Guiding Light: Nourish the soul

It seems that we try to pack more and more things in our daily schedule but hardly any of these nourish our soul. We care so much for our body but we pay scant attention to our souls.

A famous doctor lived in a remote part of India and carried on his work of help and healing sincerely. A certain man in this small town fell very sick and refused medical assistance.

The good doctor heard about the sick man and went to see him immediately realising the seriousness of his condition. He checked on the man and declared that he was down with a severe bout of bronchitis.

Promptly he wrote out a prescription and gave it to the sick man. The man feebly asked, “When should I take the medicine?”

The doctor calmly answered, “You can take it after a month.” The wife was aghast and quivered, “A month. He may not even be alive after a month.” “Alright then”, said the doctor casually, “Why not take it tomorrow.” This time both of them exploded, “Doctor! Don't you realise how sick I am.” Unperturbed, the doctor responded, “Well then, take it now.”

We are like sick people who know we are ill, but are hesitant to take the medicine that is prescribed to make us well. Yet, until we do, there will be no hope for recovery. Our souls are sick and need to be healed.

The saints and Holy Ones often come to our aid. They prescribe the panacea that will resolve all our ailments, that is chanting of the Name Divine. Even as you do your daily work, chant the Name Divine, sing the name of God, any name that appeals to your heart. The importance of the repetition of the Holy Name helps as a tool to cultivate the soul.

Let us not put off to tomorrow what we can do now. Alas, we do not realise that death may snatch us any time. Chanting the Name Divine is the potent pill that can cure all ills.

Those that sing the Name of God with every breath of their being cross over to Yonder Shore, where beauty smiles and wisdom is radiant.

(Dada J.P. Vaswani is humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader.)

Published on: Tuesday, June 07, 2022, 07:00 AM IST