GOD AND GOLD
There was a saintly sage in
ancient India. He resided in a hermitage in a forest. He was a great scholar,
philosopher and gifted physician who had mastered the science of Ayurveda, the
superb system of indigenous medicine which is very popular in India even today.
He used to provide free medical aid to the poor people of the neighbouring
villages. He had several students who stayed with him and learned under his
expert guidance.
On a stormy night, a young man rushed
to the hermitage and sought the help of the sage to save his father, a poor
villager who was very sick and bed-ridden. He was actively involved in the
festival of the local temple when he suddenly fainted and fell down and was
carried home and laid on bed.
The sage collected the
necessary medicines and asked one of his disciples to accompany them. He
lighted the traditional portable oil lamp from the lamp of the hermitage and
handed it to the student. "Carry it carefully as the night is dark and
windy. See that it is not extinguished by the wind and that the oil is not
spilled out from the lamp." The student led the way carrying the lamp
carefully. The sage and the young man followed. They reached the end of the
forest and proceeded along the narrow path through the village. They could see
at a distance the temple which was illuminated and decorated beautifully in
connection with the festival. They reached the patient's house. The sage
examined the patient in detail and gave him all necessary medicines. He gave
directions to the family members and started his return journey. He volunteered
to carry the oil lamp and the student followed.
On reaching the hermitage, the
sage asked the student about the decorations and illuminations he saw on the
way. The student innocently informed him` that on their way to visit the patient,
he could not watch the scenes as he was carefully guarding the lamp from the
wind and possible spillage of oil. But he could watch and enjoy every scene
during their return journey. The sage then told him, "You could not enjoy
the scenes when you were concentrating on the lamp. But when your attention was
not fixed on the lamp, you could enjoy the scenes. This incident teaches us an
important lesson about spiritual life. We cannot give equal attention to God
and gold. If you want to be with God, you must avoid worldliness. If you are
immersed in worldly pleasures, you cannot please God. If your aim is a pure and
saintly life, leave all interest in amassing wealth and focus on studies,
meditation and serving the poor people, practising poverty and austerity with
sincerity."
"No one can be a slave
of two masters; he will hate one and love the other; he will be loyal to one
and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money"
{Matthew 6: 24}.
................................................................................................................
© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of
Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof.
Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally and
Leo. S. John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally,
Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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