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Anil Kumar Questions and
Answers
Question 15
What does
Swami have to say about friends and the role they have to play in
our life? (03.11.2002)
Swami often says, “Tell me your
company and I shall tell you what you are.” But, my friends, we
don’t have friends today. No, no, no. A friend in the morning
becomes an enemy by the evening. Most of the friendships today are
selfish. Most of the friendships today are political. Most of the
friendships today are motivated. But who is the real friend? What
is the definition of a friend?
Bhagavan said, “The one who is with
you, the one who will be with you, the one who was with you - that
one who is always by your side in the past, the present and also
in the future, He only is the true friend.”
Supposing we get into any
litigation, they will not look at your face. As Baba has said,
“When the pockets are full of money and the father has a position,
everybody will say, ‘Hello, hello.’ When the pocket is empty,
after the retirement of the father, nobody will even say,
‘Goodbye’.” There are no true friends today.
Bhagavan gave one example. It seems
that one man was dragged into the court because of some
litigation. He had three friends. He asked one friend, “Would you
please come to the court and be a witness?” That man said, “I am
sorry. I was so happy playing cards with you in the club, but I
don’t want to come to the court and be a witness, I am sorry.”
“Um-hum.”
Then this man went to the second
friend. “Hey there, friend! We have been classmates, childhood
friends. Why don’t you come to the court and stand as a witness so
that I will be acquitted?”
That man said, “No, no, no, I am not
going to come to the court. I will give you the address of a good
advocate, a good attorney, a good pleader who will defend your
case, but I won’t come to the court. “
“Oh-ho, thank you.”
Then he went to the third friend.
“Would you please come and help me?”
“Why not? I’ll come with you. I’ll
stand there in the witness box and speak in support of you so that
you will be acquitted.”
Similarly, we have three friends.
Who are they? The first fellow represents our friends, our
acquaintances or those who are very well known to us. These
friends will just say, “Oh, that fellow died? Oh-ho, he was a
good man. What can you do?” That’s all.
The second types are relatives, who
will come to the cremation or burial ground. And the third friend
— He will come with us even after death, as the consequence or
result of all our good actions or karma. Karmaphala -- the
rewards of our actions will follow us. Therefore that friend,
Karmaphala, is the eternal Witness, who is God Himself.
So the answer to the question, “Who is my friend?” is that God is
my friend. That’s all - no one else.
© Anil Kumar Kamaraju 2004 - Here
reproduced for personal use of the devotees for the purpose of
seva.
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