Life without devotion is a waste

सर्वसामर्थ्यवान एवं सर्वशक्तिमान प्रभु के करीब ले जाने वाले आलेख (हिन्दी एवं अंग्रेजी में) Articles that will take you closer to OMNIPOTENT & ALMIGHTY GOD (in Hindi & English)	श्रीग्रंथ के श्लोकों पर छोटे आलेख (हिन्दी एवं अंग्रेजी में) Small write-ups on Holy text (in Hindi & English)	प्रभु के बारे में उत्कथन (हिन्दी एवं अंग्रेजी में) Quotes on GOD (in Hindi & English)
हमारे उद्देश्य एवं संकल्प - साथ ही प्रायः पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्नों के उत्तर भी Our Objectives & Pledges - Also answers FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)	वर्तमान समय में प्रभु कृपा के दर्शन कराते, असल जीवन के प्रसंग Real life memoirs, visualizing GOD’s kindness in present time	प्रभु के लिए प्रार्थना, कविता GOD prayers & poems

SYNOPSIS: The article compares between a life lead with devotion and a life lead in travel, enjoyment, luxuries and earning wealth for generations to come. The article throws light on the best use of human life. READ THE FULL ARTICLE BELOW -

We all must have heard a story. One learned man while crossing a river in a boat was showing off his knowledge to a boatman. The learned man said to the boatman that you have not studied and are uneducated, therefore your one-fourth life has been wasted. You do not possess the knowledge of such and such thing, therefore you have wasted half of your life. You are unaware of such and such thing, therefore your three-quarter life has been wasted. Suddenly it started raining heavily, the boat was filled with rain water and the river started overflowing dreadfully. Until now the boatman was being compelled to listen and was therefore keeping mum. Now came his turn to speak and he asked the learned man that did you learn to swim ? The learned man replied in the negative to which the boatman commented that now your total life is a waste. Saying so the boatman dived from the sinking boat into the river to save his life. The learned man did not know how to swim and therefore sank to death with the sinking boat.

We must try to understand this story in a spiritual manner. In modern times, a caper named Mouji, wallowing in earthly pleasures asks a simple-hearted devotee engaged in devotion that have you jaunted abroad. The devotee answered in negative to which Mouji commented that you have wasted one-fourth of your life. Mouji asks the second question to the devotee that did you indulge in the spree and enjoyed the luxuries of life. The devotee again replies in negative to which Mouji again comments that you have wasted half of your life. Mouji tosses the third question to the devotee that did you save enough wealth and assets thus making provision for your future generations. The devotee said no to which Mouji commented that by not doing so you have wasted three-quarters of your precious life.

Mouji laments the devotee that just living with sheer devotion, he has missed the opportunity of wallowing in earthly pleasure, has missed the opportunity to spree and enjoy luxuries of life and has also missed the opportunity to save wealth and assets for his descents. Since Mouji has done all these in abundance, therefore he takes great pride for his achievements.

Suddenly at that very moment, death knocked on the door of Mouji. He felt terribly sick and came to the death bed. The devotee was standing next to him but was not required to toss the ultimate question. Because Mouji’s inner conscience tossed up the question that did you undertake devotion of GOD to sail through the afterlife. Heavily perplexed and with a terribly shaken voice Mouji replied – No. His inner conscience severely lamented to him that by not doing so you have wasted your total life. Like the learned man who met a miserable end by not being able to tide over the river, Mouji also met a severely miserable end by not being able to tide over his afterlife. Both drowned dreadfully, one in the river and the other in the Divine ocean.

The irony for the majority of people is that they have learned the art of living life merrily and are indulging themselves in it. But they have forgotten the consequences of the afterlife and therefore have not prepared themselves for it.

Even animals know very well, the art of living the present life. But to prepare for the afterlife, to unshackle from the cycle of births and rebirths, to take shelter in Divine Lotus Feet of GOD forever, to achieve the state of Divine elated ecstasy is only and only possible with efforts made in human life. This is the effort of devotion, this is the effort to unite with GOD, this is the effort to become of GOD and this is the effort to make GOD all ours.

Therefore in the present life, efforts for achieving earthly pleasures, efforts made for enjoying the luxuries of life, efforts made in accumulating wealth and assets for future generations are very inferior and secondary efforts. The highest effort should be towards achieving pure devotion, thus becoming dear to GOD by virtue of which to salvage our afterlife.

GOD has blessed us with this golden opportunity by giving us human birth and therefore it should not be wasted. If wasted now, after so many rebirths in different bodies and after bearing miseries of all misdeeds done in those births, will we be presented with the next opportunity of human life. So remembering this fact, without any further delay, we should utilize this present human life by undertaking devotion of GOD, thus utilizing the opportunity in the best possible manner.