- Old and worn out wood (Habate wood) may float on water, but it sinks the moment a bird sits on it. Sages like Narada are like huge logs(Bahaduri wood) that will not only float on water, but also carry men, bullocks, and even elephants.
- The devotee who calls upon God while living in the household is brave and a real hero. God says: ‘He who has renounced the world will naturally call upon Me and serve Me. There is no bravery in that.’
- But the man who, while living in the midst of worldly duties, calls upon Me and looks after Me – after having pushed away a twenty-maund stone – he is really blessed! He is brave, a hero indeed.
- Blessed is the worldly man who attends to his duties in life but has love and devotion for God’s lotus feet. He is indeed brave. He is like a man carrying a two maund load on his head, who watches a bridal procession passing by. The man has a heavy load on his head, yet he sees the bridegroom. Without great power of mind, it is not possible. He is just like a mud fish living in the mud – not a speck of mud soils its body. Or like a waterfowl that is forever diving into water – no water clings to its body when it flutters its wings even once.
- Janaka was a great hero. He wielded two swords – one of spiritual knowledge and the other of work.
- Some people take up teaching mankind after attaining knowledge – for example Janaka, Narada, and others. The rishis attained knowledge for themselves. But religious teachers like Narada moved about for the good of mankind. They were heroes.
- When a bird sits on an old, dry piece of wood floating on water, it sinks. But when a heavy log floats on water, it can carry a cow, a man, and even an elephant across. A steamboat goes across with many passengers. Teachers such as Narada and others are like heavy logs of wood, or like steamboats.
- The sadhu who has renounced the world only repeats the name of Hari. He has no other work to do. If he meditates on the Lord, there is nothing to wonder at. But if a family man repeats the name of Hari, it is heroic. Just see: King Janaka was a great hero. He wielded a double-edged sword – one of jnana and the other of karma.
- King Janaka wielded two swords: one of jnana (true knowledge), the other of karma (work). He who is an expert in handling these swords has nothing to fear.
- King Janaka, the great royal sage, was he inferior in any respect to the holy man who has given up the world? Oh no, it was he who was loyal to both matter and Spirit, who realized God and at the same time drank his cup of milk.
- It is not a small matter that, though living in the world, you have kept your mind on God. Those who have renounced the world do have to call on God – what bravery is there in that? He indeed is blessed who calls on Him though living in the world. Such a person has to remove a twenty maund stone to be able to find something.