Give room to others – Story
A junior manager, a senior manager and their boss are on their way to a meeting.
On their way through a park, they come across a wonder lamp. They rub the lamp and a ghost appears.
The ghost says, “Normally, one is granted three wishes but as you are three, I will allow one wish each”
So the eager senior manager shouted, “I want the first wish. I want to be in the Bahamas, on a fast boat and have no worries.”
No sooner was he gone!!
Now the junior manager could not keep quiet and shouted “I want to be In Florida enjoying everything.”
He was also gone.
The boss calmly said, “I want these two idiots back in the office after lunch at 12.35pm.”
Moral:
Eagerness is a great asset. However, if misused, it could offend others and could be detrimental to the very purpose we have in our mind although it may not be a deliberate road block for the others.
The two managers forgot to seek their Boss’ permission before asking for the boons. So, the boss cancelled their received boons cleverly.
Similarly, in trying to serve the Lord, we tread not only on devotees toes but also on their heels, knees and probably on their heart and mind causing great pain and inconvenience.
Krishna Consciousness is Susukham & Kartum Avyayam (eternally and joyfully performed). Unintentionally, we could make the tread along the path painful for ourselves and others. We need to be very, very careful. We should endeavor to become what Lord Krishna describes a devotee’s typical
characteristics are in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita (12.13-19) (Bhakti Yoga):
“One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me—such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.”
“He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.”
“My devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and not striving for some result, is very dear to Me.”
“One who neither rejoices nor grieves, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things—such a devotee is very dear to Me.”
“One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contaminating association, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn’t care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and who is engaged in devotional service—such a person is very dear to Me.”
(Building a Temple -Story! READ HERE!)