(Extracted, compiled & edited from RADIO SAI JOURNALS)
SPIRITUAL QUOTIENT – 41
SIN OF INGRATITUDE!!!
There was a huge apple tree & a little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap in its shadow. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by and the little boy had grown up and no longer played around the tree every day.
One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come and play with me", the tree asked the boy. "I am no longer a kid and I don't play around trees any more," the boy replied. "I want toys. I need money to buy them."
"I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. Then, you will have money." The tree said. The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples and the tree felt very sad.
Many years later, the boy who had now turned into a man returned. The tree was excited and said, "Come and play with me." The boy replied, "I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family and we need a house for shelter. Can you help me?"
"I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house". So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.
One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. "Come and play with me!" the tree said. "I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?" said the man. "Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy." So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up again for a long time.
Finally, the man returned after many years. "I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you. No trunk & hardly any branches! I've given you everything." the tree said. "No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite. I am too old for that now." the man said. "I really cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying roots," the tree said.
"I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years," the man replied.
"Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, come sit down with me and rest." The man sat down and after some time he died.
PS: The analogy is that in times of difficulty and distress, we cry out for God's help. While God out of His boundless love and compassion responds to our prayer at the right time, we begin to ignore Him and fall back into our self-centered life. Again we go to him when we have problems! One must guard oneself against this greatest sin of ingratitude towards God.
By reading SQ – THE LONG LEASH that you sent I got my answer, but I continue to have some more doubts…..recently while I listened to a recitation of Srimad Bhagavadam the speaker says that as we have to exhaust all our sins which we have committed till date inclusive of all the janmas my soul has taken, so should you exhaust your good deeds (Punyas) also. And only when you are free of both "Paapam and Punyam" that you become eligible for the final liberation and you realize The Almighty. Now, how do you exhaust the Punyaas is what I don't understand which the speaker fails to explain.
One more thing Sir, though we have been told of the various paths which take you towards the final liberation – Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Gyana Yoga…….it is said that the Gyana Yoga is the shortest route but the most difficult one and Bhakti Yoga though take a long time is the easiest. Now, the types of yoga that we see being taught all over come under the branch of Hatha Yoga. Then which types of yoga come under the Gyana Yoga Tree? Please guide Sir. Regards,
RAMKUMAR S
REPLY: The only thing we need to bother about is our thoughts, words and deeds. Our 'old' karma determines to a large extent our present birth. Then the old karma as well as the present one has to be tackled. At one point it might even get nullified & we start fresh again! After that the rewards & the punishment is 'online'!!! Till we become 'pure'. Don't worry too much about all this. Let it take its' course. Just remember the word WATCH. WATCH YOUR WORDS, ACTION, THOUGHTS, CHARACTER and HEART!
If you get too much into theory & technicalities, it would be a problem indeed! In KALIYUGA the only thing that is prescribed is NAMASMARAN & SERVICE. These are like the 2 wings that would take us across the ocean of samsara. In fact if you do only service, service & more service then even Namasmaran is not needed. HANDS THAT SERVE ARE HOLIER THAN THE LIPS THAT PRAY.
- Dear Sairam,
SQ - Beautifully told, me and my wife save these stories and tell to our grandchildren as bed time stories... they enjoy these type of stories more than any other type of stories... we will be in a problem if you stop your stories… please do continue ..
Jai Sri Sairam
janakiraman padmanabhan
- OM SRI SAIRAM.
SAIRAM
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