‘Without being eloquent, suffice it to say that the great-souled person who has come to know the Ultimate Truth is without desire for either pleasure or liberation and is always and every where free from attachment.’
What is the nature of those great personages who have realized the Ultimate Truth? How are they? Where is the need to say much about them? Ashtavakraji says he is ‘Without desire for either pleasures; he doesn’t even desire for salvation. He doesn’t want anything – fame, wealth, heavens, gods, life, death – he has no desire even for liberation.
The masters who teach the path of devotion say that a true devotee of the Lord doesn’t want liberation; he wants only devotion. But the knower of Truth doesn’t want devotion; he doesn’t want liberation; and he doesn’t want sense-enjoyments either. When you and devotion are separate entities (you have not attained oneness with god), you will engage yourself in devotion. If you are in bondage, you will want to get liberated. When there is neither bondage nor separation from liberation. What will be left for you to desire? Ashtavakraji had such experience. When you have no design or purpose, have no axe to grind so to say, when you are free from all desire, nature itself takes care of you and removes all impediments coming your way. When you get to the essence, the real substance, you will have no selfish end; you will have no worries fro yourself. You will be equanimous whichever way things go. You will have fear of neither death nor criticism. You will have no desire for praise. Condemnation and praise, gain and loss, life and death will all appear worthless. So long as you have not attained to the real essence, everything looks real and of worth to you. The mind attributes worth to so many things but finally announces that all is worthless. If one is poor, one thinks wealth is of greatest worth. When one gets some wealth, one finds worth in more wealth. A time comes when one is disillusioned with wealth and seeks solace elsewhere. Somebody finds worthiness in power; another may find it is some other transient thing. But when one attains knowledge of Ultimate Truth, one knows it was all mind’s delusion. The world is delusion and nothing but delusion. What a won derful fact Ashtavakraji reveals:
‘Without desire for either pleasure or liberation and is always and everywhere free from attachment.’
The enlightened one is ‘always and everywhere free from attachment’. It is not that when absorbed in Samadhi he is disinterested in the world or when engaged in worldly pursuits, he is disinterested in Samadhi he is disinterested in the world or when engaged in worldly pursuits, he is disinterested in samadhi. He is dispassionate always and everywhere. He has no interest in the world but the world finds him very interesting. What a surprise! And surprising it is also that he being a non-doer, seems to be a doer. He is unborn and; yet he appears to be born. He doesn’t want to do anything; yet great undertakings are initiated by him! Though a ‘non-initiator’, he is seen to be a great initiator. When Rishi Yajnavalkya was imparting Knowledge to King Janaka, Janaka asked, “Gurudev! Kindly tell me about the Paramahamsa.”
The Rishi said, “Don't ask this question. You will get bewildered.”
“No Guruji! Please tell me about a Paramahamsa Sannyasin.”
“I shall show you tomorrow morning.” In the evening when he went home, he distributed all his wealth between his wives –Katyayani and Maitreyi. The next day he came in a loincloth and bidding farewell to the king said,
“Janaka! Said, “Guruji! Please take a seat.”
“I have said what I had to.”
“Please take a seat Gurudev! You are my Guru.”
“What Guru and what disciple? It is all relational.”
And Yajnavalkya left. Nothing could hold him back ‘Where is the need to say much about them…’ Eloquence is meaningless is describing such great souls. How can we gauge their greatness? Once in Mumbai, Sai Lalashahji went out for a walk. Now, the enlightened ones are carefree. They know everything to be Brahman. Therefore, solitude and crowded places, all are same to them. He went into crowded areas and saw palmist chowpaty. Two-three people were showing their hands to him. Sai Lilashahji too sat there and said, “Sir! Please see my hand also.”
He said, “Babaji! You have grown old; you have renounced the world and become a Sannyansin. You have faith in God. You render devotional service to the Lord but this…”
He went on not realizing the greatness of the Emperor he was trying to beguile and the fact that He was willingly accepting and enjoying his childish prattle. He continued, “Babaji! You work hard for there years and then you will have Darshan of God.”
He didn’t know that Sai Lilashahji had already attained Self Knowledge 40 years ago. Sai Lilashahji said, “Three years! Can you reduce the time somewhat, my friend?”
“You will have to arrange for some japa and puja. Brahmins can make even God to take birth two hours earlier.”
Swamiji said to the accompanying disciple, “Give some money to this poor fellow. Whatever it is, he has had my hand in his.” He was given some money.
He said, “Well, you continue making efforts; my blessings are with you.”
Lilashahji Bapu says, “Knindly bless me.”
What can we say about such fakirs? Sai Lilashahji was about to get up but then he thought, ‘He was given money and I had him place his hand on my head. He should not remain ignorant.’
Sai Lilashahji said, “What were you saying man?”
“I said you will have Darshan of God.”
“Do you know me stupid? I am father of God.”
“Sorry sir! I didn’t know.”
“Touch my feet.”
The man touched Bapuji’s feet and Bapuji blessed him.
‘What more can I say about the saints? They repose in their Home.
They are ever contented: they have no desires or expectations.’
What is their nature...? How can we gauge that? To know the enlightened one, we need to be a little enlightened. If we want to become rich, we need to have some money initially. To attain peace, a small degree of peace is initially required. Therefore, I always repeat Maharshi Vasishthaji’s words. I have repeated the truths expounded by Vasishthaji innumerable times and will continue to do so forever. The same truths are said by Ashtavakraji and I will repeat them as well. The message is only this much – the world is transient; the body is worthless; all this is like a dream going on; you are Supreme Brahman, Supreme Self. Even this is not terse. I only say. ‘Thou art That’ meaning ‘You are God, the Eternal Bliss’. That is all I have to say. All the scriptures have been instructing this till today.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
With Whom Can We Compare Them?
Monday, March 30, 2009
Development of Life Energy
Effect of Posture on the Life Energy:
Hitler, before invading any country, used to gather the information through his spies regarding the posture adopted by the people of that country while sitting or walking. Whether they remain erect like young or stooped like old people? He could easily assess whether he will have to press in hard force in conquering that area or will it be a child’s task.
Those who walk or sit erect are brave, strong, adventurous and strong willed. It is an uphill task to defeat them. On the other hand, those with stooped posture, even in youth, are lackadaisical, weak, chick hearted and pessimistic like old people. They constantly lose their life energy. Taking while walking is like being one’s own foe. It enormously diminishes life energy.
Chairs made from metals and soft cushions are detrimental to our life energy whereas flat chairs with hard back are beneficial to our life energy.
Swimming enhances our life energy. Wearing a rosary made from Tulsi, Rudraksh or Gold also helps in the enhancement of our life energy.
The objective of human life should be to enhance life energy in order to attain the knowledge of the life-giver. Even animals are healthy. The trees have long life. but O children of immortality! In addition to all this, you have to open the 3eye of divine wisdom also.
You had been blessed with thousands of mortal sheaths in different lives. Thousands of waves of samkalpa and vikalpa, resolves and counter resolves arose and subsided in the lake of your mind. Beyond all this, the true Life-giver is your own Self. Keep on awakening that Self-force. Keep on attaining self knowledge and love for the Self and repose in it. OM…! OM…!! OM…!!!
The Mystery of Success
When you see a fat sturdy man, sitting on a cushioned bed, you know that his healthiness is not due to his sitting on thick cushions. The expansion of his healthy body is due to the assimilation of his rich diet.
In the same manner, a person who is occupying a high post and majestic life style, or is delivering a lecture from a dais, has attained grandeur in his life not because of the high seat he is occupying but knowingly or unknowingly he has practiced altruism in his life. He is self-reliant and his developed concentration of mind, self-restraint, simplicity and nobility to some extent, that is the cause of his success.
It is wrong to think that the affluence or success in the life of the key post holders is due to crookedness, deceit or fraud. In reality, it is not so. Rather had they indulged in cunningness or crookedness, they would have faced failures and downfalls. The cause of prosperity is nothing but practice of truth and altruism, knowingly or unknowingly.
Translated excerpts from ‘Jivan Vikas’ – a book published by the ashram
Hitler, before invading any country, used to gather the information through his spies regarding the posture adopted by the people of that country while sitting or walking. Whether they remain erect like young or stooped like old people? He could easily assess whether he will have to press in hard force in conquering that area or will it be a child’s task.
Those who walk or sit erect are brave, strong, adventurous and strong willed. It is an uphill task to defeat them. On the other hand, those with stooped posture, even in youth, are lackadaisical, weak, chick hearted and pessimistic like old people. They constantly lose their life energy. Taking while walking is like being one’s own foe. It enormously diminishes life energy.
Chairs made from metals and soft cushions are detrimental to our life energy whereas flat chairs with hard back are beneficial to our life energy.
Swimming enhances our life energy. Wearing a rosary made from Tulsi, Rudraksh or Gold also helps in the enhancement of our life energy.
The objective of human life should be to enhance life energy in order to attain the knowledge of the life-giver. Even animals are healthy. The trees have long life. but O children of immortality! In addition to all this, you have to open the 3eye of divine wisdom also.
You had been blessed with thousands of mortal sheaths in different lives. Thousands of waves of samkalpa and vikalpa, resolves and counter resolves arose and subsided in the lake of your mind. Beyond all this, the true Life-giver is your own Self. Keep on awakening that Self-force. Keep on attaining self knowledge and love for the Self and repose in it. OM…! OM…!! OM…!!!
The Mystery of Success
When you see a fat sturdy man, sitting on a cushioned bed, you know that his healthiness is not due to his sitting on thick cushions. The expansion of his healthy body is due to the assimilation of his rich diet.
In the same manner, a person who is occupying a high post and majestic life style, or is delivering a lecture from a dais, has attained grandeur in his life not because of the high seat he is occupying but knowingly or unknowingly he has practiced altruism in his life. He is self-reliant and his developed concentration of mind, self-restraint, simplicity and nobility to some extent, that is the cause of his success.
It is wrong to think that the affluence or success in the life of the key post holders is due to crookedness, deceit or fraud. In reality, it is not so. Rather had they indulged in cunningness or crookedness, they would have faced failures and downfalls. The cause of prosperity is nothing but practice of truth and altruism, knowingly or unknowingly.
Translated excerpts from ‘Jivan Vikas’ – a book published by the ashram
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Suppose I ask you, “What day is today?”
Suppose I ask you, “What day is today?”
And you reply, “Sunday.”
I say, “No, it is Monday.”
“No Swamiji! It is Sunday.”
“How do you say it is Sunday? Have you seen Sunday roaming in the market?”
“No Swamiji! The almanac says so.”
You believe what the almanac says; you believe what the astrology says; why don't you believe what the Vedas say? Believing the almanac, the astrology, you assert it is Sunday; why don’t you believe the Vedas, the scriptures, the Gita? Gita says:
The eternal jivatman in this body is a particle of my own being.
The Gita says you are eternal. Your Real self and God are one. Your Real Self is un-ageing imperishable. If God is imperishable, you too are imperishable. If God is Knowledge personified you too are the same. If the Lord is absolute Consciousness, then you too the smaller self is gone, the shackles of bondage are broken. Troubles and sorrow affect the smaller Self, not the pure ‘Self’. Anxiety, sorrow, fear, ego–all these affect only the smaller Self. Believe this doctrine of scriptures as well. One who knows himself to be Pure Consciousness, eternal, and without beginning and end, attains Self-realization and becomes free. One, who considers himself to be a sinner and miserable, remains miserable. It isn’t difficult to attain God but it is difficult to find the company and stay at the feet of saints, for whom God-realization is n
And you reply, “Sunday.”
I say, “No, it is Monday.”
“No Swamiji! It is Sunday.”
“How do you say it is Sunday? Have you seen Sunday roaming in the market?”
“No Swamiji! The almanac says so.”
You believe what the almanac says; you believe what the astrology says; why don't you believe what the Vedas say? Believing the almanac, the astrology, you assert it is Sunday; why don’t you believe the Vedas, the scriptures, the Gita? Gita says:
The eternal jivatman in this body is a particle of my own being.
The Gita says you are eternal. Your Real self and God are one. Your Real Self is un-ageing imperishable. If God is imperishable, you too are imperishable. If God is Knowledge personified you too are the same. If the Lord is absolute Consciousness, then you too the smaller self is gone, the shackles of bondage are broken. Troubles and sorrow affect the smaller Self, not the pure ‘Self’. Anxiety, sorrow, fear, ego–all these affect only the smaller Self. Believe this doctrine of scriptures as well. One who knows himself to be Pure Consciousness, eternal, and without beginning and end, attains Self-realization and becomes free. One, who considers himself to be a sinner and miserable, remains miserable. It isn’t difficult to attain God but it is difficult to find the company and stay at the feet of saints, for whom God-realization is n
Friday, March 27, 2009
The secret of Joy
The mind gets blessed with happiness and joy. If one fails to find happiness in one’s mind, he runs from pillar to post to find it. Why is it that happiness is missing? We want to have permanent relationships, things, circumstances and persons, which are by nature impermanent and persons, which are by nature impermanent and this urge keeps us unattained of Atman, the Eternal and imperishable Bliss, and subjects us to the unending cycle of birth and death. There is no deity sitting in the heavens or the netherworlds, who is putting you into wombs. There is no chitragupta writing accounts of your good and bad deeds with a peacock feathers. The notion of Chitragupta is created for small minded people so that they should eschew sin and take the spiritual path. If a Chitragupta is entrusted the job of keeping accounts of people’s deeds, he will be exhausted very soon for the Jivas are countless in number. What is the real meaning of Chitragupta? Whatever relations you conceive of, gets imprinted on your heart as an image (chitra) in a gupta (secret) way. For example, you didn’t have a name before birth. After birth, a name was given to you for convenience of reference. According to the family tradition, a caste was affixed to you. These are all for the sake of convenience. Before birth, you had no name or caste nor did you have any relationship with anybody. You will have no name, caste or relationship after death. And if you examine, even at present all these are going towards naught.
There are two kinds of thins – eternal and fleeting. The Atman, the Pure Consciousness is eternal and the Maya, the phenomenal world is fleeting. These relationships are relations, mayic and therefore are fleeting. Make use of the fleeting things and repose in the Eternal and you will get freedom from rebirth. The Eternal thing is your atman. It is immutable and omnipresent. Even when you had no relationship with the world, you had relationship with the world is strained, you will have relationship with it for that relationship is eternal. Your relationship with God, you cannot severe even if you want to. And whatever you do, you cannot keep forever your relationship with the world. If you realise this fact, you will become free from all worries you will become calm and attain self-repose; you will get endowed with the boon of inner calm which will fill you with joy.
Some people coming to me say, “When we behold you, it appears to us that you are an owner of a kingdom. You seem to possess a vast treasure.”
I said, ‘Well, I am not the king of material possessions, but I am certainly the king of myself. I have absolute relationship with the One Real Being. I do have a vast treasure but I don't want to use it exclusively for myself. I want to share it with everybody; but the people coming here ask for transient trifles. Therefore, my eternal treasure remains unshared. What will you do after you do after you get the trifles you are asking for? You will take rest…? Why not take rest in the Atman straightway?
