रघुपति-भगति करत कठिनाई।
कहत सुगम, करनी अपार; जानै सोइ जेहि बनि आई।।१।।
श्रीरघुनाथजी की भक्ति करने में बड़ी कठिनता है। कहना तो सहज है, पर उसका करना कठिन। इसे वही जानता है जिससे वह करते बन गई।।१।।
जो जेहि कला कुसल, ताकहँ सोइ सुलभ सदा सुखकारी।
सफरी सनमुख जल-प्रवाह, सुरसरी बहै गज भारी।।२।।
जो जिस कला में चतुर है, उसी के लिए वह सरल और सदा सुख देने वाली है। जैसे छोटी-सी मछली गंगाजी की धारा के सामने चली जाती है, पर बड़ा भारी हाथी बह जाता है।।२।।
ज्यों सर्करा मिलै सिकता महँ, बलतें न कोउ बिलगावै।
अति रसज्ञ सूच्छम पिपीलिका, बिनु प्रयास ही पावै।।३।।
जैसे यदि धूल में चीनी मिल जाए तो उसे कोई भी बल लगाकर अलग नहीं कर सकता; किन्तु उसके रस को जानने वाली छोटी-सी चींटी उसे बिना प्रयास ही पा जाती है।।३।।
Here, Tulsidas ji is speaking about how true bhakti is not easy to practice. Many speak about it but very few can practice it.
He then goes on to give two examples to show that not all can do everything. One should have the right temperament for it. Thus, a fish can easily swim through a river and cross it while a heavy and strong elephant might be carried away by the strong currents.
Again, as a little ant can easily find sugar particles mixed in sand and separate them while a strong person cannot separate the two (sugar particles mixed with sand).
So too if one has the right temperament then one can easily do even what seems difficult. Mere outer strength and outer capacity does not help.
Though this is true for anything in particular, here it is with reference to bhakti, true bhakti that it is not outer capacities but inner preparedness that truly matter. A seeming commoner or an apparently ordinary human being may be more capable of true bhakti and search for God than a so-called outwardly strong and capable person.
This is a reiteration of the well known spiritual truth that a simple humble person is more likely to find his way and enter the kingdom of God than a man who is proud of his outer capacities.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
