The Safegaurd of One's Best Interests

The Safeguard of One's Best Interests
those= who worship God for the purpose of material well-being and the safeguard of wor= ldly interests are decidedly superior to those who do not adore God...

'The devotees, however, who loving no one else constan= tly think of Me in a disinterested spirit, to those ever united in thought with Me, I bring full security and personally attend to their needs.'

Some people who interpret this verse entirely in a disinterested and detach= ed fashion think it worth white only to devote themselves to the remembrance of God taking refuge in Him, to the utter neglect of their mundane existence. = In this connation they quote they quote the following parable-

Once there was a Brahman who regularly recited the Geeta, was a devotee of = God and lived the life of detachment. He would spend all his time in reciting t= he Geeta times and again with understanding, practicing Jap of the Divine Name and meditating on His Manifest aspect. God was his only refuge. He did not care= for his meals far less to speak of earning his livelihood. His parents had alre= ady departed to the other world. He had two brothers. All the three were marrie= d. He was eldest and the other two were younger to him. The two younger brothe= rs afforded to meet the entire household expenses by functioning as family priests. One day the two younger brothers said to the eldest one-'It would = be better if you could find some time for earning your livelihood'. The eldest brother said-'When God, the sustainer of the universe, who supports one and= all is present at every place and at all times, it is merely childish to be fre= tful about earning one's livelihood. The Lord has taken upon Himself the responsibility of safeguarding one's best interests and needs by proclaimin= g in verse 22 of chapter IX of the Geeta which runs as follows-

So, my brothers, it would be in the fitness of things if we leave ourselves= to His will. Right from Brahma up to the lowest forms of creatures as well as = the minutest atoms are all supported by Him. Moreover, He is avowed to safeguard the best interests and needs of those who taking refuge in Him constantly reflect on Him. It would better for us to devote ourselves exclusively to t= he study and teachings of the Geeta and practice only the remembrance of and m= editation on God with due reverence and devotion.'

The two brothers said-'Dear brother, you are right indeed but God won't pro= vide for one sitting idle at home provided one has reverence for and trust in Him'-replied the eldest one confidently. Both the younger ones got a little irritated and said-'O brother, it is always easy to talk of lofty ideals. T= he fact is that the household expenses are met with the little earning we are = able to make. You remain lying reciting the holy verses and indulge in lofty tal= ks. You little know what a lot of trouble we have to undertake to make a little earning. You will be able to appreciate the difficulty only when you begin = to live apart and run the household yourself. Then shall we see how you manage= the affairs.' The eldest one patiently replied-'Dear brothers, if you deem it proper, I shall not feel any displeasure. Let me live apart. I do not want = to be a burden on anyone. God knows best how He is going to provide me.' At th= is the two brothers spoke in a decisive tone-'All right, only tomorrow we shall make a partition as per our shares.' 'You may do as you think proper. I have nothing to demur about. My agreement lies with your'-said the eldest one.
The next day the two brothers partitioned whatever property and other belon= gings they had into three parts. For his share the Brahman devotee got a mud-built house, a little cash, a few ordinary clothes and ornaments and some cooking utensils etc. one third of the families they visited as priests were also apportioned to him as his share. But such was the mentality of their custom= ers that in some family priest visited their house he was offered something as charity but none cared for the priest who stayed at home.

Thus as per partition the three brothers began to live separately, the Brah= man devotee addressed his wife thus-’whatever has been apportioned to us = by my brothers is quite justifiable but we should henceforth take every care t= hat we resort to God and non else. We should not pay visit to any house in orde= r to ask for something nor should we accept anything even when it is offered to = us. God himself safeguards the best interests and needs of people and it is he = who will safeguard ours. For the present we shall manage with whatever has been apportioned to us by my brothers as our share.'

The Brahman's wife was a devotee of God and was devoutly faithful to her husband. She accepted her husband's proportioned with deference. She though= t to herself-'We have already something to provide us with for the present. When= the resources exhaust my husband himself will arrange for things in the way he deems proper.'

