There are few who realise that we have no right to claim anything as our own. Nor do we have any claims over anyone. The first step in the journey towards moksha is to realise that there is no place in our lives for a sense of possession, either material wealth or with regard to people.
Nammazhvar says, “Get rid of the idea of ‘I’ and ‘mine’.” He says that we should uproot ego entirely. This is the message throughout the Bhagavad Gita, said Sarala Rajagopalan in a discourse.
In the Mahabharata, we find an excellent example of what one’s attitude in life should be. Lord Krishna goes to meet Duryodhana. Krishna is there as a messenger of the Pandavas. The purpose of His visit is to ask Duryodhana to be reasonable and give the Pandavas their share in the kingdom.
As Krishna’s chariot enters Hastinapura, He halts outside each palatial mansion in the city. Whose house is this, Krishna asks outside each house. One after the other, the owner of each of them answers, “It is my residence.” And each of them says to Lord Krishna, “Welcome to my home. Please stay with me.” Lord Krishna does not accept any of these invitations but moves on quietly.
Finally, His chariot reaches the residence of Vidura. “Whose house is this?” Lord Krishna asks. And Vidura replies, “Everything comes from You. And so this is Your house, Krishna. Do You have to ask permission or wait for an invitation to Your house?” Pleased with Vidura’s reply, Lord Krishna decides to stay with him.
He had spurned the invitations of all the others, even the invitation from Duryodhana. The Lord does not care about whether a man is a king or a pauper. Only the humble get His blessings. Vidura, through his humility, impressed the Lord and earned His grace.
