Butter churned early in the morning is the best; that churned after sunrise is not so good. Addressing his young disciples who became sannyasins later on, the Master used to say, "You are like butter churned early in the morning while my householder disciples are like butter churned late in the day."
The young bamboo can be easily bent, but the full grown bamboo breaks when it is bent with force. It is easy to bend the young heart towards God, but the untrained heart of the old escapes the hold whenever it is so drawn.
The parrot cannot be taught to sing when the vibrating membrane in its throat has hardened too much because of age. It must be taught to sing while young, before the collar line appears on its neck. So in old age it is difficult to learn how to fix the mind on God, but it can be easily learnt in youth.
A ripe mango may be offered to God, or used for some other purpose; but if it is pecked by a crow even once, it is unfit for any use. It can neither be offered to the Deity, nor presented to a Brahmana, nor may it be eaten by the pure. So boys and girls should be dedicated to the service of God before the impurities of worldly desires taint their hearts. Once worldly desires enter their minds, or the demon of sensual pleasures casts his baneful shadow over them, it is very difficult indeed to make them tread the path of virtue.
The love in the heart of a boy is whole and undivided. When he gets married in time, half of his heart, if not more, is given away to his wife, and when children are born to him, he loses another quarter, thereof, while the remaining quarter is divided among father, mother, honour, fame, pride, dress and the rest; therefore he has no love left to offer to God. Hence if the undivided mind of a boy is directed early enough to God, he may gain His love, and realize Him easily. But it is not quite so easy for grown-up people to do so.
To someone the Master said: "Well, you have now come to seek God when you have spent the best part of your life in the world. Had you entered the world after realizing God, what peace and joy you would have found!"
The young bamboo can be easily bent, but the full grown bamboo breaks when it is bent with force. It is easy to bend the young heart towards God, but the untrained heart of the old escapes the hold whenever it is so drawn.
The parrot cannot be taught to sing when the vibrating membrane in its throat has hardened too much because of age. It must be taught to sing while young, before the collar line appears on its neck. So in old age it is difficult to learn how to fix the mind on God, but it can be easily learnt in youth.
A ripe mango may be offered to God, or used for some other purpose; but if it is pecked by a crow even once, it is unfit for any use. It can neither be offered to the Deity, nor presented to a Brahmana, nor may it be eaten by the pure. So boys and girls should be dedicated to the service of God before the impurities of worldly desires taint their hearts. Once worldly desires enter their minds, or the demon of sensual pleasures casts his baneful shadow over them, it is very difficult indeed to make them tread the path of virtue.
The love in the heart of a boy is whole and undivided. When he gets married in time, half of his heart, if not more, is given away to his wife, and when children are born to him, he loses another quarter, thereof, while the remaining quarter is divided among father, mother, honour, fame, pride, dress and the rest; therefore he has no love left to offer to God. Hence if the undivided mind of a boy is directed early enough to God, he may gain His love, and realize Him easily. But it is not quite so easy for grown-up people to do so.
To someone the Master said: "Well, you have now come to seek God when you have spent the best part of your life in the world. Had you entered the world after realizing God, what peace and joy you would have found!"
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