Lotus Pond
Rising above our weaknesses
By R. Valencia and S. BismarkPhilippine Daily Inquirer
IN Vedic literature, there’s a story about a miserable person named Amogha. He was born into an educated family, but he was a faultfinder who always criticized others. This weakness brought him trouble when, one day, he began criticizing the Supreme Person. He thought God was wrong!
He suffered for his blasphemy when he fell ill with cholera. When he was about to die, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to him said, “Why did you let jealousy and anger enter your heart? The heart is a sacred place, because that’s where the Supreme Person resides. By the power of the Holy Names, your contaminated heart can be cleansed. Get up and chant His names.”
Enlightenment
Amogha stood up and began chanting, which led to his enlightenment and purification. From that day on, he was devoted to God.
We too fall into the trap Amogha was caught in. We criticize others because we’re either jealous or we feel we’re better than they are. Sometimes, we also feel angry if they don’t meet our expectations.
There are many things that contaminate the heart. We dump garbage in that holy place and hold onto it for years. We cling to anger, jealousy and bitterness, and we allow these negative feelings to take root.
It’s time to clean it up. Let go of the negativity by chanting the names of God and allow them to purify our hearts. Let’s rise above our weaknesses, and taste the nectar of true happiness!
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