Closeness
with God needs a whole hearted approach and unwavering faith. Devotion to God is declaration of love for
God with renunciation. Unless we are
detached from our endless wants, desires and urges, we will not be able to love
God wholeheartedly. Devotion to God with
renunciation is the highest form of Love of God which leaves behind all worldly
thoughts and attachments and only the bhakta and God are present. Developing
such a love is not easy. It is not easy to detach oneself from the worldly ties
and be solely focused on God. We need
help, encouragement, right knowledge and support of like minded and wiser
people. Meeting and seeking the help of
Guru, Sadhus, Monks and other devotees and disciples is known as Satsang.
The Hindu Scriptures declare that the Universe contains 8,400,000 species of plants, animals and humans. These include the water, land and air forms and birds, reptiles, animals and insects and also trees and plant life. Shrimad Bhagwad says that the soul moves through these 8,400,000 species, life after life and evolves as per the karma and actions. After hundreds of thousands of births and deaths, the soul gets a human body. Getting a human body is regarded as rare and is the highest pinnacle of development. Only when we have the human body, we have the sixth sense and the intuition and guidance to seek out the meaning of life. We have control over our urges and instincts and can rise to a highest dimension of existence, with right and guided effort. We need Satsang – guidance and help from Guru, saints and bhaktas of God. This is a story illustrating the blessings of Satsang:
Once, Sage Narad asked Lord Vishnu about the greatness of satsang. Lord Vishnu pointed to a worm and told Sage Narad: Go and ask him. He will answer your question.
Sage Narad was taken aback, but obeyed the dictates of his Lord. He wondered if the worm had the intelligence and knowledge to answer such a difficult question. When he went to the worm, he asked him: O worm, tell me, what is the importance of satsang? The worm looked at Sage Narad and died!
Sage Narad was shocked and ran to Lord Vishnu and reported the happening. Lord Vishnu brushed aside his queries and asked him to go immediately to a parrot that had taken birth in a nearby house and ask him the same question. Sage Narad immediately went to the baby parrot and asked: O parrot, tell me, what is the importance of satsang? The parrot looked at him and dropped dead! Sage Narad was shaken and rushed to Lord Vishnu with the tale of the dead parrot. But Lord Vishnu did not listen to him. Instead, He pointed to a newly born calf and told Sage Narad to go and ask him.
Trembling with fear, Sage Narad approached the calf and asked the question. His fears came true when the calf looked at him and dropped dead! Sage Narad was very miserable as he was responsible for three deaths. When he rushed to Lord Vishnu, the Lord said: Narad, do not worry. This is your final visit. Go to the prince who is just born to the king of the same town. Please ask the baby and he will answer you.
Sage Narad was mindful of the Lord’s orders and despite his fear; he obediently went to the King’s palace and asked to see the new prince. Then he asked him: O little one, what are the blessings of satsang? The baby laughed and said: Don’t you understand the greatness of Satsang even now? O wise sage, When you first asked me, I was a worm. By your darshan, I was born as a parrot. Then you asked me again and gave me darshan and I was given the body of a calf. Then again with your darshan, I have been given the highest birth as a human being. Just by the darshan of a great saint like you, I have gained so much.
Sage Narad now fully understood the greatness of satsang.
The worm which had to move through endless cycles of births and deaths to achieve the body of man, was born as prince in matter of hours and had the wisdom to know the importance of Satsang due to the darshan and divine vibrations of Sage Narad. Having understood the greatness of satsang, let us have regular satsang and achieve the highest goal of life – self realisation.
The Hindu Scriptures declare that the Universe contains 8,400,000 species of plants, animals and humans. These include the water, land and air forms and birds, reptiles, animals and insects and also trees and plant life. Shrimad Bhagwad says that the soul moves through these 8,400,000 species, life after life and evolves as per the karma and actions. After hundreds of thousands of births and deaths, the soul gets a human body. Getting a human body is regarded as rare and is the highest pinnacle of development. Only when we have the human body, we have the sixth sense and the intuition and guidance to seek out the meaning of life. We have control over our urges and instincts and can rise to a highest dimension of existence, with right and guided effort. We need Satsang – guidance and help from Guru, saints and bhaktas of God. This is a story illustrating the blessings of Satsang:
Once, Sage Narad asked Lord Vishnu about the greatness of satsang. Lord Vishnu pointed to a worm and told Sage Narad: Go and ask him. He will answer your question.
Sage Narad was taken aback, but obeyed the dictates of his Lord. He wondered if the worm had the intelligence and knowledge to answer such a difficult question. When he went to the worm, he asked him: O worm, tell me, what is the importance of satsang? The worm looked at Sage Narad and died!
Sage Narad was shocked and ran to Lord Vishnu and reported the happening. Lord Vishnu brushed aside his queries and asked him to go immediately to a parrot that had taken birth in a nearby house and ask him the same question. Sage Narad immediately went to the baby parrot and asked: O parrot, tell me, what is the importance of satsang? The parrot looked at him and dropped dead! Sage Narad was shaken and rushed to Lord Vishnu with the tale of the dead parrot. But Lord Vishnu did not listen to him. Instead, He pointed to a newly born calf and told Sage Narad to go and ask him.
Trembling with fear, Sage Narad approached the calf and asked the question. His fears came true when the calf looked at him and dropped dead! Sage Narad was very miserable as he was responsible for three deaths. When he rushed to Lord Vishnu, the Lord said: Narad, do not worry. This is your final visit. Go to the prince who is just born to the king of the same town. Please ask the baby and he will answer you.
Sage Narad was mindful of the Lord’s orders and despite his fear; he obediently went to the King’s palace and asked to see the new prince. Then he asked him: O little one, what are the blessings of satsang? The baby laughed and said: Don’t you understand the greatness of Satsang even now? O wise sage, When you first asked me, I was a worm. By your darshan, I was born as a parrot. Then you asked me again and gave me darshan and I was given the body of a calf. Then again with your darshan, I have been given the highest birth as a human being. Just by the darshan of a great saint like you, I have gained so much.
Sage Narad now fully understood the greatness of satsang.
The worm which had to move through endless cycles of births and deaths to achieve the body of man, was born as prince in matter of hours and had the wisdom to know the importance of Satsang due to the darshan and divine vibrations of Sage Narad. Having understood the greatness of satsang, let us have regular satsang and achieve the highest goal of life – self realisation.
