HOW TO HAVE JOY OUT OF LIFE - 3

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HOW TO HAVE JOY OUT OF LIFE - 3

 

Very few do this and so life seems to have lost its flavour, and an

ever-increasing number of young men and women complain: “Life is not worth

living!” We seem to be entering into an age of gloom. It is true, science is

advancing. We have reached a zenith of technological brilliance. Man stands on

a planet of limitless promise. He has probed the secrets of the atom, the

depths of the sea. He has unravelled the mysteries of his own mind and body.

Yet is he unaware of his real being and purpose. He is faced by a terrible

loneliness, and his mind is filled with a thousand fears which he cannot name.

 

The great historian, Arnold Toynbee, was a man gifted with many insights. He

said that, with the rise of the industrial civilization, man has received many

benefits, but for them he has had to pay a terrible price. That price is peace

of mind. As we have grown in material and technical know-how, peace of mind has

declined. Industrial civilization has come to stay: we cannot, at this stage,

abandon it. But we must find out a way so that, living in this computer age; we

may find new happiness and a new ability to get real enjoyment of life.”

 

How may we do that? How may we get the true joy of life? So let me pass on to

you some practical suggestions – which are not merely to be heard but to the

put into practice. Suggestions which are not put into practice are like a

bottle of medicine lying on the table. It is only when you drink it that it can

have any effect on your system.

 

A friend of mine was indifferent in health. To him I gave some powders to be

taken thrice a day. He met me after few days and I enquired about his health.

“It is just the same,” he answered. When I asked him, “Did you take the

powders?” he said: “They are in my pocket!” Medicine that is in your pocket

will have no effect on your health. Likewise, suggestions which are not put

into practice will not yield results.

 

PRACTICALE SUGGESTION No. 1 is a very simple one. If you wish to have joy of

life, keep away from all joy-killers. One of them is hate. Let there be no

feeling of hatred in your heart.

 

A man met me. His face was black as coal, as he said to me: “There is a fire

burning within me. The flames will not be quenched, until I have shot the man

who caused my father’s death.” There you are. Hatred is a fire. So long as the

fire burns within you, you cannot have joy of life. And as the Buddha said:

“Hatred ceaseth not by hatred, hatred ceaseth by love!” When a thought of

hatred comes to you, trample it under-foot and breathe out a thought of love

and good-will.

 

There was a man who led an evil life: his wife and children sought comfort at

Beloved Dada’s satsang. One day, the man came to Beloved Dada and shook his

fist at him and said: “If you only knew how much I hate you!”

 

Beloved Dada looked lovingly at the man and said to him: “If you only knew how much I love you!”

 

What was there in Beloved Dada’s words! The man came and fell at his feet and,

with tears in his eyes, begged forgiveness. His life was changed. He turned

away from his evil ways. He accompanied his wife and children, every evening,

to the satsang.

 

When Jesus was crucified, he prayed for his persecutors. There he stood on the

Cross: nail after nail was struck into his hands, his feet, his throat. Blood

flowed out of his gentle, pure body – a body that had never caused harm to

anyone. And on his lips was the prayer: “Father, forgive them, for they know

not what they do!”

 

Rishi Dayanand had been poisoned by his cook, Jagannath. He had been bribed to

kill his great master. On his death-bed, Rishi Dayanand called Jagannath and

said to him: “Here is money for your ticket to Nepal. Escape, before my

disciples find out what you have done, else they may tear your body into

pieces.”

 

Such is the witness of all the great ones of humanity. They have met hatred with

love and shown that the true joy of life is in loving. If you would be truly

happy, love one another. Meet hatred with love and forgiveness.

(Written by: J P Vaswani)

 

HH Pujyasri B V Narasimha Swamiji narrates similar incident in ‘Life of Sai Baba’ Vol-3:

 

One night when Baba Saheb Tarkhad and others were sleeping at the chavadi on one

side of Baba, Mir Jaman of Kandahar who was then with Baba as a recent arrival

was sleeping on the other side and suddenly got up at 3 a.m. and told Baba,

“Hindus are spoiling you and the Islamic faith. Permit me, I will cut throats

of all these and effect your release.” Baba Saheb Tarkhad listened to those

words with fear, and wondered if the wretch really meant to murder him in cold

blood. Baba, however placated Mir Jaman by saying that he, Baba, was pagal and

the Hindus worshipping him there were mad and that he was

responsible for their worshipping him. Contrary not only to the tenets of Islam,

but contrary to their own Hindu customs, the Hindus worshipped him. Baba said

they were not responsible for his madness, but he was responsible for theirs.

So, if anybody’s throat is to be cut, Baba said, “my throat is to be cut”.

Saying this, Baba offered his throat. Then Mir Jaman kept quiet.

 

-to be contined

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