Our Devotion is Half-Hearted: We Never Mean What We Pray for
Parable of The Wood-Cutter and Lord Yama
One day, in the month of June, when the sun was at its highest, an old wood-cutter was labouring at the task of collecting a bundle of wood. He was heaving sighs and dragging his weary steps upon the burning path. Being thus exhausted he threw the burden on the ground and prayed to the God of death: “O Death! Please do come, take me away, and relieve me of this burden.” And lo! the, God of death came to him at once, to relieve him of the drudgery of his mundane existence.
“I have come,” he said, “be prepared to meet me.
“No, No,” he retorted, “I did not call you for that. Please keep this burden on my head. Only for this I called you here. Kindly help me to lift this burden.” The old man thus resumed his journey tottering with the load on his head.
People of the world, too, generally evince great devotion to the Lord, and pray to Him for relieving them of all the miseries of the world. But their devotion is half-hearted. They never mean what they pray for. They rather prefer to continue their miserable existence here than be relieved of it altogether.
For quick spiritual progress one must develop an intense aspiration to meet God. Suppose your hairs have caught fire; with what rapidity will you rush to quench it? The same must be your eagerness to run to Guru or to God, for attaining liberation. Who can see the Lord? He who cannot live without Him even for a second.
(pgs. 100-101, Parable of Sivananda)
One day, in the month of June, when the sun was at its highest, an old wood-cutter was labouring at the task of collecting a bundle of wood. He was heaving sighs and dragging his weary steps upon the burning path. Being thus exhausted he threw the burden on the ground and prayed to the God of death: “O Death! Please do come, take me away, and relieve me of this burden.” And lo! the, God of death came to him at once, to relieve him of the drudgery of his mundane existence.
“I have come,” he said, “be prepared to meet me.
“No, No,” he retorted, “I did not call you for that. Please keep this burden on my head. Only for this I called you here. Kindly help me to lift this burden.” The old man thus resumed his journey tottering with the load on his head.
For quick spiritual progress one must develop an intense aspiration to meet God. Suppose your hairs have caught fire; with what rapidity will you rush to quench it? The same must be your eagerness to run to Guru or to God, for attaining liberation. Who can see the Lord? He who cannot live without Him even for a second.
(pgs. 100-101, Parable of Sivananda)
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