One-night Shankaracharya was desperately searching for something on the street outside his small hut. When his pupil returned from his errand, he saw this and curiously asked the Master, “Acharya, what are you looking for here on the street at this hour?” Shankaracharya replied, “I lost my needle, I am looking for it.” The pupil joined him in the search, but after searching for a while, he asked, “Can you try and recollect where you might have dropped it?”
Shankaracharya said, “Of course, I remember. I dropped it near the bed in the hut.” The pupil, utterly astonished at the strange answer, said, “Acharya, you say you lost it inside the house, then why are we looking for it outside?” Shankaracharya innocently replied, “There is no oil left in the lamp, so it is pitch dark inside the house. Hence, I thought of searching for it outside, since there is enough street light here.”
While holding back his laugh, the pupil said, “If you lost your needle inside the house, how could you even expect to find it outside?” Shankaracharya simply smiled back at the pupil and said, “Isn’t that what we do? We run to far away temples and walk up mountains to search for what we have lost inside ourselves. We also go searching for peace and happiness to some far off places or to Spiritual Masters who we think can give us what we all are wanting desperately. We are always seeking outside what we have lost inside us. Why? Just because it is pitch dark inside of us. Silly, are we not?”
He then further said, “Light the lamp inside you and find your lost treasure right there in. Once you will find the light inside you, then you will realize who you were, are and always will be Eternal and Formless. There is nothing else to find but your True Self.”
Wow, awesome, you are so right, we should find the light inside ourselves
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Yes Denise I completely agree with your valuable feedback. We all are searching outside when we have the light within each and everyone. Thanks so much dear.
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Still looking for the treasure… hope you have found yours … good message 👍
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Thank you so much for these valuable words, Shefali and am yet searching for the light within inside and not outside.
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I’ve heard this fable before in a different version. Full of wisdom and truth. (K)
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Yes dear Marta I completely agree with your words. These stories r so inspiring for all of us. Thanks so much
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Wow, even though, I’ve read this a number of times, it still teaches me a new lesson each time I read it.
Thanks for the wonderful share kamal 🙏
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Welcome 😊😊 😊 Deepika 🙏 🙏 and yes same here but these r such great learnings for all of us. Thanks so much.
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Excellent post. I have found some of the light, still searching.
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Thank you so much Theresa and it is so nice to hear that. Yes we are all searching.
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awesome wisdom Kamal but this is not your own … where did you find it, please?
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Thanks dear Kate and I read this beautiful story on one of my groups they keep on sending me such inspiring stories so thought of sharing with all our blogger friends.
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oh I totally enjoy that you share them but I am curious about the origins of this one if anyone knows please?
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Oh that I would not know dear Kate I keep on getting such uplifting stories and then I share with all of us. Such a profund and inspiring words spoken by Shankaracharya to his student who thought he did not know anything.
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thanks 🙂
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Welcome 😊😊 😊😊 dear Kate. I hope we can live by his words 🙏🙏 🙏
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I certainly try every day ❤
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Same here dear Kate and so nice to be on the same page and realize who we really are. Thank you so much for your encouraging words.
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A great story, my dear Kamal 🙂
Also my Master said: “We are searching for the truth in temples made of stone, without knowing that the truth lies in us.”
We are like fish that are looking for water – but we are already in the water… we look for the forest and see only trees… as long as we search, especially outside – we will not find the light – the light is in us, God is in us…
Thanks, my dear friend 🙂 🤗🤗🤗
Didi
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Yes Didi totally agree with the words of the Master who knows us so well and why do we look for our own true self in masjids, temples, churches when we are that Only. Thanks so much for your inspiring comments. Love an hugs to you dear Didi.
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Welcome, my dear friend 🙂
All what is good for your soul
Didi
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Thanks so much always for your valuable feedback, Didi 😊😊😊😊😊
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Wonderful thought provoking story! Life is a lot easier if we could light a lamp inside. Thanks for the lovely share.
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Yes absolutely true and agree totally with your valuable words dear Megala 😊 😊😊 😊 life would be great and simple. Thanks so much 😊😊 😊
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Wonderful wisdom as always Kamal. You always inspire me with your posts.
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Thank you so much dear Brigid for your kind words. This story was really full of inspiration to all of us 😊😊😊😊
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Nice way of explaining what we seekers have by the great seer!
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Yes Sunith absolutely true and we r all seekers here. Listening to a seer is so much value to us. Thanks so much 😊😊 😊
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Very valuable message shared, story that has to be ever remembered
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Yes Meenakshi and such profound story that it is an eye opener for all of us. Thanks so much for your valuable feedback.
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My pleasure, you are always welcome 🌹
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Thanks so much 😊😊 😊
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So true and big message shared kamal. We all have the know where the answers of questions are hidden yet we look or find it in wrong place.
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Yes so true, Tanvir everything is inside of us yet we look outside to find ourselves. This story was an eye opener. Thanks so much for your valuable feedback.
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My pleasure Kamal . Thank you too for always sharing the inspiring story
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Welcome dear Tanvir and my pleasure too to be sharing these profound stories.
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so very true Kamal! beautiful story! 🙂
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Thanks so much dear Lola and this story was a real eye opener.
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Beautiful kamal..loved the message
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Thanks so much Kalyan.
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Absolutely marvellous!
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Thanks dear Kunal.
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Wow, what an insightful post!!
My father always believes this philosophy and through him I also follow the same!
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So nice to be hearing that, Deeksha and I too completely agree with this beautiful story of seeing inside the light within all of us. Thanks so much 😊😊 😊
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This story make perfect sense and a great point, Kamal. I hope you have a lovely new week.
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Yes Robbie and we are all searching outside when really our light is within each of us and we need to search for it inside. Thanks so much and a lovely week to you too.
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Fabulous post …👏👏👏 loved it
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Thanks so much dear Bella.
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A very important message delivered into our minds by your forever sharp quilled pen!
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Thanks so much Lance and that is the reality we need to light the lamp inside us but we keep on searching it in temples, churches and whatever.
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Kamal, a sincere pleasure… you’re absolutely right!
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Hope we all could open our eyes and see our reality. Life would be so beautiful then.
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Yes, and the sooner the better- before it’s too late!
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True Lance
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💕🙏
Guruji has written a beautiful chant – light the lamp of Thy lamp
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Yes Ashok 👍 👍👍 👍 and guruji is so Divine he knew everything but wanted to test his student. Thanks so much for your valuable feedback,🙏🙏🙏🙏
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