Wisdom in Humor

Wisdom in Humor

The following excerpts from my letters to an aspirant clearly portray my temperament which is at once humorous with flashes that convey a deep philosophical bent of mind and extreme tolerance of other people’s defects and weaknesses combined with broad liberalism and a profound understanding of the habits of people and the nature of things:

1. TRAINING OF STUDENTS IN LECTURING

“You will have to lecture at least for 5 minutes in English and Hindi and do Kirtan also with Nritya whether your body is willing to bend and move or refuses to move. If there is difficulty in lecturing, kindly cram a few lines from my books. If cramming also is difficult, read from a piece of paper. If you show or exhibit your foolish obstinacy like a child, there is no other course for me than to carry you and put you on the platform. Don’t give room for this extreme manoeuvres in these cold days.”

Many students were turned into wonderful orators and Kirtanists after such compulsion by me in the early stages. I want everyone to be a fiery lecturer. People should learn to express their thoughts.

2. THE WAY OF BUSINESS PEOPLE

“In Samaradhana or Brahmana Bhojana, leaves are spread at 10 o’clock in the morning but the food is served at 4 in the evening. The same is the case with the PRACTICE OF YOGA. Advertisement has been going on for 5 weeks now and yet not even a smell of the book for me. The first fruit of a tree is always offered to God. The first bound copy should reach me by registered post. But when V.P.P. orders are executed in full, a residue copy is sent to me. This is the way of business people.”

3. REGARDING A STRONG PACKING CASE WITH THICK NAILS

“Thy parcel received in due order. It was a Brahman packing with Brahmic screws which had Brahma Nishtha. Hammering was not able to remove the cover. After all it was broken into pieces. Thanks to the Brahmic packer of the parcel. The books reached me in good condition.”

4. WHEN IMPORTANT POINTS ARE OMITTED BY PUBLISHERS

“I have given you full permission or power of Attorney to remove whatever portion you deem fit to remove by your new long razor, just to suit your purpose in making the book grand and thrilling, but pray, keep a small tuft-according to Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad. Do not remove even a single important word from my writings, even if you find it a repetition.”

5. CARE ABOUT MANUSCRIPTS

I think you say ‘goodbye’ when the book RAJA YOGA is over. You will not be able to take up BHAKTI YOGA. Just as Sankirtan cannot enter your ears, so also this BHAKTI YOGA does not attract you much. I know that you will not take up this work. Kindly bring the manuscripts with you very carefully. I shall transfer it to some other press, in Northern India.

6. ON ATTRACTIVE ADVERTISEMENT

The Advertisement of Vol. II of PRACTICE OF YOGA at the end of the book is not a thrilling one. It is quite ordinary. It does not give a full, select exhibit. You have nicely done before for YOGA ASANA, KUNDALINI YOGA, etc. Why not for this? Perhaps the Thermos Flask was empty.

7. PHILOSOPHY OVER THE CALL OF COFFEE

The Winter of Rishikesh is sending invitations. You may be feeling the cool breeze also. The stove which was sleeping is now turning its face towards the Railway Station to receive you with great joy. He who throws light on the Winter season and the stove is the Self-luminous Para Brahman, the support for seasons and all names and forms. He never drinks and talks. He is Asanga. He is Sakshi always. Feel His Presence.

8. METHOD OF SENDING REMINDERS

Kindly advise me by a postcard: “Yes. I have despatched books for Libraries” or some code word. That will save much time and energy. It will not surely interfere with your deep Mauna. It is not Kaashtha Mauna or Maha Mauna. It is a form of ‘Hu-Hu’ Mauna.

9. CORRECTING THE WAYS OF STUDENTS

Take special care of Poorna. My respects to him. He is simple, quiet and noble. Let him keep off his castor oil or quinine face.

10. INVITATION FOR FORMALITY

Kindly come to Ananda Kutir after fixing up everything there. Invitation for Birthday is just for information but ‘not to come.’

11. OVER THE DAMAGED PARCEL OF CASHEW-NUTS

Received Kajoo (cashew-nuts) in a damaged condition on account of the admixture of sugar-candy in hot summer. The candy has melted and made the Kajoo soft, which will be nice for veteran Swami Jnanananda. My teeth are quite sound and strong. In future do not send sugar-candy with cashew-nuts.

12. RICH DESPITE DEBTS

“Everyday new spiritual aspirants are coming to the Ashram. Hundreds of students write to me from all countries for spiritual guidance and I spend a lot in giving prompt replies to all the letters. Some Kutirs are under construction. Work is progressing on all directions. One cow is coming to the Ashram. You can take good milk. We are becoming rich nowadays despite debts.”

13. IDEAL TONIC FOR BRAIN-WORKERS

(An Attack on the Coffee Habit)

Take Badams (almonds) and Huxley’s Syrup. Put Badam oil or Amalaka oil on your head. This is very good for brain-workers. There is no ‘Pathyam’-(restriction) on diet. You can take the same quantity or even more of Coffee.

14. MY RESPECTABLE GUESTS

Received all letters and parcels of coffee. The first respectable guests for the ‘tin’ of coffee were Sri Swami Omkar who carried the bundle from the Railway Station, and Sri Swami Poorna who prepared the coffee. Probably barber Balla will be my next guest.

