The Ancient Science of Mantras: Wisdom of the Sages

by Om Swami

to attain something (even salvation) whereas

There is a joke I tell often. There were four men crossing the river on a boat. One of them was a Muslim, one Hindu, a Christian and a Sikh. Midway, they realized that the boat was sinking. There was a crack on the surface that turned into a gash. It was too long to cover with hands. Worse still, no one knew how to swim. They looked at each other helplessly as the boat plummeted fast. Soon they would be floating like corpses on the river, they felt. But, they had faith, staunch faith. The Muslim went first. Seeing no avenue, he shouted loudly, “Yah Allah!” and jumped in the river. Allah came and saved him. The Christian went next. “Save me, my lord Jesus Christ!” he screamed of the top of his lungs and jumped. Sure enough, Christ, his savior, manifested and rescued him. The Sikh gentleman also called upon God, he shouted, “Waheguru!” and jumped. A divine light of Nirankar, the formless God, appeared and safely led him to the riverbank. The Hindu was left alone. He called out to his favorite God, Shiva first. But no one came. He went on to pray to Krishna. Still no one came. He called out to the benevolent Rama and yet there was no sign of anyone. He prayed fervently to Devi. No one came. And so, he drowned. As soon as he died, he found himself in heaven. “Due to your good karma and for remembering God in the last moments of your life, you are granted a permanent place in heaven. You are free from the sufferings on earth.” “I don’t care about a permanent place,” he retaliat...