A man had been walking a long distance in the hot sun, and he felt tired. He had not yet seen any shade giving tree on the road side. Finally, he saw a big tree with spreading branches which cast ample shade. With a sense of relief, he went to it and sat under the tree to rest for a while. When he felt rested a thought arose in his mind. How nice it would be if someone now gave me a sumptuous meal Wonder of wonders! A plate, filled with an array of delectable dishes, appeared before him. Surprised but delighted, the man consumed them all to his heart’s content. The heavy meal induced in him a desire for a comfortable sleep. Presto! He saw a bed with a soft mattress and plush pillows by his side. Gratified by the sight, he jumped into bed. However the long and strenuous journey on foot that day was making his legs ache. He thought, unitentionally, ”How nice it would be if some ‘apsara’ comes to massage my legs ”A third wonder now ! A heavenly beauty appeared and smilingly began working on his legs.
While he was thus enjoying all the comforts a thought arose in his wandering mind for no reason “What if a hungry tiger suddenly appears from nowhere, jumps on me and eats me up ?” No sooner had this thought formulated itself than the ‘apsara’ vanished and a tiger pounced on him, killing him and making a good meal of him.
The traveller actually happened to be under a ‘kalpavriksha’, a wish-fulfilling tree mentioned in our holy scriptures. We too are, in a sense, living under a ‘kalpavriksha’ which is nothing but our own minds. The mind has the strength to fulfil our ’sankalpa’ (desires, expectations or imaginations) one way or the other, if not instantly atleast in time. The wonderful power of the human mind was clearly seen, experienced and confirmed by the ancient rishis (seers). Later generations of ‘Mahatmas’ and Gurus have also confirmed the importance of the power of the human mind. They also gave great importance to the purification of thoughts. Human thoughts, good or bad, strongly determine the happiness or misery of the whole world. The advanced state of the whole world today is only the net result of the preponderance of good and healthy thoughts in the human mind as a whole. From the crude methods of the ancient people of making fire, to the present ways of producing atomic energy; from the old bullock carts to the present outer-space vehicles, all such scientific developments have come from wonderfully developed and refined human thoughts.
Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda writes in his Autobiography of a Yogi in one of the chapters of the said book that my Guru was a peerless interpreter of the scriptures. Many of my happiest memories are centred in his discourses. But his jewelled thoughts were not cast into the ashes of heedlessness. In one of the discourses, Sri Sri Yukteswar pointed out to his disciple that he is not here. As usual, he was keeping relentless track of his attention. “Guru Ji” My tone was a protest, I have not stirred; my eyelids have not moved; I can repeat each word you have uttered.
“Nevertheless you were not fully with me. Your objection forces me to remark that in your mental background you were creating three institutions. One was a sylvan retreat on a plain, another on a hilltop, still another by the ocean.” In the exact sequence Sri Sri Yukteswar had indicated, these visions took ultimate form. First came my founding of a Boy’s Yoga School on a plain in Ranchi in India. Then an American Headquarters on a Los Angeles hill top and then a hermitage in Encinitas California overlooking the vast Pacific.Thoughts are special powers in subtle form. When they manifest as ‘karma’ (activity) we can recognise their power. Karmas form habits. Habits make our character. Character determines the final result success or failure.
Thoughts that arise in the mind spread everywhere like electromagnetic waves, remaining in and around our subtle bodies, producing similar results in us and others also. If we entertain thoughts of hatred, vengeance, anger, fear and sorrow, they will produce harmful effects, first for us and then for others. Conversely, if we foster good thoughts of love, co-operation, mutual help and charity, they will benefit us and many others also. In short, thoughts are the` seeds of our fate.
Tags: anger, destiny, fate, fear, hatred, Karmas, mind, prarabdha, sorrow, vengeance
