The Five Million Dollar Story(What is the Real Secret?)
I have all along been like a hero - I want my work to be quick like lightning, and firm as adamant. Likewise shall I die also. Therefore kindly do my work for me - no question of success or defeat enters here at all. I have never retreated in a fight - shall I now . . . ? There is success and failure in every work. But I am inclined to believe that one who is a coward will be born after death as an insect or a worm, that there is no salvation for a coward even after millions of years of penance. Well, shall I after all be born as a worm?
The world is merely our mortal playground with lessons to be learned, it shall ever remain so. Is there fruitful productiveness In brooding for months on end concerning our questioning or our own loss or gain, disgrace or honor concerning this mortal live we live daily? I thrive in action. So many are ready and willing to offer their personal advice as to what to do about this or that. One man may make threats, while another trembles inside from fear. In my opinion, this mortal live is no sweet delicious thing that would keep me wanting to remain and endure so much care, caution or anxiety.
Money, life, friends, and relatives, and the love of men and myself - if one wants to enter into work fully assured beforehand of all these - if one has to be so much ridden with fear, then one will get just what Gurudeva used to say, “The crow thinks itself very clever but it cannot help eating filth - well, he will get that. -Swami Vivekananda
I want to share a special story with you today.
In southern India, there was a steep, rocky high mountain. No one had ever climbed to the top of this mountain. However, one day 100 souls committed themselves to reach the mountaintop. They were clueless of the time it would take to reach the summit. However, they each were determined for success. To begin with, they all helped each other. However as the days passed them by, there were some who were better able to cover more ground and left the others behind.
The man who took lead was very pleased and content within himself that he had out paced those below him. Being determined to reach the mountaintop before all the others, he tread swiftly on. The others of course held their own resolve of succeeding. They looked upon the man in lead, understanding his reputation, they admired him and felt inspired by motivation. They discussed among themselves at length of his confidence, character and personal traits.
Their climb continued each person covering sufficient ground every day and making progress. Days turned to months and months to year but the journey went on. The man who led the race could see from a distance the top of the mountain but the more he advanced towards the summit he found more extra ground to cover. When he looked back at the height he had already covered it gave him tremendous satisfaction and the confidence to master the remaining distance. Meanwhile the distance between him and the others had also widened depending on the progress made by each of them.
There was a small child in the village who was watching all this. His dad was part of the group and ten years had passed by and his dad had not yet returned home. He was desperate to see him again. But no one could fulfill his wish. His mother had no clue of the whereabouts of his father. This child began to ask all the elderly people for advice but no one could really help him. Finally, the child met a wise old man who told him that a huge river flowed behind the vast mountain with a beautiful island at the other end of the river. “Your dad might be in that beautiful island,” the old man said. “I can show you a way to reach that island in a week’s time. But you have to cross a thick dense forest.”
The little child was thrilled. . He was bold and determined to meet his father and readily agreed to cross the dense forest.
The wise old man then at once wrote two words upon a piece of paper. He told the small child that on the third day of his travels along the forest that he would meet someone and that he should give this paper to the person and that they would take him to the exquisite island in order to meet with his father.
Excitedly, the boy asked the wise man for a blessing and then took the note and started out towards the forest.
On the third day of his journey he met a strange man in the forest. As advised by the wise man the little child handed the note to this person. No sooner had he handed over the note this man seized the child, slapped him hard, and tied him to a nearby tree with a strong rope. The little child was all in tears. He had eaten very little for the last two days and he had no clue of what was happening. He thought this person would help him meet his dad but instead this ugly man was beating him to death. He cried bitterly.
The stranger was the leader of a tribal community, he informed the boy that noon tomorrow that he would be killed and offered up as a sacrifice to the God of the Forest. The stranger paid the boy no mind as he pleaded for mercy and release.
“Why did the wise man lie to me?” How could he be so cruel? Why did he do this to me?” the little child wondered. Weeping bitterly he fell fast asleep. He had a beautiful dream that night. God appeared before him. The little child complained to God that the wise man had fooled him and the tribal head was going to kill him by 12 noon tomorrow. With tears rolling down his eyes he asked God whether He could him get out of the forest and meet his father.
As God knelt down and took the boy in his arms, he whispered two words into his ears and told him to repeat these words to the strange the next morning and that he would be released and go to meet his father. With this he kissed the boy and bid him farewell.
The next morning the stranger arrived. The boy smiled. He repeated the two words and then?
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http://www.vish-writer.com/Spirituality2009/ZeroEffort/ZeroEffortmainPage.html