I related the story of that Delhi Seth. He was Seth, a Master of his mind. He had a shop of earthenware Chandani Chowk, Delhi. He felt like having a siesta in the hot afternoon and verily had one. An American tourist came to the shop. He was surprised to find the Seth sleeping. He said, ‘O Indian! Why are you sleeping? Is it the time to take rest? You have such beautiful earthentoys. Why don't you invite customers?”
“What will happen if I do that?” the Seth asked.
“More customers would mean more earning. You can start another shop, maybe three or four or more. Earn a lot of money and then come to America.”
“Then?”
“You can earn dollars there. Then you can buy a house in Switzerland and a houseboat in Kashmir. Then you can take rest therein.”
“You fool! I am taking rest right now. Why should I do all this laborious work if the objective is rest? If it is only rest that I need, then let me repose in my Lord, the timeless Supreme Being, straightaway. Why should I rest only after doing this or that? To hell with taking rest in the future. Reposing now is reposing in God!”
You do a lot many things for the sake of peace and happiness but if peace could be had with the help of accepted relationships, accepted circumstances, Ravana, Hitler and Alexander etc. would have got it.
The more we try to derive happiness form relationship, the more restless, agitated and miserable we become and the farther we move from our won selves. This is so because our beliefs changes so do our abilities; because our sense organs get progressively impaired and the worldly objects continue to change.
We want not severe the relationships, accepted though they are; therefore we take good care to maintain them. We remind our relatives of the relationships on every Diwali. We renew these relationships at the time of marriage of our dear ones. In spite of all this, the course of these relationships is marked by volcanic eruptions every now and then. Attempting to manage these relationships, one gets completely drained and debilitated. Yet do you find a single individual who has attained lasting peace from these relationships? These relationships make every body miserable. Some are miserable for want of them while others are miserable because of them.
Therefore, O mind! Until and unless you relinquish attachment to these relationships from within, you will be bitten by them. These relationships torment you in the lifetime; they trouble you even after death, when either you or your relatives may become ghosts.
‘Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, purity of nature, self-control-this is called mental austerity.’
The main reason for mental agitation is taking the accepted relationships to be true and the failure to experience the real relationship. This is the root cause of mental agitation and of being subjected to the cycle of birth and death. The second reason is that we want to perpetuate the relationships we have established and we treat the gained things as our own. Your body, wife, husband, son etc. are given to you for the time being. They are not yours; they belong to the Giver, the Lord.
Saints enlighten you with the knowledge that you should repose in the Supreme Lord dwelling in our heart and make use of transitory relationships to attain Self Bliss. It is realizing Bliss and not enjoying pleasures.
Once one knows the thing as it is, one gets freed from anxiety. Take an example. All the tube lights and bulbs in the world put to gather cannot add up to a fraction of the Sun’s li8ght and that Sun sets in the evening everyday. Are you worried about darkness that is to follow? No, it doesn’t worry you the least. But if the electricity goes off in your house, you get worried. You are not worried by the Sun dipping below the horizon but the candle light dipping vexes you. It is so because the relationship is accepted and there is the insistence that it should not be extinguished. The relationship with a friend may or may not last till the end. Wherever there is a desire to cling to a thing or a relationship, there is misery. If there is desire to cling to wealth, one is bound to be miserable if poverty comes. The desire to cling to happiness is followed by the fear of sorrow, the desire to cling life to life is followed by the fear of death, the desire to cling to union is folowed by the fear of separation. If you get rid of desire for happiness, the fear of sorrow will be gone and you will verily become happy. You are eternal and will live even after the final Deluge. Realize you own Self! The relationships that are there in the world keep on changing; the desire to cling to them disturbs the peace of mind.
Disconnect yourself from disquietude by being a witness to it. Take a deep breath through the nostrils, do japa of the Guru mantra and then blow the breath out. do japa of ‘OM’ in an elongated tone for 10 minutes while gazing one-pointedly at the picture of God or the Guru. Know that you are above fickleness and disquietude and that you are the beloved of God. Remember that Bliss and love is your nature. Your relationship with God is unbreakable and eternal. You are as close to God as are Lord Krishna, Buddha and other great men. The only difference is that Lord Krishna knows this fact and so he is Poorna, perfected Being and you don't know and are engaged in needless you don't know and are engaged in needles toil. There isn’t much to do; you have only to change the stance. Sacrifices, āsanas, japa and austerities don't’ work as much profits as accrues from merely accepting the eternal relationship with God.
There are two kinds of thins – eternal and fleeting. The Atman, the Pure Consciousness is eternal and the Maya, the phenomenal world is fleeting. These relationships are relations, mayic and therefore are fleeting. Make use of the fleeting things and repose in the Eternal and you will get freedom from rebirth. The Eternal thing is your atman. It is immutable and omnipresent. Even when you had no relationship with the world, you had relationship with the world is strained, you will have relationship with it for that relationship is eternal. Your relationship with God, you cannot severe even if you want to. And whatever you do, you cannot keep forever your relationship with the world. If you realise this fact, you will become free from all worries you will become calm and attain self-repose; you will get endowed with the boon of inner calm which will fill you with joy.
Some people coming to me say, “When we behold you, it appears to us that you are an owner of a kingdom. You seem to possess a vast treasure.”
I said, ‘Well, I am not the king of material possessions, but I am certainly the king of myself. I have absolute relationship with the One Real Being. I do have a vast treasure but I don't want to use it exclusively for myself. I want to share it with everybody; but the people coming here ask for transient trifles. Therefore, my eternal treasure remains unshared. What will you do after you do after you get the trifles you are asking for? You will take rest…? Why not take rest in the Atman straightway?
I related the story of that Delhi Seth. He was Seth, a Master of his mind. He had a shop of earthenware Chandani Chowk, Delhi. He felt like having a siesta in the hot afternoon and verily had one. An American tourist came to the shop. He was surprised to find the Seth sleeping. He said, ‘O Indian! Why are you sleeping? Is it the time to take rest? You have such beautiful earthentoys. Why don't you invite customers?”
“What will happen if I do that?” the Seth asked.
“More customers would mean more earning. You can start another shop, maybe three or four or more. Earn a lot of money and then come to America.”
“Then?”
“You can earn dollars there. Then you can buy a house in Switzerland and a houseboat in Kashmir. Then you can take rest therein.”
“You fool! I am taking rest right now. Why should I do all this laborious work if the objective is rest? If it is only rest that I need, then let me repose in my Lord, the timeless Supreme Being, straightaway. Why should I rest only after doing this or that? To hell with taking rest in the future. Reposing now is reposing in God!”
You do a lot many things for the sake of peace and happiness but if peace could be had with the help of accepted relationships, accepted circumstances, Ravana, Hitler and Alexander etc. would have got it.
The more we try to derive happiness form relationship, the more restless, agitated and miserable we become and the farther we move from our won selves. This is so because our beliefs changes so do our abilities; because our sense organs get progressively impaired and the worldly objects continue to change.
We want not severe the relationships, accepted though they are; therefore we take good care to maintain them. We remind our relatives of the relationships on every Diwali. We renew these relationships at the time of marriage of our dear ones. In spite of all this, the course of these relationships is marked by volcanic eruptions every now and then. Attempting to manage these relationships, one gets completely drained and debilitated. Yet do you find a single individual who has attained lasting peace from these relationships? These relationships make every body miserable. Some are miserable for want of them while others are miserable because of them.
Therefore, O mind! Until and unless you relinquish attachment to these relationships from within, you will be bitten by them. These relationships torment you in the lifetime; they trouble you even after death, when either you or your relatives may become ghosts.
‘Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, purity of nature, self-control-this is called mental austerity.’
The main reason for mental agitation is taking the accepted relationships to be true and the failure to experience the real relationship. This is the root cause of mental agitation and of being subjected to the cycle of birth and death. The second reason is that we want to perpetuate the relationships we have established and we treat the gained things as our own. Your body, wife, husband, son etc. are given to you for the time being. They are not yours; they belong to the Giver, the Lord.
Saints enlighten you with the knowledge that you should repose in the Supreme Lord dwelling in our heart and make use of transitory relationships to attain Self Bliss. It is realizing Bliss and not enjoying pleasures.
Once one knows the thing as it is, one gets freed from anxiety. Take an example. All the tube lights and bulbs in the world put to gather cannot add up to a fraction of the Sun’s li8ght and that Sun sets in the evening everyday. Are you worried about darkness that is to follow? No, it doesn’t worry you the least. But if the electricity goes off in your house, you get worried. You are not worried by the Sun dipping below the horizon but the candle light dipping vexes you. It is so because the relationship is accepted and there is the insistence that it should not be extinguished. The relationship with a friend may or may not last till the end. Wherever there is a desire to cling to a thing or a relationship, there is misery. If there is desire to cling to wealth, one is bound to be miserable if poverty comes. The desire to cling to happiness is followed by the fear of sorrow, the desire to cling life to life is followed by the fear of death, the desire to cling to union is folowed by the fear of separation. If you get rid of desire for happiness, the fear of sorrow will be gone and you will verily become happy. You are eternal and will live even after the final Deluge. Realize you own Self! The relationships that are there in the world keep on changing; the desire to cling to them disturbs the peace of mind.
Disconnect yourself from disquietude by being a witness to it. Take a deep breath through the nostrils, do japa of the Guru mantra and then blow the breath out. do japa of ‘OM’ in an elongated tone for 10 minutes while gazing one-pointedly at the picture of God or the Guru. Know that you are above fickleness and disquietude and that you are the beloved of God. Remember that Bliss and love is your nature. Your relationship with God is unbreakable and eternal. You are as close to God as are Lord Krishna, Buddha and other great men. The only difference is that Lord Krishna knows this fact and so he is Poorna, perfected Being and you don't know and are engaged in needless you don't know and are engaged in needles toil. There isn’t much to do; you have only to change the stance. Sacrifices, āsanas, japa and austerities don't’ work as much profits as accrues from merely accepting the eternal relationship with God.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Good Begets Good
The proceedings were on in an emperor’s court all the courtiers, ministers, army commander and respected people were present in the court. An important discussion was about to begin when everybody heard a cry: ‘Do good to the good; the evil will be ruined by their own evil deeds.’
The emperor asked the minister, “Who is this arrogant fellow?” The minister said, “Your Highness! People call him ‘Albela’ (strange fellow) and he goes about shouting like this everyday.”
There was a backbiter in the court. Backbiting had become such a habit with him that he could pass a day without food and water but not without backbiting. Buds of joy sprouted on the stump of his mind as he saw the king being annoyed. He quickly came forward and said, “Your Highness! He keeps talking such nonsense all the time. I have even seen him saying before the people that the emperor has a bad breath.”
The emperor ordered, “Guards! Bring that fool before me right now. I will investigate this matter personally.”
The backbiter was worried as his secret was going to be disclosed he fled from the court to save his life and went running to the man called ‘Albela’. He gave him rotis with a vegetable dish made of onions and made him etc to his fill. Meanwhile, the soldiers searching for Albela reached there and started taking him along with them. The backbiter said, ‘O God! If you go to the court with such a bad breath, even God won’t be able to save you. I think you have the sword of Damocles hanging over your head today.”
The emperor was having a conversation with a neighbor king when Albela was presented before him. Fearing that his bad breath would spread in the court, Albela covered his mouth with his hand. The backbiter said to the emperor in a gesture, “Look, he has covered his mouth to show to the people that you have a bad breath.”
The emperor suppressed his anger before the neighbor kin as he would swallow a bitter potion. He wrote a letter to his kotwal yourself.” It was a rule with the emperor that whenever he wanted to give a special prize to somebody, he would send a letter to the kotwal of the city through that person. The backbiter was surprised to see that Albela was going to get a prize instead of capital punishment. He came out in a fix and said to Albela, “Give that letter to me for a while. I will return it immediately after having a look.”
The kotwal immediately drew out his sword. The backbiter screamed, “Kotwalji! Just ask the emperor first.” The kotwal, how ever had no time to lose. The people saw that on one side the backbiter’s head was rolling on the ground and on the other side Albela was shouting loudly as usual, “Do good to the good; the evil will be ruined by their own evil deeds.”
The emperor asked the minister, “Who is this arrogant fellow?” The minister said, “Your Highness! People call him ‘Albela’ (strange fellow) and he goes about shouting like this everyday.”
There was a backbiter in the court. Backbiting had become such a habit with him that he could pass a day without food and water but not without backbiting. Buds of joy sprouted on the stump of his mind as he saw the king being annoyed. He quickly came forward and said, “Your Highness! He keeps talking such nonsense all the time. I have even seen him saying before the people that the emperor has a bad breath.”
The emperor ordered, “Guards! Bring that fool before me right now. I will investigate this matter personally.”
The backbiter was worried as his secret was going to be disclosed he fled from the court to save his life and went running to the man called ‘Albela’. He gave him rotis with a vegetable dish made of onions and made him etc to his fill. Meanwhile, the soldiers searching for Albela reached there and started taking him along with them. The backbiter said, ‘O God! If you go to the court with such a bad breath, even God won’t be able to save you. I think you have the sword of Damocles hanging over your head today.”
The emperor was having a conversation with a neighbor king when Albela was presented before him. Fearing that his bad breath would spread in the court, Albela covered his mouth with his hand. The backbiter said to the emperor in a gesture, “Look, he has covered his mouth to show to the people that you have a bad breath.”
The emperor suppressed his anger before the neighbor kin as he would swallow a bitter potion. He wrote a letter to his kotwal yourself.” It was a rule with the emperor that whenever he wanted to give a special prize to somebody, he would send a letter to the kotwal of the city through that person. The backbiter was surprised to see that Albela was going to get a prize instead of capital punishment. He came out in a fix and said to Albela, “Give that letter to me for a while. I will return it immediately after having a look.”
The kotwal immediately drew out his sword. The backbiter screamed, “Kotwalji! Just ask the emperor first.” The kotwal, how ever had no time to lose. The people saw that on one side the backbiter’s head was rolling on the ground and on the other side Albela was shouting loudly as usual, “Do good to the good; the evil will be ruined by their own evil deeds.”
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
As You Sow So Shall You Reap
Sant Bahinabai and her husband Gangadhar Rao had come with their dear cow Kapila to Dehu for the darshan of Tukarmji Maharaj. On the way, Gangadhar Rao met a Brahmin named Mambaji who was jealous of Tukaramjui. No sooner did Rao arrive than Mambaji started slandering Tukoba. Gangadhar Rao was unable to tolerate it and he said, “Sir, You may say anything abusive to me, but why are you incurring sin by slandering Tukoba, who is a devotee of God?”
