Date Sent: March 09, 2013
The story about a Cracked pot (by OM Swami below) relates to all those of us who are seeking the Divine (doing one spiritual effort or other to attain the God). In general, most of those who do spiritual efforts of several years are either discouraged or not sure about the presence of the God in their life.
The fact of the spiritual life is: Those who are doing divine efforts but haven’t found the God are lot closer to the God than those who have already found the God (Bliss). God loves the seekers who are trying to find him the most. God has no reason to love the “Jivanmukta” (sage who has attained the God) because he has liberated himself already. This is because Jivanmukta’s will has already merged with the Divine will. There is NO separation between a Jivanmukta and the God. That is why Guru and God are the same, but it is our mind (caught in the web of Maya) that creates the separation (doubt) between a Guru and the God.
The problem is God (or Guru) cannot come before the seeker in the original form (which is formless) because of the wall of Maya (grand illusion of mind) that separates us from the God. It is you who have built the wall, it is you who must break this wall to see the God, to perceive the God, to experience the God.
God is limited by his own law (this is the only limitation God has because he must follow the law laid by him). He will not break the wall that you built. He is not going to flatten mountain of your Karma. He is going to be present around but you still will not see him or feel his presence.
The Fact is:
Most of the seekers have doubts about the God and his presence and the efforts they are doing to attain the God. This is simply because they don't see the results they think they should see (of their efforts). That is not true. He is there by you!!!
Please realize the reality: God is walking with you every step you take. He is there whether you feel him or not. His presence is there with you every moment when you try to take his Naam (Japa - repetition of God's name) while your mind is focused at his lotus feet. The moment your mind goes away from his feet, you are separated from the God...and the play continues.
Believe me, Spirituality is an endless struggle. Soldier fights few days in a life. Spiritual aspirant's battle goes on day and night, for entire life and beyond!
What about those who are not seekers? Their miserable journey through cycle of life and death will continue until they turn into a seeker. That is how the God's law works. Read this - Lord Vishnu, Cobra and you!
Read the story below. The master in the story (God) loves the cracked pot (seeker) much more than a perfected pot (Jivanmukta or a Yogi)
-------------------- The Cracked Pot - By OM Swami
........Long, long ago, there was a poor but noble man. There was no source of water nearby his home. So, everyday, he would go down to the river carrying two large pots hung from the each side of a stick that rested on his shoulders. These pots were made from metal and one of them was so worn out that three years ago a crack, almost a hole, had formed in it. As a result, it looked more like a percolator, drop by drop it leaked constantly. The other vessel was in perfect shape though. Each day the man would fill both the pots to the brim and every time the cracked pot would only be half full by the time the home came. Once home, he would promptly transfer the contents in an earthen pot.
The cracked pot felt guilty. It wanted to serve its master but it was helpless as there was no way for it to fill the crack, to plug the hole. The perfect pot looked down on the cracked pot for it was aware of its own superiority. There were times when the cracked pot felt jealous of the perfect pot but it mostly felt helpless and depressed. No matter how hard it tried, it only ever reached home half-empty.
One day, when the master was by the river, it said,"I'm a pathetic pot. I'm so sorry for I'm unable to do my job. You fill me up everyday and carry home so much weight but I never get there full like the other pot. Please forgive me, I'm so ashamed of myself. You deserve a better pot, a perfect one and not a cracked pot like me. Please sell me to the smith. Let him end my miserable and useless life. You'll get relief too."
"Useless?" the man spoke compassionately, "I wish you knew how proud I am of you. Who doesn't have flaws? I do too. If I could afford, I would have had you repaired long time back so you wouldn't feel like this today. But then again in our flaws lies our divinity. A sense of flawlessness is no more than a viewpoint, often an arrogant one in fact. Have you any idea, how much you've helped in beautifying this place?"
"Me? Help?" the cracked pot exclaimed, "Beautifying?"
"Yes! I would like you to observe your side of the track when we go home today."
The man began walking home and the cracked pot realized that on one side of the path, specifically on the side it was on, there were flowers, beautiful flowers, all the way. Butterflies were hovering on them, bees were buzzing on some, there was fragrance in the air.
"A while ago, I planted a new variety of flower seeds. I figured the water dripping from you could easily provide nourishment to the seeds. And now look! not only do we have beautiful flowers but the bees have carried the pollen far and wide and we have more and more of these flowers blooming everywhere. These ones attract bees like anything and there are more natural beehives in the village now than ever before. If not for your so-called flaw, it would not be possible to have this beauty, fragrance and utility that we have today." ......
Read full post here: http://www.omswami.com/2013/03/the-cracked-pot.html
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