The Brahman devotee would get up at 4 o' clock and go to a tank a mile away from the city and there he would attend the call of nature and wash himself. Then after offering the morning prayers he would offer mental worship, tell= the beads, meditate on God and thereafter would recite the whole of the Geeta w= ith due devotion concentrating on its meaning and after returning home at eleven would take food and perform other duties. Having taken his food he would ag= ain returning to the same tank at 1 o' clock in the noon time, practice Jap, meditation and self-study. Again at 4p.m. after easing and bathing himself = he used to offer the evening prayers. After that having performed mental worsh= ip he would reverentially study the Holy Scriptures. After the sunset he pract= iced the Jap of the Divine Name and meditates on His aspect. Finally returning h= ome after 8p.m. he would take his supper and go to bed at 10. At the time of bo= th meals his virtuous wife would take her meals, only after feeding her husban= d. She considered it her supreme duty to make salutations to her husband daily= to offer the best attendance to him, to abide by his bidding and to meditate on God and chant His divine names. Thus the couple pulled on together. Daily expenses had, of course, to be born by them. After some time the little mon= ey they had was spent up. The wife informed her husband that all the money was spent up. The husband enquired of her if the clothing’s and ornaments= too were used up to which the wife gave a negative reply. Now the Brahman's wife argued to herself that her husband meant to pull on for the present by sell= ing off the clothing’s and ornaments. So she began to manage the househol= d by disposing of them one by one. But how long could the clothing’s and t= he ornaments last? A time came when she had no more of them to dispose of. Then one day his wife informed him that there were no more of ornaments and clot= hing’s left in the house. The husband said-'Worry not. Still we have the utensils = and the house as well.' This made the Brahman's wife think that her husband consented to manage the household by selling the utensils and the house as well. Without any demur she sold out the house and the two shifted to anoth= er rented house. This enabled to them to pull on for some time more. Then they sold off the utensils but these could not fetch much money. At last they had nothing left except a 'saree' for the Brahman's wife to wrap herself in and= a 'Dhoti' and a large napkin for the use of the revered Brahman. One morning = at 4 o' clock when the revered Brahman was proceeding to the forest, with folded hands the Brahman's wife very politely spoke to him thus-'My husband, we ha= ve nothing left with us now. You are left only with this holy book of yours-th= e Geeta, your Dhoti and the napkin whereas only one saree is left for my use. There = is no food grain in the house for cooking food this day. Whatever we had exhau= sted yesterday. 'The Brahman gave no answer to this and made his way to the fore= st as usual.

In the routine manner the Brahman went to the tank and after easing and bat= hing himself he performed the morning worship and practiced the Jap of Gayatri (a divine formula). Subsequently when he was reverently reciting the Geeta he = came across the following verse which he prized much-

That day as the learned Brahman was reciting the verse he thought to himself and argued thus-'This verse does not seem to contain the utterance of the L= ord probably it is an interpolation. Had it been the utterance of the Lord hims= elf, would not the Lord ensure my well-being? I totally depend on Him but to this day he was shown me no favor at all.' Analyzing thus he obliterated the ver= se and barring this one began to recite the Geeta as usual.

Noticing such a sentiment of the revered Brahman, the ruler of the hearts of entire creation, ever ready to fulfill the desires of His devotees, at once disguised as a pupil and riding a horse reached the Brahman's house and approaching his wife and placing before her a large plate filled with sweet-meats asked the whereabouts of the preceptor. The Brahman's wife said= -'A mile away from home, there is a tank where he goes every day for performing= the daily rituals and returns at about eleven. It is ten now and he is expected= to be back in an hour. Who are you and what for have you brought these sweets?= ' 'I am the disciple of the revered Brahman and have brought these sweets to mak= e an offering to my revered preceptor and your good self, please accept these', replied the disciple. The Brahman's wife said-'The learned Brahman entertai= ns no disciple nor he accepts things offered by others. I have been instructed= by him not to accept any offering made by others, please take it back.' The disciple said-'I quite agree with what you say. True it is that he does not entertain any disciple. He has not accepted nor will accept anyone as his disciple. But I enjoy his special favor that is why he has accepted me as a disciple. I want to assure you that I am his only disciple.' 'I know full w= ell that he never made any disciple. How then I take it for granted that you are his disciple. Whatever be the fact, in no circumstance I am going to accept these sweets. You may offer them to the learned Brahman when he returns'-sa= id the Brahman's wife. 'Well, I leave this plate right here and the horse also tied nearby. I shall come back again to see the learned Brahman'-said the disciple. At this the Brahman's wife replied-'You may take this plate back = with you and bring it again when he comes back. In no circumstance shall I keep = it without his consent.' But the Lord was no ordinary human being. He walked a= way leaving the plate at its place when he was departing the Brahman's wife said-'But leave with me your name and address so that on his return the pla= te containing sweets may be sent back to your house.' The disciple asserted-'I= am known to him and I enjoy his special favor; He has no disciple other than myself. Please tell him that the same disciple of His whom he had disfigured this morning had come. This will be sufficient to remind him of me.' Saying= so the Lord walked away.

An hour later when the learned Brahman returned from the forest and entered= the house he took notice of the plate full of sweets. A little agitated the Bra= hman sternly asked-'Whence have these sweets come? Who brought them and why have these been accepted?' With folded hands the Brahmans wife politely replied-= 'My master, I have not willfully accepted them. A disciple presumptuously did s= o. He said he had brought them as offerings for the preceptor. Even though I d= id not accept them, he left them here in spite my resentment.' The Brahman said-'You are not unaware of the fact that neither have I ever made any disciple nor do I do so on principle.' 'That is true indeed. I too did not = fail to tell him that neither have you ever made any disciple nor you do so on principle nor will ever make any in future. Taking my statement to be corre= ct he stared that he knew it well that his preceptor did not make any disciple= and that you had shown him special favor. That was why you had entertained him = as your disciple and assured me that whatever he had stated was true.

