32 - Self Help Is The Best Help

Once, Mama went for pilgrimage. Leelamasi, Haribhaktas and Sevak were accompanying. They hired a room in Haridwar. The room was full of cobwebs and dust. Mama asked ¬¬Sevak, ¬‘Please, sweep the room.' Sevak argued, ¬‘Mama, we are not going to stay here permanently. As such the room is clean.' Mama said, ¬‘The place where we are staying, should be clean. God accompanies us only if the space surrounding us is clean. God likes cleanliness.' Sevak brought one broom and started to sweep. Mama asked, ¬‘What are you doing?' Sevak told, ¬‘I am sweeping the room.' Mama asked, ¬‘Like this? Standing? Don't you know how to sweep? Let me teach you how to sweep.'

Mama took the broom and showed to Sevak, ¬‘See, you must sit or rather squat like this and slowly sweep by pressing the broom on the floor. By sweeping in this manner, dust does not spread around. After that you must fill up a bucket with water and wipe the floor with wet cloth.' Sevak observed everything and learned it. Mama asked, ¬‘Do you know, how to wash clothes?' Sevak said, ¬‘No Mama. I have never washed clothes earlier. Therefore I do not know how to wash clothes.' Mama said, ¬‘Everyone must learn to do their own work. Everyone should try to become self reliant. Come on, let me teach you how to wash clothes.' Mama taught Sevak how to wash clothes. He taught Sevak the virtue of self-reliance.

Difficult words:
Pilgrimage - Travel to holy place
Cobwebs - Spider webs
Squat - To sit in crouching position
Self-reliant - Self-dependent

Points to ponder:
Þ Mama was self-reliant inspite of being an Anadimukta. He teaches us to become self-reliant.
Þ Everyone must know how to do one's own work, so that one does not have to be dependent on others.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. Where did Mama go for pilgrimage?
2. What chores did Mama teach to Sevak?
3. What should everyone try to become?
4. Express Mama's views about cleanliness?

Fill in the blanks:
1. ___________accompanies us only if the space surrounding us is clean.
2. God likes _________.
3. Everyone should try to become __________.

Arrange in proper sequence:
1. Accompanies only space us if the us surrounding is clean God.
2. Self-reliant everyone try should to become.