Datta Maat 94: Concentrate on your abilities and put in your efforts accordingly.

Let us discuss about desires and the efforts that we have to put in. It is not enough if you have good skill set. You must also put in the efforts that are possible for your abilities. In order to understand this, we must remind ourselves about a folk story.

Long ago, there lived a lioness in a jungle. It had few cubs. Amongst them, a male cub used to have immense belief on its abilities. All the cubs used to go with the mother for hunting. They helped their mother in all means. But, the male cub was the only one that did not go for hunting because it believed its own strength. It used sit at a place all alone instead of supporting its mother. All the cubs used to eat the food that they hunted on and gave the leftover food to this male cub. This continued for some time.

One day, all of them went to a distant place crossing the river. Few hunters came there. Since they could not cross the river, they simply remained there. On the other side of the river is the male cub that still remained at its place with its mouth wide open and with the same belief on itself thinking that it would still get food even if the its family members do not get. Two days passed by. The male cub did not eat anything and it had no energy in the body. It started to think what it can do. It observed the sage (a Guru) of a nearby ashrama who was passing by. It started to roar sitting in its place just thinking that he would be scared to see it because it is the great lion. However, he was not at all scared. Instead, he judged the position of the lion. With his power of penance, he made the lion talk just like humans. Then, the lion told about its pitiful state. It narrated its story saying, “I have good ability and immense strength. Despite all that, my family members used to give me food that I needed. But, no one of them brought me food today. I no longer have any energy. I am a lion. I believe that my family and disciples will do my work. Contrary to my belief, I did not get food today. Please give me upadesha (preaching).” The sage then preached it saying - “For a person’s efforts to be successful, desires alone do not take him there. The mind is driven by the desires. The desires alone will not make him successful. Your work does not get done without good working skills. For instance, you did not go for hunting since three days and no prey has fallen in your mouth since then. So, do not be satisfied with the desires. You must, at the same time put in your efforts to get them fulfilled. It will surely be successful.” With such preaching of the sage, the lion realized its mistake. From then onwards, the lion continued to live by hunting which is the way of living for its community.

This story may be small. But, there is a very good inner meaning in this. Many people day dream thinking that they have many abilities and that they will become successful one day. By thinking so, there are no benefits at all. Instead, a person with much lesser abilities but with continuous sincere efforts and practice reaches his goal. Hence, this story is a lesson for all those who day dream. Concentrate on your abilities and put in your efforts accordingly. Else, you cannot even move an inch.

Jai Guru Datta! Sri Guru Datta!