Conquering anger is real courage

During this period, Gustadji was apparently busy all the time and thought he was working the hardest of anyone. When the other mandali were resting in the afternoon, he would have to water the recently cemented floors in the hot sun. Naval, too, had to do extra labor and was occupied in repairing a pump for the well. Due to the extra chores, Gustadji was in an irritable mood.

For several days a bitter resentment had been brewing between Barsoap and Gustadji. Barsoap had asked Gustadji for a new prayer carpet for offering namaz, but his request was refused. Barsoap was quite angry and did not hold back his words, abusing Gustadji’s miserliness as a tight-fisted household manager.

That same evening, when the mandali were gathered, Baba asked Barsoap, “Has your anger against Gustadji subsided?” Barsoap openly admitted that it had not.

Baba then called him aside and said, “However someone may treat you, you should always be calm. However one may pierce you with sharp words, you should bear them quietly and with patience. This is real courage. A man may subdue a whole army but be unable to control his own anger!”

The Master then commented about the humility of Jesus the Christ when he was tortured and crucified, then concluded: “According to the Sadguru Ramakrishna, there are three things which keep a person away from God. They are lust, anger and greed.

“If you conquer these three enemies, you will become a mahatma (great soul or pilgrim) or a wali (master of the mind). Who is a mahatma or a wali? He who controls his lust, anger and greed.”

www.lordmeher.org, Revised 2014, p502

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