Why fear the society?

[Guest guest]

Om Sri Sai Ram

In the world of today, what bothers man most is ‘fear of the society’, fear of

what this or that person might say. Swami often stresses this point, but yet,

even Sai devotees, like all others, are finding it difficult to remain

oblivious to constant remarks from others.

Here is a story of Mulla Nasruddin that reveals how foolish it is to lose peace

of mind on the words of the society.

Mulla Nasruddin was running a small school with a dozen kids. He often heard his

students lament like; ‘If I read books, people call me a book worm’; ‘If I eat

less, they say I am sick’; ' If I wear clean clothes, they say I’m an idler’

Mulla wanted to teach his students that if one doesn’t care, then people stop

criticizing. Next day, he told them, “Today, we will have a mobile class. I

will ride my donkey and you will follow me.”

Mulla mounted the donkey in a different style. His face was towards the tail of

the donkey. He rode on talking to the children walking behind the donkey. The

students were really embarrassed as all the people were looking at them,

commenting and laughing. One of them said, “On the donkey is a big donkey and

the small donkeys are after him!”

Mulla ignored all this and kept talking to his students. Very soon, they were

followed by a mass of people repeating, “Big donkey on the donkey- small

donkeys after him!”

The students were red faced. Some felt like crying, others wanted to run away

and hide. At last one of them said, “Sir, we can’t go on like this. Everybody

is laughing at us”

Mulla replied, “They are laughing because you are taking them seriously. Why

should we bother about them? Now do as I say. You must say, ‘the big donkey on

the donkey’ and I will say, ‘the small donkeys are after me’. Then see what

happens.

As they shouted like this and moved forward, the children saw that the people

were losing interest in them, and were breaking off one by one. Soon, no one

was following them.

The students learnt a valuable lesson, and let us learn it too. When our

attention is fully focused on Swami and His teachings, let it not waver by what

others speak or think. This attitude can be developed only by increasing the

will power. Knowing that something is good alone will not help unless there is

the drive to practice it. Strong and undivided faith in Swami will provide this

will power, as there is no space for fear or doubt where there is faith.

[Guest guest]

Sairam.

 

Thank you for this.....yes.....so long as we are true to our Sai selves, nothing

and no one should affect us otherwise.

 

When our attention is fully focused on Swami and His teachings, let it not waver

by what others speak or think.

 

With love & light,

 

Madhvi

Duty is God, Work is Worship