LET NOT THE CHILD FALL OFF

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LET NOT THE CHILD FALL OFF

 

Baba said to Purandhare, ‘If anybody comes and abuses you or punishes you, do

not quarrel with him. If you cannot endure it, speak a simple word or two or

else leave the place. But do not battle with him and give tit for tat. I feel

sick and disgusted when you quarrel with others.” – HH Pujyasri B V Narasimha

Swamiji’s Life of Sai Baba Vol.2.

 

It was said of Saint Eknath that he had mastered his passions and nothing would

make him lose his temper.

 

A man, with evil intentions, came to test him. He flung invectives at the Saint,

abused and cursed him to his heart’s content. The saint was unperturbed.

 

The man grew tired and the Saint said to him, “My friend, it is time to eat

food. You must be hungry after such a long sermon.”

 

Eknath asked his wife to serve meals. As the wife bent low to place the food

before Eknath and the stranger, he thought of a device which would inflame the

temper of the meekest amongst men. Quickly, he jumped and sat on the back of

Eknath’s wife.

 

Eknath said to her, “My dear, don’t stand erect, else the child will fall off and be hurt.”

 

“True,” answered the wife. “Our son played with me in the same way when he was a child.”

 

Hearing the divine conversation, the man was flabbergasted. Sheepishly, he got

down from the back of the saintly woman, fell down at her feet and at the feet

of the Saint and, with tear touched eyes, asked their pardon.

 

“What is there to pardon?” they said to him. “Children always behave thus. Are you not our child?”

 

Anger always wounds the man who is angry. Passion burns up the soul that

contains it. Significant are the words of Epictetus, “Whenever you are angry,

be assured, that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a

habit, and added fuel to a fire.”

 

Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai

 

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