In spite of all that I only said that I never heard of your accepting him a= s a disciple. I told him that in no way could I keep that present without your consent still he kept it here and walked away.' The Brahman remarked-'At le= ast you should have asked for his whereabouts so that the things belonging to h= im should be returned to his house.' The Brahman's wife said-'I did ask him fo= r it and to my query he replied that his preceptor knew him, He added that only = that morning you had disfigured him and you could not quite dismiss from your me= mory so soon. He requested me to tell you that the offering was made by your only disciple whose face was disfigured him and you that morning. Saying so he w= ent away and while departing reminded me that the plate containing sweets was b= eing left here, his horse was tied nearby and that he would turn up after words = to see you.'

Hearing this, the Brahman felt horripilation and extremely gladdened he spo= ke thus-'O wife, blessed you are for He was none else but God incarnate. You a= re fortunate to have a perception of Him. I lack in faith and am unfortunate t= hat is why He did not grant me His vision. I did not observe fast even for a day and having lost all patience obliterated the very utterance of the Lord. Th= e Geeta has directly emanated from the lips of the Lord and an effort to obliterate= it amounts to distorting the face of the Divine Being. Today while reciting th= e Geeta when I came across the verse-

I felt dubious about the utterance of the Lord and thought that if those we= re the words of the Lord, He must have looked after my well-being-so this must= be an interpolation. Arguing that why I effaced it. I am indeed the vilest sin= ner lacking in faith. Had I an atom of patience within me, I should never have = done such a vile act. The supremely compassionate Lord is already safeguarding o= ur well-being. And he did arrive as soon as we were left penniless. For the offence of disfigurement I was deprived of His perception. You are pure at heart, a devotee of undivided mind and a devoutly faithful wife. So he gran= ted you His perception. No, I shall not enjoy the peace of mind till he does not turn up'. Later on when he looked out he was surprised to find the horse loaded. He at once unloaded the horse and having carried the bundle inside began to examine it. It was filled with precious stones worth lakhs of rupe= es. Seeing this the Brahman began to repent for his evil doing. He was again overwhelmed with joy and began to recite rhythmically the following verse f= rom the Bhagawat-

(How wonderful it is that the vilest Putana who weaned Krishna with her bre= ast smeared with the deadliest poison in order to put an end to the life of Shri Krishna, merited and end worthy of a good mother (by the grace of the Lord). Why then should we forsaking refuge in such a compassionate Lord seek shelt= er with others)?

'Fie to me how have stained myself by falsely blaming the Lord who is so affectionate to the poor, the sanctifier of the sinner, the sustainer and t= he fosterer of all and the Lord of the universe. I am only the minion of pelf.= If truly I were the minion of the Lord why should I have catered for fooding a= nd clothing and why should the Lord have to come up with this treasure of prec= ious gems? Had I the true knowledge of the true aspect and mysteries of the Lord, had I true love of Him, had I been rid of the lust for money, why should He delude me by offering these precious stones?' While saying so the Brahman w= as overwhelmed with excessive joy.

As it was getting very late the Brahman's wife requested him to take food-t= he God's gift. The learned Brahman said that as the Lord had promised he would partake of it only after His arrival. Evening drew on but the Lord did not = turn up. Then the Brahman's wife requested him to take food-the divine gift. But= the learned Brahman was too firm to be shaken from his resolve; he mechanically= repeated the reply made earlier. When it was ten in the night-the time to go to bed = and the Lord did not turn up, once again the Brahman's wife requested him to ta= ke food-the divine gift. But the revered Brahman would not and so bath fell as= leep without taking anything at all.

It was 11 in the night. Knocking at the door someone called out in a very s= weet voice-'O preceptor's wife, please open the door'. The Brahman couple was st= ill far from getting any sleep at all. Hearing the sweet voice and the endearin= g address, the Brahman's wife started up and being overwhelmed with joy said-'O husban= d! See your Lord has come up at last'. The Brahman immediately rushed forward = and flung open the door and fell in obeisance at the feet of the Lord. The Lord taking him up into His arms hugged him to His bosom. At that time the Brahm= an's condition was too strange to be described. He felt horripilation through the whole of his body, tears rolled down in torrents from his eyes and his voice was choked with excessive joy. Still anyhow he composed himself and spoke-'O Lord, I have been only a minion of pelf. It is because of your supremely compassionate nature that you have taken pity on a wretched person like me.= If my motive and conduct were to be taken in to account, I should not even as = much get a place in the hell far less to speak of having your perception. I trie= d to bring infamy to a blameless and sublime person like you. A person vile like myself full of lust for money would be far to seek. It was for the sake of money that I worshipped you. That is why you offered me these jewels for my satisfaction. I am too much motivated by desires that was why I thought you= to be the caretaker of worldly welfare otherwise I should have craved for my spiritual well-being. Those who with a desireless heart surrender themselve= s to you alone do not even aspire for this spiritual well-being but notwithstand= ing that you safeguard their best interests and needs. I was too unfortunate to= be devoid of such reverence, love, faith, and self-surrender to make exclusive self-surrender to Supreme Being like you.'

