Perseverance In The Path Of Spirituality

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This is a story narrated by swami vivekananda emphasizing the role of perseverance in God realization. Sage Narada was a great yogi who did a lot of travelling. One day in the course of his travel he came upon a man who was performing severe penance in the form of meditation without altering his position. This resulted in the formation of an anthill around him. He was meditating with a view to attain realization, which is the ultimate end of the spiritual journey. On seeing Narada he asked him to enquire with God as to when he would be enlightened.

Further down the course of his travel Sage Narada met another person who was of a wild disposition. He too asked Narada to ask God when he will attain the ultimate end in spirituality.

Later when Narada came by the same way where he met the two of them, he told the man who was engaged in deep meditation that he still has four more births to attain realization. Upon hearing this, the man wept and wailed, as he had to encounter with four more births.

The other man was informed by Narada who pointed out to a nearby tamarind tree and told that he has to take that many births as the count of the leaves in the tree. The wild man reacted jubilantly and positively said that he only has to wait for a short time. Immediately a voice from Heaven said that he would attain God realization that very moment itself.

Hence the moral of the story is that perseverance speeds up the course of realization. Ideals and methods of religions, rituals and hearing religious talks and reading religious books can be but only of a little help. An undying spirit of perseverance, an untiring effort in the spiritual path, which would mean the readiness to wait for an infinite length of time, would surely result in Realization.

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