Patience and Determination

A Bodha Bhikshu went to take bhiksha in Vaishali, once a capital city of India. He entered a big bungalow and knocked at the door. The door opened and a young and beautiful woman was standing in front of the bhikshu. She was wearing heavy jewelery and looked a very rich lady.
She gave a dirty look at the bhikshu and got angry. She was against Budha dharam. She did not believe in Bodha and said "why are you here and next time dare you entered my house? why have you come to my house for begging?

The Bhikshu smiled and said "bhagini,will my bhikshapatra go empty from your house?
She was very angry and said "Yes, I will throw this dirt from dustbin in your patra." She immediately threw the dirt from dustbin in his bhikshapatra. The bhikshu politely removed the dirt and did pranaam and thanked for her foolish act. People gathered there and started telling him why he had to stoop so low and why he went to her house. He could have gone some other place.

The bhikshu replied "when my Guru had given me diksha he told me that whatever you get in your bhikshpatra, be contented and thank that person. If people abuse you, throw mud on you, still you should thank them. She has given me something and not taken away anything. A lady who had never touched or lifted dustbin in her life has to bend at least to take that in her hand. She has changed a bit. Now I will go everyday and knock at her door. Slowly but steadily she will learn to be kind and offer me the right bhiksha."

Never lose courage. There may be many obstacles in our life, we must be patient enough to overcome them. Our efforts will not go in vain. Have faith in Almighty who has created a variety of living and non living things for us. We must feel that he is with us all the time. We will definitely win our task.

Forgiveness

When Sita Mata was in Ashok Vatika, Hanumanji went to meet her. He felt very sad to see her condition and could not bear to see the raakshasni's of Ravan ill treating her. He got very and said "mata. give me permission to kill and punish these raakshsni's who are torturing you." Sita mata with her moist eyes politely said "you are Lord Ram and sita's true bhakt. Forgive them. They are employees of Ravan, they are doing their duty. It is not their fault, forgive them. Why you want to punish them?"
Then Sita Mata narrated a story to Hanuman, the true bhakt of Ram and Sita.
She said a man was wandering in the jungle and he could not find his way. A lion started following him. He got scared seeing the lion and climbed on a tree. On the tree a bear was sitting. He did not know what to do. There was death down in the form of lion and death up on the tree in the form of bear. The bear said "do not got scared, you have come to my house and I will give you shelter. I will take care of you."
The lion was waiting under the tree for this man to fall or come down. The lion told bear "throw him down, don't trust this man." The bear replied "I cannot do this as he has taken shelter(sharan) in my house. I will protect him by sacrificing my life, but I will not throw him."
The lion was adamant and full night he sat under the tree waiting for this man. The bear told the man "I have taken care of you till midnight and then when you wake up I will take rest in your lap and you take care of me." The man agreed and slept peacefully in the bear's lap. At midnight the bear woke him up and said that now it was his turn to rest. The man put bear to rest on his lap. The lion looked up and said to man "this bear is taking care of you because he is scared of me but after sometime he will eat you so throw him down. Lion roared and said "throw him."
The man got frightened and threw the bear down. The bear did not fall he took support of the stems of the tree. The lion laughed and said to the bear "you saw how selfish are these man. You cannot trust them. how can you give shelter to him."
The bear replied "he has come under my shelter(sharan), I will forgive him but not allow him to fall. I will protect him."
Sita Mata said "everybody on this earth makes mistakes, we must forgive them for once. A bear can forgive man whose nature or food his flesh and we man who are intelligent and understanding cannot forgive."
Hearing this Hanuman became quiet and his anger subsided.

Karuna(Love and Sympathy)

When you lit a candle it gives light. Sandalwood is cool and spreads only fragrance. Such are the saints who spread light and fragrance on this earth so that everybody feels happy.

Gautam Budha was full of karuna, love and sympathy for others. Once when Dev Dhoot opened the door of Nirvaan for him and said "Gautam Budha you are welcome to Nirvaan and the door is wide open for you. You can enjoy the bliss and happiness of Nirvaan". Gautam Budha politely refused and said "how can I enter and enjoy the bliss of Nirvaan, when people on this earth are wreathed in pain and sorrow? If all the people are allowed to enter the door to Nirvaan and every living being is relieved from pain and sorrow, I will then only accept the road to Nirvaan otherwise you may close the door."

Gautam Budha was a king and he renounced from all the comforts of King's life. He dedicated his entire life for others and was filled with karuna and sympathy for others. He wanted all the living beings to be happy. There was so much karuna and love in his heart for creatures of this earth.

There used be a Muslim saint named Rabia. Her bhakti was not less than Mira Bai's bhakti. Once her Guru arrived to bless her in her hut. He stayed as a guest for few days and would impart spiritual knowledge to her and others and would immerse in prayers.

When her Guru was to leave, she said that in few words just give her some message so that her life she will dedicate to these words.
Her Guru said there is one message you should always remember "Love God and hate Shaitaan(Devil)". Tears started dripping from Rabia's eyes. She knelt on her Guru's feet and said " I cannot do this".
Guru asked her "why can't you do this". She replied with moist eyes "I have only love, no feeling of hatred. If God and Shaitaan go together, then I will love both of them equally, I will not be able to hate the Shaitaan. There is no bitterness or hatred in me, so how can I give that to anybody. I have only one most precious gift of "Love".
Her Guru was so impressed by her that he knelt before her said"you are full of love, there is no place for hatred in your heart. For you there is no difference between God and Shaitaan, rich or poor, ugly or beautiful. Everything on this Earth is beautiful and lovable." There are no boundaries for love. Hatred makes boundary.