15. AN ATTACK ON WEAKNESS IN ‘WALKING’

The Divine Life Society may send you as the head of a group of Sannyasins and Brahmacharins for propaganda, Kirtan and lectures if all goes well. Even in that case you will have to walk 12 miles a day.

16. WAYS OF VIRAKTA MAHATMAS

Your friend, that Mauni, Virakta boy of Swargashram who was with a towel only, has asked me to request you to send him one pound of snuff. This is also a kind of Vairagya. The nose has become like a machine-gun through repeated usage of snuff. He brings his ingenious arguments for his using the snuff. You can send him a small tin. Let this be your charity towards a Virakta Mahatma.

17. PHILOSOPHY OVER SNUFF

Snuff parcel received and distributed among:

1. Mukhya-chief snuffer
Sri ‘V’

2. Adi Snuffer-Guru snuffer
Sri ‘N’

3. Sanatan snuffer-old snuffer
Sri ‘G’

4. Maha-snuffer-terrible snuffer

Sri Mauni and Tyagi of Swargashram.
You will get some Punya and Papa also. I will also get a share, a small portion of Punya for relieving a bit of their suffering, Papa for making them continue their habit. Had we not supplied snuff, their habit would have been destroyed. But ‘Aham Brahma Asmi people’ are above Papa and Punya. So you are now freed by knowing your own Svarupa.

Wisdom in Humor – Joy, Understanding, and Lightness of Heart

Wisdom in Humor is the ability to see life with clarity, kindness, and a light heart. Humor is not merely joking, laughing loudly, or making others laugh for entertainment. When guided by wisdom, it becomes a gentle way of teaching truth, reducing tension, softening ego, and bringing people closer. A wise smile can sometimes correct a person better than harsh criticism.

Life is full of difficulties, misunderstandings, pressure, duties, and emotional burdens. If a person takes every situation too heavily, the mind becomes tense and narrow. A little healthy laughter gives space to the heart. It helps one breathe, pause, and see the situation from a broader angle. This does not remove responsibility, but it makes responsibility easier to carry.

The value of Wisdom in Humor is seen in the way it removes pride. The ego wants to appear serious, important, superior, and always correct. Humor gently shows the foolishness of ego without creating hatred. When a person can laugh at their own mistakes, they become humble and open to growth. Such laughter is a sign of maturity, not weakness.

A wise person does not use humor to insult, humiliate, or wound others. Sarcasm, mockery, and cruel jokes may create laughter for a moment, but they leave pain behind. True humor is clean, kind, and uplifting. It does not attack someone’s weakness, poverty, appearance, belief, or struggle. It brings warmth, not bitterness.

Wisdom in Humor teaches balance. Spiritual life does not mean becoming dry, stiff, and joyless. A seeker may be disciplined, devoted, thoughtful, and serious about truth, but the heart should remain fresh and cheerful. Too much heaviness can make spiritual practice mechanical. A joyful heart walks the path with more natural strength.

Many saints and sages used simple humorous examples to teach deep truths. They showed how human beings run after temporary pleasures, fight over small matters, and become proud of passing things. Through gentle wit, they exposed ignorance without creating anger. Their humor was not shallow; it came from insight, compassion, and freedom from ego.

Wisdom in Humor also helps in relationships. Families, friendships, workplaces, and communities often suffer because people become too sensitive, rigid, or reactive. A kind sense of humor can reduce conflict and open communication. It can turn a tense moment into a softer one. But timing and sensitivity are important. Humor should heal, not dismiss someone’s pain.

A person with inner understanding knows that many problems are made bigger by the mind. The mind imagines, exaggerates, compares, and worries. When one sees this play of the mind, a quiet smile arises. This smile does not deny suffering, but it shows that not every thought deserves complete belief. Such lightness gives freedom.

Humor also teaches acceptance. We make plans, but life changes them. We expect perfection, but human nature remains imperfect. We want control, but situations move in unexpected ways. Instead of becoming angry at every small inconvenience, a wise person learns to smile and adjust. This attitude protects inner peace.

Wisdom in Humor becomes a spiritual strength when it is joined with compassion. A cheerful person can bring hope to others. A gentle joke at the right time can comfort a worried heart. A smiling presence can reduce fear. But this cheerfulness should be sincere, not forced. It should come from patience, understanding, and goodwill.

There is also a difference between laughter and escapism. Some people use jokes to avoid truth, responsibility, or self-examination. That is not wise. True humor helps us face life more clearly; it does not make us careless. It gives courage to accept weakness, correct mistakes, and continue the journey with faith.

For a spiritual aspirant, humor should be pure. Avoid vulgarity, cruelty, gossip, and ridicule. Speak words that bring peace. Laugh without hurting. Smile without pride. Correct without harshness. When humor is controlled by love and discrimination, it becomes a beautiful expression of inner refinement.

Meditation can even deepen this quality. When the seeker observes the mind, they see how many thoughts are repetitive, dramatic, and unnecessary. This observation creates detachment. Slowly, one stops being trapped by every emotional wave. A peaceful smile appears because the witness within remains untouched by the mind’s movements.

In the end, Wisdom in Humor is the art of living with joy, humility, and understanding. It teaches us to laugh without cruelty, correct without anger, and face life without unnecessary heaviness. It softens ego, strengthens relationships, and brings freshness to spiritual practice. When humor is guided by wisdom, it becomes a blessing for oneself and others.

Tyaga is True Heroism