Thougth for the Day

In the presence of God, money, fame and fame, all amount to nothing. Desire only God. 

Awareness Article #4

Clever King!

#6 Scholarship
This means scholarship in the Vedas and scriptures. However, the pride of thinking you are a scholar is very very bad. Once many scholars gathered at King Janaka’s court for a debate. The rule governing the debate said the one who is defeated would be punished. Ashthavakra then entered the court. His body had 8 bends. When all the pundits saw him, they laughed saying, “What work does this boy have before us pundits.” Ashthavakra replied, “I have come to debate with you. Do not judge by seeing my outer appearance.” Then whatever question was asked of him, he answered correctly. He cracked the pride of all the scholars. So your pride of scholarship must be removed.
Divinity exists in everything. We cannot say how and through whom this divinity is revealed. Swami once told a story of a boy named Mansur. Mansur was a small boy. He had realized his true nature. He left home and He would continually repeat, “I am God; I am God.” While walking on the street he would proclaim, “I am God; I am God.” Many pundits heard this and scolded him not to speak in that way. They said, “Do not say this, how can you become God?" Yet he would repeat it again and again. Lastly, he was brought to the see the King. The King said, “Oh child, you are very small, you should not speak in this way.” He replied, “I am God.” The King then got angry and ordered that his eyes be gouged out. He became blind. However, he continued to say, "I am God; I am god." They then cut his hands and legs. The blood flowing from his body said, “I am God; I am God.” He then died and his body was burnt. The ashes too repeated, “I am God; I am God.” This shows that he had realized God. Every atom within his body was resounding with "I am God." So what is the use of scholarship? Through their scholarly pride, they killed a genuine saint. Oh, Swami, how much advice and instruction you gave us. How many examples you have narrated. Will the human mind awake? Through the pride of their scholarship, they must bear the sin of killing a great saint Therefore we cannot judge truth through our human intellect