A dog in the well

Once upon a time, a Mahatma - a sage was passing through a village. 

He saw some people fetching water from a well and throwing it on the ground.

Mahatma asked - what are you doing?

They replied that a dog had fallen in this well - the water had become dirty. 

We will take one hundred and one buckets of water out of the well and throw it out - so that the remaining water becomes clean. 

Mahatma asked: where is the dog?

They said the dog was still inside the well.

Mahatma said that if the dog is still inside the well - if you remove one hundred or even one thousand buckets of water, its water will never become clean. 

First, get the dog out, he said. 

As long as the dog is inside the well, it can not become clean. 

Similarly, if a dog is sitting inside the well of our mind, then our mind can never become pure - no matter what we do.

              What is this dog inside the mind? Who is it?

In the holy scriptures - greed' is known as a Suan or Swan: meaning the dog.

            "Baahar gyaan dhyaan ishnaan            

             Antar byaapay lobh suaan"

                               (Sukhmani Sahib)

Meaning: Outside, we talk about Gyana and meditation - going to take holy baths on pilgrimages - but the kingdom of the dog of greed is widespread inside the mind. 

   "Hiras da kutta dil wich baithaa bhaunkay tay halkaan karay"

The dog of greed is sitting in the heart - barking - asking for more and more.

                                          (Avatar Bani)

As long as this dog of greed is inside the well of our minds, the mind cannot become pure.

If we want to purify the mind - the dog of greed must be taken out first.

If you look discreetly - and unbiasedly, then who does not have this dog of greed inside them?

Leave aside the ordinary people - even today's so-called saints are not free from this. They also seem to run after more wealth - money, resources, assets, and properties. They also want to build big houses - get expensive cars, and have more and more luxury for themselves.

The truth is that simplicity and a sense of contentment in the life of the Gyanis and Bhaktas should appear automatically.

As devotion and Sumiran increase - contentment, gratification, and patience also increase. 

But this does not mean we should give up good food, clothes, and a better or higher lifestyle.

However, the desire for excessive and more than necessary takes the form of greed - which may become an obstacle in the path of real happiness and everlasting peace. 

Adi Shankaracharya says:

     "Yallabhsay Nij Karmopatan - Vittam Teina Vinodaya Chittam"

Meaning: The Gyanis and Bhaktas always remain content and happy with the wealth they earn with honesty and the appropriate means. They do not accumulate money by fraud or cheating others - by unfair and unethical means. 

 Guru Nanak also gave a similar sermon: 

             'Ghaal kar kicch hathon day

              Nanak Rahu pachhaanay say'

Those who earn to make a living and also give to charity - says Nanak - understand the way (to God and righteousness). 

Therefore, to purify the well of the mind - it is essential to drive the dog of greed out of it. 

                                                   ' Rajan Sachdeva '