भूलै को घर लावै

Summary

The text explores the nature of human desire and the pursuit of fulfillment, using the metaphor of a golden pot given by a Yaksha. A man receives a pot of gold coins but finds it only three-quarters full. Despite his efforts to fill it, the pot remains incomplete each morning. A saint advises him to return the pot, explaining that Yaksha’s wealth can never be completed. The man follows this advice and finds peace. The text compares this to the human mind, which is never satisfied with present circumstances and constantly seeks more, leading to endless striving and discontent. It emphasizes that true happiness comes not from external acquisitions but from inner contentment and understanding the mind’s nature. The mind is described as unable to stay in the present, either dwelling on past grievances or planning future pleasures, thus missing the joy available in the current moment. The story of Diogenes and Alexander illustrates this: Diogenes, content with simple sunlight, asks Alexander to move aside so as not to block the sun. Another anecdote shows Diogenes practicing detachment by begging from a stone statue, training his mind to remain calm even when refused. The text advocates for sublimation rather than suppression of desires, comparing suppression to forcing a snake back into its hole, while true mastery involves removing the snake’s venom. It concludes that by understanding and calming the mind, one can achieve a state of complete fulfillment, where the inner self becomes a source of eternal joy, free from the bonds of body, time, and place. This state is described as living in the “city of Ram,” where no external sorrows can touch.