A person happened to see three people in a prison. He asked the first why he was there, and the man replied, “Don’t you know that prison is a place where criminals are sent to suffer the appropriate punishment for their crimes? I am a criminal too.” When the visitor heard this, he presumed that the other two people also belonged to the same category. But his presumption turned out to be totally wrong when he was told that the second person was the warden and the third was the ruler of the country. A warden is employed to look after the welfare and reformation of prisoners and a ruler too performs the same work. However, a ruler visits the prison only in cases of emergency, whereas the warden is always there.
The warden who always remains in the jail can be compared to the descended Saints who have attained eternal fulfilment. They stay in the prison of the world to help others attain God, in spite of being abused by the prisoners, the materially bound souls. The ruler can be compared to God, Who also descends to this world in different ages when circumstances are grave and require His direct intervention.
These three types of personalities are seen in the prison of this world and though there is external similarity in their actions, there is a vast difference in their internal motives. One is a prisoner, bound by the shackles of Māyā, one is the liberated Saint, who is the servant of God, and one is the governor of Māyā, God Himself. The activities of the ordinary living beings take place under the control of Māyā. The Saint does nothing. It is God who performs actions through him by His personal power, called Yogamāyā. Similarly, God personally performs actions in His descension through the same power. These actions appear worldly, but their real nature is divine.
Source
The above blog is an excerpt from the following book authored by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj: Prem Ras Siddhant (4th Edition, March 2009); Chapter 6 – The Saint, page 136.
To learn more about Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj’s literature, please visit –https://jagadgurukripalujimaharaj.org.in/his-profound-literature/
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