Instead of analyzing creation, is it not better to befriend the Creator and enjoy the fruits of creation?

[Shri Bhagat asked: Jai Guru Datta! Could You please explain the essence of the story "Count not the Leaves, Eat the Mangoes”?

Two friends went into an orchard. One of them possessing much worldly wisdom, immediately began to count the mango trees there, the number of leaves and the mangoes each tree bore, to estimate what might be the approximate value of the whole orchard. His companion, however, went to the owner, made friends with him, and then, quietly going to a tree, began, at his host’s desire, to pluck the fruits and eat them. Whom do you consider to be the wiser of the two? Eat the mangoes! It will satisfy your hunger. What good is counting the trees and leaves and making calculations? The vain man of intellect busies himself uselessly with finding out the ‘why’ and ‘wherefore’ of creation, while the humble man of wisdom makes friends with the Creator and enjoys His gift of supreme bliss.]

Swami replied: O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! There are two types of owners of mango gardens: (1) the intelligent owner who recognizes that you have actually come for the mangoes and not to make friends with him and (2) the dull owner, who cannot recognize your intention of getting to the mangoes and who, believing your words of false friendship, gives you the mangoes. If you play your trick very cleverly, even the first type of owner might become the second type before you and give you the mangoes. But God does not come under these two categories. No matter how intelligent and talented you are, even before you open your mouth, God knows that you have come for the sake of the mangoes and not for the sake of developing friendship with Him. Hence, your suggestion becomes totally invalid in the case of God. If you go to God for real friendship, without having an eye on the mangoes, God will become your friend and He will also give you mangoes, more than what you need. There is no point in wasting time trying to build such a false friendship with God, which does not even have a trace of true friendship. Instead, it is better you do some work in that time and earn money. Then, with your hard-earned money, you can purchase mangoes from a fruit shop. In this respect, the atheist is far better than the theist, who worships God for the fulfilment of his desires.

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| Shri Datta Swami | Instead of analyzing creation, is it not better to befriend the Creator and enjoy the fruits of creation? |

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