Nature’s Guest
Questioner: Are we nature’s guest or are we a part of nature?
Dadashri: We are a part of nature as well as a guest. We too prefer to live as a guest. No matter where you sit, you will get air and water. And that too, free of cost! The valuable commodities of nature are available free of cost. That which nature values are the very things humans do not. And that which nature does not value [such as diamonds and gold], our people value too much.
Every living being in this world is a guest of nature. Nature prepares everything for you. The way things are, visible anger and internal disturbance ( kadhapo- ajampo) prevail for you. This is because you do not have this understanding, and you believe, ‘I am doing this.’ This is an illusion. In reality, no one can do anything at all.
Before one is even born, do people already have everything ready for him? The Lord’s procession is on its way! Before a baby is born, does he have to worry about ‘Will I get my milk once I am born?’ The baby’s milk and all its needs are ready! A doctor and midwife are ready, and if there is no midwife, then at least the midwife’s assistant will be present. So there is at least some preparation or the other according to the type of guest! Those of the ‘first class’ will have different preparations, for the ‘second class’ it will be different, and for the ‘third class’ it will be different! All of these classes exist, don’t they? So, you have indeed come
with all the preparations, so then why are you engaging in all this visible disturbance and internal turmoil?
If you are a guest in someone’s home, then what kind of humility should be maintained there? If I were a guest at your home, then should I not maintain the humility of a guest? If you were to say, “You are not to sleep here, sleep over there,” then I should sleep over there. If lunch is served at 2 pm, even then I should eat peacefully. Whatever is served should be eaten calmly; complaints should not be made there. This is because I am a guest. Now, if a guest goes into the kitchen and starts to stir the yogurt soup, then how would that look? If you interfered in household matters, then who would let you stay there? If you are served basundi (a sweetened milk dessert), then eat it. Do not say, “I do not eat sweet foods.” Whatever is served, calmly eat it. If you are served salty food, then eat the salty food. If you do not like it, then eat a little, but you should still eat it! Follow all the rules of being a guest. A guest should not have attachment or abhorrence ( raagdwesh). Can a guest have attachment and abhorrence? The guest always remains in humility, doesn’t he?
‘We’ actually live only as a guest. All ‘our’ needs are met. Wherever you live as a guest, you should not trouble the host. Everything ‘we’ need comes ‘our’ way; all ‘we’ have to do is think about it and it comes. And if it does not come, ‘we’ do not have a problem with that. This is because ‘we’ have become a guest there. Where? In nature’s home! If the will of nature is not there, then know that it is for your best interest and when the will is there, then that too is for your best interest. If it were in your control to do what you wanted, then what would you do if a beard grew on one side of your face and not on the other side? If it were in your hands to do what you wanted, then everything would definitely be disorderly. It is actually under the control of nature. It never makes a mistake. Everything is systematic. Just look; there are separate teeth for chewing, separate teeth for tearing the food, and separate teeth for grinding the food! Just look, what a wonderful arrangement it is! You are given an entire body at the time of birth. You are given hands, legs, a nose, ears, eyes, everything; but if you stick your hand inside your mouth and no teeth are found, does that mean that nature has made a mistake? No, nature knows that as soon as you are born, you will have to drink milk; you will not be able to digest any other food. [Nature says,] ‘The mother’s milk is to be consumed, so if we give him teeth, he will bite her!’ See how wonderfully the arrangement has been made! The teeth come in as the need arises. At first four teeth arrive, then the rest gradually come in. Whereas when elderly people lose their teeth, they do not grow back!
Nature gives protection in every way. It takes care of people as though they are kings, but the wretched people do not know how to remain like that, so what can be done?