Passage 10

Choose to become dear and near to God

Good company is thus most essential. Take for instance, a piece of charcoal. If it is to bum, it has to be brought close to a piece of burning charcoal. It will bum better if a fan is turned towards both. This is the result of being both "near and dear" (to the source of fire). This applies to devotees as well. There are many who are "near" to Bhagavan. But they are like frogs in a lotus pond. The frogs are near to the lotus, but do not taste its honey. But bees come from remote distances to taste the honey in the lotus. If the frogs were aware of the sweetness of the honey, they would not have let the bees come near. It is, therefore not enough if you are near. You have also to become dear to the Lord. You must be both near and dear. If you love the Lord, but are far from Him, you suffer the pangs of separation like a mother who is worried when she has no news from her son who is abroad. Thus both love and nearness are necessary. This is the value of having darshan of the Lord. Vedanta has declared: "Dharshanam papa nashanam" (Sight of the Lord destroys all sins). "Sambhashanam Sankata nashanam" (Conversing with the Lord destroys all grief). "Sparshanam Karma vimochanam" (The touch of the Divine liberates one from all karmic bonds). What you should seek is Karma vimochanam (freedom from the bondage of one's actions).