What lesson did this Gentleman learn from the Snake?

It was a dark night. A gentleman was going into a forest with a small torch. From a distance he saw a snake on the path. He stood there waiting for the snake to move. His torch cells (batteries) were running out. There was a very feeble light. If it was totally dark he would have passed. But it wasn’t – there was a feeble light, so he could see the snake. He was frightened. He stood there sweating and shivering. And the snake seemed to be very adamant. It never moved. It seems to say that it will move if he moved. That, it will make sure he did not move. It was very frustrating for him. He waited and waited, for three to four hours. By that time another person came along with a more powerful torch. He checked and discovered that it was not a snake but just a rope! There was a big sigh of relief! He wondered at his foolishness that he had wasted so much time, shivering and getting angry at and fearing the snake, and it was just a rope.

Something, which appears to be a big burden, problem or hurdle, which would seem to take away life, later seems a joke. The gentleman laughed and laughed the rest of the way. Then, the day broke and the entire forest was filled with flowers, fruits and celebration. Birds were singing, peacocks were dancing and the streams were flowing. That place, which was so frightening in the dark night, now became a place of celebration. This very universe and the very events in the world which appear to us to be a big botheration, turn around and become a playing field, a game. When you can see this whole flow of events as temporary, as non-existent, then even when someone scolds you, you smile. When somebody is scolding you, notice the buttons being pushed – that is “something is happening”. ‘Oh, what is happening here inside? I am getting angry. I’m feeling frustrated. Oh good.’ Every event, every happening becomes a play, a game, a celebration. Walk blissfully, breathe blissfully, sit blissfully, being aware of all these events.

When you can see the entire event as fleeting impositions or happenings, and you remain untouched by them, then you are happy. Joy springs out of you, like a fountain. That is your very nature. Clinging on to the past, to your likes and dislikes, you have bolted the fountain of joy.