Parables of Rama
by Swami Rama Tirtha | 102,836 words
Stories in English used by Swami Rama to illustrate the highest teaching of Vedanta. The most difficult and intricate problems of philosophy and abstract truths, which may very well tax the brains of the most intellectual, are thus made not only simple and easy to understand but also brought home to us in a concrete form in such an interesting and ...
At one time there came a man to a meeting where we all had God consciousness, and on entering he began to cry and weep and beat his breast; no body attended to him. He was grieving over the death of Rama's son, who was related to this man. Well, no body attended to him, and he sat down, and then he was asked quietly, calmly, plainly to hush his anxiety and to console himself; and he said he could not bear the death of this relation of his (the son of Rama). None of the audience could weep or cry or show any signs of disturbance, for there was the state of God-consciousness; there was that state where everything in the world was looked at from the standpoint of God; there was that condition where the old songs were set to the new music of Divinity. The words or remarks which escaped the lips at that time were as follows: "O brother, the fact that you are a relative, is of the same sort as somebody coming and saying 'O sir the wind is blowing', but O fellow, what if the wind does blow, what is unnatural about is to upset us? Or O sir, the river is flowing; what if the river flows, it is natural, why should it upset us; the river flows that is natural; there is nothing abnormal or extraordinary about these statements. Similarly, when you come and say that your son is dead, there is nothing extraordinary about it, it is most natural; everyone who is born, is born to die- When you enter the University, do you enter to stay but for a short time or to make it your home all the time; do you get examined and remain there all your life as a freshmen or sophomore? When you enter the fresh-man class, it is intended that you should leave that class one day and go on to the sophomore, &c.
"When you enter a staircase, it is understood that you are not to remain there always, but will leave the staircase after a short time,
"When you reincarnate, is it not understood that you must leave that reincarnation or past life?
"Similarly when you enter this body it is understood that you will leave this body. So if that boy, whom you call Rama's boy, is dead, there is nothing remarkable or curious about it. It is not strange, it should not upset you; it is like saying that you had your nails pared today. If the son is dead, all right, there is nothing unnatural about it.
This is the way to look at your worldly relations and thus keep yourself free; look from the stand-point of Reality, making Rama, the true Self, Divinity, your home, and look at all your acquaintances, connections and relations from that vantage ground.
MORAL: During the state of God-consciousness whatever (good or evil) happens in the world, appears as natural and hence affects not the least. Even the death of the nearest relation fails to disturb the peace of mind.