(Excerpts from the satsang of Pujya Bapuji)
Maharshi Vasishtha, Guru of Lord Rama said, “Rama! Kingdom and royal riches are attained only when one fights doggedly in the battle and wins. Victory is not attained by uttering the word ‘victory’.”
Can you become a king by repeatedly saying, ‘May I be victorious and become a king’? You can’t. if you want to become a king, you have to wage and win a war. You have to struggle in order to attain royal riches. Same is the case with spiritual riches; you have to struggle in order to attain them. One shouldn’t be chicken-hearted. The weaker you are, the more miserable you become and the more you are troubled. Whatever you want to attain, sincerely endeavor for it. If you want to attain God-realization, make constant endeavors in that direction. If you want to realize God, can you do so by being averse to the scriptures and to the Guru?
Similarly, if you want to attain Knowledge of Brahman, you will succeed only if you make constant endeavors taking on all the difficulties that come your way. I had decided upon a forty-day anushthāna. In between, my relations came and begged me to return home. My mother was in tears and so was her daughter-in-law. The entire village joined in their wailing but my decision was firm. I would not leave before the completion of those forty days. If you have decided on a 100-day anushthāna, why should you reduce it to 99 days? You must carry it on to 100 days. You start doing some devotional practice, abandon it after two days and start another… no, this is not the way. Perseverance is an essential element of devotion.
Maharshi Vasishtha says, “Rama! Neither the father, mother and friends nor pilgrimages, sacrifices and other merits can bring the good which can be brought by frequently reflecting over my teachings.”
Yes, the good that ensues from repeatedly reflecting over the message of scriptures, over the Knowledge of Ultimate Truth can never come from parents, kinsmen, pilgrimages, wealth and power. What can the relatives give? They can at the most give properties, money or some other material benefits and facilities. You may develop attachment towards them leading to agitation and you will in any case remain subjected to the cycle of birth and death. But Self-enquiry brings the good that parents and relatives never can. Therefore, don’t waste time in worthless gossip and start the practice of self-enquiry, japa of Om Kār and reposing in Self.
Who is Sentient?
Once somebody came to Swami Vivekananda and said, “Somebody asked me what is sentient and what is insentient. I told him that solid things like stones and mountains etc. are insentient and living things are sentient. The man was not satisfied with the answer. What do you have to say in the matter?”
Swami Vivekananda replied, “I don’t give much thought to this issue; I would only think that one who loves God is sentient; rest all is insentient.”
Maharshi Vasishtha, Guru of Lord Rama said, “Rama! Kingdom and royal riches are attained only when one fights doggedly in the battle and wins. Victory is not attained by uttering the word ‘victory’.”
Can you become a king by repeatedly saying, ‘May I be victorious and become a king’? You can’t. if you want to become a king, you have to wage and win a war. You have to struggle in order to attain royal riches. Same is the case with spiritual riches; you have to struggle in order to attain them. One shouldn’t be chicken-hearted. The weaker you are, the more miserable you become and the more you are troubled. Whatever you want to attain, sincerely endeavor for it. If you want to attain God-realization, make constant endeavors in that direction. If you want to realize God, can you do so by being averse to the scriptures and to the Guru?
Similarly, if you want to attain Knowledge of Brahman, you will succeed only if you make constant endeavors taking on all the difficulties that come your way. I had decided upon a forty-day anushthāna. In between, my relations came and begged me to return home. My mother was in tears and so was her daughter-in-law. The entire village joined in their wailing but my decision was firm. I would not leave before the completion of those forty days. If you have decided on a 100-day anushthāna, why should you reduce it to 99 days? You must carry it on to 100 days. You start doing some devotional practice, abandon it after two days and start another… no, this is not the way. Perseverance is an essential element of devotion.
Maharshi Vasishtha says, “Rama! Neither the father, mother and friends nor pilgrimages, sacrifices and other merits can bring the good which can be brought by frequently reflecting over my teachings.”
Yes, the good that ensues from repeatedly reflecting over the message of scriptures, over the Knowledge of Ultimate Truth can never come from parents, kinsmen, pilgrimages, wealth and power. What can the relatives give? They can at the most give properties, money or some other material benefits and facilities. You may develop attachment towards them leading to agitation and you will in any case remain subjected to the cycle of birth and death. But Self-enquiry brings the good that parents and relatives never can. Therefore, don’t waste time in worthless gossip and start the practice of self-enquiry, japa of Om Kār and reposing in Self.
Who is Sentient?
Once somebody came to Swami Vivekananda and said, “Somebody asked me what is sentient and what is insentient. I told him that solid things like stones and mountains etc. are insentient and living things are sentient. The man was not satisfied with the answer. What do you have to say in the matter?”
Swami Vivekananda replied, “I don’t give much thought to this issue; I would only think that one who loves God is sentient; rest all is insentient.”
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment