For instance, persons who take a pledge to observe certain disciplines in all circumstances, fail to
do so when the circumstances are not congenial.
There is a story to illustrate this.
Once all the deer in a forest held a conference. They argued as
follows: "Do the dogs have as much strength as we have? If we use our antlers against the dogs,
they can be disemboweled. If we kick them with our legs, they will collapse. We are more fleet footed
than the dogs. While running we can jump over ditches and obstacles, which they cannot.
We are in every way superior to the dogs. Why, then, should we be afraid of them? Henceforth
we should not be afraid of dogs. We should face them courageously."
All the deer came to this
decision.
Hardly had they come to this resolution when the distant bark of a dog was heard. Immediately,
not one of the deer stayed on the spot. All of them took to their heels and fled.
What was their resolution at their conference and what was their action later? The behaviour of
those who preach Vedanta these days is very much on a par with that of the deer in the stow. No
one adheres to what he says or preaches. More than listening to spiritual discourses, one must try
to practise at least a part of .what one learns. Vedanta is being expounded at many places, not to
speak of the discourses on the Gita. But how many understand the real spirit of the Gita and act
up to its message?
(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
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