The story of the Arab and his Camel teaches us that it is
better at the very outset to say ‘No’ to our animalistic desires.
One cold night, as an Arab sat in his tent, a camel thrust
the flap of the tent aside, and looked in. ‘I pray thee, master,’ he said, ‘let
me put my nose within the tent, for it is cold without.’
‘By all means, and welcome,’ said the Arab; and the camel
put his nose into the tent.
‘If I might but warm my head, also…,’ he said, presently.
‘Put your head inside,’ said the Arab.
Then the camel requested and put its forelegs within the
tent, and very soon asked to stand wholly within.
‘Yes, yes,’ said the Arab. ‘I will have pity on you. Come
wholly inside.’
So the camel crowded into the tent. But the tent was too
small for both. And the camel soon pushed the Arab out.
Like the Arab, we are often ‘overtaken by misplaced love and
compassion and also perplexity’ as to what is dharma and what is adharma.
Consequently, the mundane world crowds into our life and elbows out our
spiritual aspirations.
Source – Vedanta Kesari – Editorial April 2017