DETHRONE THE EGO

DETHRONE THE EGO

 

Baba said, "He should get rid of his ego, place (or surrender) it at My feet. He who acts like this in life, him I help the most" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, ch. II

 

Away from the city's roar and ignoble strife, I sat in a silence corner in a garden. The flowers smiled. Little rain drops pattered on the new leaves of summer. But my heart was not happy.

 

"So many books have I read," I soliloquised, "So many lives of Saints have I studied. And every morning as I wake up, I recite from the scriptures. And every evening I attend the satsang with clock like punctuality. But, alas! Year after year hath passed away: And I often wonder if I am progressing or regressing."

 

In utter dejection I wept tears of sorrow. I came to Sadhu Vaswani and opened out my heart's grief at his lotus-feet. in a voice, at once sweet and tender, he said: "Weep not, my child! But hearken to what I say!"

 

There was something in his words which made me forget my sorrow. The cloud were lifted: and the sun shone again!

 

"Speak that your servant may listen," I said.

 

And Sadhu Vaswani said: "It is true you have read many books. But the Pilgrim on the Path books are a burden. And you say you have studied the Lives of Saints: your daily life does not bear witness to it. To study is not to turn over the pages of a book. To study is to ponder well, is to meditate, is to assimilate: the teaching in one's life. And every morning you read from scriptures; are you any better than the parrot who recites, again and again, the Name of God? And every evening you go to the satsang at the right time: are you any better than the temple bell which, at the exact hour, calls the worshippers to the shrine?"

 

The words were true, too true. I felt humbled. And I said: "Now I understand why my years have been wasted in vain. Tell me, O tell me, what I need to do."

 

And Sadhu Vaswani said, "Many are the things I would tell you. But not all at once. Gradually I shall unfold to you the pattern of life which you may follow to develop your spiritual powers. Today, let me but pass on to you the first lesson."

 

"What is it?" I eagerly asked.

 

And Sadhu Vaswani said, "Remember, the one barrier between you and God is the 'ego'. And instead of putting it down, you but strengthen the ego and hug it to yourself as your dearest friend. Your actions, your thoughts. Your flights of imagination but feed the ego, until it has become your master and lord. Break the tyranny of the ego – is my first word to you!"

 

And I said, "I understand what you have spoken. I pray that you give me some simple practical instructions which I may follow in my daily life to displace the ego from its position of sovereignty and unlimited power."

 

And Sadhu Vaswani said: "A few simple suggestions let me make to you today:

 

1. "When in the midst of friends or strangers, refrain from pushing yourself forward. See how at the slightest excuse you try to show yourself off!"
2. "So refrain from much talk. The less you talk, the less you will be noticed and the more you will be permitted to recede in the background. As it is, you talk too much, you always try to monopolise conversation. Only this morning, a friend came to you and tried to speak to you of the burden on his mind. He had scarcely begun when you cut him short and delivered to him a discourse on accepting the Will of God. Can you truthfully say that in every situation of life you accept the Will of God? Then what right have you to lecture to others? It will do you immense good if you remain silent and let others talk."
3. "What helps is not your words but your vibrations. What transforms is not your lectures but your silent prayers. So talk little to those whom you wish to help but pray for them again and again."
4. "Always keep clear of the desire of telling others of your life and achievements, your inner struggles and experiences, your opinions and aspirations. Live and grow in the thought that you are as a tiny particle of dust and that no one cares for what you think or say nor misses you when you are away."
5. "With love in your heart, walk the way of the helpers and servers of the children of God. The poor, the weak, the sinners, the lonely and the lost, the bird and the beast, too are His children. Do at least one good turn every day. And remember that he who turns from the road to rescue another turns towards his goal. He who lifts the burden of the weary lightens his own load! He who speaks a word of hope to those that are in sorrow, heals his own hurt."

 

"Practice these five things for a week and notice the change that comes over you!"

 

"Tell me more. To hear you is to be filled with the peace that passeth understanding!" I said. But there was no answer.

 

 

 

 

(HH J.P. Vaswani in East and West Series)