On hearing this, Mambaji vented his fury upon Gangadhar Rai and decided to take revenge upon him. On day, both Bahinabai and Gangadhar Rao were engrossed in Sant Tukoba’s Bhajan. Seeing an opportunity, Mambaji stealthily took away Kapila. He thrashed her severely and hid her inside a basement. Bahinabai was greatly distressed due to separation of Kapila. Tukoba too was greatly distressed at the loss of Bahinabai’s cow. He was agitated at heart. Two days later, Kapila appeared in Tukoba’s dream. Bitterly crying, she repeatedly prayed to him to release her. Tukoba woke up on hearing the cow’s plea. Though the cow was heavily thrashed, blisters and bruises appeared on Tukoba’s back and he suffered from severe body ache. Tukoba ignored his pain and prayed for the cow to his adored God, his only refuge. The Lord heard Tukaram’s prayer. All of a sudden, due to wrath of fire-God, Mambaji’s house was engulfed in fire. The fire was consuming all that he had. As the people rushed to extinguish the fire, they heard the cow’s bellowing. Everyone was astonished. Where is the cow? all started searching for the cow. finally, the basement was opened and the cow was rescued. Its back was swollen due to beating. No sooner did Sant Tukaram come to know about this than he came running and prostrated before Kapila. He then caressed her face and started crying. Seeing the saint’s love for a cow, Bahinabai was overcome with ashta sattvic bhava (spontaneous organic manifestations of emotions which spring form sattva only), and she was thrilled. While on the one hand, people were overwhelmed with love seeing Tukaram’s compassion for all living beings, on the other hand, the slanderer Mambaji was condemned for slandering a saint and thrashing an innocent cow. Mambaj got the fruits of his evil deeds. His towering mansion with all its goods was now reduced to ashes.
On hearing this, Mambaji vented his fury upon Gangadhar Rai and decided to take revenge upon him. On day, both Bahinabai and Gangadhar Rao were engrossed in Sant Tukoba’s Bhajan. Seeing an opportunity, Mambaji stealthily took away Kapila. He thrashed her severely and hid her inside a basement. Bahinabai was greatly distressed due to separation of Kapila. Tukoba too was greatly distressed at the loss of Bahinabai’s cow. He was agitated at heart. Two days later, Kapila appeared in Tukoba’s dream. Bitterly crying, she repeatedly prayed to him to release her. Tukoba woke up on hearing the cow’s plea. Though the cow was heavily thrashed, blisters and bruises appeared on Tukoba’s back and he suffered from severe body ache. Tukoba ignored his pain and prayed for the cow to his adored God, his only refuge. The Lord heard Tukaram’s prayer. All of a sudden, due to wrath of fire-God, Mambaji’s house was engulfed in fire. The fire was consuming all that he had. As the people rushed to extinguish the fire, they heard the cow’s bellowing. Everyone was astonished. Where is the cow? all started searching for the cow. finally, the basement was opened and the cow was rescued. Its back was swollen due to beating. No sooner did Sant Tukaram come to know about this than he came running and prostrated before Kapila. He then caressed her face and started crying. Seeing the saint’s love for a cow, Bahinabai was overcome with ashta sattvic bhava (spontaneous organic manifestations of emotions which spring form sattva only), and she was thrilled. While on the one hand, people were overwhelmed with love seeing Tukaram’s compassion for all living beings, on the other hand, the slanderer Mambaji was condemned for slandering a saint and thrashing an innocent cow. Mambaj got the fruits of his evil deeds. His towering mansion with all its goods was now reduced to ashes.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
What Makes Human Life Glorious?
Reposing in the Absolute Truth (God), is surrender to God or Guru. Surrendering to God, taking refuge in the Guru or accomplishing one’s Supreme good-whatever you may call, it is one and the same thing. It leads to divine blessedness. The first attribute that make human life glorious is wisdom-giver. The second such attribute is the knack for valiant efforts free from doubt and cowardice. The third things that gives glory to man’s life is humility. Even though one possess strength to punish, one should forgive the weak. The fourth attribute conducive to glory is making your heart free from ego. It makes taking refuge in God easy. The egoistic one is deprived of the joy of taking refuge in God; he does not take refuge in God. The pride of wealth, power, learning, caste or beauty, is transient. ‘I belong to the Lord; the Lord is mine; He is my darling, my well-wisher, my benefactor, the enjoyer of all that I consume with my senses, mind and intellect’ – this ego is true and harmless. Charity – giving away of wealth to deserving people and to those taking the path of God-realization – this is the fifth glorifying attribute of human life. Using power selflessly in the service of others lends glory to power. Power and opulence are not to be used for sense-enjoyments; they are means to render devotional service to the Lord-this should be your attitude to power and opulence. Working for Lord’s love and taking refuge in Him gives glory to wealth and power and also to human life. Attaining to Truth, knowledge and Divine Love is the highest achievement of human life. Imbibing eternal undying divine joy through listening to the narration of Lord’s glory, attaining knowledge of Ultimate Truth, remembering the Lord and meditating on Him is the glory of human life, the fruit thereof. Ignoring others’ vices and not hiding one’s own – gives glory to the intellect. Be sattvic and pure in your actions but don’t publicise them. Do good and forget. Cultivate the sublime virtue of compassion in your heart; this is the glory of heart. Humility, charity, compassion and guilelessness are virtues that enable you to repose in God, in Divine Bliss, in divine Peace. It will strengthen you with divine Power. Have compassion for the suffering and a non-violent attitude towards all beings. Love even them who hate you. Conquer untruth by truth and weakness by spiritual force. Overcome wickedness by a saintly nature, the covetousness for sense enjoyments by yoga and worldly attractions by thoughts of self-restraint. Your life will become an offering to the Divine and in due course of time, your life will become divine. If you are happy and prosperous, employ your wealth in serving others and if you suffer from want and misery, don't’ be greedy for wealth and covetous of happiness; and you will have no difficulty reposing in God. If you are wealthy, be altruistic and if you are poor, be austere and ascetic. If you are in happy circumstances, help others and if in unfortunate ones, relinquish your desires any yearnings. This will give you shelter of God and divine joy. Japa of Lord’s name, carrying out Lord’s behests (as revealed in scriptures) and listening to the narration of Lord’s divine play and the praises of Lord’s glory-are measures that enhance your love for the Lord. If one is not learned, one should speak less and if intelligent, one should speak pith and substance rather than trivia. If one is weak, one should be forbearing and if strong, one should be forgiving and if strong, one should be forgiving. This will lead to Self-Bliss and add glitter to the golden human life. The Guru, in whose hearts the Supreme Lord, is revealed as His Real Self, free from darkness of ignorance, tells us that reposing in God is the ultimate purpose of taking refuge with the Guru.
Bravo, O Voliant One! Bravo! Be it man or a woman, boy or a girl – all can attain blessedness and lead a blissful life by developing a divine intellect, reposing in God and experiencing divine love. Our Divine Self, the immutable witness to the changing world, body and circumstances, is neither far nor difficult to attain. Then why not love and repose in it, and imbibe and distribute the joy of being in its refuge? Those who receive it, will be happy, you too will be happy and the Truth consciousness-Bliss Absolute Lord, who dwells in you, me and all, will be pleased as well! Why do you hesitate? Why are you procrastinating? Whom are you waiting for? Courage… industriousness…OM OM My Lord OM… My Beloved OM…OM…OM My OM… Chant for sometime and then be silent within. We take refuge in God, the Absolute Truth. ‘Buddham Sharanm Gachchhami’… We surrender to the Absolute Consciousness, the Knowledge personified, the Supreme witness, Delve within sincerely in this way. OM OM OM Peace…OM Peace…
Bravo, O Voliant One! Bravo! Be it man or a woman, boy or a girl – all can attain blessedness and lead a blissful life by developing a divine intellect, reposing in God and experiencing divine love. Our Divine Self, the immutable witness to the changing world, body and circumstances, is neither far nor difficult to attain. Then why not love and repose in it, and imbibe and distribute the joy of being in its refuge? Those who receive it, will be happy, you too will be happy and the Truth consciousness-Bliss Absolute Lord, who dwells in you, me and all, will be pleased as well! Why do you hesitate? Why are you procrastinating? Whom are you waiting for? Courage… industriousness…OM OM My Lord OM… My Beloved OM…OM…OM My OM… Chant for sometime and then be silent within. We take refuge in God, the Absolute Truth. ‘Buddham Sharanm Gachchhami’… We surrender to the Absolute Consciousness, the Knowledge personified, the Supreme witness, Delve within sincerely in this way. OM OM OM Peace…OM Peace…
Monday, March 23, 2009
Facts or Conspiracy?
In recent months, Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu had become target of petty politics. Suddenly, the saint widely known for spreading the message of creativity and selflessness through his satsang-discourses and wide-ranging altruistic activities, who is being listened to by millions through TV Channels, became the subjects of breaking news. The hearts of crores of disciples and devotees associated with his Ashrams, Samitis, satsang and Seva Kendras spread all over the world were filled with anguish. Allegations like that of killing children for exorcism were leveled against his Ashrams. Penchant for sensationalism has given a new language to the media. Accordingly, untoward epithets were used even for Sant Sri Ashramji Bapu, a saint revered by the masses. Sustained efforts were made by sensationalizing the issue to put a question mark on the revered saint’s image and to damage the faith of his devotees. But in the end, investigations revealed that all this had been much ado about nothing. This episode raises an important question, that of the missing truth in ‘breaking news’. A particular section of the media had deliberately used derogatory words to make its news sensational. The sequence of events strongly smells of politically motivated conspiracy. A section of people ignorant of the value of satsang and therefore considering it to be a vocation received the stuff dished out by the what after all is at the root of all this?
Senior journalist Shri Neeraj Bhushan says it is the game of TRPs played TV Channels. He says, “Recently some newspapers and TV Channel gave undue one-sided coverage to news about Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu and his Ashrams and tried to spread sensation. The news were not only false but were motivated by a malicious intent. In these news items, Bapuji was deliberately maligned and a campaign was launched to tarnish the reputation of his ashrams. An attempt was made to play with the feelings of crores of sadhakas and followers of Bapuji.”
Senior journalist Shri Neeraj Bhushan says it is the game of TRPs played TV Channels. He says, “Recently some newspapers and TV Channel gave undue one-sided coverage to news about Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu and his Ashrams and tried to spread sensation. The news were not only false but were motivated by a malicious intent. In these news items, Bapuji was deliberately maligned and a campaign was launched to tarnish the reputation of his ashrams. An attempt was made to play with the feelings of crores of sadhakas and followers of Bapuji.”
Saturday, March 21, 2009
History Alerts!
Alien elements have continually been mounting attacks on Indian culture for the past few centuries. Any saint who spread the glory of Vedic culture in and out of the country was plotted against and all efforts were made to malign and persecute him, thought the conspirators’ efforts failed to succeed even a wee bit. Their dirty tricks rather glorified the saints concerned.
Indians themselves were pitted against Kabirji kabirji’s detractors hired a prostitute and made her openly accuse Kabirji of debauchery. Not only that, she got Kabirji’s roof burnt through her lover, Sumant. The people coming to listen to Kabiriji’s satsang had to sit in the Sun. This pained Kabirji and a sigh of anguish escaped his heart as he looked towards the sky. It was enough to reduce the prostitute’s beautiful and well-built house to ashes. People told the whore it was the result of persecuting the saint. She went Kabirji. He said, “I have not done anything. Your lover burnt my hut; so my Lover burnt your house.”
Those who torment the saints and slander them certainly face nature’s wrath.
When Swami Vivekananda trumpeted the divine Vedic knowledge all around in the western world, the Christain missionaries were enraged. They started making dirty allegations against Swami Vivekananda. Newspapers like ‘Northampton Daily Herald’, ‘Detroit Tribune’ and ‘Detroit Journal’, etc., who sold out thei9r souls and become puppets in the hands of Christian missionaries, started painting swami Vivekananda as a romantic young man and a debauched sadhu always surrounded by young girls. They published invented stories of his sexual abuse of a minor maid. A poster showing him with a half-naked girl was affixed in front of the place where he was to deliver his lecture. One Shri Pratapchandra Mazumdar, from his own country, felt his selfish interests threatened and ran a vilification campaign against Swami Vivekananda M azumdar, from his own country, felt his selfish interests threatened and ran a vilification campaign against Swami Vivekananda. When he failed in his attempts in America, he came to Kolkata and started maligning Swami Vivekananda. He made allegations of cheating, fraud and promiscuity against Swami Vivekananda. He ridiculed him by saying he represented no school of Indian spiritual thought. In America, on the other side, ‘Outlook’, ‘Boston Daily Advertiser’, and ‘Detroit Free Pass’ etc. portrayed Swami Vivekananda as a womaniser. ‘The interior’ magzine published false vulgar news about him Detractors declared even ruin of Swami Vivekananda.
But Swami Vivekananda was no the least worried by such false propaganda. He didn’t care at all for these happenings. His will was rather strengthened by all this. That is why he didn’t counter these accusations in spite of fervent pleas from his followers and admirers.
Blue Barber, a journalist from ‘Boston Daily Advertiser’ came to interview Swami Vivekananda. Here are some excerpts from the interview:
The questioner (making an accusation): Thanks to your licentious behaviours, Mrs. Bagley, the wife of former Governor of Michigan, had to dispense with the services of her teenaged maid. All this has been published in newspapers. What do you have to say?
Answer: You may better ask Mrs. Bagley in this matter and believe what she says…
And if you have a little bit of discrimination and discretion, if you want to be rational, ask the maid. A little effort is required though.
Question: You have nothing to say (in the matter)?
Answer: No.
Question: Mr. Hale has asked his daughters to keep away from you? Why?
Answer: Both Mr. Hale’s unmarried daughters are here with me… Ask them but not in my presence, separately.
After a pause, Swami Vivekananda said, “You are very fortunate. Mrs. Bagley and her maid, who your newspaper has reported as ‘had to dispense with the services’ are coming.
Blue Barber was embarrassed. He stared sweating in the cold season. But due to abashment, he couldn’t wipe off the perspiration on his face.
Swami Vivekananda said, “Blue Barber! Wipe off the perspiration on your face. I am sorry the character of journalism here is dubious. This is a bad omen for development of this country. I have nothing more to say. And I know what I have said will not be published.” Swami Vivekananda left and the journalist was left wiping off his perspiration. Even if the people, who make allegations against saints, who present their interviews in a distorted manner or attribute false statements to them and thereby cause anguish to devotees’ hearts, may make some money out of it, but history bears witness to the ultimate disastrous consequences they meet with. It is rightly said:
‘If you want to get peace, let others live peacefully.
Harassing others, how can you get tranquility?’
Those, on the other said, who bridge the gap between the saint and the society and try to propagate their religions, culture and elevate their country. Earn name fame along with the saints.
The whole world knows and respects Swami Vivekananda but his detractors, who committed the grave sin of misleading people and gave a bad name to their family line, were destroyed.
