7. Dr. V. Krishna Yaji

Flowers can not exist without plant or stem, they thus must have root for nourishment and sustenance. Rose and other flowers have their own value. If one wants to have rose he must be ready to face the pricks of thorns of it before having it, even though extreme caution is taken to avoid pain. Despite pain is felt, all is forgotten after the rose is in the hands. Even great people in this world did not get results (name/fame/riches/spritual) by easy means. If the flower is in view all the time, half the task is over.

One must dive deep into ocean if he wants pearls, surely diving is not so comfortable. Brave people tolerate the difficulty and coward ones give up the attempt. If one does not want pearls, there is no discussion .Very few people get pearls without much difficulty but they too have their own difficulties and there is no limit to it.

Failures are the stepping stones of success. One’s owned balance will be revealed at the time of sufferings which will be increasing with time, provided attitude of gaining balance is present . One who is maladaptive to the situation will not be balanced all the times. Both are sure to face sufferings inevitably.

We have finally to arrive at the original state from where we moved away all these days ( flower is in same state , but root has become longer ! ). We have thrown ourselves by our own actions (thoughts) into intricacies which are so strong that sometimes we don’t even think of coming out. Moreover we may get ideas of death or anger towards God (cinema song of Unnavaaa Asalunnavaaa) instead of devoting to Him.

Lalaji in a reply to Babuji wrote “….To put up patiently with the day-to-day events of life is the highest form of penance and sacrifice. So, instead of anger and resentment, one must cultivate in himself a meek temperament.”(ss 465)

Surely sufferings create a sort of vacuum (helplessness) which attracts either love or otherwise. We are aware of people turning to good path or bad one after facing too many sufferings depending on the choices they got at that time. Real craving for God helps one at that time . One can see many people around having more difficulties , yet living with smiling faces and achieving high position in their fields eg. Handicapped people.

Lalaji wrote about his situation to one of his associates-“ ….. I felt that all this was absolutely of no importance to me as compared to Reality which was predominant in all my being. So I ever smiled on them thinking them to be the very way of salvation.” (ss 466). This should be taken as a token of inspiration to proceed in the path with courage .

Strike well while the iron is hot. So also man is subjected to afflictions . If somehow, one is convinced that, whatever is happening to him, is only because of his actions and nothing else, then he will be happy by turning towards God and he is sure to get the result in that effort.