Relentless practice is necessary to succeed in meditation, teaches Swami Atulananda of Ramakrishna Mission. In his essay ‘Reflections on the Bhagavad Gita’, he writes: “If we fail, that is nothing; we must try again. In that way, little by little, we will grow strong and self-controlled. Great results come even from a little practice, if only persisted in.”
And then the Swami tells the story of a little bird:
“A little bird had left its eggs on the shore and during its absence the ocean had rolled in and swallowed the eggs.
Returning and not finding its eggs, the bird was very angry and resolved to get back the eggs. He was also determined to punish the ocean by carrying away its water with his beak and two wings.
First, his mate tried to dissuade him pointing out the helplessness of his state, he a little bird being no match at all for the mighty ocean.
But after being reproved by the bird, she being a loving mate, began to assist him in carrying off the water, a few drops at a time. Day and night they laboured, but made little or no headway.
Other birds came and teased them for their folly, but they were simply told to cooperate or go their way. One by one, they all finally joined in the work.
At last Narada, the divine sage, in his wanderings across the world came to the spot where the birds were toiling. Seeing their firm resolve and patient effort, Narada told the birds to invoke Garuda’s help.
At the sight of supreme Garuda, the celestial bird, the ocean began to tremble with fear and in great haste returned the eggs to the birds.”
Swami Atulananda concludes his lesson thus:
“We must be at our efforts to meditate untiringly and patiently. Then help comes from all sides just as it came to the birds. Even monkeys came to help Lord Rama rescue Sita from Lanka.
As a lion never retraces his steps once he has set out on his path, so man should never abandon a good undertaking, great or small. Then success is secured. Great is his reward who perseveres in meditation.
Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita: ‘With the mind made steadfast by habitual meditation, not moving towards anything else, fixed in the Supreme resplendent Purusha, O Arjuna, one goes to Him’.
This is called Abhyasa Yoga: the constant practice of meditation, the repetition of one idea, uninterrupted by any other thought, with reference to God.
With the mind thus totally engaged in yoga, not passing over to any other object, the yogi who mediates according to the teaching of the scriptures and of the guru, reaches the Purusha, that is the divine Spirit.
Meditation makes the mind calm and removes its restlessness. This is a very difficult and advanced practice to think of God without allowing the mind to wander away. There are so many things to claim our attention: the world is calling from all sides.
Still, only by such practice is God, the resplendent Purusha, reached.”
— the harbinger