The famous saint, Narsinh Mehta too was maligned by his detractors with all vigour. Certain elements that were opposed to the message of Indian culture being spread far and wide set his own kinsmen against him who slandered and ostracized him. Even then, with God’s grace, he had no problem whatsoever. Finally, the wicked people who hated him, sent a prostitute named Chanchala to deprave him but the saint’s benevolent glance and his pious teachings transformed her very life. She abstained from prostitution and took to the path of devotion to the Lord. On the other hand, sharrangdhar, who had hatched the conspiracy, was bitten by a poisonous snake. No treatment helped him. Somebody suggested, ‘Narsinh Mehta. Narsinh Mehta gave him the charanamrita and he was completed cured of snakebite. The benevolent saint is known far and wide but the wretched slanderers will be left alone to suffer in the darkest hells.
Guru Nanak propagated Hindu culture A malicious campaign was launched against him using his won kinsmen as stooges. He was accused of misguiding people. All out efforts were made to harass him, but even today, Guru Nanak’s is the most hallowed name for Sikhs and one of the most hallowed for Hindus. The Gurubaani says about detractors:
‘The slanderer of the Saint is a brutal butcher. The slanderer of the Saint is cursed by the Transcendent Lord. The hopes of the slanderer of the Saint are not fulfilled.
The slanderer of the Saint departs disappointed.’ ….etc.
So this is the fate of detractors. God! May the wretched people engaged in maligning Pujya Bapuji learn some lesson from such episodes and desist from such heinous sins! Rajesh Solanki is in jail. Amrit Vaidya too is in a miserable state. He too has tasted the fun of being behind the bars. If others take a lesson from their plight and come on the right path, it will be good for them. Our appeal to them is – Don't play into the hands of forces bent on breaking the nation. Some of those, who did so are in jail, some are in misery and some are awaited by misery. We humbly request the people of this country that they should live with mutual love and fraternity, shouldn’t fall prey to the conspiracy hatched by those spreading venom and strife. Nobody should inflict atrocities on the people. Breaking somebody’s faith is a grave atrocity. OM Prakash Mishra.
Indians themselves were pitted against Kabirji kabirji’s detractors hired a prostitute and made her openly accuse Kabirji of debauchery. Not only that, she got Kabirji’s roof burnt through her lover, Sumant. The people coming to listen to Kabiriji’s satsang had to sit in the Sun. This pained Kabirji and a sigh of anguish escaped his heart as he looked towards the sky. It was enough to reduce the prostitute’s beautiful and well-built house to ashes. People told the whore it was the result of persecuting the saint. She went Kabirji. He said, “I have not done anything. Your lover burnt my hut; so my Lover burnt your house.”
Those who torment the saints and slander them certainly face nature’s wrath.
When Swami Vivekananda trumpeted the divine Vedic knowledge all around in the western world, the Christain missionaries were enraged. They started making dirty allegations against Swami Vivekananda. Newspapers like ‘Northampton Daily Herald’, ‘Detroit Tribune’ and ‘Detroit Journal’, etc., who sold out thei9r souls and become puppets in the hands of Christian missionaries, started painting swami Vivekananda as a romantic young man and a debauched sadhu always surrounded by young girls. They published invented stories of his sexual abuse of a minor maid. A poster showing him with a half-naked girl was affixed in front of the place where he was to deliver his lecture. One Shri Pratapchandra Mazumdar, from his own country, felt his selfish interests threatened and ran a vilification campaign against Swami Vivekananda M azumdar, from his own country, felt his selfish interests threatened and ran a vilification campaign against Swami Vivekananda. When he failed in his attempts in America, he came to Kolkata and started maligning Swami Vivekananda. He made allegations of cheating, fraud and promiscuity against Swami Vivekananda. He ridiculed him by saying he represented no school of Indian spiritual thought. In America, on the other side, ‘Outlook’, ‘Boston Daily Advertiser’, and ‘Detroit Free Pass’ etc. portrayed Swami Vivekananda as a womaniser. ‘The interior’ magzine published false vulgar news about him Detractors declared even ruin of Swami Vivekananda.
But Swami Vivekananda was no the least worried by such false propaganda. He didn’t care at all for these happenings. His will was rather strengthened by all this. That is why he didn’t counter these accusations in spite of fervent pleas from his followers and admirers.
Blue Barber, a journalist from ‘Boston Daily Advertiser’ came to interview Swami Vivekananda. Here are some excerpts from the interview:
The questioner (making an accusation): Thanks to your licentious behaviours, Mrs. Bagley, the wife of former Governor of Michigan, had to dispense with the services of her teenaged maid. All this has been published in newspapers. What do you have to say?
Answer: You may better ask Mrs. Bagley in this matter and believe what she says…
And if you have a little bit of discrimination and discretion, if you want to be rational, ask the maid. A little effort is required though.
Question: You have nothing to say (in the matter)?
Answer: No.
Question: Mr. Hale has asked his daughters to keep away from you? Why?
Answer: Both Mr. Hale’s unmarried daughters are here with me… Ask them but not in my presence, separately.
After a pause, Swami Vivekananda said, “You are very fortunate. Mrs. Bagley and her maid, who your newspaper has reported as ‘had to dispense with the services’ are coming.
Blue Barber was embarrassed. He stared sweating in the cold season. But due to abashment, he couldn’t wipe off the perspiration on his face.
Swami Vivekananda said, “Blue Barber! Wipe off the perspiration on your face. I am sorry the character of journalism here is dubious. This is a bad omen for development of this country. I have nothing more to say. And I know what I have said will not be published.” Swami Vivekananda left and the journalist was left wiping off his perspiration. Even if the people, who make allegations against saints, who present their interviews in a distorted manner or attribute false statements to them and thereby cause anguish to devotees’ hearts, may make some money out of it, but history bears witness to the ultimate disastrous consequences they meet with. It is rightly said:
‘If you want to get peace, let others live peacefully.
Harassing others, how can you get tranquility?’
Those, on the other said, who bridge the gap between the saint and the society and try to propagate their religions, culture and elevate their country. Earn name fame along with the saints.
The whole world knows and respects Swami Vivekananda but his detractors, who committed the grave sin of misleading people and gave a bad name to their family line, were destroyed.
The famous saint, Narsinh Mehta too was maligned by his detractors with all vigour. Certain elements that were opposed to the message of Indian culture being spread far and wide set his own kinsmen against him who slandered and ostracized him. Even then, with God’s grace, he had no problem whatsoever. Finally, the wicked people who hated him, sent a prostitute named Chanchala to deprave him but the saint’s benevolent glance and his pious teachings transformed her very life. She abstained from prostitution and took to the path of devotion to the Lord. On the other hand, sharrangdhar, who had hatched the conspiracy, was bitten by a poisonous snake. No treatment helped him. Somebody suggested, ‘Narsinh Mehta. Narsinh Mehta gave him the charanamrita and he was completed cured of snakebite. The benevolent saint is known far and wide but the wretched slanderers will be left alone to suffer in the darkest hells.
Guru Nanak propagated Hindu culture A malicious campaign was launched against him using his won kinsmen as stooges. He was accused of misguiding people. All out efforts were made to harass him, but even today, Guru Nanak’s is the most hallowed name for Sikhs and one of the most hallowed for Hindus. The Gurubaani says about detractors:
‘The slanderer of the Saint is a brutal butcher. The slanderer of the Saint is cursed by the Transcendent Lord. The hopes of the slanderer of the Saint are not fulfilled.
The slanderer of the Saint departs disappointed.’ ….etc.
So this is the fate of detractors. God! May the wretched people engaged in maligning Pujya Bapuji learn some lesson from such episodes and desist from such heinous sins! Rajesh Solanki is in jail. Amrit Vaidya too is in a miserable state. He too has tasted the fun of being behind the bars. If others take a lesson from their plight and come on the right path, it will be good for them. Our appeal to them is – Don't play into the hands of forces bent on breaking the nation. Some of those, who did so are in jail, some are in misery and some are awaited by misery. We humbly request the people of this country that they should live with mutual love and fraternity, shouldn’t fall prey to the conspiracy hatched by those spreading venom and strife. Nobody should inflict atrocities on the people. Breaking somebody’s faith is a grave atrocity. OM Prakash Mishra.
Friday, March 20, 2009
The Halllmark of Happiness
‘Believe it or not, this is a fact.
Love is the basic need of man.
Happiness is basic need of man.
Eternal bliss is the basic need of man.’
Love is the basic need of man.
Happiness is basic need of man.
Eternal bliss is the basic need of man.’
It is impossible to isolate happiness from life. Happiness is our very nature. There can be no life without happiness and vice versa. Life and happiness are two side of same coin. But the interesting fact is that man continues to long for happiness being unable to identify happiness. There is the requirement of happiness and there is happiness inherently present within man but due to inability to identify happiness, we reject gold and come home with brass. And we are soon disillusioned with it and want to change it, but alas! What we do is to go for another brand of brass. Happiness is that which one attained never fades out even in adverse circumstances; the effect of real knowledge, real happiness persists in the heart. What is the hallmark of divine nectar? It converts poison into nectar when maxed with it. The hallmark of water of holy Ganga is that tap water mixed into it too becomes Ganga-water. Position cannot kill the one who has imbibed divine nectar. In the same way, misery cannot afflict him, who has attained happiness. Some foolish men are deluded into regarding things like a house, a vehicle, a wife couple of factories – the structure of bricks, mortar, iron, timber etc. – as the means to happiness. There was one such happy bureaucrat. He had a lot of ill—gotten wealth. The bigger the dishonest income, the more irritable one’s nature becomes. One day, the beaureaucrat left his office early and drove exultantly to his wife, “A new movie has been released; come, we’ll watch it.” The lady got ready for the outing wearing the sari, the blouse and other accoutrements of matching colours but she could not find the sandals of matching colour in her shoe-rack. Her mood was off and she sat displeased and annoyed. The husband tried to placate her but she was adamant that she must have sandals of the same matching colour. The man too got annoyed and gave a bit of his mind to the wife. The wife paid him pack in the same coin. What to talk of watching the movie, they had no mood. They had everything worldly men consider productive of happiness, yet so small a thing as a pair of shoes marred everything and even deprived them of food on that day. There is no happiness or sensual pleasure as is not followed by grief, affliction, strife and fear. This is the epicureans’ concept of happiness-people who consider themselves to be intelligent and give so much importance to a pair of sandals! This is intellectual bankruptcy.
‘Every content, steady in meditation, possessed of firm conviction, self-controlled, with mind and intellect dedicated to Me, he, My devotee, is dear me Me’
Actually, we never attained real happiness. What we got from circumstance, was elation. Elation is a modification of the mind. The elation we get is always followed by an equal amount of grief.
‘Songs of marriage are followed sooner or later by cries of mourning.
Pyrotechnics are always accompanied by fire ready to burn. ‘
Never enjoy, even by mistake, those pleasures,
Which are followed by a host of sorrows.’
There is no pleasure in the world that doesn’t bring responsibility, tiredness and ruination in its aftermath. Therefore the hedonist cannot remain ever content.’ The yogi is ever content.’ A hedonist fills his mind with thoughts of sense-enjoyments but the Knower of Truth knows the art of beholding and becoming one with the Supreme Brahman, the substratum of the mind. Blessed are those great soul who know this art! Blessed also are they, who have faith in them and make their intellect divine in their holy company.
‘Every content, steady in meditation, possessed of firm conviction, self-controlled, with mind and intellect dedicated to Me, he, My devotee, is dear me Me’
Actually, we never attained real happiness. What we got from circumstance, was elation. Elation is a modification of the mind. The elation we get is always followed by an equal amount of grief.
‘Songs of marriage are followed sooner or later by cries of mourning.
Pyrotechnics are always accompanied by fire ready to burn. ‘
Never enjoy, even by mistake, those pleasures,
Which are followed by a host of sorrows.’
There is no pleasure in the world that doesn’t bring responsibility, tiredness and ruination in its aftermath. Therefore the hedonist cannot remain ever content.’ The yogi is ever content.’ A hedonist fills his mind with thoughts of sense-enjoyments but the Knower of Truth knows the art of beholding and becoming one with the Supreme Brahman, the substratum of the mind. Blessed are those great soul who know this art! Blessed also are they, who have faith in them and make their intellect divine in their holy company.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Change Your Perspective
Whatever happens is a dream and the witness to it, the Supreme Self, the Bliss absolute, is my very own. Stay secure in this knowledge. Some people think, ‘My mother-in-law should change herself… my daughter-in-law should herself…my son should change himself…’ My dear! This is what is called worldly life. Don't enter the unending game of endeavouring to change your daughter-in-law, son, fashion style…instead, change your mental outlook.
‘They alone are the perfect men; who are happy in all the circumstances,
If God gives them wealth they are happy. If God keeps them in rags, they are happy in that too.’
‘Hurrah!’ you cry with joy when a friend of yours comes. And you are filled with anger and hatred at the sight of an enemy. But you should know that the friend has come to give you cheer and the enemy to make you strong and free from attachment. This is the beautiful arrangement made by God.
The Guru instructs you in the Knowledge, ‘The enemy will come and go and so will the friend. But my beloved God, my Supreme friend is forever with me.’ Those who find such a guru realize the Ultimate Truth that makes them immortal; they become capable of trampling happiness and sorrow under their feet. Honour and insult, life and death are to them like features in a dream. Death fails to frighten them.
True disciples regard death too as God’s sport. Death only takes away your worn out garments and gives you new ones to wear. In life as well as in death, the existence of God remains unchanged. Every day when you sleep, you are in a death-like inactive state. It only reinvigorates you. Similarly, death gives you a fresh new body. The sincere disciples of a true guru know, ‘I never die; what dies is the body UM…Um….’ And knowing this they attain their immortal Self.
‘They alone are the perfect men; who are happy in all the circumstances,
If God gives them wealth they are happy. If God keeps them in rags, they are happy in that too.’
‘Hurrah!’ you cry with joy when a friend of yours comes. And you are filled with anger and hatred at the sight of an enemy. But you should know that the friend has come to give you cheer and the enemy to make you strong and free from attachment. This is the beautiful arrangement made by God.
The Guru instructs you in the Knowledge, ‘The enemy will come and go and so will the friend. But my beloved God, my Supreme friend is forever with me.’ Those who find such a guru realize the Ultimate Truth that makes them immortal; they become capable of trampling happiness and sorrow under their feet. Honour and insult, life and death are to them like features in a dream. Death fails to frighten them.
True disciples regard death too as God’s sport. Death only takes away your worn out garments and gives you new ones to wear. In life as well as in death, the existence of God remains unchanged. Every day when you sleep, you are in a death-like inactive state. It only reinvigorates you. Similarly, death gives you a fresh new body. The sincere disciples of a true guru know, ‘I never die; what dies is the body UM…Um….’ And knowing this they attain their immortal Self.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Worship of Sun-God
(A discourse delivered on the occasion of Uttarayana Parva: 14th January)
Indian culture lays great emphasis on worshipping the five gods. Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and His incarnations, Lord Ganesha, Ma Shakti and Surya (Sun-god). One who renders devotional service to and worships any of these deities and does japa of their names gets all kinds of benefits – material, other-worldly, moral and spiritual.
