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Article written by London swaminathan

Date: 19^th  September 2015

Post No: 2172

Time uploaded in London :– 20-22

(Thanks  for the pictures) 

In order to have some fun a man procured innumerable small mirrors and had them fixed in his room on the walls, in the ceiling and on the floor. There was not an inch of space where there was no mirror. After closing the door, he switched on the light and stood in the middle of the room. He saw himself reflected in myriad forms in the mirrors— above, below and on all sides. He enjoyed the sight very much because he loved to see himself everywhere. After having had this fun for a while, he left the room, but forgot to close the door.

His dog entered the room a few minutes later and it saw its own reflections in the mirrors. The dog started barking at its own reflections and jumped and fought with them, as it thought those were dogs different from itself.  It fought till it got completely exhausted and fell down dead.

So, man in his ignorance, when fighting with his fellow thinks that they are separate from him. When he realises that all beings are the images of his own Self, instead of quarrelling with and disliking them, he will love them all equally.

 Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s Elephant story 

In a forest there lived a holy man who had many disciples. One day he taught them how to see god in all beings and knowing this, to low before them all.

A disciple went to the forest to gather wood for the sacrificial fire. Suddenly he had an outcry, “Get out of the way! A mad elephant is coming!” all but the disciple of the holy man took to their heels. He reasoned that the elephant was also god in another form. Then why should he run away from it? He stood still, bowed before the animal, and began to sing its praises.

The mahut of the elephant was shouting “Run away! Run away!” but the disciple didn’t move. The animal seized him with its trunk, cast him to one side and on its way. Hurt and bruised the disciple lay unconscious on the ground. Hearing what had happened, his teacher and his brother disciples came to him and carried him to the hermitage.

With the help of some medicine he soon regained consciousness. Someone asked him, “You knew the elephant was coming. Why didn’t you leave the place? “But”, he said, “our teacher has told us that God Himself has taken all forms, of animals as well men. Therefore thinking that it was only the elephant God that was coming, I didn’t run away.”

At this the teacher said, “Yes, My child, it is true that the elephant God was coming; but the mahut God forbade you to stay there. Since all are manifestations of God, why didn’t you trust the mahut’s words? You should have heeded the words of the Mahut God.”

God dwells in all beings. But you may be intimate only with good people; you must keep away from the evil minded. God is even in the tiger; but you cannot embrace the tiger on that account! You may say, “Why run away from tiger, which is also a manifestation of god?” The answer to that is: Those who tell you to runaway are also manifestations of God – and why shouldn’t listen to them?

God undoubtedly dwells in the hearts of all – holy and unholy, righteous and unrighteous; but a man should not have dealings with the unholy, the wicked, the impure. He must not be intimate with them. With some of the he may exchange words, but with others one should not go even that far. One should keep aloof from such people.
—Subham–