‘Shall I help him?’
Tuesday March 8 2005 08:20 IST
By Karmayogi
Good souls discovering a new capacity in themselves will be eager to help others. It is a good attitude socially, but not in yoga. In life, to be helpful to another is to play the Good Samaritan, not so when you move into weightier realms. We teach our children when they are in school. When they move to the college and begin to specialise, they are moving into realms unknown to us. We cannot then help them. Our insistence on helping them at that stage or their willingness to receive our help will lead to their failing in their courses. In our personal life too, there are such limits. Up to a point, help is a blessing of generosity. Beyond that, it gradually turns into a curse.
Mothers devotees who quickly find out that all their prayers are answered start a long chain of prayers for parents, brothers, sisters, friends, etc. It is very good. Most of them will be a success. It is good not to take such efforts to their logical conclusion, but to see ones limits of responsibility or capacity. One such person silently took joy in helping others through his prayers. Being an insignificant person, he had to be silent; otherwise abuse would be showered upon his head. In the short months of his experience, he discovered that his silent, insignificant role really accomplished what was impossible for others. It encouraged him and indirectly contributed to his vanity. From his invisible situation, he was playing a considerable role. He did carry a power, a power of faith. Having helped a few others, especially in big projects big enough for him, his confidence grew in strength. Once there was a discussion in his hearing about collecting an arrears of Rs. 50 lakhs due for over a year. When everyone left the place, this devotee asked another person, Shall I help him collect the dues?
It was a generous offer. If collection alone was important, this help could be accepted. There would be nothing impermissible. The insignificant devotee received on this occasion a significant reply: For him, more than the money, it is important that he should collect it on his faith. Moreover, just now you have a great discipline on hand for your life. Your fulfilling your duty to yourself, which is duty to Mother will indirectly get that Rs. 50 lakhs for him, as you are interested in him. How powerful our duty is we often do not know. Especially when the person is of higher consciousness, his duty is inclusive of the well being of all others he feels responsible for. This is the truth behind the Tamil saying, If there is one good man, for his sake it rains for all.
Rain is grace. The presence of a single good man is grace for the community. Sri Aurobindo and The Mother were present on earth. Both the wars were won and the Third World War was averted.