Majnu
Shri Nathji would speak of Laila and Majnu frequently, and tell the following story.
Laila would send food to her beloved Majnu through her servants, because Majnu was much too preoccupied with love to have any thought of food for himself.
One day, Laila asked her servants to describe Majnu, and each gave her a different answer. It became apparent to Laila that imposters were eating the food meant for Majnu. She had to teach the imposters a lesson and also test Majnu’s love for her. She sent the servant along with a knife and a cup.
Tell Majnu, I want freshly drawn blood from his chest!
The servant met the imposters who posed as Majnu.
And what has Laila sent today? they asked the servant girl.
A knife and a cup. She wants freshly drawn blood from your chest! said the servant girl.
The imposters fled, one by one.
Finally, the servant reached the real Majnu. He was like a skeleton. He had not eaten for days in the agony of his love for Laila.
A drop of blood from my chest! said Majnu, does Laila think I still have blood left within me?
And, saying this, he struck his chest with the knife. Only one tiny drop fell into the cup.
Tell her, said Majnu, that my blood has been burnt in the fire of my love. There is but this drop left. But Laila must be healthy and plump. She must have a lot of blood in her–why did she need mine?
The servant returned to Laila and related what Majnu had said.
So, Majnu thinks I have a lot of blood in me. Look! And saying this she hit the knife into her body. And only ashes fell out!
Tell Majnu, that the fire of his love has burnt my blood to ashes! she said.
Such were the degrees of love that real lovers of God felt.
The Moth and The Flame
Shri Nathji had often described such a love in the relationship of the moth and the flame.
Whose sacrifice was greater? That of the moth or that of flame?
The moth burnt itself to ashes within the flame in a brief moment.
The flame on the other hand, burnt in its own fire before the moth came to it, and then later burnt with the moth as the moth fell into it, and finally it burnt in the loneliness of its own self after the moth had turned to ashes within it. Thus it was the sacrifice of the flame that was greater!
Shri Nathji would often recite the following verse:
Gar husn naheen ishq bhee paidaa naheen hotaa
Bulbul gule tasveer pe shaidaa naheen hotaa
If there were no beauty there would be no love,
The nightingale loves not the painted rose of a picture
“The Divine Beauty of God inspired Divine Love. And this was the voice of His devotee:
Ba ishq az zaan za har Majnu fazoonam
Ke dar khoobi za har Laila fazoonam
I am greater in my love for thee, than every Majnu
For thou art greater in Thy Beauty, than every Laila
It is a good thing that God does not unveil Himself or else the impact of his Divine Beauty would completely obliterate man! Then, again, the full purport of his Majesty and Power would so fill a man with fear that he would perish in the feeling. Imagine your fear when you are before the ocean! How much greater would such a fear be if one were to understand the full extent of God’s power!
It is easy for one to sin before an invisible God, or an idol. Man does that all the time. He would be afraid to steal even before a small child for fear the child would reveal the act, but he would not be afraid to steal before a God he regards as omnipresent! Such is the irony of the situation!