In life there are many definitions of happiness. Some are happy when they get what they want. Some are happy when they simply go with the flow of life. It all depends on your state of consciousness. The greater the consciousness the greater is the depth of understanding.
Once it happened – a wealthy merchant was in search of happiness- lasting happiness. And so he called all pundits and astrologers and scholars to find the answer. And they all said â We don’t know. Because we also have been seeking happiness but we haven’t found lasting happiness. But you can find your answer by visiting the Himalayan mountains. May be somebody can help you there.â
The wealthy merchant packed all his bags with many valuable precious gold ornaments and jewels and set out on his journey towards the Himalayas.
After a long travel he reached at the foothills of the Himalayan mountain. Just a few steps ahead there was a hut , a tiny hut. The merchant became curious. Who must be inside this small hut? And so he started walking towards the hut. The hut had a door but the door was not locked. The merchant pushed the door and the door opened with ease. Inside the hut there was an old man seated in lotus position. There was a certain light around him. The merchant observed closelyâĻthe old man was in deep meditation. And there was so much bliss so much joy on his face that the merchant became jealous. â How come I don’t have this kind of bliss and joy when I am the richest man on this planet.â – he thought. He waited because the whole appearance of the old man’s and the beautiful experience of seeing what real bliss is was so engrossing and enlightening that the merchant wasn’t willing to disturb the old man. A certain fragrance lingered around the old man and the wealthy merchant sat on the ground just looking and experiencing the rarest moment of his life. Whole life was spent with all pleasures and with all beautiful women and in all those parties and clubs butâĻ this kind of joyâĻ.this kind of happinessâĻthis kind of blissâĻ.never he had seen in anybody’s life – not even in his own.
It was getting dark and in that cold winter of the Himalayas then merchant started shivering with cold. The old man opened his eyesâĻ.and the merchant was touched by those beautiful compassionate eyes. So much love, so much depth, so much joy was in those eyesâĻ.the merchant quickly got up and bowed before the old man.
The old man said â Look at that wall, there is a blanket – take it. It is too cold on the outside.â
The merchant’s eyes became wet. With tearful eyes he said âYou are half naked and yet you are giving me the blanket. How compassionate you are, I have never seen somebody as compassionate as you. I came to seek lasting happiness but now I have dropped all my questions and all my seeking. At your feet – now I surrender. Please accept me – O Master.â
And the moment he said â I surrender to you â – something beautiful happened in his whole being – something that he had never experienced in his whole life – it was PEACE. And the moment you find peace, the doors of happiness open – unless there is peace – you can never find happiness.
And peace is to be found within. Peace comes when you drop the âI’ – that is how the holy bible says â I must decrease and YOU must increase.â
The moment the merchant said â I surrender â – EGO was dropped. EGO died. And it is only when the EGO dies that you become ALIVE!
The merchant also felt ALIVE the moment he surrendered at the master’s feet.
And then the master smiled and said âSo have you found your answer?â
The merchant’s face was now glowing with happiness, he bowed before the master and said â Yes master. I have realized that happiness is not to be found on the outside. Happiness is WITHIN. But we block our happiness by accumulating â dust of ego, dust of negativity, dust of ignoranceâ on it. But with your blessings, with your darshan, with your compassion- this DUST OF EGO, NEGATIVITY AND IGNORANCE is wiped out. How can I thank you master? I will return back to my home but as a totally different person, totally changed man. I came to seek lasting happiness but with your divine intervention I have realized that what I seek is within me! I will go back home but now only prayer is that you never leave me, that your benevolent hands always remain on my head, that your shadow always remains over me.â
The master smiled. That smile was so deep, so moving. The merchant’s heart moved with just that one smile of the master. The master said â Baccha once I get hold of you – I never leave you. Now go back to your home and always remember- You are not alone.â
The merchant touched the feet of the master. The master offered him a fruit. In that cold mountains of Himalayas who can get a fruit! But to the divine master nothing is impossible. In fact the master always says that everything is possible in life only if you are willing to change – only if you are willing to let change happen within you!
Love to all my followers. Leaving you all with this insightful video…
Jai Shri Ganesha. Jai Guru.
