Arunachala. अरुणाचल -17.

~~~~Arunachala. अरुणाचल  -17.~~~~
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HAND YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD 
TO HOLD.

Devotee. -When I am here I am convinced; I am 
impressed.But when I go out and think of society
or of my country and I remember your answer :
'Know thyself'........
Maharshi. - What can you do to society or your 
country when you are weak ? You must become
strong first. But I tell you, Self-attainment is the
supreme strength. Do not fear that you will lose
strength to act when you become a Jnanin (ज्ञानी).
Devotee. -I have that fear.
Maharshi. You should not have it. If you are 
destined or chosen to do a particular thing, it will
be done.
Devotee. - Then should I resign everything ? Can
I not perform Tapas (तपस्‌) -Austerities- and ask 
God to grant my desires ? 
Maharshi. - You can. But there must be some
Abhyasa (अभ्यास), some Sadhana (साधना) for
Tapas, or for your prayers to reach God. When 
you are in the Sadhana, whether it is meditation 
or prayer, will you be thinking of your desires or
of God ?
Devotee. - If I think of my desires in meditation, 
it is no Dhyana (ध्यान) at all.
Maharshi. - Then take it that there is the same 
Dhyana, the same Tapas, the same meditation, 
for both, Sakaama (-सकाम) or Nishkaama
(-निष्काम),whether it is actuated by desire or is 
disinterest.Even when your desires are fulfilled,
the Tapas grows. It does not cease. That is the
true character of Tapas. It is the same in the 
case of Bhakti (भक्ति) also.
  Now I put a question to you. When a man with
luggage gets into a Railway carriage, where does 
he keep it ?
Devotee. -He keeps it in his compartment or in the
luggage-van.
Maharshi. -So he does not carry it upon his head or
on his lap.
Devotee. - None but a fool would do that.
Maharshi. - If you call him a fool who keeps it on
his head, a thousand times more foolish is it to bear
your burden when you get into spiritual life, whether
it is Vichara-Marga (विचार-मार्ग), - the path of 
knowledge, or Bhakti-Marga (भक्ति-मार्ग), the path
of devotion.
Devotee. - But can I throw off all my responsibilities,
all my commitments ?
Maharshi. -Now, look at the temple-tower (Gopura).
There are many statues in it and there is a big statue,
one in each corner. Have you seen them ?
Devotee. - Yes. I have.
Maharshi. - Now I tell you this. The big tall tower is
supported by those statues.
Devotee. - How can that be ? What do you mean ?
Maharshi. - I mean, when speaking thus, that it is
not more foolish than your attitude when you say that
you have to carry and are carrying all cares, burdens,
responsibilities etc............
  The Lord of the Universe carries the whole burden.
You imagine you do. You can hand all your burden 
to His care. Whatever you have to do you will be 
made an instrument for doing that at the right time. 
Do not think you cannot do it unless you have the
desire to do it. Desire does not give you the strength
to do. The strength is the Lord's.
Devotee. - Am I to understand that you are giving 
me the essence of Karma Yoga (कर्म योग) ?
Maharshi. - It is the essence of Karma Yoga, (कर्म-
योग) of Bhakti Yoga,(भक्ति योग) why even of
Jnana Yoga (ज्ञान योग), for even though the paths
in the beginning may differ, they all eventually lead
to this position.


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Continued.............