Thougth for the Day
If you chant a mantra continuously, it becomes as natural as breathing
Awareness Article #4
Clever King!
The sadhana we perform on the spiritual path can make us proud. This is very dangerous. We feel 'Oh,we are performing great austerities and walking on the path'. Many think in this way and then create ashrams and become leaders. This pride of spiritual accomplishment must also be removed. Let us see an example.
Once King Ambarisha was observing a fast for Ekadasi. The pundits told the King that a good time had arrived to break the fast and that he should eat. Just prior t this, Sag Durvasa came to see the King and told him that he would return after taking his bath. The pundits again requested the King break his fast as the correct time had arrived. He then drank some water. Hearing this, Durvasa became very angry and cursed him Immediately Vishnu’s chakra appeared and began to chas Sag Durvasa. He ran and ran. He ran to the devas, Brahma and Maheswara. Yet, none could stop the chakra. Lastly, Vishnu instructed Sage Durvasa to go to Ambarisha and ask for his help. He did so. Ambarisha then prayed to the chakra and it disappeared.
This story shows the spiritual pride of Durvasa. We must perfor spiritual sadhana till our last breath. This is true penance. Once Gandhi said, "do not call me Mahatma now. If a person stands before me, shoots me; and yet, I am not angry with him and am chanting Rama’s name, you may call me a Mahatma."Humbleness and simplicity is very very important in spiritual sadhana. Ego destroys man. Ego is the screen that veils God or the true self. God and Atma is the same. So Swami wrote about these 8 kinds of egoism.