As we go through the biographies of great souls, we find that whenever the supremely benevolent saints have incarnated on earth, slanderers have left no stone unturned in maligning them. Not only do these slanderers destroy their family and clan but they also lead seven of their future generations into the pit of depravity. Those who live in the company of and assist such slanderers, also meet with the same fate. Therefore we should always be careful in selection the company we deep.
‘O dear! The intellect becomes mean with the association of people who are inferior to us, it remains stable in the association of equals and becomes superiors with the association of those who are superior to us.’
One does reap the fruits according to the kind of company one keeps. When the moon is in the fifteenth mansion (Swati star), the same raindrop turns into camphor when it comes in contact with a banana plant, poison when it enters the mouth of a snake and a pearl when it falls into a shell.
Long ago, there lived a man named Chanjju Bhakta in Lohore. On day he was sitting on his platform with some other villagers when a fruit vendor down the lane shouted, “Acche san…tare, acche san…tare…(literally buy good oranges,, buy good oranges.).” chajju Bhakta said to his is saying?”
His companions said, “He is selling santaras (oranges) Bhaktaji!”
Bhaktaji said, “Brother! You did not understand. Listen carefully, he is saying. ‘Acche sang…tare(literally good company societal themselves with good people are redeemed, while those who fall into bad company die a terrible death and meet with destruction.”
Bhaktaji then gave an illustration. A crow and a swan had become friends. On day the crow took the swan to its house and made him sit on a dry and wilted Babool tree. The place stank of dugs, flesh, and bones which were scattered all around.
The swan said, “Brother! I can not the stay in such a dirty place, even for a moment. If you know of any pious place, you take me there.”
The crow then took him to the secret grove of the king and made him sit on the tree, and then sat near him. Underneath them both was the king who was taking rest. As the sawn looked down, he saw the king sitting under the with his head exposed to the sum. A swan is kind nature, and out of compassion it spread out its wings to provide shade to the king who felt some relief form the sum. A crow however is wicked by nature. So it dropped its excreta on the king’s head. The king shot an arrow upwards which brought the swan down, while the crow flew off quickly. The swan gave up his life as the said,
‘O King! I am not the crow which had dropped the excreta. I am the swan that lives in pure water, but due to the company of the mean crow, my life has been ruined.’
The noble ones are like the swan while slanderers are like the crow, whose company leads even the noble ones to ruin.
In the ‘Sundar Kand’ Section (54.4) of Sri ramacharitamanasa, Lord Rama says to Vibhishana, ‘May providence keep us from the company of the wicked! It would be better, O respected one, to live in hell.’ (Because the company of the evil leads to the cycle of birth and death and repeated relegation to hells).
‘Evil company destroys good virtues and is feared by Rishi Sanak and others.’
All the scriptures and great souls have taught the jiva with great emphasis to stay clear of bad company. Bad company leads man to degeneration very quickly. For example, one has to make great efforts to climb a tree, but there is no effort required in falling down. Similarly, one has to make great efforts to attain spiritual power and earn the wealthy of sadhana; but all our efforts carried out for over a long period of time will come to naught in a moment by keeping the company of slanderers.
There unlimited strength within you; if you underestimate yourself and think that you are weak and inferior, there is no power in the world that can uplift you. But once you become established in you true self, the Atman, there is no power in all the three worlds that can suppress you. (‘Elixir of Life’, A book published by the ashram)
‘O dear! The intellect becomes mean with the association of people who are inferior to us, it remains stable in the association of equals and becomes superiors with the association of those who are superior to us.’
One does reap the fruits according to the kind of company one keeps. When the moon is in the fifteenth mansion (Swati star), the same raindrop turns into camphor when it comes in contact with a banana plant, poison when it enters the mouth of a snake and a pearl when it falls into a shell.
Long ago, there lived a man named Chanjju Bhakta in Lohore. On day he was sitting on his platform with some other villagers when a fruit vendor down the lane shouted, “Acche san…tare, acche san…tare…(literally buy good oranges,, buy good oranges.).” chajju Bhakta said to his is saying?”
His companions said, “He is selling santaras (oranges) Bhaktaji!”
Bhaktaji said, “Brother! You did not understand. Listen carefully, he is saying. ‘Acche sang…tare(literally good company societal themselves with good people are redeemed, while those who fall into bad company die a terrible death and meet with destruction.”
Bhaktaji then gave an illustration. A crow and a swan had become friends. On day the crow took the swan to its house and made him sit on a dry and wilted Babool tree. The place stank of dugs, flesh, and bones which were scattered all around.
The swan said, “Brother! I can not the stay in such a dirty place, even for a moment. If you know of any pious place, you take me there.”
The crow then took him to the secret grove of the king and made him sit on the tree, and then sat near him. Underneath them both was the king who was taking rest. As the sawn looked down, he saw the king sitting under the with his head exposed to the sum. A swan is kind nature, and out of compassion it spread out its wings to provide shade to the king who felt some relief form the sum. A crow however is wicked by nature. So it dropped its excreta on the king’s head. The king shot an arrow upwards which brought the swan down, while the crow flew off quickly. The swan gave up his life as the said,
‘O King! I am not the crow which had dropped the excreta. I am the swan that lives in pure water, but due to the company of the mean crow, my life has been ruined.’
The noble ones are like the swan while slanderers are like the crow, whose company leads even the noble ones to ruin.
In the ‘Sundar Kand’ Section (54.4) of Sri ramacharitamanasa, Lord Rama says to Vibhishana, ‘May providence keep us from the company of the wicked! It would be better, O respected one, to live in hell.’ (Because the company of the evil leads to the cycle of birth and death and repeated relegation to hells).
‘Evil company destroys good virtues and is feared by Rishi Sanak and others.’
All the scriptures and great souls have taught the jiva with great emphasis to stay clear of bad company. Bad company leads man to degeneration very quickly. For example, one has to make great efforts to climb a tree, but there is no effort required in falling down. Similarly, one has to make great efforts to attain spiritual power and earn the wealthy of sadhana; but all our efforts carried out for over a long period of time will come to naught in a moment by keeping the company of slanderers.
There unlimited strength within you; if you underestimate yourself and think that you are weak and inferior, there is no power in the world that can uplift you. But once you become established in you true self, the Atman, there is no power in all the three worlds that can suppress you. (‘Elixir of Life’, A book published by the ashram)
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