Uttarayana or the day of Makar Sankranti is considered to be of particular significance for worship of Surya. The day when the Sun enters Makar Rashi (one of the Zodiacs), is called makar sankranti. Sankranti means Samyak (right) Kranti (revolution). The revolution in the material world involves violence and plundering. Spiritual revolution on the other hand teaches us to see our good in that of others. ‘Live harmoniously; talk affectionately in a sweet comforting tone’ for the real essence of all beings is the same. In a lake or in the sea, a large number of waves are seen on the surface but the real essence in depth is one, water. Similarly the real essence in all beings is one, existence Knowledge-Bliss Absolute.
The great Bhishma Pitamah waited for 58 days on the bed of arrows for the Uttarayana. He continued to bear the severe pain caused by the arrows pierced in his entries body but he didn’t let his Prana, leave his body and held them back by the power of his will, being a dispassionate witness to his pain. Yudhishthira puts questions to grandsire Bhishma and he answers them lying on the bed of arrows. What great equanimity! What a great valour! How strong this great son of India is in body and in mind trampling as he does the difficulties coming his way! What a great culture we have! Is there any other instance in history where somebody is holding his Prana for 58 days by the strength of his will and is imparting Knowledge to Yudhishthira as grandsire Bhishma did at Lord Krishna’s behest? The teachings are contained in Anushasana Parvaand Shanti Parva of the epic Mahabharata. Festival of Uttarayana is the day to remember that great man and to get inspiration to attain equanimity, knowledge and Self-Bliss even in the face of difficult circumstances that are akin to the bed of arrows.
The festival of Uttarayana marks the morning of gods. Applying sesame unguent on the body, bathing with water mixed with sesame seeds, drinking such water, fire sacrifice with sesame seeds as oblation, eating sesame seeds and giving sesame seeds in charity-all these things destroy sin.
The Sun is the symbol of the Self-God. As the Self-God illuminates the mind, the intellect and the body, the Sun illuminates the world. But the Sun too is illuminated by the Atman. Who is the knower of the existence or non-existence of the Sun? it is your real ‘I’, your Real self. Your real ‘I’ is blazing in the form of the Sun. when you contemplate thus, it is Ahangraha Upasana (there remains only the Divine vision and nothing but that).Upasana is of two kinds Prateek Upasana and Ahangraha Upasana. The sun is the symbol of Knowledge and is the source of light, ojas, lustre, power and vitality. Elaborating on the meaning of Surya, the scriptures say: surya is Su (Supreme) + rya (inspiring). Thus Surya means ‘the Supreme one that inspires’. ‘O Surya! O Lord! Illuminate my intellect with Knowledge. You are the ancient one, the son of Aditi; and you are here now.’ – This is Prateek Upasana. Scriptures have given a beautiful method of worshipping the sun God:
‘Lord! Lead me from untruth to Truth.’ Lord! Save me from attachment to transient sense-enjoyments that are being formed and deformed continually and lead me to the Truth that is eternal, unchangeable and uniform.
‘Lord! Lead me from darkness to Light.’ Lord! Take me from the darkness of ignorance to the Light of Self-knowledge. Save me from ignorance and folly and attract me to your self-luminous nature, the consciousness Absolute, the eternal witness to all phenomena. May my ignorance of considering the body as ‘I’ get destroyed! May my ignorance considering transient objects as ‘my’ get destroyed!
‘Lord! Lead me Death to Immortality.’ My Real Being is such that it never dies, never gets destroyed. I am unaware of it. This is because of ignorance. The body is subject to death; the circumstance must always change. We regard them as real and thereby suffer again and again the misery of being hung upside down in the wombs. The miseries of birth, of disease and of death plague us too often.
At times, the Sun is shrouded by clouds. Our Real Self, the Truth, Knowledge, and Bliss too is at times shrouded by the clouds of desire, anger, greed, ego and malice. The external Sun that illuminates the world is a symbol of atman, the Transcendental Sun that illuminates all things in the universe. Life owes its existence to the Sun. in the morning, as the sun rises, it animates and gives life energy and joy to all. Similarly, the Supreme Brahman gives life to all gods. Men, other beings and to the elements of nature. The Sun gives life to eh solar System; the Supreme Being gives life to the entire creation including the Sun, the earth, the water the fire etc.
‘The sun is the soul of all that moves or doesn’t move.’
The Sun is the soul of the trees, plants, birds, animals, men and of the oxygen in the atmosphere. It is because of the Sun that the worldly transitions and activities take place. The Lord names the Sun a one of His glories:
‘Among the (twelve) Adityas (sons of Adit), I am Vishnu; among the luminaries, the radiant Sun.’
‘The Sun is Brahman and should be worshipped as such.’
The worship of Surya and of OM elevates the sadhaka quickly and gives the desired fruit. One desiring lustre becomes lustrous and those desiring strength, intellectual prowess and fame get respectively strength, intellectual prowess and fame. Whenever you worship the Sun, divert your mind sooner or later to the Sun of your Real Self, to the love of God. Think, ‘The Pure Consciousness that illuminates the Sun enables my intellect to decide. The Sun of my Atman gives the coolness to the Moon.’ The external Sun is seen rising and setting. But the Sun of our Atman always remains risen. There is no question of its setting the external Sun disappears at the time of the final cosmic dissolution but even at that time the Sun of our atman, the Supreme Being remains unaffected. The external Sun cannot destroy the ignorance of the mind and ignorance cannot survive in the face of the Sun of our Atman. Therefore, even Prateek Upasana, if it is done with discrimination, leads to Knowledge, not merely worship.
Worshipping the Sun by way of offering libation with a copper jug reciting the Surya Gayatri mantra given hereunder is especially beneficial:
One should take mud from the place where the offered water falls and apply Tilak one one’s forehead and should take a draught from the remaining water in the jug reciting the following mantra:
‘I imbibe the water from Lord Surya’s feet that wards off untimely death and destroyed all diseases.’
This is very good for protecting health. Thereafter mediate on Lord Surya in the centre of your eyebrows and do japa of OM.
As the Sun rises and illuminates the whole world with His elegant rays, in the same way O Man! Elevate yourself and develop your Self-effulgence. Then, without any kind of prejudice, fill all despondent hearts with the effulgence of hope, enthusiasm and bliss. OM Bliss…OM Sweetness OM Knowledge… Strength… Courage.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
All India Bal Sanskar Meeting
In life, our values are more important than wealth. Our link with wealth remains till one is alive but the importance of values remains even after death. That is why it is necessary to sow high caliber values from childhood itself. With this aim in mind, approximately ten years ago the seed of Bal Sanskar Kendra was sown, which today has grown like a huge banyan tree. To make this advance even further, an all India meeting was held during the Uttarayan festival in the discussion session, the thoughts that were expressed have been summarized below:
Was must take care to see that once the Bal Sanskar Kendra’ sapling has been sown, then it should not dry up. Sometimes less number of children may come, sometimes more. Do not be perturbed. Keep your interest going just as whether someone pays obeisance to it or not, offers libation to the sun or not, the Sun God rises as per the natural law governing it and progresses with the advancing day. Similarly, our Kendras should be like the Sun.
In case you face any problem, then the new kendra teachers should approach old kendra teachers for guidance and help. They can also approach the head office. The regional teachers can get together and organize ‘Bal Sanskar Teachers’ meetings’ in which discussion can be held and support can extended on the development and spread of kendras.
‘Bal Sanskar Kendra’ and ‘Vidyarthi Ujjwal Bhavishya Nirman Shivir’ Training
In the training held from 11th to 14th January 2009, kendra teachers from all over the country were given guidance on the following subjects:
Bal Sanskar Kendra, ‘Yog Uchcha Sanskar Shiksha Karyakram’ in schools, ‘Vidyarthi Ujjwal Bhavishya nirman Shivir’, organization of ‘parents’ Worship Day’, distribution of ‘Sant Avtaran’ notebooks etc.
Was must take care to see that once the Bal Sanskar Kendra’ sapling has been sown, then it should not dry up. Sometimes less number of children may come, sometimes more. Do not be perturbed. Keep your interest going just as whether someone pays obeisance to it or not, offers libation to the sun or not, the Sun God rises as per the natural law governing it and progresses with the advancing day. Similarly, our Kendras should be like the Sun.
In case you face any problem, then the new kendra teachers should approach old kendra teachers for guidance and help. They can also approach the head office. The regional teachers can get together and organize ‘Bal Sanskar Teachers’ meetings’ in which discussion can be held and support can extended on the development and spread of kendras.
‘Bal Sanskar Kendra’ and ‘Vidyarthi Ujjwal Bhavishya Nirman Shivir’ Training
In the training held from 11th to 14th January 2009, kendra teachers from all over the country were given guidance on the following subjects:
Bal Sanskar Kendra, ‘Yog Uchcha Sanskar Shiksha Karyakram’ in schools, ‘Vidyarthi Ujjwal Bhavishya nirman Shivir’, organization of ‘parents’ Worship Day’, distribution of ‘Sant Avtaran’ notebooks etc.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
‘Rishi Prasad’ Annual Meeting
For eighteen years, divine wisdom has been spreading through the medium of ‘Rishi Prasād’ to various parts of the world. To increase its dissemination and readership, an annual meeting was held during this year’s Uttaryan festival. The views expressed by the participants are presented below:
To do Rishi Prasād seva, you do not have to be especially educated; you do not have to be in a particular place at a particular time or in a particular situation. This seva can be done by everyone, at all times, in ongoing interactions. This seva transforms our karma into worship and is a beautiful way of bringing devotion and equanimity in our practical life.
In kaliyuga only charity redeems. However, there are different kinds of charity. Out of all of them, the best and permanent form of charity is the charity of satsang which gives fearlessness in every situation and its wisdom stays with us even after death. We are able to make this wisdom available to society through Rishi Prasād.
To make firm the spirit of empathy, Ajapa Gayatri is done along with the movement of breath. However, our experience is that doing the divine work of ‘Rishi Prasād’ gives the experience of inner happiness, peace within, self-fulfillment and self-love because of the feeling of goodwill for others that is constantly present.
It is our social duty to spread the wisdom which is giving us bliss and peace, to whole of society. While reaching ‘Rishi Prasād’ to people, our hearts experience the fulfillment that comes from being frees from our debt to society and from thinking of the good of others.
To do Rishi Prasād seva, you do not have to be especially educated; you do not have to be in a particular place at a particular time or in a particular situation. This seva can be done by everyone, at all times, in ongoing interactions. This seva transforms our karma into worship and is a beautiful way of bringing devotion and equanimity in our practical life.
In kaliyuga only charity redeems. However, there are different kinds of charity. Out of all of them, the best and permanent form of charity is the charity of satsang which gives fearlessness in every situation and its wisdom stays with us even after death. We are able to make this wisdom available to society through Rishi Prasād.
To make firm the spirit of empathy, Ajapa Gayatri is done along with the movement of breath. However, our experience is that doing the divine work of ‘Rishi Prasād’ gives the experience of inner happiness, peace within, self-fulfillment and self-love because of the feeling of goodwill for others that is constantly present.
It is our social duty to spread the wisdom which is giving us bliss and peace, to whole of society. While reaching ‘Rishi Prasād’ to people, our hearts experience the fulfillment that comes from being frees from our debt to society and from thinking of the good of others.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Satsang News
The satsag programme organized in Surat (Gujart) from the 25th to the 28th of December simply amazed the onlookers by the surging flood of devotees/sadhaks. The devotees, who were waiting for Pujyashree’s arrival, stoop along both sides of the road in long queues. When Bapuji arrived at the ashram amidst a shower of flowers, countless devotees were waiting in the statsang pandal with a fervent desire to have a glimpse of their adorable Gurudev. Speaking to the people suffering from sorrow and diseases, Pujyashree made them aware of the secrets of happiness and death as follows: “In happiness resides sorrow, in attachment resides hatred, in enjoyment of sense pleasures resides disease, but in devotional love to the Lord resides His grace that destroys pain and sorrow. The darshan of the holy men bestows the darshan of the holy men bestows joy and enthusiasm of the Lord’s love.”
Imparting wisdom regarding nutritious and healthy food, Bapuji said: “Don't feed your children on the stale flour sold in the market flour starts losing its nutrients from seven days after grinding. Mix 5kgs. of wheat 1 kg. jou and if it is winter, mix 1kg. soya bean in it. The flour made from this mixture is very nutritious. I have eaten the rotis made of this and also seen the results. Feed children with this flour and let their parents also eat it. Be healthy, happy and virtuous.”
Satsang was organized in Dabhoi (Gujarat) on the 30th and 31th of December. Introducing the great power of thoughts, Pujya Bapuji said: “Those who value satsang will be blessed no doubt, but those who do not value satsang and hold on to and thoughts instead of noble ones will do great harm to themselves and to others as well. Now, this huge gathering in Dabhoi is the result of a noble idea that occurred to the samiti members for organizing a satsang. One noble thought of organizing satsang brings peace and happiness to lakhs of people while the evil intention of fighting and instigating fights creates disturbance, disorder and strikes.
“One evil idea of a student called Abdul Latif resulted in the creation of Pakistan and rendered crores of people homeless, caused atrocities on lakhs and killed thousands. That one idea is still posing a nuisance to the world. If one evil thought can do so much, then what wonder to one good thought brings nobility and leads one to satsang and God?”
In the divine presence of Pujya Bapuji in Dabhoi, a large scale bhandara (distribution of meals and other useful articles) was organized on the 31st of December. In this bhandara, shirts, sarees, children’s clothes, caps, date fruits, sweets and other such eatables were distributed to the poor and the needy. After satisfying all of them with meals/Prasad, financial help was also given in the form of cash. Pujyashree arrived at the Ahmedabad ashram on the 31th Dec. itself. Sadguru who is our Supreme well-wisher, doesn’t miss a single opportunity to awaken us. Here, Pujyashree’s simple language aroused the flame of discriminative intellect and dispassion in the hearts of the sadhaks. He said: “Use your discrimination to see if there is anything other than God that will be ours forever? Why and for what should one be dishonest and wicked, why should one hate and why should one hate and why should one commit sinful acts? Why find fault with others? All live according to the results of their past deeds and their natural tendency. May good be to all…”
The people of Delhi were fortunate to have Bapuji’s poonam darshan on the 10th of January. Fostering good will among the people towards sanatan culture, Pujya Bapuji said: “The Sanskrit language and our culture arranges for the union of the individual soul with the Supreme soul, rising not only above a natural, religious, cultured and meditation life-free from the depravities of sense-enjoyment but also above destiny.” Pujya Bapuji enlightened the audience about the uniqueness of the Sanskrit language and said: “The vedic language from which we receive cultural traits and impressions is Sanskrit. It is also called ‘the languages of the gods’ and is written in the devanagri scrip. A great uniqueness of the divine language is that in it, generally, the roots have 180 forms. There are singulars and plurals in other languages, but in Sanskrit grammar there are singulars, plurals and dual numbers. We also find there genders in this language and it is called the richest language of the world.”
