96 LifePositive | FEBRUARY 2018
• Thoughts are like clouds. Watch them with dis-
passion and it becomes a wondrous experi-
ence.
• Be a creative person. Create love, beauty, and
laughter around you. Do not wait for great
things to happen to you—create great things.
• Smile like flowers and give fragrance to one
and all. In one is all.
• Enjoying success is easy but enjoying failure
requires wisdom.
• The ability to know the mind comes only with
wisdom.
• Life gives you situations, not solutions.
Solutions are always created by your own wis-
dom.
• To be successful in relationships, we must
learn to blend our differences.
• There are two ways to practise silence. One is
through absence of thought and the other is
through fullness of thought.
• Don’t seek happiness outside. You will fail. Just
look within.This, I know
ANANDMURTI GURUMAA
JUST FOR LAUGHS
TEACHING STORY
Once, various illustrious sages and brahmarishis
were gathered in the court of Lord Shiva on
Mount Kailash. Among the rishis was sage
Narada.
Sage Narada was a Maharishi, a renowned
teacher, counsellor of kings, a divine messenger,
and also a notorious ‘mischief-maker’.
The gathering was soon joined by the great sage
Durvasa who was revered by humans and gods
alike and respected for his knowledge and
wisdom. However, he was also known for his bad
temper.
He entered the assembly carrying a huge bundle
of books with him. Ignoring all the wise men in the
assembly, he went and sat by the side of Lord
Shiva. Lord Shiva asked him, “Sir, how are your
studies progressing?” The sage proudly displayed
his bundle of books and replied, “I have
thoroughly studied all these volumes and know
them by heart!”
Upon hearing this, Narada stood up and boldly
called Durvasa a donkey that was carrying a
burden of books on his back. Hearing Narada’s
comment, Durvasa thundered in wrath. Seeing the
sage’s anger, Narada retorted, “Oh wise sage!
Ignoring this august assembly, you went ahead
and sat next to Shiva! You have not been able to
conquer your anger in spite of being a learned
sage. What good is this knowledge if it is without
patience, modesty, and forgiveness? In your case,
these books are nothing but a burden on your
back.”
Narada’s words made Durvasa realise his folly.
He bowed in front of Narada and asked for
forgiveness. He threw his books into the sea and
carried out a long penance to seek atonement and
self-realisation.Narada and Durvasa
BANYAN TREEUpside down yoga
A group of bats, hanging from the ceiling of a
cave, discovered a single bat standing upright
below them on the floor of the cave.
Surprised by this unusual behavior,
they asked, “What’s wrong with
you? What are you doing down
there?” The standing bat
answered, “Yoga!”God’s comedy
“God writes a lot of comedy. The
trouble is, he’s stuck with so
many bad actors who don't
know how to play funny.”
—Garrison Keillor