A young spiritual aspirant grew so much in the love of God, that she was actually able to commune with Sri Krishna, her ishta devata. A doubting, faithless priest wished to put her to the test. "If, as you claim, you really commune with Sri Krishna every day, ask Him to tell you what was the sin I committed when I was a young man."
He was sure that she would never find out. And this would expose her claim as being false.
Next week, he sought her out and asked her, "Have you spoken to Sri Krishna?"
"Yes, I did," she replied.
"And did He tell you what was the sin I committed?”
"He said that He had forgotten it - and wanted you to do the same."
The doubting priest hung his head in shame.
If God does not keep a tally of people's faults and failings, why should we? And are we so perfect that we can go on counting, enumerating and elaborating on the faults of another?
This was the issue taken up at the gathering of the sages in Naimisharanya kshetra. If this was the situation, then how can men seek to attain the Lotus Feet of the Lord? Is it possible to live the life beautiful? The Rishis debated this question and sought guidance from the enlightened one who had studied at the feet of Rishi Ved Vyas.
The enlightened one said: "In the Kaliyuga, there is only one simple solution available to this problem. It is kirtan, naam simran – chanting the name divine."
And what of the man who strives, but does not succeed?
The Lord assures him that no man who is a sincere seeker can come to an evil end. Our striving, our efforts at self-realisation will eventually help us. We need never despair, for the Lord is all love and compassion, and will not let our sincere efforts go in vain. We will rise, step by step, to realisation.
Thus the Gita holds out to every seeker the hope, nay, the promise, that though he falls a hundred times, he will rise again!
(Dada J P Vaswani was a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader)
