EGO, the deadliest enemy

As far as possible we should keep away or minimise our Ego and have full faith in Almighty, our God. Surrender all your good/bad, happy/unhappy deeds to him. Do not Doubt.

A story.

There were two very good childhood friends. When they grew big, one friend became a tapasvi(Saint) and would stay alone in mountain areas to do his prayers and tapasaya. The other friend became very rich like a King and would stay in his palatial house. The tapasvi would wear only a langoti and the rich friend was living a lavish life.

Once the rich friend desired to search for his friend who had opted to live a life of a Saint. He felt restless and would search for him every nook and corner. Finally he located his friend, went to meet him and felt very proud that his friend has achieved so much knowledge in short period. He has become a tapasvi. He went to his ashram and requested him to have lunch in his house. The tapasvi friend agreed to visit his house and have lunch with him.

The rich friend was very happy and made beautiful arrangement and decorations to receive his dear friend. He spread costly carpets so that his friend is not hurt.

When the sanyasi friend reached his rich friend’s house he was amused and surprised to see the beautiful arrangements made to greet him. When he reached at the main door, then a person at the gate told him “See, your friend has intentionally made this arrangement to make you feel low. He wants to prove you that how much he has attained in life and you are nothing. Hearing that the Saint got very angry and his EGO reached the peaks, he felt hurt. He thought that he was such a big Saint and my friend wants compare his riches with the knowledge I have gained. He went to a nearby nullah(dirty drainage), dirtied his feet in it and then went to his friend’s house. He spoilt the beautiful carpet with his dirty feet.

The rich friend when greeted his friend was surprised and angry to see all this and shouted at his servants to know who had spoilt his carpet. At this, the tapasvi friend said that “I have spoilt your carpet to show that I have gained more than you. You have achieved only money, but I have got spiritual knowledge, I am a Saint, a gyani, a tapasvi. His ego knew no bounds.

The rich friend was stunned and replied very politely and apologetically “ Oh, dear friend after sacrificing all worldly and materialistic things, being a Saint, a gyani, your EGO is still intact, it has not gone down. I used to respect you, honour you, used to feel jealous of your achievements, but now I feel very sad that there is no difference between you and me. I have an ego for money and you have an ego for sainthood, your gyan and tapasya. You have lost all that you have achieved.

Do not get carried by your Ego. You have gained money, knowledge and whatever is good in you through God’s blessings. That I is your deadliest enemy. If by chance, we meet with an accident, or any serious illness, all that we gain becomes meaningless. Just pray and thank God whatever he has bestowed upon us. Had not given you sound and healthy body, mind and soul, you could not achieve anything on this Earth. Do not feel jealous or get angry at what others have. Work hard and do your usual chores honestly. You will be paid back in abundance for all that good work you do.

Source: http://kutasthanandji.blogspot.com

The Fox and the Cat

A Fox was boasting to a Cat of its clever devices for escaping its enemies.

“I have a whole bag of tricks,” he said, “which contains a hundred ways of escaping my enemies.”

“I have only one,” said the Cat; “but I can generally manage with that.”

Just at that moment they heard the cry of a pack of hounds coming towards them, and the Cat immediately scampered up a tree and hid herself in the boughs.

“This is my plan,” said the Cat. “What are you going to do?”

The Fox thought first of one way, then of another, and while he was debating the hounds came nearer and nearer, and at last the Fox in his confusion was caught up by the hounds and soon killed by the huntsmen.

Miss Puss, who had been looking on, said:

Moral:
“Better one safe way than a hundred on which you cannot reckon.”

The Flea and the Wrestler

A Flea settled upon the bare foot of a Wrestler and bit him, causing the man to call loudly upon Hercules for help.

When the Flea a second time hopped upon his foot, he groaned and said, “O Hercules! if you will not help me against a Flea, how can I hope for your assistance against greater antagonists?”

Moral:
Treat every enemy differently, for victory.

The Flea and the Ox

A Flea thus questioned an Ox: “What ails you, that being so huge and strong, you submit to the wrongs you receive from men and slave for them day by day, while I, being so small a creature, mercilessly feed on their flesh and drink their blood without stint?”

The Ox replied: “I do not wish to be ungrateful, for I am loved and well cared for by men, and they often pat my head and shoulders.”

“Woe’s me!” said the flea; “this very patting which you like, whenever it happens to me, brings with it my inevitable destruction.”

The Flea and the Man

A Man, very much annoyed with a Flea, caught him at last, and said, “Who are you who dare to feed on my limbs, and to cost me so much trouble in catching you?”

The Flea replied, “O my dear sir, pray spare my life, and destroy me not, for I cannot possibly do you much harm.”

The Man, laughing, replied, “Now you shall certainly die by mine own hands, for no evil, whether it be small or large, ought to be tolerated.”

Moral:
Never underestimate your enemy by size.

The Fir-Tree and the Bramble

A FIR-TREE said boastingly to the Bramble, “You are useful for nothing at all; while I am everywhere used for roofs and houses.”

The Bramble answered: “You poor creature, if you would only call to mind the axes and saws which are about to hew you down, you would have reason to wish that you had grown up a Bramble, not a Fir-Tree.”

Moral:
Better poverty without care, than riches with.