The following moral story about cultivating the spiritual quality of sincerity (straightforwardness and lack of deceitfulness); has been taken from Mother Mirra’s book Words of Long Ago (Volume 2).
In it Mother narrates an incident from the Ramayana, which acts as a wonderful metaphor for the truth that sincerity is a quality which endears us to others and causes people to place their trust in us. A sincere person is tremendously valued for their integrity and so when such a person decides to speak up against an injustice, he or she is easily able to pierce through and destroy the false and hypocritical clouds of propaganda, which obstruct the vision of many, as people sit up and take notice of their words.
Such was the case of Mahatma Gandhi, who because of his sincerity and integrity was able to awaken and organize millions, against the many injustices perpetrated by the British. For example, through his Dandi Salt March, Gandhiji was able to open the eyes and the conscience of not just Indians but the entire world, and expose the unfair rules imposed by the British which effectively prohibited Indians from producing something as essential as their own salt.
Therefore sincerity, straightforwardness and lack of deceitfulness are spiritual qualities we must all strive to cultivate, so that our minds can be transformed from their Tamasic and Rajasic states of existence, to the purity of Sattva; and consequently we can progress towards God-realization.
Story from the Ramayana: The monkeys and bears of Hanuman’s army fought for Lord Rama and his brother Lakshman against Ravana the ten-headed demon.
Weakening under the blows of the warriors who were attacking him from every side, Ravana made use of his magic power. Suddenly, at his side, among the demons, many Ramas and many Lakshmans magically appeared. They were in truth nothing but false and deceptive appearances, but the monkeys and the bears, taking them for real people, halted in confusion: how could they continue the fight and go on throwing trees and rocks against Rama and Lakshman, their beloved leaders?
Seeing their dismay, the demon Ravana gave a smile of cruel delight. Rama smiled too: what pleasure he would take in destroying such a falsehood, in exposing the trickery, in gaining victory for the truth!
He fitted an arrow to his mighty bow and shot. The arrow whizzed through the misleading shadows, which immediately dissolved. At last Hanuman’s army could see clearly and their courage revived.
Similarly, every straight word from a sincere man is like an arrow that can destroy much falsehood and hypocrisy.