The Lord said-'You are not to blame in this matter. You had surrendered yourself exclusively to me. The delay in my arrival was caused an account o= f my faulty nature. But how is it that you have not taken your meal till now?' T= he learned Brahman replied-'When you had left the word that you would turn up = to see me, how could I take food prior to your arrival? Be pleased to take food first, we too shall partake of the remainder afterwards.' 'Nay, we all shall dine together'-said the Lord. Then the Brahman's wife getting a hint from t= he Lord, offered food to both of them. The revered Brahman overwhelmed with lo= ve took his share of food. Having dined the lord spoke-'Ask for whatever you desire, nothing is unattainable by you.' The Brahman said-'When you have arrived here in person, does anything remain to be aspired for even now? My Lord, my only desire is that my heart should be rid of even the desire for = my spiritual well-being and that I should have true and exclusive love of you. 'Saying-'Be it so' the Lord disappeared. Subsequently the Brahman's wife al= so took her share of food.

On the other side such was the state of affaires that since the time the two younger brothers had sought separation from the eldest one they became unha= ppy and grew miserably poorer and poorer. Such was their plight that they did n= ot get anything even by borrowing or begging. When the news came to their ears that their brother had become so rich that his doors were always crowded wi= th beggars, they also approaching their brother. Seeing that his brothers had arrived, the learned Brahman who was a great devotee embraced them and enqu= ired after their welfare. In reply they said-'How could we ever afford to be hap= py after being separated from a gentle man like you? We dare not show our face= s to you. It is kind of you to take pity on us and entertain us with love.' The eldest one said-'No, brother, do not talk like that. The three of us are re= al brothers born of the same womb. The fact is that we can never be separated.= It was merely an unavoidable event. We should live cordially together as ever before. Who could be more affectionate well-wisher in this world other than one's real brother? Instead of being ashamed and repentant you should try to live with accord as before. My brothers; the credit of amassing this wealth= you are beholding does not accrue to me. All this is the glory of the Lord. The Lord by all means safeguards the well-being of each and everyone who takes = refuse in Him alone. Just as a child confiding himself to the care of his parents moves about fearlessly and the parents naturally have to provide with all h= is needs in the same way, nay, even in a better way the Lord undertakes the wo= rk of upbringing and safeguarding those dependent on Him. He having full faith= in whatever has been said in this verse (quoted below) you should meditate on = God alone and devote yourselves to the study and teaching of the Geeta regularly trying to understand its connotative and denotative meaning-

Since then the two brothers began to stay with their eldest brother and und= er hid advice began to practice Jap, meditation and the recitation of the Geet= a in a routine way and with in a short time through the adoration of God, attain= ed God-realization by the grace of the Lord.

How far this story is true is not known, but from this story we must draw t= he moral that after taking refuge in God, He safeguards one's best interests a= nd needs. So placing full reliance on this fact, we should try to surrender ourselves to God. The best thing is to meditate on God with a desireless mi= nd regularly and at all times. One should try to develop disinterested and true love of God without aspiring for one's well-being one should aspire for tru= e spiritual well-being. The realization of what remains unrealized is termed as 'Yoga' = and the safeguard of what has already been achieved in the field of spiritual practice and contributes to what remains unachieved in one's effort towards God-realization. Such is the assurance given by the Lord. Knowing this and placing one's full trust in it one should surrender oneself to God and rid oneself of all fears and should not contemplate over anything except the contemplation of God.

Those who worship God for the purpose of material well-being and the safegu= ard of worldly interests are decidedly superior to those who do not adore God; = for the seekers of worldly objects and the suffers have been described by him as noble and virtuous-Hindi. 'All these are noble devotees' but the man of wis= dom and the devotee of undivided mind and disinterested spirit has verily been described by Him as His own self because the man of wisdom having a desirel= ess mind, has God alone as his ultimate goal.

So it is desirable for us to become disinterested and enlightened devotees = of undivided mind for such a devotee is extremely dear to the Lord. The Lord s= ay-

Of these the best is the man of wisdom constantly established in identity w= ith me and possessed of exclusive devotion. For extremely dear I am to the wise man and he is extremely dear to me.