Hi,
We are born to serve. We live to serve. We spend our time everyday serving someone or the other. We serve at home and also at office. We offer different kinds of services to different people at different times. But, which service is the greatest service of all? Which is that service that could lead us to the ultimate glory? Let us look at this story from The Ramayana and see if we could get to learn right answers to these questions.
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We are born to serve. We live to serve. We spend our time everyday serving someone or the other. We serve at home and also at office. We offer different kinds of services to different people at different times. But, which service is the greatest service of all? Which is that service that could lead us to the ultimate glory? Let us look at this story from The Ramayana and see if we could get to learn right answers to these questions.
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Service is the path to ultimate glory. But which service is that?
When Ravana was taking Sita away to Lanka in his flying chariot, Jatayu, the wise old bird, was resting in the forest. Hearing Sita's helpless screams, Jatayu flew to Ravana's chariot. Jatayu was a great devotee of Rama. He could not keep quiet at the plight of Sita, although the wise bird knew that he was no match for the mighty Ravana. But he was not afraid of Ravana's strength even though he knew that he would get killed by obstructing the path of Ravana. Jatayu decided to save Sita from the clutches of Ravana at any cost. He stopped Ravana and ordered him to leave Sita, but Ravana threatened to kill him he interfered. Chanting Rama's name, Jatayu attacked Ravana with his sharp claws and hooked beak.
His sharp nails and the beak tore flesh from the body of Ravana. Ravana took out his diamond-studded arrow and fired at Jatayu's wings. As the arrow hit, the frail wing tore off and fell, but the brave bird continued fighting. With his other wing he bruised Ravana's face and tried to pull Sita from the chariot. The fight went on for quite some time. Soon, Jatayu fell on the ground, bruised and battered.
Rama and Lakshmana found Jatayu on their way and felt sad seeing the dying bird. Jatayu breathed last saying, “Rama, I am so sorry. I could not stop Ravana, who was taking Sita Devi. They went down south.” Rama consigned Jataayu to funeral fire, like his own relative and performed other rites. Rama was so much impressed with the devotion and sacrifice of Jatayu that he blessed him with a place in the higher worlds that are destined only to the nobles of the souls. Rama blessed the departed Jatayu saying, "gachchaan lokaan anuttamaan. (गच्चान लोकान अनुत्तमान) (గచ్చాన్ లోకాన్ అనుత్తమాన్)."
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His sharp nails and the beak tore flesh from the body of Ravana. Ravana took out his diamond-studded arrow and fired at Jatayu's wings. As the arrow hit, the frail wing tore off and fell, but the brave bird continued fighting. With his other wing he bruised Ravana's face and tried to pull Sita from the chariot. The fight went on for quite some time. Soon, Jatayu fell on the ground, bruised and battered.
Rama and Lakshmana found Jatayu on their way and felt sad seeing the dying bird. Jatayu breathed last saying, “Rama, I am so sorry. I could not stop Ravana, who was taking Sita Devi. They went down south.” Rama consigned Jataayu to funeral fire, like his own relative and performed other rites. Rama was so much impressed with the devotion and sacrifice of Jatayu that he blessed him with a place in the higher worlds that are destined only to the nobles of the souls. Rama blessed the departed Jatayu saying, "gachchaan lokaan anuttamaan. (गच्चान लोकान अनुत्तमान) (గచ్చాన్ లోకాన్ అనుత్తమాన్)."
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Jatayu was a bird. But he knew the secret. Why not we? While serving family, friends, relatives, customers, employers, etc is important and essential, it is much more important to serve god. And that is not easy to do so as we get distracted by the mundane activities of our daily life. The wise, however, search and find ways and means of serving god. A simple prayer to god praising him is a service to god. Or a good word of message spread around about the god you believe in is also a service to god. You can go to your place of worship, a temple, a church or a mosque, and offer some service there too. There are many ways of serving god. May you find your own!
To your continued SUCCESS,
With love,
Siva
PS: Source of the above story is given below:
http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fairytales/indian_mythology_stories/jatayu_fights_ravana.htm
For "Monday Motivational Stories" published earlier on this blog, please find them at the link given below:
http://www.kidsgen.com/fables_and_fairytales/indian_mythology_stories/jatayu_fights_ravana.htm
For "Monday Motivational Stories" published earlier on this blog, please find them at the link given below:
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