Teachings of the free Saint

The story I am going to tell you is universal truth or alike. So, I should not start it like 'Once upon a time' or 'a hundred years ago'. But I have heard this story with the upper stated beginnings. Thus, I am helpless in this concern. Let me start..

Long-long ago, there was a sage who claimed to have attained salvation ( Mukti or Moksha ) and God send him on earth to help others in achieving the same. He was a very popular sage at that time. One day, he decided to sit somewhere in the jungle and put a board out of the jungle with a notice that anyone who have any question regarding know-how of the way to salvation, he/she could come in and ask freely. But he neither put a map of jungle on the board nor give any clue of his location in the jungle. This news regarding way of salvation gone viral in the whole area. Devotees of God, philosophers, scientists, atheist, sages, and followers of different religions etc. all were very excited to meet him and ask questions. But the problem was forest. So many people tried but came back empty handed. So, rumors regarding the magical powers of the forest started to spread. And people started maintaining distance from the forest.

After a very long time one follower of Vaishnavism went into the forest. That man was a very big follower of Lord Vishnu and doesn't have any other aim in his life except salvation. After sometime he came back from the forest, people gathered around him and inquire about the sage. He replied positively and said that I am going to attain salvation. He said that sage told him that Vaishnavism would surely take him to salvation. These words bring a wave of joy in the lives of Vaishnavas but of sadness and depression in the minds of the followers of other religion. So, they one by one went into the forest to inquire the sage. The sage replied to them that their religion would leave to salvation. To Vaishnavas that their religion would lead to Moksha, to Muslims that their religion would lead to salvation, likewise to Buddhist, to Jains and all others. All came out and spread the news that their religion is best and would lead to salvation. For sometime, everything was alright but soon people started debating on whose religion is best and lead to salvation. And so many times, the debate warms up and become violent. Communal riots started to happen. The king acknowledged the issue and called the heads of all the religions, and asked them about the basis of claiming their religion as best. All of them replied with the words of sage. The king was very much surprised that how a sage great like him could say so. The king decided to meet the sage. King invited all heads of religions, philosophers, and learned scholars etc. to join him and meet sage. They all entered into the jungle and after walking 3-4 miles, they saw a man sitting on rock in Padmasana, having a beautiful smile on his face, and with a ojasvi forehead. The king went towards him and greet him with his sweet words. The sage blessed him and asked for the reason of their entrance into the forest. The king told him all the story. The sage smiled and said that they did not understand me properly. The king then requested the sage to give clarification on the concerned topic. The sage moved his head in affirmation.

(The sage, the king and other people sat in a particular manner to debate on concerned topic.)

Vaishnav Follower : Maharishi, would all religion lead to    salvation?

Sage : Yes.

King : Dev, really religions having drastically different ways, all lead to one?

Sage : Yes.

Scholar : Maharishi, whom we see after death in heaven?

Sage : God.

Scholar : In which form?

Sage : In the form you want to see him.

King : Yogiraj, I believe in Vaishnavism but I don't get enough time to perform rituals, i.e. I am unable to follow that religion properly. Is there any hope for me? Would I be able to achieve salvation?

Sage : Yes.

Scholar : But Maharishi, you said that all religion would lead to salvation, but if one is not following that properly then how can we consider him a follower and thus how can he achieve salvation?

Sage : One fisherman achieved salvation by just chanting God in his own language while catching fishes. But you would laugh to hear that language.

Philosopher : Maharishi, you mean anyone with a belief on anyway to salvation would attain salvation?

Sage : Yes.

Philosopher : You mean those who think killing as a way to salvation would also attain salvation?

Sage : Do their intention is to achieve salvation or to meet God? Do they want to be free or mukta? or Is that some material thing?

Sage : Listen my child, intention plays the most important role in the way to salvation.

Because intention inspires you to achieve what you are striving for. God himself sees nothing but intention of the bhakta.

You all have made laws on this basis only.

When the Vaishanava, the Muslim, the Boddhi brother etc. came to me all have the same intention to achieve God, to see God. Even the fisherman came with the same intention, he knows nothing about any religion.

Scholar : Yogiraj, you mean we do not actually need any religion just intention? Should we disregard them?

Sage : Actually, religion plays an important role until one achieve that intention. After that religion is just literature. So, they have importance too.

Philosopher : What is intention? Can it be good or bad?

Sage : By intention I mean intention to achieve salvation or God i.e. to achieve something which is materialistic or mortal. So, if one has intention to achieve God then for him this material world is useless and good and bad are for this material world only.

Atheist : Dev, in this world, people pray to God just to get material things. Is there any hope for them?

Sage : Yes, if they are doing their work in the righteous manner.

Atheist : You mean it is not must to pray?

Sage : Yes, you are right.

Atheist : Then why don't they stop praying to God?

Sage : My son, they pray to God as they can't pray to anyone else, like a kid cannot ask for anything from anyone except from his parents.

When people find something out of their control and they are unable to do anything in that concern. They have a hope that there is anyone so powerful and supreme who would help him in getting out of that problem without judging them.

King : Maharishi, I am very much thankful to you that you help us in knowing the real meaning of religion.

( The king and other person leave the jungle happily. )

-- Anirudh Dixit