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GREAT HYMN OF OBEISANCE: A CONTEMPLATION
function of faith is to recognise what is one's own and what is not and then to establish oneness in what is one's own; and we determine what is good or bad on the basis of our own attachment. Be aware, attachment is the vicious 'paryaya' (modification) of conduct.
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In this world nothing is good or bad by itself. We decide about its goodness or badness depending on our own attachment with it. Neither fair nor dark complexion is good; whatever pleases one's taste is the best for him. We crave for fair complexion and Europeans, who have fair complexion, lie for hours, with naked body, exposed to sunshine with the objective of becoming somewhat dark, like us.
Leave aside what others say; we ourselves prefer fair face and dark hair. Think for a moment, what would happen if hair become fair like face and face becomes dark like hair? This implies that there is nothing good or bad in this world. We imagine good or bad according to our own attachment.
In this world, there is no value of good or of truthful; most important is closeness with oneself, because, complete surrender takes place to those who are one's own. It is for this reason that the most important virtue in the path to liberation is faith; the pious 'paryaya' (modification) of faith is right faith.
To instill closeness with one's own soul Bhagwan, different from 'para' (substances other than the soul) and 'paryaya' (existing body), is right faith. To know one's own soul Bhagwan is right knowledge and to concentrate on it and revel in it is right conduct.
Here, you may say that it is the job of learned people to evaluate goodness and truthfulness and yet I am saying that in this universe there is no value of goodness or truthfulness.
Brother! What am I saying? The nature of the thing is such.
There was a crorepati Seth. He had one and only son.
"How was he?"
"Similar to what crorepatis normally have; engrossed in all seven
vices."
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CLOSENESS WITH SELF
In his neighbourhood one poor person used to live. He also had a
son.
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"How was he?"
"Of the type, Seth wanted his son to be. Possessed of all virtues, excellent at studies, devoid of all vices, well-behaved and humble."
Everyday morning when Seth used to get up, he used to adore the neighbour's son as if he were Bhagwan and abuse his son thousand times. He used to say, "See how smart is that boy, he goes to temple every morning, gets up every morning on time, while, on the other hand, you are still asleep. Oh! An incompetent has taken birth in my house who indulges in riotous merry making. You would have been starving, had you taken birth somewhere else... you unfortunate....."
Son used to interrupt and say, "Father, whatever else you may say, you cannot call me unfortunate."
"Why?"
"Because, one who has got an earning father like you, how can he be unfortunate? It is you, who are unfortunate because you have a son like me who is an expert in wasting."
One day the neighbour's son did not go to school. Seeing him at home, Seth asked, "Son! Why have you not gone to school today?"
The child replied, "Teacher desires me to wear uniform in school and bring books. When I say this to my father, he promises he would bring tomorrow, but his tomorrow never comes. Today one month has elapsed. Therefore, I have not gone to school today."
Seth replied fondly, "Son, there is nothing to worry about. Our incompetent Pappu gets a new dress stitched every month and throws away the old one. Every month he tears books and buys new ones. Plenty of dresses and books are lying. Take them."
Now, just think that Seth contemplates to give torn books and discarded clothes of his incompetent son to the person whom he worships like Bhagwan and is firmly determined to leave wealth valued at crores of rupees to his incompetent son. Never any thought occurred, even during a dream, to give a small part of it to any one else.
