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However,
rather than staying in the comforts of the ashram, he
used to stay in a small hut on the banks of Ganga a
little bit away from the center of the ashrams.
I
was given the special seva of going to pick him up
each morning and bring him to the ashram. As we walked
through the busy marketplace, I would try to push
everyone and everything out of his way so that this
revered saint could walk comfortably and unimpeded to
the ashram. I asked everyone along the way, Side
please. Please give us the way to walk. I would
gently push all of the wandering cows out of his path.
I moved standing bicycles and fruit carts out of the
way so he could pass.
Finally
as we reached the gate of the ashram I was feeling
very glad that I had been able to bring him so safely
and smoothly to the ashram, and that I had been able
to clear such a nice path for him to walk.
This
saint, however, looked at me lovingly and said, Beta,
kis kis ko hatate rahoge? Aur kab tak hatate rahoge?
My child, how many people and cows can you push out of
the way? For how long can you move other people and
things out of your path? That is not the way. Apna
rasta banate jao. Apna rasta banake nikalte jao.
Do not try to move others; rather find your way
between the others and around them. Make your own
path, but do not worry about moving others. Find your
own way in the midst of the chaos.
In
our lives we frequently get frustrated and broken by
feeling that others are blocking our way and thwarting
our path. We
blame their presence and their actions for our own
failure. We explain to ourselves that we would have
been able to succeed if only they had let us, if only
they had moved out of the way for us. We try to push
people and obstacles aside to clear a way for
ourselves in life.
However,
obstacles never stop coming. People who are jealous
never stop trying to block our path. For how long can
we try to move them aside? How many obstacles, how
many enemies can we try to push away? The answer is to
simply find our own way, around them, between them. If
they are blocking the path on the right, we walk on
the left. If they are blocking the path on the left,
we walk on the right.
We
must be more concerned about finding our own way
rather than focusing on moving all of those whom we
think are blocking our path. For those who are pure in
mind, thought and deed, there will always be a path in
which to walk. The path may be narrow at times and it
may seem that obstacles and enemies line both sides.
But we must humbly and sincerely make our own way on
the path of life. We must just keep walking the path
of our dharma, the path of righteousness, the path of
honesty, purity and piety without worrying about those
who try to block our way.
So
much of our precious time, energy and focus are wasted
in the futile task of trying to remove obstacles and
other people from our path. It is not necessary. Find
your own path around the obstacles. Find your own path
around the enemies. Do not try to push them aside or
push them down or fight them for the right of way.
Rather, carefully examine the situation and see where
the path is clear. Then, choose that path and continue
on your way.
The
more attention we give to those who are trying to
sabotage us and trying to thwart our progress, the
less time and energy we have to walk to right path. In
that way, then, the enemies win, for they have stolen
our peace of mind, our tranquility, our joy and also
our time. Instead of trying to fight them out of the
way, we must remain humble, pure and single-minded on
the goal. If we can see our destination clearly then
we will always be able to find a path in which to
walk.
So,
keep the destination firm in your mind. Stay focused
on the goal and nikalte chale, nikalte chale jao
[move around the obstacles and continue on the path.].
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