I have all along been like a hero - I want my work to be quick like lightning, and firm as adamant. Likewise shall I die also. Therefore kindly do my work for me - no question of success or defeat enters here at all. I have never retreated in a fight - shall I now . . . ? There is success and failure in every work. But I am inclined to believe that one who is a coward will be born after death as an insect or a worm, that there is no salvation for a coward even after millions of years of penance. Well, shall I after all be born as a worm?

The world is merely our mortal playground with lessons to be learned, it shall ever remain so. Is there fruitful productiveness In brooding for months on end concerning our questioning or our own loss or gain, disgrace or honor concerning this mortal live we live daily? I thrive in action. So many are ready and willing to offer their personal advice as to what to do about this or that. One man may make threats, while another trembles inside from fear. In my opinion, this mortal live is no sweet delicious thing that would keep me wanting to remain and endure so much care, caution or anxiety.

Life, family, friends and money as well as the love of men such as myself, if one wishes to enter into the labor at hand fully guaranteed before doing so concerning all of these, if a soul is provoked with dread and indecision, then they shall find themselves as the vultures in having what they want. - Swami Vivekananda

Today I will share with you a touching story.

In a small southern village of India, there was a very high, steep and rocky mountain. One day one hundred individuals decided they were courageous enough to climb this steep mountain. They were not sure how long it would take them to reach the summit of the mountain, although they were all committed to succeed. As they begun they all helped each other, however within a few days a few of them who were more able to climb the mountain began getting farther away while leaving the rest behind.

The man who took lead was very pleased and content within himself that he had out paced those below him. Being determined to reach the mountaintop before all the others, he tread swiftly on. The others of course held their own resolve of succeeding. They looked upon the man in lead, understanding his reputation, they admired him and felt inspired by motivation. They discussed among themselves at length of his confidence, character and personal traits.

They continued to climb as each seemed to be covering sufficient ground while daily making progress. The journey continued at days turned into months and months turned into years. The man in the lead eventually could see the summit from a distance. However, it seemed to him the more ground he was able to cover the more ground there was to be covered. When taking in the view of the height he had already covered, he was filled with pride and satisfaction to have conquered such a great distance. All the while, the distance between this man and the others also seemed to widen, depending of course on the progress of each soul.

A small boy who lived in the village watched this as his father was a member of the group. A decade passed him by and yet there was no return of his father. The child longed to see him so, however he had no idea how to do so, since his mother had no idea of her husbands location. The boy began asking the elders of the village for advice, but there were none of any real help. Then one day the boy came upon a wise old man who spoke of a vast river which flowed along behind the rocky mountain. There was a beautiful island at the other end of the river. He told the boy that perhaps he could find his father there and that he could show him the way to the island, but it would take a week to get there and there was a deep dense forest the boy must cross.

The little child was thrilled. . He was bold and determined to meet his father and readily agreed to cross the dense forest.

The old wise man wrote two words upon a paper and told the boy that on the third day of his forest journey that he would meet someone. He instructed the boy to give the paper to the person he met and that they would help him go to meet his father.

Excitedly, the boy asked the wise man for a blessing and then took the note and started out towards the forest.

The child met a very strange man in the forest on the third day of his journey. The child promptly handed the note over to this man as the wise man had told him to do. Upon reading the note this man grabbed up the child, slapped him very hard and then tied him to the nearest tree, using strong rope. The child became upset and began to cry. He was hungry for not eating for the past two day and he had no idea what in the world was going on. He cried bitter tears, since he thought this man would help him to meet his father. However this awful man was beating on him and tying him up.

This strange man was the leader of a tribal community. He told the boy that by noon the next day he would kill him and then offer him up as a sacrifice to the God of the Forest. Although the small child pleaded for mercy and for his release, the awful man paid him no attention.

"Why did the wise man lie to me?" How could he be so cruel? Why did he do this to me?" the little child wondered. Weeping bitterly he fell fast asleep. He had a beautiful dream that night. God appeared before him. The little child complained to God that the wise man had fooled him and the tribal head was going to kill him by 12 noon tomorrow. With tears rolling down his eyes he asked God whether He could him get out of the forest and meet his father.

God knelt down, took the tender child in his arms, and whispered two words in the child's ears. " Utter these two words tomorrow morning when the tribal head comes and he will free you and help you meet your dad." God kissed the little child and bid him goodbye.

At the break of dawn the tribal leader arrived. The little child's face beamed as he smiled. He uttered the two words as he was instructed to do

If you wish to read the entire story, you may visit our website at

http://www.vish-writer.com/Spirituality2009/ZeroEffort/ZeroEffortmainPage.html