feelings even if we know they are wrong or support what we think is right to help a needful person who has got no support from anyone even if it involves going against your elders?
When it comes to Guru’s seva of helping a person in need, even if you have to go against your elder’s words, I would suggest you do it. But by doing the seva, if you put your elders in trouble, then you have to find alternate ways to helping others. Either way, your respect for elders should never fall short. Our perspective may be right but standing in other (in this case elder’s ) person’s shoes and able to understand their perspective takes maturity. When you see things from both sides, you will not let any room for misunderstanding.
This example is very apt today. A yoga teacher was stuck in Mysore a week ago during the lockdown. He was staying in a devotees house but they needed some private time ( can’t blame them, they have their limitations too). There was a thought to shift that person into the ashram today by asking him to do some seva. We were in a dilemma. Since the Government lockdown and Gurudev’s instruction, we closed the gates and we were not allowing anyone into the ashram. Moreover there is no cook here, and 2 elderly women are cooking food for us. One of them complained of toothache yesterday night. We could have housed one more person, but what if that person turns out to be a nightmare( very demanding and not doing any seva) and cause only trouble to elders. By Gurudev’s grace, another housing arrangement was made in the city. Felt bad for a little while for saying no to keep him in the ashram, but then thought it was the right decision not to further trouble the 2 elderly women.
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