THE CHALLENGE : PART II -3. Swami Chinmayananda

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18/03/2019
3.KNOWING IS NOT ENOUGH

There is a miserable looking fellow, who always complains, who is lusty, passionate, greedy, egoistic, ugly, and indulges in falsehood, yet talks about the beautiful world of religion, philosophy and truth. In the same way, all of us talk about love, mercy, joy and courage. We want our ideas to be appreciated by others, but we do not live these ideas. And yet we want others to be attracted towards us. A famous artist, renowned the world over as a great painter, became ill. He had held many exhibitions; everywhere he was honoured and respected. Many of his canvases were hanging in museums and the homes of art patrons. While lying in his sick bed, a beautiful theme for a painting began to take shape in his mind.

It was so clear that he could see it within his mind in every detail. He could not restrain himself. Getting out of his bed, he took up the brushes and the exotic colours he needed. Everything was there the completed picture in his mind and the exact materials, but the poor man could not paint anything. His arm had been stricken with paralysis during the illness. The idea was there. He knew the idea, but tragedy of tragedies he had no instrument to hold the brushes. Even if he held the brush in his fingers, they could not move.

We, too, have wonderful ideas. We want to be great, but when we try to express it, we fail miserably. The instrument is in our hand, but at this moment the hand is paralysed shivering and helpless.
The instrument by which the ideas of my intellect are expressed into the world is my equipment of actions; the instrument by which I convey my knowledge to the world is expressed through my throat. With hands and legs we act in the world outside. Though these instruments of the physical body act according to the ideas of the intellect, it is the mind that executes them.

To be continued ..


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