As is done every year, the Uttarayan celebration was organized at the Ahmedbad ashram from the 11th to the 14th of January. This time, thought Bapuji’s programme was organized in Delhi just before Uttarayan, the crowd of devotees did not decrease in Ahmedabad. Innumerable people got knowledge from Bapuji’s satsang regarding the spiritual and vedic significance of Uttarayan festival. In addition, they also got knowledge about health-related matters and offered oblations to the sun God. The devotees got guidance regarding the ways in which different diseases can be prevented by harnessing the sun’s rays. On Uttarayan day, innumerable people coming from within India and abroad took bath according to the vedic rituals in the morning after applying the unguent paste prepared as per vedic customs. They also drank Panchagavya. People form different countries of the world benefited from Bapuji’s satsang and darshan by means of live telecast, website and video conferencing.
On Uttarayan, which is a kite festival, the devotees experienced the soaring flight of knowledge and meditation by the grace of Pujya Bapuji who is a self-realized saint. Pujyashree stressed on the importance of a life, free from passionate desires: “The Company of saints fructifies when one eschews bad company. The fickleness of the mind does not cause as much sorrow as do actions that are full of selfish desires, dishonesty and wickedness. Concentration of the mind is a good thing but both Hiranyakashipu and Ravana who had attained the heights of concentration had to finally give up everything and die because they harboured selfish desires to enjoy the pleasures of the world. Shabari did not possess any worldly wealth but her loyalty to Rishi Matang, blessed her with the wealth of spiritual splendour and glory. What do traitors know of this glory!?
Citizens of the town of Alwar (Rajasthan) which has been the birthplace of saint Charandas and the place of sadhana of saint Sunderdas, got the golden opportunity to get Bapuji’s satsang on the 17th and 18th of January. The devotees of Alwar and the surrounding areas thronged in huge number to get the benefit of this opportunity which they got after a long wait of 11 years. They were feeling blessed by Bapuji’s presence again. Inspiring these devotees to come out of worldly attachments and tread the spiritual path leading to the Supreme goal Bapuji said: “It is only the greed for happiness that makes a person roam in this worldly life that has no beginning and no end. However, by means of satsang a human moves ahead in search of the most Supreme and elevated state.”
The fortunate devotees of Vallabhgram (Rajasthan) situated near Khairthal got the benefit of satsang sessions on the 18th and 9th of Jan. Pujya Bapuji’s arrival here refreshed the memories of the pure and noble Guru – disciple tradition because this was the sacred land that for a long period had the presence of Bapuji’s sadgurudev Shri shri Leelashahji Maharaj.
Though Pujyashree had arrived at the Agra ashram (U.P) with an intention of staying in solitude, when he saw the huge number of devotees who thronged there, he announced a satsang session in the afternoon of the 20th of January. Telling the method of attending robust health to the students of the Gurukul here, Bapuji said: “Soaking an almond in water at night and peeling it in the morning, to be finely ground or eaten after chewing it well bestows unique strength.” Bapuji also gave instructions to arrange for the purchase of almonds in wholesale and give it to the students for breakfast. Making them aware of our culture, Bapuji said: “In a country where the native language, native culture and the saints are not respected, the behaviour and the thoughts of the people become demoniacal.”
On the 23rd of January the people of Iglas, Hathras and Aligadh (U.P.) were all blessed with Bapuji’s satsang on the same day. People got the news of satsang being announced only a few hours in advance, but the news of the programmes arranged at such as short notice spread with the speed of the wind and huge crowds of devotees thronged to have darshan of their beloved Bapuji.
Devotees from the region near Karsua ashram Aligadh (U.P.) got the opportunity of satsang on the 24th of January. In the holy land where the son of Nand baba, Lord Shri Krishna performed his divine play Vrindavan (U.P), satsang was organized. The city of Vrindavan and Bapuji’s satsang! Not only the people of Uttar Pardesh, but also Delohi, Rajasthan and other areas from North India turned up to benefit from this rare combination. In Lord Krishha’s city the Vaishnav sadhus, saints and devotees of Mahura – Vrindavan were swayed and enthralled in the shower of knowledge, devotion and love!
Explaining the meaning of love in the city of love Bapuji said: “If God is different from us, then how can He be all pervading? God is present in all of us and he is our own. The stream of nectarine satsang flowed in Eta (U.P.), the evening of the 26th of January (Somavati Amavashy). Explaining the unique significance of Somavati amavasys, Ravivari saptami, Mangalvari chatruthi and Budhvari ashtami, Bapuji said that the merits derived from the observance of silence, jap, austerities and meditation on these auspicious days will be inexhaustible.
Imparting wisdom regarding nutritious and healthy food, Bapuji said: “Don't feed your children on the stale flour sold in the market flour starts losing its nutrients from seven days after grinding. Mix 5kgs. of wheat 1 kg. jou and if it is winter, mix 1kg. soya bean in it. The flour made from this mixture is very nutritious. I have eaten the rotis made of this and also seen the results. Feed children with this flour and let their parents also eat it. Be healthy, happy and virtuous.”
Satsang was organized in Dabhoi (Gujarat) on the 30th and 31th of December. Introducing the great power of thoughts, Pujya Bapuji said: “Those who value satsang will be blessed no doubt, but those who do not value satsang and hold on to and thoughts instead of noble ones will do great harm to themselves and to others as well. Now, this huge gathering in Dabhoi is the result of a noble idea that occurred to the samiti members for organizing a satsang. One noble thought of organizing satsang brings peace and happiness to lakhs of people while the evil intention of fighting and instigating fights creates disturbance, disorder and strikes.
“One evil idea of a student called Abdul Latif resulted in the creation of Pakistan and rendered crores of people homeless, caused atrocities on lakhs and killed thousands. That one idea is still posing a nuisance to the world. If one evil thought can do so much, then what wonder to one good thought brings nobility and leads one to satsang and God?”
In the divine presence of Pujya Bapuji in Dabhoi, a large scale bhandara (distribution of meals and other useful articles) was organized on the 31st of December. In this bhandara, shirts, sarees, children’s clothes, caps, date fruits, sweets and other such eatables were distributed to the poor and the needy. After satisfying all of them with meals/Prasad, financial help was also given in the form of cash. Pujyashree arrived at the Ahmedabad ashram on the 31th Dec. itself. Sadguru who is our Supreme well-wisher, doesn’t miss a single opportunity to awaken us. Here, Pujyashree’s simple language aroused the flame of discriminative intellect and dispassion in the hearts of the sadhaks. He said: “Use your discrimination to see if there is anything other than God that will be ours forever? Why and for what should one be dishonest and wicked, why should one hate and why should one hate and why should one commit sinful acts? Why find fault with others? All live according to the results of their past deeds and their natural tendency. May good be to all…”
The people of Delhi were fortunate to have Bapuji’s poonam darshan on the 10th of January. Fostering good will among the people towards sanatan culture, Pujya Bapuji said: “The Sanskrit language and our culture arranges for the union of the individual soul with the Supreme soul, rising not only above a natural, religious, cultured and meditation life-free from the depravities of sense-enjoyment but also above destiny.” Pujya Bapuji enlightened the audience about the uniqueness of the Sanskrit language and said: “The vedic language from which we receive cultural traits and impressions is Sanskrit. It is also called ‘the languages of the gods’ and is written in the devanagri scrip. A great uniqueness of the divine language is that in it, generally, the roots have 180 forms. There are singulars and plurals in other languages, but in Sanskrit grammar there are singulars, plurals and dual numbers. We also find there genders in this language and it is called the richest language of the world.”
As is done every year, the Uttarayan celebration was organized at the Ahmedbad ashram from the 11th to the 14th of January. This time, thought Bapuji’s programme was organized in Delhi just before Uttarayan, the crowd of devotees did not decrease in Ahmedabad. Innumerable people got knowledge from Bapuji’s satsang regarding the spiritual and vedic significance of Uttarayan festival. In addition, they also got knowledge about health-related matters and offered oblations to the sun God. The devotees got guidance regarding the ways in which different diseases can be prevented by harnessing the sun’s rays. On Uttarayan day, innumerable people coming from within India and abroad took bath according to the vedic rituals in the morning after applying the unguent paste prepared as per vedic customs. They also drank Panchagavya. People form different countries of the world benefited from Bapuji’s satsang and darshan by means of live telecast, website and video conferencing.
On Uttarayan, which is a kite festival, the devotees experienced the soaring flight of knowledge and meditation by the grace of Pujya Bapuji who is a self-realized saint. Pujyashree stressed on the importance of a life, free from passionate desires: “The Company of saints fructifies when one eschews bad company. The fickleness of the mind does not cause as much sorrow as do actions that are full of selfish desires, dishonesty and wickedness. Concentration of the mind is a good thing but both Hiranyakashipu and Ravana who had attained the heights of concentration had to finally give up everything and die because they harboured selfish desires to enjoy the pleasures of the world. Shabari did not possess any worldly wealth but her loyalty to Rishi Matang, blessed her with the wealth of spiritual splendour and glory. What do traitors know of this glory!?
Citizens of the town of Alwar (Rajasthan) which has been the birthplace of saint Charandas and the place of sadhana of saint Sunderdas, got the golden opportunity to get Bapuji’s satsang on the 17th and 18th of January. The devotees of Alwar and the surrounding areas thronged in huge number to get the benefit of this opportunity which they got after a long wait of 11 years. They were feeling blessed by Bapuji’s presence again. Inspiring these devotees to come out of worldly attachments and tread the spiritual path leading to the Supreme goal Bapuji said: “It is only the greed for happiness that makes a person roam in this worldly life that has no beginning and no end. However, by means of satsang a human moves ahead in search of the most Supreme and elevated state.”
The fortunate devotees of Vallabhgram (Rajasthan) situated near Khairthal got the benefit of satsang sessions on the 18th and 9th of Jan. Pujya Bapuji’s arrival here refreshed the memories of the pure and noble Guru – disciple tradition because this was the sacred land that for a long period had the presence of Bapuji’s sadgurudev Shri shri Leelashahji Maharaj.
Though Pujyashree had arrived at the Agra ashram (U.P) with an intention of staying in solitude, when he saw the huge number of devotees who thronged there, he announced a satsang session in the afternoon of the 20th of January. Telling the method of attending robust health to the students of the Gurukul here, Bapuji said: “Soaking an almond in water at night and peeling it in the morning, to be finely ground or eaten after chewing it well bestows unique strength.” Bapuji also gave instructions to arrange for the purchase of almonds in wholesale and give it to the students for breakfast. Making them aware of our culture, Bapuji said: “In a country where the native language, native culture and the saints are not respected, the behaviour and the thoughts of the people become demoniacal.”
On the 23rd of January the people of Iglas, Hathras and Aligadh (U.P.) were all blessed with Bapuji’s satsang on the same day. People got the news of satsang being announced only a few hours in advance, but the news of the programmes arranged at such as short notice spread with the speed of the wind and huge crowds of devotees thronged to have darshan of their beloved Bapuji.
Devotees from the region near Karsua ashram Aligadh (U.P.) got the opportunity of satsang on the 24th of January. In the holy land where the son of Nand baba, Lord Shri Krishna performed his divine play Vrindavan (U.P), satsang was organized. The city of Vrindavan and Bapuji’s satsang! Not only the people of Uttar Pardesh, but also Delohi, Rajasthan and other areas from North India turned up to benefit from this rare combination. In Lord Krishha’s city the Vaishnav sadhus, saints and devotees of Mahura – Vrindavan were swayed and enthralled in the shower of knowledge, devotion and love!
Explaining the meaning of love in the city of love Bapuji said: “If God is different from us, then how can He be all pervading? God is present in all of us and he is our own. The stream of nectarine satsang flowed in Eta (U.P.), the evening of the 26th of January (Somavati Amavashy). Explaining the unique significance of Somavati amavasys, Ravivari saptami, Mangalvari chatruthi and Budhvari ashtami, Bapuji said that the merits derived from the observance of silence, jap, austerities and meditation on these auspicious days will be inexhaustible.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Celibacy: The Third Pillar of the Body
Celibacy is the third pillar of the body. (The first is food and the second is sleep, explained in the earlier issues). The body, mind, intellect and the senses get nutrition from food, rest from sleep and strength from celibacy respectively.
‘Abstaining from sexual indulgence in the physical, mental and verbal form, always and in all circumstances and situations is brahmacharya.’
Observance of celibacy helps in the conservation of semen and the seven vital elements of the body. Persons rich in shukra will have excellent health, strength, intelligence and longevity. They will have a keen and pure intellect, strong memory, good discriminative and decision-making ability, great power of resolve, firm determination, courage, pure and noble thoughts, and a joyful temperament. All their sense organs, teeth, hair and eye-sight remain strong till old age. They are not easily affected by diseases. Though very rarely, even if they get affected by they get cured very quickly and with minimal treatment describing the glory of brahmacharya, Lord Dhanavantari has said:
Observance of celibacy is the best of all solutions to destroy diseases, sorrows, untimely or premature death and premature old age. I state this fact that like ambrosia, it is the source of all happiness.”
Just as the butter content present in curds is separated by the process of churning, the essence of the seven dhatus – ‘ojas’ present in every cell of the body is separated from the body by the process of sex ( copulation or masturbation etc). The loss of this ‘ojas’ makes a man charmless, weak, diseased, sorrowful, fearful, angry and worried.
Symptoms of Loss of Shukra ( Charak Samhita):
The loss of shukra will lead to the appearance of certain symptoms in a person, which are as follows:
Debility, dryness of the month, paleness, enervation of the body and the senses, getting tried after only a little effort, and impotence.
Ailments Caused by Overindulgence in Sex:
Fever, difficulty in breathing, cough, tuberculosis, anaemia, debility, stomach pain and convulsions.
Measures to Preserve Celibacy:
A firm and auspicious resolve to maintain celibacy, pure and simple living, intake of sattvik, fresh and moderate quantity of food, breathing in fresh air sun bathing, sun bathing, austerities and fasting, yogasanas, pranayam, chanting of ‘Ñ’ aryamāyai namah’, reading the shastras, being continuously engaged in noble work, keeping the company of well-behaved and self-controlled people, going to bed early and rising in the brahma muhurta (two and a half hours before sun rise), bathing in cold water in the morning, bathing of genitals with cold water both in the morning and evening, wearing the loin cloth(langot/kaupeen), not having any vices, giving up bad company, giving up seeing bad sights and hearing bad words men considering all women other than wife as mother and women considering all men other than husband as father or brother-these are the measures that are helpful in observing Brahmacharaya. Sitting in solitude with other men, having a secret conversation, roaming around as one pleases, wearing gaudy and provocative clothes, moving around with provocative make up-all these will cause obstacles to women who want to observe celibacy. The more we lead a life full of sadhana, altruism, duty and justice, the proportionately lesser will be our attachment to the body. When this happens, the observance of celibacy becomes easy and natural to us. Absolute and dedicated celibacy is absolutely necessary to attain self-realization.
