Once there was a king who received a gift of two magnificent falcons. They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. He gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be trained.
Months passed, and one day the head falconer informed the king that though one of the falcons was flying majestically, soaring high in the sky, the other bird had not moved from its branch since the day it had arrived.
The king summoned healers and sorcerers from all the land to tend to the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly. He presented the task to a member of his court, but the next day, the king saw through the palace window that the bird had still not moved from its perch.
Having tried everything else, the king thought to himself, "May be I need someone more familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this problem." So he cried out to his court, "Go and get a farmer."
In the morning, the king was thrilled to see the falcon soaring high above the palace gardens. He said to his court, "Bring me the doer of this miracle."
The court quickly located the farmer, who came and stood before the king. The king asked him, "How did you make the falcon fly?"
With his head bowed, the farmer said to the king, "It was very easy, your highness, I simply cut the branch where the bird was sitting."
We are all made to fly and to realize our incredible potential as human beings. But at times we sit on our branches, clinging to the things that are familiar to us. The possibilities are endless, but for most of us, they remain undiscovered. We conform to the familiar, the comfortable, and the mundane. So for the most part, our lives are mediocre instead of exciting, thrilling and fulfilling. Let us learn to destroy the branch of fear we cling to and free ourselves to the glory of flight!
Similar story, Baba narrated for us in His Satcharita.
There are many such stories. If listened to with faith and devotion, they have the power to remove sorrow, greed and other overwhelming calamities of the devotee immediately.
A pig finds a small puddle, filled with tremendously foul smelling water, an overwhelming pleasure.
The Atman of a human being and the parrot have the same thing in common. One is bound in the body while the other is imprisoned in a cage. Though the parrot has lost its freedom, he is quite happy in captivity.
The parrot is like a frog in a well. Its happiness is within the cage. A man caught in the web of desires is like this parrot who has forgotten the wonders of freedom.
'How beautiful is my cage and the golden bar for swinging in it! Even if I hang upside down, I am fine if my foot does not slip!
But outside one has to wash one's hands off the happiness of eating pomegranate seeds and delicious red chillies. I will myself be responsible for losing these pleasures.'
When the opportune time comes for the parrot, the improbable occurs. That gives it a loving awakening (by a slap) and applies the collyrium (of knowledge) to its eyes.
The awakening by the 'shaktipat' (The power given by the Guru to his disciple through a mantra) causes the eyes to open and it gets out of the cage. It uses its wings to fly. Who will then control it?
The vast universe is before him. There are plenty of orchards of pomegranates and guavas. The sky is free for him to fly wherever he desires, rejoicing in his freedom.
Similar is the state of this Atman. When he gets God's grace and a Guru, with the help of both he gets a release and experiences the joys of freedom.
-(from Shri Sai Samartha Satchrita, Chapter 23, Ovi 21 - 30)
