In the Vision of God,
Volume 1, by Swami Ramdas, pp 231-232
LOVING KINDNESS
[The] next day, early morning, Karta Krishna met Ramdas at the mandir [temple].
Some anxiety appeared to be weighing on his mind.
"Maharaj, I pray to you to get me transferred from here to some other place. I
am tired of the present office."
The way how he appealed to Ramdas showed that he firmly believed that Ramdas was
the sole dispenser of all things in the world. Ramdas interrupted and told him
in plain language:
"Look here, Ram, Ramdas is only an humble servant of God. All things happen by
His will. No doubt the Master dwells in the servant, but don't mistake the
servant for the Master. If Lord wills, nothing is impossible. By the way, what
is it that ails you?"
Karta Krishna continued: "The fact is my superior officers and co-clerks in the
office are harassing me. They have all conspired to make my life utterly
miserable."
Ramdas, after a short pause, spoke as follows: "Now listen, beloved Ram, bring
back to memory your days in Lalitpur a year ago. What was your condition then?
It was simply unbearable. God in His mercy delivered you from it. He has brought
you here, provided you with a good house and is keeping your children in sound
health. Now you speak of your office troubles. Nothing is wrong with the office.
People dislike us because our own attitude of mind towards them is not right.
Love can never beget hate. On the other hand, distrust and hate breed every kind
of evil. Give up fretting. Be reconciled to the lot that God has chosen for you.
Be tolerant and patient. Above all, be humble, kind and forgiving towards all in
your office - nay towards all in the world. With a mind whose passions are
uncontrolled, wherever you may go, you can never know peace. You will then be
only ceaselessly fighting with the world and find no haven of rest and
contentment. Look within yourself. Surrender to the will of almighty God.
Humble yourself before Him and extend your love and sympathy towards all beings.
Take it that God does everything for the best. If you are obedient to your
superiors and kind to your co-clerks, they are bound to change their attitude
towards you, and then you will find the very office from which you desire to run
away a delightful place for work. Kindly come to Ramdas again day after tomorrow
and report to him how matters stand with you. But do act as Ramdas has told
you." He left Ramdas.
The other clerks of his office who were also visiting Ramdas informed him that
Karta Krishna was a very short-tempered man and would be always picking quarrels
with everybody in the office. As requested, Karta Krishna turned up on the due
date. He came with a bright and joyous face.
"How are you getting on?" Ramdas asked.
"I followed your advice, Maharaj," he replied, " and the result has been
marvelous. There is an entire change in my office mates in regard to me. My
officers have been kind and good, my colleagues helpful and friendly. Oh! How
happy I am! I do not want a transfer."
"Ram," Ramdas said, "the change is in you. The whole world is good to us if we
are good. If we love the world, we may be sure, in return we shall receive
nothing but love from it."
In the Vision of God, Vol I - The Continuing Saga of an Extraordinary Pilgrimage
