Be Like The Lotus
Be thankful to the Lord that He gave you Time, as well as action to fill it with. He gave you food, as well as hunger to relish it. But that does not entitle you to engage yourself in action indiscriminately. When you build a house, you install a door in front. What is the purpose of the door? To admit all whom you welcome and to keep out all whom you do not want. It has a double purpose; you do not keep the doors wide open, for all and sundry to come in as and when they like.
So too, select the impulses, the motives, the incentives that enter your mind; keep out the demeaning, the debasing, the deleterious. Admit the highest wisdom of the scriptures, the wisdom culled out of the crucible of experience, called Anubhavajnaanam.
All water is not potable; the stagnant pool is to be avoided, the flowing river is better. Select and drink. Use the mosquito curtain, but see that the mosquitoes do not get in when you go to bed. Keep them out; do not imprison them inside the net. Sail in the boat that floats on water but, do not allow the water to enter the boat. Be in worldly life, but do not allow it to get into you. Use the doors intelligently, to let in those whom you want, and keep out those whom you do not need.
The lotus, born in slime and mud, rises up through the water and lifts its head high above the waters; it refuses to get wet though water is the element which gives it life! Be like the lotus. By action, done with all this care, the Vision gets clarified. Man is blinded by the objective world and he believes that world to be real, meaningful and worthy of pursuit. The cataract grows in the eye and robs it of its efficiency. The cataract is the enemy of the eye. Ignorance, the cataract of the inner eye, blinds the intellect and robs it of its efficiency. So, it cannot see the Divinity that is your real nature. It misleads you into the impression that you are a man (Manava), whereas you are really God (Madhava).
Tread the Path of Liberation
The rope is mistaken to be a snake and the perceiver flees in fear. The truth is, it is not the eye organ that sees; there are many whose eyes are good, so far as doctors can discover, but they cannot see! The eye sees because it is illumined by a microscopic spark of the rays of the sun.
The scripture says: “Chakshos suryo ajayatha”, meaning, from the eye, the sun was born. The soul is the motive force of all the senses; the eye is but a window through which the soul peeps out at the external world. Of what use is the eye, when the vision is not correct? That is to say, when you have no Samadhrishti (the unity of vision). Samam means Brahman, the Absolute Reality; Samadhrishti means, seeing only Brahman, the One, in all things at all times. This Ekathwam (Oneness) is the basic truth. All other experiences are partial, distorted, false. Dwell on that, in your meditation. Fix it in your inner consciousness. That is the path of Liberation, which you must start treading and, today is as good a day as any, for deciding to do so. You have meditated too long on riches, status, salary, children, relatives, fame and the standard of living. They are all of minor interest, momentary value, dubious profit. Meditate, fix your urge on the Nithya, the Sathya, the Nirmala, the Nischala, that is, the Eternal, the Real, the Pure and the Immovable.
Be Like The Lotus – A sacred path of purity, detachment, and divine growth
Be Like The Lotus is a beautiful spiritual message that teaches us how to live in the world without being stained by it. The lotus grows in muddy water, yet its petals remain clean, fresh, and beautiful. In the same way, human life may be surrounded by difficulties, temptations, criticism, desires, and worldly pressures, but the heart can remain pure when it is connected with God.
Be Like The Lotus means living with inner purity. The world may offer many distractions, but a sincere seeker must protect the mind from anger, jealousy, greed, pride, and selfishness. Purity does not mean living away from people or responsibilities. It means keeping thoughts clean, speech gentle, actions honest, and intentions noble while performing daily duties.
A lotus does not reject the water in which it grows. It remains in the water, but does not allow the water to cling to it. This gives a deep lesson of detachment. Be Like The Lotus teaches that we should live in family, society, work, and relationships with love, but without selfish attachment. We should care deeply, serve sincerely, and act responsibly, yet remember that everything belongs to God.
Life often brings muddy situations. People may misunderstand us, insult us, compete with us, or disappoint us. Problems may come through illness, failure, loss, or delay. A weak mind becomes bitter in such conditions, but a spiritual mind learns and rises. The lotus does not complain about the mud; it uses the mud to grow. In the same way, difficulties can become the ground for patience, courage, humility, and faith.
Be Like The Lotus also means rising above negativity. If others speak harshly, we should not lose our own kindness. If others act with ego, we should not copy their pride. If the world becomes restless, we should not allow our inner peace to collapse. A lotus opens toward the sun. A devotee should open the heart toward divine light through prayer, truth, service, and remembrance.
The lotus is also a symbol of spiritual awakening. At first, it remains hidden beneath the water, but slowly it rises and blooms. Human life is also like this. The soul may be covered by ignorance, desire, fear, and ego, but through discipline and devotion , divine qualities begin to unfold. Be Like The Lotus reminds us that every person has the power to rise from lower habits to higher living.
Prayer is an important part of this journey. A prayerful heart becomes strong and peaceful. Prayer does not always need long words or grand arrangements. A sincere remembrance of God, a humble request, or a grateful thought can purify the mind. When the heart turns toward the Divine regularly, worldly mud cannot easily stain it.
Be Like The Lotus also teaches self-control. The senses constantly pull the mind toward taste, comfort, praise, attraction, and pleasure. These are not wrong when guided by wisdom, but they become dangerous when they control us. A seeker must practice moderation in food, speech, entertainment, and desires. Self-control gives dignity to life and strength to devotion.
Service is another way to bloom like the lotus. A flower gives fragrance without asking who receives it. Similarly, a devotee should serve without pride or expectation. Feeding the hungry, helping the sick, comforting the sad, respecting elders, and speaking kindly are sacred actions. Be Like The Lotus means offering goodness to the world even when the world is imperfect.
A lotus also teaches humility. Though it is beautiful, it does not boast. It blooms silently. True spiritual growth is also quiet. A real devotee does not show off knowledge, worship, service, or spiritual experience. The more the heart grows, the more humble it becomes. Pride closes the heart, but humility keeps it open to grace.
This message is very useful in modern life. Many people live under stress, comparison, competition, and pressure. They lose peace because they allow every outside situation to enter the mind. The lotus teaches us to remain balanced. Work honestly, love sincerely, serve humbly, but do not let the mind drown in anxiety, praise, blame, or desire.
Be Like The Lotus finally means living with God at the center. When the heart remembers the Divine, life becomes lighter. Success does not create pride, failure does not create despair, and difficulties do not destroy faith. The devotee understands that the purpose of life is not only to survive in the mud, but to bloom above it.
In the end, the lotus is a sacred teacher of purity, detachment, patience, humility, and spiritual beauty. It shows that even from muddy surroundings, a divine life can rise. When we live with truth, love, prayer, service, self-control, and surrender, our life becomes like a lotus offered at the feet of God.