Children, nothing that we see in this world is eternal. The property, wealth, relatives and friends whom we consider ours will not be with us for all time. This does not mean that we must not love anyone. We must love everyone but our love must be selfless. Only then can we be free of sorrow.
A man had four wives. Of the four, he loved his fourth wife the most. He did everything he could to provide her with the comforts of life and to support her healthy lifestyle and beauty regimen. He also loved his third wife dearly, and was proud of her extraordinary ability to get things done.
As for his second wife, though he did not love her as much, it was only to her that he opened his heart and disclosed everything. He totally neglected his first wife; he did not so much as even look at her.
One day, he was diagnosed with a terminal disease. The doctor said, “Medical science cannot save you. You have only a few more days to live.” Hearing this, the man began to panic. When he reached home, he asked his fourth wife, “I loved you more than anyone else. The doctor says that I will die in a few days. Will you follow me beyond death?” “No.”
Her answer hurt him terribly. He asked his third wife, “Will you be with me after I die?” “No, that’s not possible. I want to continue living in this world. After you die, I’ll marry someone else.”
Hearing this, the man became sad. He asked his second wife, “In both joy and sorrow, I opened up my heart only to you. Will you follow me when I die?”
“I’ll accompany you to the crematorium but no further.” Her words doubled his sorrow. As he sat there, terribly upset, his first wife consoled him: “You needn’t worry at all. I’ll always be with you. Never doubt it.”
Hearing this, the man felt remorseful for having neglected her. In this story, the fourth wife is our body, which will be with us only until our death. The third wife is our position, power and wealth. Once we die, someone else will claim them. The second wife is our friends, who will be by our side only until our body is taken to the crematorium. The first wife is our True Self, which will be with us in life and death. Even though we never think of the Self, it deserves the most attention from us. This does not mean that property and wealth are not necessary, but we only need enough to live. When we live with the understanding that the Self is the source of eternal peace, we can overcome sorrow.
Our very existence becomes based upon the words and actions of others. If they praise us, we soar up to the heavens in happiness. If they criticise us, we fall down to the floor in sorrow. Mahatmas want us to be free of such dependence, and they know that in order to go beyond it, understanding the spiritual truths is essential. We must awaken to this knowledge. Then we can see our oneness with others. We must see others as our own Self. That is the only way to overcome the despair we are currently experiencing. It is not easy, but it is possible with constant practice. Just as we have learned to identify with this name, we need to learn to identify with our True Self.