Rope Dancers

Once Shriji Maharaj was in Ahmedabad. Some rope dancers went to him. They said, “Maharaj, kindly witness our art of rope dancing.” Maharaj agreed. All rope dancers were thus encouraged and they were full of enthusiasm. They showed Maharaj different artistic rope dancing. Maharaj was much pleased and said, “How did you achieve all these arts?” “We strive hard to earn our daily bread and thus we achieved this art,” said the rope dancers. Maharaj distributed the prizes to them and gave them a warm send off. Someone said to Maharaj, “Maharaj, what a great fiasco you have done by allowing the rope dancers to dance?” Maharaj smiled and requested them to sit to listen to him. All sat and listened to Maharaj very curiously.

Maharaj began very patiently, “You might be thinking that I have made a great farce by allowing the rope dancers to dance, but this is not a farce, a fiasco, but this is a moral lesson.” “A moral lesson!” “What moral lesson?” Thus they began to think and wonder. Maharaj said, “I have not allowed the rope dancers to dance only for a show, but I wanted to show that even the most difficult thing can easily be achieved by hard work, even if to earn the livelihood as done by the rope dancers. Thus if we strive hard to reach God, nothing is impossible to achieve. So hear this in your mind and decide firmly to reach the kingdom of God and you will surely find him.” On hearing this all the devotees faith in God rooted deeply.