By Dr. Tilak Verma
Recently, we were sitting with Swami Yogatmananda at the kitchen table—one of those informal gatherings over tea where conversations naturally flow from everyday matters to profound spiritual questions.
On this occasion, in response to a devotee's question, Maharaj quoted a well-known doha by Abdur Rahim:
एकै साधे सब सधै, सब साधे सब जाय।
रहिमन मूलहिं सींचिबो, फूलै फलै अघाय॥
A
single thing rightly pursued accomplishes all;
Pursue everything, and everything is lost.
Water the root, says Rahim, and the tree will abundantly bear flowers and
fruit.
On the practical level, this verse teaches the value of focus. If we concentrate on one essential skill or one important task, many other things naturally fall into place. When our attention is scattered among countless pursuits, our efforts get distracted, weak and little is truly accomplished.
