Thread by @almightykarthik

अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि (aham brahmasmi) literally means, 'I am Brahman'. This realisation is what leads a living being to mukti (liberation) from the cycle of life.

Thing is people (including me) start the journey of life and reach till 'I am' but do not go any further. @anexcommie

This 'I am' is creates a Maya so intoxicating tht we do not want to realise the Brahma tatva within us. Instead we become self-obsessed.

And it's not just us, even great Rishi's have been blinded by this Maya. Let me narrate a story I heard long back, this is purely from memory,

so apologies in advance if I get this wrong in any way.

Maharishi Naarad does not need an introduction. He's an ardent bhakt of Sriman Narayana and always has 'Hari Naam' in his lips, so much so that even Naarad Muni's greeting has become 'Narayana Narayana'.

@HelloNNewman

In such situation, Naaradji came to identify himself as the chief amongst Hari bhakts. However, Bhagwan did not want His bhakt to be entangled in the web of Maya and wanted to help him. He invited Naaradji and said 'I heard you Naarad are proclaiming to be my greatest bhakt?'

Naaradji replied 'Yes, Prabhu, I am'. Sriman Narayana smiled and asked, 'why do you think so?'

Naaradji replied ‘O Prabhu! I always utter your name and you're always in my smaran, unlike others who only pray to you at a fixed time or in need of your blessings'. @SriRamya21

To this Bhagwan replied 'what if I prove to you that there's a bhaktā who's even greater then you?' Naaradji was perplexed and said, 'there is no way anyone who’s better than me in your bhakti, O Swami!'

Bhagwan once again smiled and said 'okay, let me prove it you in two stages

. First, here's a small cup full of Oil, visit all three lokās while carrying this cup in your palm and do not spill even a drop of Oil.'

Naaradji accepted it as a challenge and went ahead with it.
@hathyogi31 @sambhashan_in @Itishree001 @Sanskritii_1 @AnkitaBnsl

Throughout his journey to the three lokās, Naaradji did not pay attention to anyone, he was solely focused on the oil cup in his hand, to ensure that he did not spill even a drop.

@Lost_History1 @Dharma_Yoddhaa @VedicWisdom1 @AlpaChauhan_ @Anshulspiritual

When he returned to Vaikunth, Bhagwan asked 'how many times did you utter my name or think about me while doing the task?' Naaradji became a bit indignant and said 'O Bhagwan, you placed such a burden on me, I was entirely focused on the task.'

@RajiIndustani @wataboutery

Bhagwan just nodded his head and said 'Now, I want to visit a hut in a small hamlet. I want you to observe the man living with his family there and return to me.'

Naaradji accepted the task & went where Bhagwan directed him. There he saw a family of 7. @lalitha_jr

The man Bhagwan wanted Naaradji to observe, was living with his aged parents, his sister, his wife and two children. Naaradji observed the family entire day and saw that there was nothing unique abt them. The man who he was sent to observe got up in morning, uttered
@rspchary

‘Narayana Namasthuthe’ and went about his work. There were different conversations between him and his family members. He had a ailing mother in need of medicine; his sister – who’s marriage has been fixed – was asking him for a souvenir of sorts to remember them once she moves

in to her in-laws house; his kids were in school and were informed by Headmaster that their fees are due in a day or two. His wife told him about visitations from three different people whom they owed money. After hearing out all the asks from his family members and dealing with

his own problems at work, the man went to bed and before going to sleep, once again said ‘Narayana Namasthuthe’.

Naaradji went back to Vaikunth and Bhagwan inquired, ‘did you observe the man I sent you to observe?’ Naaradji replied ‘Yes, Prabhu! But what is so special about him?

Bhagwan replied, ‘O Naarad, you just met one of my greatest bhakt, who’s bhakti has no bound and his bhakti is greater than even yours.’

Naaradji was genuinely confused and said ‘Bhagwan, how can bhakti of a man who only utters your name twice a day be greater than mine,

who always has your name on my lips?’ To this Bhagwan smiled and said ‘O Naarad, I placed a cup filled with Oil in your palm and asked you to visit all three lokās without spilling a drop and you forgot to utter my name even once. However, the man you observed also has burden

greater than yours, still he finds in his heart to smaran my name twice in the day. He did not wallow in his misery, but instead is steady on his path of inner peace by uttering my name. That is why he’s greater bhakt than you, O Naarad!’

@NandiniVenkate3 @RamanVisha @irudragaur

Naaradji understood Bhagwan’s leela and thus was rescued from the Maya of ‘I am’.

If we pay attention to the story, it has lot of resemblance to what’s happening with us today. We’e so engrossed in the task at hand, we’re stuck at the ‘I am’ phase and it creates such a Maya,

that we do not want to leave it and progress towards the ‘Brahman’ tattva within us. I pray to Mahadev that we guides us through this Maya and helps us in the journey of realising the ‘Brahman’ within. @BesuraTaansane

Have a great day!🙏

PS: Apologies for the lengthy thread 🙏