PATH OF RELIGION.

Today religion is repeatedly faced with the question : Why is it not being effective? A man went to a hermit and asked him, "Why is religion so ineffective these days?" The Hermit asked :"How far is the King's palace from here?" The man answered :"Two hundred miles." "Do you know it ?" "Yes I do" "Have you actually got here?" "How could I? I am right here. I can't get there unless I go there." At this point the hermit said : "Now you've got the answer to your question. You know the Kings palace but you can't get there unless you proceed in the right direction. The same is true of religion also. People do know what religion is but unless they act accordingly to its precepts - unless they advance towards it - religion will have no effect on them." Acharya Mahapragya Ji There is an analogous story of great significance. A disciplewent to his guru and said : "Gurudev ! Since times immemorial people have beentrying to know why religion proves ineffective. The same question is troubling my mind today."The Guru knew the trends of the times. He said, "My son, go andbring a pitcher full of liquor." The disciple was amazed to hear the word liquor. He wonderedwhat sort of demand it was. The guru and liquor! He was nonplussed.The Guru repeated himself :"Whats the matter? Go and bring apitcher full of liquor."The disciple went away and returned with a pitcher brimmingover with liquor. Placing it before the guru he said : "I've obeyed your order."The Guru remarked : "Drink all of it." The disciple was amazed. The Guru said :Be careful. You have to take the liquor without swallowing it, you have to spitthe liquor out." The disciple began the exercise. He would take a mouthful ofliquor and would at once spit it out. It did not take long for the pitcher to beempty. He went to the guru and informed him : "Gurudev, the pitcher is empty.""Did you get drunk or not?" the Guru asked him. "Not in the least guru." "Yousay you have emptied a whole pitcher of liquor and not got drunk." "Gurudev howcould I get drunk when not a drop went down my throat?" The guru said : "Youhave yourself answered the question asked earlier to you." " Don't understandyou." "Look. People practicing a religion never internalize it. They do itsuperficially. In a manner of speaking they never take it down to their throatsbut just spit it out. How then can religion have any impact on them? How can itintoxicate them?"