Once a youth, curious about Spiritual Practice, went to a Saint and asked Him, “Maharaj is it necessary to go to the jungle to attain Mukti (Liberation from the bondage of birth and death)?” The Saint said, “Who says so? If that was so, then how the King Janak has attained liberation despite living as a king and leading a prosperous life?” Hearing this, the curious youth went away.
Then came another curious youth and asked the same question to the Saint. “In order to attain liberation is it necessary to abandon family life and do penance in forest?” The Saint replied, “Of course! Otherwise why did the great seekers like Shuk-Sanak go to the forest to attain liberation, were they fools?”
A disciple who was in the company of that Saint was puzzled by the two different answers given by him to the same question. When the second youth went away, the disciple asked the Saint, “Gurudev, why did you give contradictory answers to the same question to those two youths? Which is the right answer to that question?” The Saint replied, “My son, both the answers are true. The first youth who came to me was capable of practicing Spirituality required for attaining Mukti even by leading a family life; but for the other youth it would be difficult to practice spirituality by living a worldly life. Hence, I convinced them by giving relevant examples.”
– Dr. Vasant Balaji Athavale
Real Bliss lies in chanting God’s Name
Seeing god everywhere
The honest old man
God’s name will save
Temptation is the root cause of unhappiness !
Strength lies in unity