Aptavani-2
531
and has made everyone joyous with laughter. Never mind that
he has indulged in leisure but he has also attained the path to
liberation in a leisurely manner, has he not? What would happen
here if we were to say, “Don’t be lazy. Don’t be lazy?”
Everywhere you look people run around in a state of agitated
restlessness; even when they eat they are not at peace. Why are
you so agitated and hyperactive? Is it to get rid of laziness?
Laziness leaves but it is replaced with restlessness. The same old
ghost! On the contrary, the ghost of hyperactivity is worse. If a
certain sadhu has been invited for a meal, he would go. He
would not be fidgety. And if you meet some other sages on the
road and if you tell him to wait while you do darshan of
Suryanarayan (Sun God), by the time you do darshan and you
turn around, he would be gone! What is the reason? It is nothing
but hyperactivity driven by the clever mind. No matter what he
does, whether he eats, drinks, goes to the toilet or anything else,
he is hyperactive. Instead why not enjoy a nice meal and take
your time with it? No one likes to see one who is agitated and
hyperactive. In order to rid themselves of their laziness, they
became hyperactive. Laziness (pramaad) was much better. The
‘ghost’ of laziness was better; at least one was familiar with it.
But this new ghost of hyperactivity takes hold and one has no
experience or understanding of it. People try to get rid of
laziness without understanding anything.
What is the reason for this hyperactivity (raghavat)?
They say it is because they have gotten rid of laziness. You do
not have to get rid of laziness of the physical body; on the
contrary it had to be preserved. You have to relax on your
couch even if others complain, even if the couch complains and
squeaks. It is just a couch, not a living thing, is it? Now if it was
a living thing, then you will immediately get up, but let the couch
complain. You can buy a new one if it squeaks too much. But
one would say, “No I can’t do that. Laziness will set in’ and so
he will not make himself comfortable and sit. He will sit without