॥॥ ॥॥
In plain words
The house of Śānti is within us. But it is not to be had merely because we ask for it.
The One Who Works without Asking Is One of the Family
Do not ask, O mind, for the more you ask, the lower it sinks, and if you do not ask, the work is swiftly done. (Do not ask …) Did He not cherish Śabarī, who did not ask? Jaṭāyu, who died asking nothing for himself: did He not go to him at the end and grant him the blessed goal? (Do not ask …)
Many devotees are doing sādhanas. But what is the fruit of these sādhanas? They pray, ‘O God! Do that for me, do this for me.’ The paṇḍits too said it, this morning. It all means ‘ca me ca me’: ‘Give!’ It is all desires! If you inquire, ‘Who is the one who asks, and who are the ones who do not ask?’, the one who asks is a hired labourer. The one who does not ask is one of the family. At home the housewife cooks and does many jobs. But does she ask, ‘Look here! I have done so much work; will you give me wages?’ She is the mistress of the house. There is also the maid who scrubs the vessels; when the month comes round she asks, ‘Amma! Give me my pay.’ The one who asks is a servant. The one who works without asking is one of the family. You must be one of the family, not a servant. Only one of the family knows what is valuable in the house. The owner knows the jewels put away in the costly box, but a person from outside does not. The maid sees the things thrown outside, the old things. So the valuables in the heart are understood only by the owner. That is Śānti. It is valuable. Prema is valuable, Dharma is valuable, Satya is valuable, Ahiṃsā is valuable. All these valuables we have kept within. Only that owner must know them. Who is the owner of this? God alone is the owner. The owner is right within.