Why is it important to foster our devotion in silence and solitude? Bhagawan, with deep love and care, explains today.

In a small incense stick, there’s fire. In smoking a cigarette, fire is there too. If there is a forest fire on a hill, we see a big fire in that as well. The fire we see on an incense stick, on a cigarette, and in the forest fire - all constitute fire. In the feeling that all three constitute fire, if you bring logs of firewood and put them on a cigarette or on an incense stick, the fire will be extinguished, firewood will not catch fire. On the other hand, if we take even tender green leaves and put them in a raging forest fire, they will catch fire and burn away! In the same manner, if the fire of love in you is not broad enough, you will not be able to sustain the great fire of love of God. If you begin to talk of the all-pervading love and widespread prema of the Lord, then there is a danger of the feeble fire of love in you getting extinguished! Before you experience this love in everyone, the first step is to promote love within yourself and raise it to a sufficiently high level. For this, it is necessary for you to recognise a form and the appropriate time for this. If you do not take cognisance of the situation and the time around you, then you will not be able to promote prema in yourself.