The Master Said .... 23 - Swami Sivananda

 Speech delivered by Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj on the 26th December 1954, at Sivanandashram, Rishikesh, for the celebration of the 34th birthday of Sri Swami Venkatesanandaji.

    Jyotishaamapi tat jyotih tamasah paramuchyate
    Jnaanan Jneyam Jnaanagamyam hridi sarvasya vishthitam

    (That, the Light of all lights, is said to be beyond darkness; knowledge, the knowable and the goal of knowledge, seated in the hearts of all.)

17/02/2017.

23.

If a man is lying down on the roadside, hungry and thirsty, you must run to him with a cup of milk. Otherwise your study of Brahma Sutras is useless. You should not bring in Vedantic arguments to support your Vedantic indifference here! One man said to the other: “My house is on fire; please come and help.” The latter replied: ‘Well, friend, this world is unreal. Where is house, where is fire?’

This is sheer foolishness. The world is unreal . . . for whom? For a Jivanmukta. If sugar is a little less in coffee, you will know whether the world is real or unreal for you. It is only when you discipline yourself through untiring selfless service, that Atma-Jnana will arise in you.


    Venkatesanandaji is not a small boy. All the Ashram work he is doing. I must tell all this, so that other people may be inspired to emulate his example. He has not uttered a single word that could displease me. If I want to get some work done urgently, the next morning it is ready; he would do it sitting up the whole night. He has no ego. He will never say: “This is not good.” He is pleasing in manners.

We should always try to please everybody. People generally bring in the story of the donkey, the old man and his son, in support of their argument that it is not possible to please everybody. This is wrong. I always try to please everybody, whatever be the nature of people. When a man comes to me, I find out what is good in him and try to please him. Though it may not always be possible, you must try to please all to the maximum extent open to you.

To be continued ...