Brahmacharya in married life:
‘Having sexual union with one’s wife only in the time permitted for sexual activity is Brahmacharya in married life. From the first day of the menses to the sixteenth day is considered as ritu kaal (appropriate period). During this period, the four nights of the menstrual cycle and the eleventh and thirteenth nights are considered as inappropriate. Out of the remaining ten days, the man who has sexual union with his wife on the two most appropriate nights is a ‘Brahmanchari in married life.’
“Men who are self-controlled in the matters of women (sex) are long-lived and they get old very late. Their bodies will not only be handsome, lustrous and strong, but also have stable and strong musculature.
Thus, wisdom in taking food, sleep and in observing celibacy can help a person in attaining a healthy, happy and respectable life.
‘Abstaining from sexual indulgence in the physical, mental and verbal form, always and in all circumstances and situations is brahmacharya.’
Observance of celibacy helps in the conservation of semen and the seven vital elements of the body. Persons rich in shukra will have excellent health, strength, intelligence and longevity. They will have a keen and pure intellect, strong memory, good discriminative and decision-making ability, great power of resolve, firm determination, courage, pure and noble thoughts, and a joyful temperament. All their sense organs, teeth, hair and eye-sight remain strong till old age. They are not easily affected by diseases. Though very rarely, even if they get affected by they get cured very quickly and with minimal treatment describing the glory of brahmacharya, Lord Dhanavantari has said:
Observance of celibacy is the best of all solutions to destroy diseases, sorrows, untimely or premature death and premature old age. I state this fact that like ambrosia, it is the source of all happiness.”
Just as the butter content present in curds is separated by the process of churning, the essence of the seven dhatus – ‘ojas’ present in every cell of the body is separated from the body by the process of sex ( copulation or masturbation etc). The loss of this ‘ojas’ makes a man charmless, weak, diseased, sorrowful, fearful, angry and worried.
Symptoms of Loss of Shukra ( Charak Samhita):
The loss of shukra will lead to the appearance of certain symptoms in a person, which are as follows:
Debility, dryness of the month, paleness, enervation of the body and the senses, getting tried after only a little effort, and impotence.
Ailments Caused by Overindulgence in Sex:
Fever, difficulty in breathing, cough, tuberculosis, anaemia, debility, stomach pain and convulsions.
Measures to Preserve Celibacy:
A firm and auspicious resolve to maintain celibacy, pure and simple living, intake of sattvik, fresh and moderate quantity of food, breathing in fresh air sun bathing, sun bathing, austerities and fasting, yogasanas, pranayam, chanting of ‘Ñ’ aryamāyai namah’, reading the shastras, being continuously engaged in noble work, keeping the company of well-behaved and self-controlled people, going to bed early and rising in the brahma muhurta (two and a half hours before sun rise), bathing in cold water in the morning, bathing of genitals with cold water both in the morning and evening, wearing the loin cloth(langot/kaupeen), not having any vices, giving up bad company, giving up seeing bad sights and hearing bad words men considering all women other than wife as mother and women considering all men other than husband as father or brother-these are the measures that are helpful in observing Brahmacharaya. Sitting in solitude with other men, having a secret conversation, roaming around as one pleases, wearing gaudy and provocative clothes, moving around with provocative make up-all these will cause obstacles to women who want to observe celibacy. The more we lead a life full of sadhana, altruism, duty and justice, the proportionately lesser will be our attachment to the body. When this happens, the observance of celibacy becomes easy and natural to us. Absolute and dedicated celibacy is absolutely necessary to attain self-realization.
Brahmacharya in married life:
‘Having sexual union with one’s wife only in the time permitted for sexual activity is Brahmacharya in married life. From the first day of the menses to the sixteenth day is considered as ritu kaal (appropriate period). During this period, the four nights of the menstrual cycle and the eleventh and thirteenth nights are considered as inappropriate. Out of the remaining ten days, the man who has sexual union with his wife on the two most appropriate nights is a ‘Brahmanchari in married life.’
“Men who are self-controlled in the matters of women (sex) are long-lived and they get old very late. Their bodies will not only be handsome, lustrous and strong, but also have stable and strong musculature.
Thus, wisdom in taking food, sleep and in observing celibacy can help a person in attaining a healthy, happy and respectable life.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
A Saga of Ruins
Dadu Deen Dayal Maharaj was a renowned saint. His disciple, Swami Nishchaldas Maharaj is the a author of ‘Vichar sagar.’ My Satguru Lord Leelashahji Maharaj was greatly impressed by the works of Dadu Deen Dayal. In fact, we belong to the lineage or disciplic succession of Dadu Deen Dayal.
Amer is situated near Jaipur (Raj). At the behest of King Akabar, King Mansinh was enthroned at Amer. For the past fourteen to fifteen hundred years, the alien forces have been trying only one strategy to divide the Hindus in order to bring them in their own sect. the supporters of conversion made Hindu Brahmins their puppets and set them work against Daduji. Actually the Hindu Brahmins were not against Daduji but they were intentionally made opponents.
A Brahmin had two young daughters. They were Daduji’s disciples. The opponents instigated the Brahmin and they all marched to King Mansinh with a complaint, ‘Your Majesty, in your regime, a vicious act is being carried out. Dadu Maharaji has unlawfully kept two young girls in his premises. Please free our daughters from his clutches. He has forcibly snatched the daughters fro m his fathers and kept them in his ashram.”
Damn! E had not snatched them from anyone. When the mind and intellect of young children becomes pure, they choose the path absolute purity. Great soul like Mahatma Buddha, Lord Mahavir Swami had not snatched any child from anyone. Lord Leela Shahji Maharaj had never snatched Asumal from his family. I’d myself gone to stay at ‘His Lotus feet’ and I’ve been benefited by ‘His divine Grace.’ Not only this, even today. Millions of beings are being blessed by His Divine Grace. ‘The Great soul’ has transformed Asumal into Asaram and presented him to the society. Hails to Lord Leela Shahji Maharaj!
During those days, the opponents even went to the extent of instigating King Mansinh. They said, “Dear King, at your coronation ceremony, every saint and sadhu came to bless you but Saint Dadu did not come to shower his blessings upon you. Rather he has unlawfully kept two damsels in his ashram.” They attributed great denigration to the pious name of Daduji.
“Your Majesty! It is a great disgrace to you and you are not saying anything for him. He does not believe in Hinduism or Islam. One of his disciples died in the ashram and Daduji abandoned his deadbody in the woods. No last rites of the body were performed. It was not cremated. Jal samskara or Agni saamskar was not performed. It was not buried. Rather, in the woods, birds and animals like kites, jackals, foxes and dogs etc. kept feeding themselves on the disciple’s dead body. How can such a man who is cruel to his disciple be beneficent for the society, country or the king?”
after hearing the insidious account, the king investigated the case which confirmed the facts about the disciple’s last rites. The king deliberated, “If I give any punishment to the saint, maybe the deep sigh of agony expressed by the saint and his devotees cause my ruin. On the other hand, if I fail to calm these rebels, the upsurging unrest among the society might result into my dethronement by Emperor Akbar.
The king felt himself on the horns of dilemma. The prudent king reached Dadu’s ashram and said, “Maharaj, I’ve come to have your pious darshan.”
But, the skeptical looks can no longer be hidden. The saint said, “On the pretext of having ‘Darshan,’ actually you’ve come to enquire about something.”
“Yes, Maharaj, I heard that one of your disciples had died. So you instead of performing his last rites, allowed the body to be left in the woods.”
“Yes King, I had performed his last rites. But the funeral ceremonies can be performed in six different ways. I.Agni Samskara, the body is consigned to flames. 2. Jala Samskara, it is dropped in water. 3. Burial, buried in the earth. 4. Vayu Samskara, the body is offered to the wind God, the body is kept in a forest. Fifth way is when the mortal body disappears owing to the pangs of separation from the beloved Lord, as it happened in the case of Mirabai. And the last kind of rites is ‘Jnana samadhi,’
in this case, I performed the fourth kind of funeral rites. After reciting the sacred Mantras, I made a resolve and offered the body to ‘the wind God’ and to the God of forest. That was my disciple’s wish and I carried out the same.
“Great Saint! I trust your words I was told that you are cruel to your disciples’, my ears were poisoned. A few people had even instigated a Brahmin and brought him to me. He was crying bitterly and saying, ‘Maharaj has kept my two beautiful daughters forcibly in his ashram.’ Swamiji! Are the girls here?”
Swamiji replied, “Yes, they are here.”
“Are they beautiful?”
“Yes, they are very beautiful. Not only are they physically attractive, their inner beauty and acumen is also exceptional. They’ve understood the evanescence of this transient world and now they are enjoying the nectar of Eternity. They’ve transcended the limits of ego and desires. At present, they are attaining the Supreme wealth of the Lord’s devotion.
“It’s good my Lord. If you don't mind, may I see those girls for a while?”
The saint said, ‘Yes you see them. You might feel hesitant in asking them anything in my presence. Better you meet them alone.” The king had a conversation with the girls in solitude and suggested them, ‘Both of you are so beautiful. I’ll marry you of to either princes or wealthy grooms.” The king tried to allure them through several promises.
After a lengthy conversation, the girls replied, “Your Majesty! People poured out immense venom for the woman saint Shandili. They even didn’t spare her Gurudev from denigration. But all this defamation didn’t deter shandili and her Guruji from the righteous path. Revered Matang Rishi was also defamed for tribal woman Shabari. Even when Shabari was also castigated, both the Guru and the disciple remained adamant on their resolve. Today, the world bows before them in reverence. Gargi Devi remained unmarried throughout her life. People didn’t spare her also. And today people idolize her.
Neither we nor our revered Gurudev has any desire to gain acclaim or reverence. But when after abandoning the mundane path of ego and desire, we are treading the righteous path of devotion; a path to surrender our false ego at the Supreme Lord’s feet, these ignorant beings of society unnecessarily feel anguished. Undoubtedly, the prudent section of our society is finding itself blissful by bowing themselves at the Lotus feet of our revered ‘Gurudev.’ O King! It is a fact that even if they do not bow down it will not cause any difference to our Gurudev or even to us.”
The king was thoroughly moved by the conversation and thought, “Damnation to the critics, instigators and even my own imprudence for being skeptical towards these innocent girls and the revered saint.”
Amer is situated near Jaipur (Raj). At the behest of King Akabar, King Mansinh was enthroned at Amer. For the past fourteen to fifteen hundred years, the alien forces have been trying only one strategy to divide the Hindus in order to bring them in their own sect. the supporters of conversion made Hindu Brahmins their puppets and set them work against Daduji. Actually the Hindu Brahmins were not against Daduji but they were intentionally made opponents.
A Brahmin had two young daughters. They were Daduji’s disciples. The opponents instigated the Brahmin and they all marched to King Mansinh with a complaint, ‘Your Majesty, in your regime, a vicious act is being carried out. Dadu Maharaji has unlawfully kept two young girls in his premises. Please free our daughters from his clutches. He has forcibly snatched the daughters fro m his fathers and kept them in his ashram.”
Damn! E had not snatched them from anyone. When the mind and intellect of young children becomes pure, they choose the path absolute purity. Great soul like Mahatma Buddha, Lord Mahavir Swami had not snatched any child from anyone. Lord Leela Shahji Maharaj had never snatched Asumal from his family. I’d myself gone to stay at ‘His Lotus feet’ and I’ve been benefited by ‘His divine Grace.’ Not only this, even today. Millions of beings are being blessed by His Divine Grace. ‘The Great soul’ has transformed Asumal into Asaram and presented him to the society. Hails to Lord Leela Shahji Maharaj!
During those days, the opponents even went to the extent of instigating King Mansinh. They said, “Dear King, at your coronation ceremony, every saint and sadhu came to bless you but Saint Dadu did not come to shower his blessings upon you. Rather he has unlawfully kept two damsels in his ashram.” They attributed great denigration to the pious name of Daduji.
“Your Majesty! It is a great disgrace to you and you are not saying anything for him. He does not believe in Hinduism or Islam. One of his disciples died in the ashram and Daduji abandoned his deadbody in the woods. No last rites of the body were performed. It was not cremated. Jal samskara or Agni saamskar was not performed. It was not buried. Rather, in the woods, birds and animals like kites, jackals, foxes and dogs etc. kept feeding themselves on the disciple’s dead body. How can such a man who is cruel to his disciple be beneficent for the society, country or the king?”
after hearing the insidious account, the king investigated the case which confirmed the facts about the disciple’s last rites. The king deliberated, “If I give any punishment to the saint, maybe the deep sigh of agony expressed by the saint and his devotees cause my ruin. On the other hand, if I fail to calm these rebels, the upsurging unrest among the society might result into my dethronement by Emperor Akbar.
The king felt himself on the horns of dilemma. The prudent king reached Dadu’s ashram and said, “Maharaj, I’ve come to have your pious darshan.”
But, the skeptical looks can no longer be hidden. The saint said, “On the pretext of having ‘Darshan,’ actually you’ve come to enquire about something.”
“Yes, Maharaj, I heard that one of your disciples had died. So you instead of performing his last rites, allowed the body to be left in the woods.”
“Yes King, I had performed his last rites. But the funeral ceremonies can be performed in six different ways. I.Agni Samskara, the body is consigned to flames. 2. Jala Samskara, it is dropped in water. 3. Burial, buried in the earth. 4. Vayu Samskara, the body is offered to the wind God, the body is kept in a forest. Fifth way is when the mortal body disappears owing to the pangs of separation from the beloved Lord, as it happened in the case of Mirabai. And the last kind of rites is ‘Jnana samadhi,’
in this case, I performed the fourth kind of funeral rites. After reciting the sacred Mantras, I made a resolve and offered the body to ‘the wind God’ and to the God of forest. That was my disciple’s wish and I carried out the same.
“Great Saint! I trust your words I was told that you are cruel to your disciples’, my ears were poisoned. A few people had even instigated a Brahmin and brought him to me. He was crying bitterly and saying, ‘Maharaj has kept my two beautiful daughters forcibly in his ashram.’ Swamiji! Are the girls here?”
Swamiji replied, “Yes, they are here.”
“Are they beautiful?”
“Yes, they are very beautiful. Not only are they physically attractive, their inner beauty and acumen is also exceptional. They’ve understood the evanescence of this transient world and now they are enjoying the nectar of Eternity. They’ve transcended the limits of ego and desires. At present, they are attaining the Supreme wealth of the Lord’s devotion.
“It’s good my Lord. If you don't mind, may I see those girls for a while?”
The saint said, ‘Yes you see them. You might feel hesitant in asking them anything in my presence. Better you meet them alone.” The king had a conversation with the girls in solitude and suggested them, ‘Both of you are so beautiful. I’ll marry you of to either princes or wealthy grooms.” The king tried to allure them through several promises.
After a lengthy conversation, the girls replied, “Your Majesty! People poured out immense venom for the woman saint Shandili. They even didn’t spare her Gurudev from denigration. But all this defamation didn’t deter shandili and her Guruji from the righteous path. Revered Matang Rishi was also defamed for tribal woman Shabari. Even when Shabari was also castigated, both the Guru and the disciple remained adamant on their resolve. Today, the world bows before them in reverence. Gargi Devi remained unmarried throughout her life. People didn’t spare her also. And today people idolize her.
