A man requested that God allow him to have a glimpse of Heaven and Hell.
God said, "All right, my angel will show you both through the windows, for no
one is allowed to enter either until he dies."
Accompanied by the angel, the man with the special permission stood
outside a window and looked in. He noticed many people inside. What was unusual
was that they all had no elbows. Their arm bones were single and straight,
right from the shoulder to the wrist so they could not bend their arms at the
elbow. In front of them were tables laden with the best of food. The man said,
"This must be heaven for they have such sumptuous food to eat." But the angel
said, "Look more closely." As the visitor watched, they picked up the food with
their hands but were unable to convey it to their mouths for want of being able
to bend their elbows. So despite the banquet in front of them, they were all
hungry and felt helpless and were crying.
The angel explained, "Despite so much being available to them, they
cannot enjoy it. This is hell."
They walked on further and looked through another window. The people
inside also had no elbow joints and there were similar tables laden with
sumptuous food. But here, everyone looked happy. Why? Because they were picking
up the food and putting it into each other's
mouths! Though they could not feed themselves, they could feed others and
others could feed them.
"That, my friend, is heaven," said the angel.
Isn't it true that hell or heaven is our own creation? How we handle
ourselves, in our own circumstances, is what causes the creation of heaven or
hell around us. Those who live only for themselves are inviting unhappiness.
Sharing and caring are of utmost importance. When you distribute love and care,
it always comes back to you. If you are a dealer in hate, can you expect to get
anything but hate in return?
"Heaven is no extra-terrestrial region of perpetual spring, it is an
inner experience, a state of supreme bliss," Swami says. "The Lord dwells in
our hearts, so our hearts must be kept pure and holy; then the heart becomes
Heaven itself, filled with joy. Heaven and Hell are not elsewhere. When you are
happy, that is Heaven. When you are miserable, that is Hell. If you wish to
experience joy, fill your mind with thoughts of God, for where there is God,
there is bliss."
