In English
- Its Meaning
said that (fasting) means sitting near. Mere sitting near is not . The frogs sit near the Lotus. Is it ? No, No. Along with the nearness, they must go for the dearness (sweet honey) in the Lotus, also. Simply by sitting near God, we should not presume that we have become dear to Him. Take the case of our neighbours. They are physically close to us. But, if they are in difficulties and in a sorrowful mood, we are not moved by their sorrow. We take it for granted and think that it is part of life. On the other hand, in the case of our kith and kin, even though they are far away from us in America, we cannot have peace of mind if we do not get a letter at least once in a week. The reason being, even though they are physically far away, their love is nearer to us. In the case of our neighbours, the body is near, but our Love is far away. Another example. In our house, there are rats and ants moving about here and there. But will they become our friends? Never. Therefore, along with nearness, we must cultivate dearness. literally means, sitting near. What is the benefit of sitting near God? When you sit near a lamp, it will give you light, and in that light you can carry on your daily routine. If you sit near an air-conditioner, you will get comfortable, cool air. If you switch on a room heater, the cold weather will be removed, and you will get warm, comfortable air. What is happening in all these cases? One thing is removed, and another added. Our discomfort is removed, and comfort is added. Similarly, when you sit near God, your bad qualities will be removed, and good qualities are substituted. It is possible for God to cast His influence on you, to shed His light on you and shower His love on you. That is the benefit of , sitting near God.