Neither we nor our revered Gurudev has any desire to gain acclaim or reverence. But when after abandoning the mundane path of ego and desire, we are treading the righteous path of devotion; a path to surrender our false ego at the Supreme Lord’s feet, these ignorant beings of society unnecessarily feel anguished. Undoubtedly, the prudent section of our society is finding itself blissful by bowing themselves at the Lotus feet of our revered ‘Gurudev.’ O King! It is a fact that even if they do not bow down it will not cause any difference to our Gurudev or even to us.”
The king was thoroughly moved by the conversation and thought, “Damnation to the critics, instigators and even my own imprudence for being skeptical towards these innocent girls and the revered saint.”
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Transient and the Eternal
Saint Kabirji made a pithy observation:
‘Looking at the grinding stones, Kabir laments
In the duel of wheels, nothing stays intact.’
He further says, ‘Let the duel of wheels go on. Why do you lament?
If you stay close to the pivotal pin; you will escape all harm.’
Any grain – Wheat, maize, millet, millet… you put in the mill-stone is ground but the grain that clings to the pivotal pin, the immutable on, remains unharmed.
The world is ever changing and is constantly in motion but the motion is owing to the motionless. There is the pivotal pin in the centre on which the mill-stone rotates. The wheel of a cycle or a motorbike rotates being fixed to the hub. The hub rotates on the axle which remains where it is. The wheel rotates but the axle on which it rotates doesn’t the rotation is on the strength of the non-rotating. Similarly, all motion is on the strength of the motionless; all change is on the strength of the changeless. The childhood changed on the strength of the changeless Atman. Happiness changes; sorrow changes; the mind and the intellect keep on changing; the ego too changes – it becomes inflated now and modest then.
The changeless is the reality; the changing one is unreal, the Maya. Whenever sorrow comes, know that it will go; whenever happiness or pleasure or worry comes, know that it is transient. Whatever comes is bound to go.
The transient is experienced on the ground of the Eternal. The Eternal is changeless; the transient keeps changing. So there are two things – the manifest world is transient and the Atman, God is Eternal. The Eternal is the abode of bliss, Knowledge, potence and by virtue of these the transient is functioning. What is experienced by the senses is transient; the Eternal is beyond perception. The mind is perceived on the strength of the intellect; the intellect too is perceived on the strength of reason; reason too is perceived on the strength of the Eternal. One says, ‘my reasoning faculty is developed (or not developed).’
The transient is perceived by virtue of the Eternal. All the transient things combined together cannot cognize the Eternal. ‘One Universal Creator God… The Name I Truth… Creative Being…’ The Eternal is the only doer. He is Ajooni saivan… ‘Beyond Birth, self-Existent’ the transient alone is born, the Eternal is Self-Existent. How to realize Him? “By Guru’s Grace’ He was there before the transient came into being; He is there while the transient continues to exist and will exist even after the transient comes to an end. ‘True In The Primal Beginning, True Throughout The Ages, True Here And Now, Forever And Even True.’
Lord Vishnu reposes in the Eternal Brahman in the four month period from Deva-Shayani (God sleeping) Ekadashi to Deva-uthi (God waking up) Ekadashi. Saints and ascetics too spend a good part of these four moths in solitude and meditation aimed at reposing in the Eternal Brahman. Lord. Krishna abided in the Eternal Brahman for as long as thirteen years.
If you chant Hari O… m… in a protracted tone and become silent thereafter, your mind abides in the Eternal for that much time. You experience freedom from tension and worry in a short time. This is a method of meditation.
The method of Knowledge is to distinguish between the Eternal and the transient. The atman is Eternal and the body, the world mind and the intellect are transient. The transient keeps on changing; the Eternal is witnessing it. The Eternal alone knows happiness and sorrow. If we develop love for that Eternal, if we engage ourselves in attaining the knowledge of that Eternal or in Self enquiry ‘who am I?’ we shall get the Eternal Brahman revealed. And if we engage ourselves in the search of supreme self, we shall know our Real Self, our real ‘I’. Our real ‘I’ is the same as the Atman and the atman is the same as Supreme Brahman. Where there is the bubble, the water is also there and where there is water, there is the ocean also.
Somebody asks. “How can the bubble be the ocean?”
The bubble is not the ocean but water, the essences of bubble is ocean. Similarly, the Eternal Atman is inseparable part of Supreme Brahman. The sky in the pitcher looks small but it is exactly same as the infinite sky and in inseparable from it.
If you abide in the Eternal, the transient will not be able to cause any trouble to you. Otherwise, howsoever well you manage the transient; your body is never free from troubles. Do get treatment for the body but don't’ think the bodily pain as occurring to you knowing that it is occurring to the body not to you. Similarly don't attribute mental problems to you, the Eternal Atman. You will get blessed sooner rather than later.
‘Looking at the grinding stones, Kabir laments
In the duel of wheels, nothing stays intact.’
He further says, ‘Let the duel of wheels go on. Why do you lament?
If you stay close to the pivotal pin; you will escape all harm.’
Any grain – Wheat, maize, millet, millet… you put in the mill-stone is ground but the grain that clings to the pivotal pin, the immutable on, remains unharmed.
The world is ever changing and is constantly in motion but the motion is owing to the motionless. There is the pivotal pin in the centre on which the mill-stone rotates. The wheel of a cycle or a motorbike rotates being fixed to the hub. The hub rotates on the axle which remains where it is. The wheel rotates but the axle on which it rotates doesn’t the rotation is on the strength of the non-rotating. Similarly, all motion is on the strength of the motionless; all change is on the strength of the changeless. The childhood changed on the strength of the changeless Atman. Happiness changes; sorrow changes; the mind and the intellect keep on changing; the ego too changes – it becomes inflated now and modest then.
The changeless is the reality; the changing one is unreal, the Maya. Whenever sorrow comes, know that it will go; whenever happiness or pleasure or worry comes, know that it is transient. Whatever comes is bound to go.
The transient is experienced on the ground of the Eternal. The Eternal is changeless; the transient keeps changing. So there are two things – the manifest world is transient and the Atman, God is Eternal. The Eternal is the abode of bliss, Knowledge, potence and by virtue of these the transient is functioning. What is experienced by the senses is transient; the Eternal is beyond perception. The mind is perceived on the strength of the intellect; the intellect too is perceived on the strength of reason; reason too is perceived on the strength of the Eternal. One says, ‘my reasoning faculty is developed (or not developed).’
The transient is perceived by virtue of the Eternal. All the transient things combined together cannot cognize the Eternal. ‘One Universal Creator God… The Name I Truth… Creative Being…’ The Eternal is the only doer. He is Ajooni saivan… ‘Beyond Birth, self-Existent’ the transient alone is born, the Eternal is Self-Existent. How to realize Him? “By Guru’s Grace’ He was there before the transient came into being; He is there while the transient continues to exist and will exist even after the transient comes to an end. ‘True In The Primal Beginning, True Throughout The Ages, True Here And Now, Forever And Even True.’
Lord Vishnu reposes in the Eternal Brahman in the four month period from Deva-Shayani (God sleeping) Ekadashi to Deva-uthi (God waking up) Ekadashi. Saints and ascetics too spend a good part of these four moths in solitude and meditation aimed at reposing in the Eternal Brahman. Lord. Krishna abided in the Eternal Brahman for as long as thirteen years.
If you chant Hari O… m… in a protracted tone and become silent thereafter, your mind abides in the Eternal for that much time. You experience freedom from tension and worry in a short time. This is a method of meditation.
The method of Knowledge is to distinguish between the Eternal and the transient. The atman is Eternal and the body, the world mind and the intellect are transient. The transient keeps on changing; the Eternal is witnessing it. The Eternal alone knows happiness and sorrow. If we develop love for that Eternal, if we engage ourselves in attaining the knowledge of that Eternal or in Self enquiry ‘who am I?’ we shall get the Eternal Brahman revealed. And if we engage ourselves in the search of supreme self, we shall know our Real Self, our real ‘I’. Our real ‘I’ is the same as the Atman and the atman is the same as Supreme Brahman. Where there is the bubble, the water is also there and where there is water, there is the ocean also.
Somebody asks. “How can the bubble be the ocean?”
The bubble is not the ocean but water, the essences of bubble is ocean. Similarly, the Eternal Atman is inseparable part of Supreme Brahman. The sky in the pitcher looks small but it is exactly same as the infinite sky and in inseparable from it.
If you abide in the Eternal, the transient will not be able to cause any trouble to you. Otherwise, howsoever well you manage the transient; your body is never free from troubles. Do get treatment for the body but don't’ think the bodily pain as occurring to you knowing that it is occurring to the body not to you. Similarly don't attribute mental problems to you, the Eternal Atman. You will get blessed sooner rather than later.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Secret of success
Somebody hold a high position and is engaged in corruption. That doesn’t mean that he ascended to that position by means of such wrong doings. He would have put nondual Vedanta in practice in previous life, which is the cause of his high position. If at present he indulges in wrongdoing, he is sure to suffer degradation in future. Duplicity, deceit, malice, and hatred etc. invariably lead to one’s downfall.
When does a student become successful? He becomes successful only if he applies himself to studies with a carefree mind and writes the answers fearlessly. Success eludes one studying under the influence of fear and anxiety. A warrior carries the day in the battle only if, knowingly or unknowingly he has risen above the little ego (‘I am the body’ idea). An orator becomes successful and an eloquent speech naturally flows from him if, knowingly or unknowingly, he becomes oblivious to the limited ego-identity of ‘I’ and ‘mine’. One who is anxious to make an impact and comes carrying a prepared text or having learned it by rote, fails to deliver a good speech even when reading out from a prepared text. Those who have risen above body-consciousness, they speak extempore and what they speak becomes satsang, becomes the gospel.
The more true we are to indweller Lord, the more forgetful we are of our body-consciousness, the more natural, spontaneous, when no trace of personality is left in us, there is no ‘I’, you’ and ‘that’ we are, the more deeply are we connected to our inner source of infinite energy and blessed with glory. The more we become dependent on external circumstances and disconnect ourselves from our inner source of infinite energy, the more are the chances of our best of plans going haywire. Therefore, if you want to be successful in all endeavours in all walks of life, make your endeavours in all walks of life, make your endeavours after realizing your inseparable oneness with the indweller Lord. It is only when you severe your link with the indweller Lord that your relations with the world are strained.
People think, ‘So and so person helped him, so and so friend assisted him; that made his successful.’ In fact the fellow became successful because rather than expecting help from people, he had faith in the Lord. That is why his friends and others rallied round to help him. In case, one turns his back to the lords and depends solely on others’ help, the friends and well wishers will eventually leave him in the lurch under one pretext or the other. This is a Divine Law.
If you entertain feelings of fear, hatred or malice against those who happen to be instrumental in bringing fear, obstructions and troubles into your life, that of course, will lead you to an inevitable failure. If, even in such troublesome circumstances, you realise your unity with your indweller Omniscient Lord, the mental disposition of your tormentors will be transformed; their attitude will change or their mission to trouble you will fail. To the extent you are one with the Indweller Lord, you become successful and overcome the hurdles and obstacles. Similarly, to the extent you depend on worldly objects and take recourse to unrighteous means like deceit, trickery, hatred, etc. and become averse to the Lord of the world, you fail.
If a woman tries to titillate her husband through her clothing and ornaments; the man may get attracted to her for a while, hut as soon as he suffers loss of energy in the sex act, he gets dejected. If, on the other hand, the woman, with the protection and true good of her husband in mind, lives a natural, Sattvic life and conducts herself as a chaste and faithful wife, devoted to her husband, she develops a lasting impression in the heart of her husband.
Likewise, if a disciple tries to impress his Guru by offering wealth, riches and gifts in order to get some benefit in exchange of worldly things, he will fail to propitiate the Guru. On the other hand, if a devout disciple, driven by a true sense of devotion, applies himself in serving his Guru, he gets the blessings for his Supreme good from Guru’s heart
When does a student become successful? He becomes successful only if he applies himself to studies with a carefree mind and writes the answers fearlessly. Success eludes one studying under the influence of fear and anxiety. A warrior carries the day in the battle only if, knowingly or unknowingly he has risen above the little ego (‘I am the body’ idea). An orator becomes successful and an eloquent speech naturally flows from him if, knowingly or unknowingly, he becomes oblivious to the limited ego-identity of ‘I’ and ‘mine’. One who is anxious to make an impact and comes carrying a prepared text or having learned it by rote, fails to deliver a good speech even when reading out from a prepared text. Those who have risen above body-consciousness, they speak extempore and what they speak becomes satsang, becomes the gospel.
The more true we are to indweller Lord, the more forgetful we are of our body-consciousness, the more natural, spontaneous, when no trace of personality is left in us, there is no ‘I’, you’ and ‘that’ we are, the more deeply are we connected to our inner source of infinite energy and blessed with glory. The more we become dependent on external circumstances and disconnect ourselves from our inner source of infinite energy, the more are the chances of our best of plans going haywire. Therefore, if you want to be successful in all endeavours in all walks of life, make your endeavours in all walks of life, make your endeavours after realizing your inseparable oneness with the indweller Lord. It is only when you severe your link with the indweller Lord that your relations with the world are strained.
People think, ‘So and so person helped him, so and so friend assisted him; that made his successful.’ In fact the fellow became successful because rather than expecting help from people, he had faith in the Lord. That is why his friends and others rallied round to help him. In case, one turns his back to the lords and depends solely on others’ help, the friends and well wishers will eventually leave him in the lurch under one pretext or the other. This is a Divine Law.
If you entertain feelings of fear, hatred or malice against those who happen to be instrumental in bringing fear, obstructions and troubles into your life, that of course, will lead you to an inevitable failure. If, even in such troublesome circumstances, you realise your unity with your indweller Omniscient Lord, the mental disposition of your tormentors will be transformed; their attitude will change or their mission to trouble you will fail. To the extent you are one with the Indweller Lord, you become successful and overcome the hurdles and obstacles. Similarly, to the extent you depend on worldly objects and take recourse to unrighteous means like deceit, trickery, hatred, etc. and become averse to the Lord of the world, you fail.
If a woman tries to titillate her husband through her clothing and ornaments; the man may get attracted to her for a while, hut as soon as he suffers loss of energy in the sex act, he gets dejected. If, on the other hand, the woman, with the protection and true good of her husband in mind, lives a natural, Sattvic life and conducts herself as a chaste and faithful wife, devoted to her husband, she develops a lasting impression in the heart of her husband.
Likewise, if a disciple tries to impress his Guru by offering wealth, riches and gifts in order to get some benefit in exchange of worldly things, he will fail to propitiate the Guru. On the other hand, if a devout disciple, driven by a true sense of devotion, applies himself in serving his Guru, he gets the blessings for his Supreme good from Guru’s heart
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