "Mother, > give me food." A voice came from inside the house, > "Wait a little, my son." The young man thought, "You > wretched woman, how dare you make me wait! You do not > know my power yet." While he was thinking thus the > voice came again: "Boy, don't be thinking too much of > yourself. Here is neither crow nor crane." He was > astonished; still he had to wait. At last the woman > came, and he fell at her feet and said, "Mother, how > did you know that?" She said, "My boy, I do not know > your Yoga or your practices. I am a common everyday > woman. I made you wait because my husband is ill, and > I was nursing him. All my life I have struggled to do > my duty. When I was unmarried, I did my duty to my > parents; now that I am married, I do my duty to my > husband; that is all the Yoga I practise. But by doing > my duty I have become illumined; thus I could read > your thoughts and know what you had done in the > forest. If you want to know something higher than > this, go to the market of such and such a town where > you will find a Vyadha (butcher) who will tell you > something that you will be very glad to learn." The > Sannyasin thought, "Why should I go to that town and > to a Vyadha?" But after what he had seen, his mind > opened a little, so he went. > > When he came near the town, he found the market and > there saw, at a distance, a big fat Vyadha cutting > meat with big knives, talking and bargaining with > different people. The young man said, "Lord help me! > Is this the man from whom I am going to learn? He is > the incarnation of a demon, if he is anything." In the > meantime this man looked up and said, "O Swami, did > that lady send you here? Take a seat until I have done > my business." The Sannyasin thought, "What comes to me > here?" He took his seat; the man went on with his > work, and after he had finished he took his money and > said to the Sannyasin, "Come sir, come to my home." > > On reaching home the Vyadha gave him a seat, saying, > "Wait here," and went into the house. He then washed > his old father and mother, fed them, and did all he > could to please them, after which he came to the > Sannyasin and said, "Now, sir, you have come here to > see me; what can I do for you?" The Sannyasin asked > him a few questions about soul and about God, and the > Vyadha gave him a lecture which forms a part of the > Mahabharata, called the Vyadha Gita . It contains one > of the highest flights of the Vedanta. > > When the Vyadha finished his teaching, the Sannyasin > felt astonished. He said, "Why are you in that body? > With such knowledge as yours why are you in a Vyadha's > body, and doing such filthy, ugly work?My son," > replied the Vyadha, "no duty is ugly, no duty is > impure. My birth placed me in these circumstances and > environments. In my boyhood I learnt the trade; I am > unattached, and I try to do my duty well. I try to do > my duty as a householder, and I try to do all I can to > make my father and mother happy. I neither know your > Yoga, nor have I become a Sannyasin, nor did I go out > of the world into a forest; nevertheless, all that you > have heard and seen has come to me through the > unattached doing of the duty which belongs to my > position." > > > > > > > for Good - Make a difference this year. > http://brand./cybergivingweek2005/ > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > > ------ > > > * Visit your group "Ammachi > <Ammachi>" on the web. > > * > Ammachi > <Ammachi?subject=Un> > > * Terms of > Service <>. > > > ------ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.