Hafiz has compared the body with a pot, the soul with smoke, and the sanskaras with a huge stone lying on top of the pot. For all its attempts, how can the smoke ever succeed in removing and throwing off the stone? For this, a sage must come and lift it away.
Similarly, a bird may keep trying to open a cage which is closed from the outside, but it will never succeed until help is received from outside. In short, those who desire to gain something – even a little benefit – in the spiritual line, must have a chest as strong as iron so as to withstand severe blows.
The worries and troubles of the world are due to thoughts. Thoughts and thoughts! Thinking should be stopped. I am going to take upon myself the thinking of the world which will severely affect my health. A time will come when I will be so disabled that the mandali will have to feed me and administer water to my lips. All will worry about me, and except for a few, the majority of you will go away.
You will see what will happen. My suffering will be so unlimited that others will not be able to bear the sight of it as it will practically turn me into a corpse. But after this boundless anguish, in horrible pain and with a wrecked and near lifeless body, I will open my mouth for that one unique cause; and every utterance of mine will be worshiped. My words will be so sacred even they will work wonders!
–www.lordmeher.org,p922