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Shree • Fri Mar 06 1998 - 12:38:24 PST 




attached mail follows:
hello shree

was contemplating on the verses yesterday evening.  Such potential meaning
in it.  Was only reminded of the various vivekachudamani classes we had on
Friday mornings.  Adi shankaracharya in one of the verses in the book
speaks so derogatory of selfishness - he says that selfish works increases
desires and desires gives birth to selfishness.  Was remembering one of the
many stories narrated by Ramakrishna paramahamsa- 

A barber while walking on a deserted road heard a voice ask him whether he
needed seven jars of gold.  the barber in his desire to become rich said
yes.  The voice asked him to return to his house where he will find the
jars of gold.  the barber ran all the way home and found that there were
seven jars but only six was filled up with gold.  the seventh one was only
half full.  Now the barber had the strong desire to fill up the seventh one
also and he started putting all his earnings into it.  But the jar did not
fill up.  The barber went without food to save up more money and he even
went to the king (for whom he was working) and asked for an increase in his
pay.  he was granted that also and still the jar did not fill up.  the king
noticed that the barber was becoming very thin and asked him one day why he
was not happy with the increased pay whereas he was much happier with
lesser pay.  The king enquired whether the barber had the seven jars.  Now
the barber was really taken aback by the king's words and asked him how he
knew the secret.  The king replied that he was also once offered the seven
jars by a voice and instead of taking it immediately the king asked back
the voice whether the gold was to be spent or is it for mere hoarding.  The
voice did not reply back and the king came away.  Narrating this the king
told the barber to return the jars since the jars bring only the desire of
hoarding.  The barber came to his senses and when he returned the jars
back, he had lost even his life long savings.  Selfish act is like the
seventh jar of gold - always half full and increasing the desire to make it
full.  

It is  therefore imperative on our part to cut the selfish thoughts as and
when they arise in our minds.  What is the most difficult to be controlled
- it is the mind since it is like a monkey.  But it has got to be tied to
the pole of bhakthi/devotion to the Lord.  

Bi for now

With love and regards

giri and shanthi