A spiritual seeker once asked Pujya Lilashahji Maharaj: “I feel a strong desire to tread the path towards God, but my mind does not assist me. What should I do?”
Santshree replied, “Have the desire for mukti (liberation).”
The seeker replied, “But my worldly desires and cravings do not get erased.”
Santshree replied, “If your desire and cravings do not away, then do not worry. Replace worldly desires with the desire to attain God. Daily repeat very loudly this firm resolve-‘Like King Janaka, I will realize the Self in this very birth,’ Devavrat (Bhishma Pitamah) resolved loudly that-‘Gandharvas! Listen. Devatas (gods)! Listen. Yakshas and Kinnaras! Listen. Rakshasas (demons)! Listen. I, the son of Shantanu, take the vow that I will observe absolute celibacy ….. that I will never marry .. never … never.’
“In the same way you too loudly repeat your pious resolve alone in a room: ‘I will establish myself in the soul in this very birth. I will free myself of affections and aversions in this very birth. I am the disciple of my Guru…. Like father like son….. I will also attain Self-realization in this birth….. In this manner, repeat these pious resolutions.
“Do not insist on anything else in life. Insistence is more harmful than unfavourable stars. Whatever comes to you, whether it is simple or delicious food, whatever you get to put on, accept it keeping in mind the health of the body and piety of the mind. Do not insist than ‘This is what should happen….. That is how I should become’. If your wish does not get fulfilled, your insistence will lead to agitation and unrest in your mind. Simultaneously, it will also fill your mind and intellect with attachment, conceit, affections and aversions. It is this insistence only that pushes one into eighty-four lakh lives. So do not hold on to any insistence. To overcome all kinds of resolves, just hold on to one, ‘Come what may, I will attain divine bliss, wisdom and peace in this very birth and lives as a liberated soul’.
In this manner, freeing the mind of all negative resolves and holding on to just one of God-realization your spiritual path will be simplified. Always contemplate-‘I am the soul. Just as, if a millionaire firmly visualizes himself as a pauper, he will start considering himself as one. However, if he visualizes himself as a millionaire, he will start regarding himself as a millionaire.
“In the same way contemplate and think to yourself as the soul. Every morning, in solitude, determine-‘I am Brahman; I am eternal; I am the Consciousness; I am liberated and I am the Truth’. However, be careful not to visualize yourself as a Marwari or Sindhi or Gujarati or Punjabit or even that you are happy or sad. This false belief will only make you sad and perturbed, instead of being happy. These fallacious samskaras will push you into the cycle of birth and death.
“Search for the means of peace and happiness in this birth and think as to what you should do to achieve that state. This does not mean that you approach a saint and plead-‘Sai! Change my wife’s nature.’ O Brother! Change your own nature; change your understanding. Suppose your wife’s temperament does change, then you will plead the same for your son, for your enemy and so on. Instead, why don’t you change yourself? Why don’t you withdraw your attachment to them? On the contrary, why do you want to get more involved and stuck with them?
Rather than insisting on obtaining things and circumstances as per your desire, accept what is and progress towards the path of liberation. You do not want to get rid of your folly and at the same time you want to bring an end to your sorrow. What is your folly? It is the wish to change the world, your wife, your husband, your son, your friend, your servant as per your imagination and become happy-this itself is your folly. No one has ever been able to find peace and happiness this way. The only way to happiness is to firmly establish the remembrance of your True Self. In this manner, by repeating these pious and true resolves regularly, by quitting the resolves based on your desires and tendencies and by remembering your True Self, your spiritual path with be simplified.”
Santshree replied, “Have the desire for mukti (liberation).”
The seeker replied, “But my worldly desires and cravings do not get erased.”
Santshree replied, “If your desire and cravings do not away, then do not worry. Replace worldly desires with the desire to attain God. Daily repeat very loudly this firm resolve-‘Like King Janaka, I will realize the Self in this very birth,’ Devavrat (Bhishma Pitamah) resolved loudly that-‘Gandharvas! Listen. Devatas (gods)! Listen. Yakshas and Kinnaras! Listen. Rakshasas (demons)! Listen. I, the son of Shantanu, take the vow that I will observe absolute celibacy ….. that I will never marry .. never … never.’
“In the same way you too loudly repeat your pious resolve alone in a room: ‘I will establish myself in the soul in this very birth. I will free myself of affections and aversions in this very birth. I am the disciple of my Guru…. Like father like son….. I will also attain Self-realization in this birth….. In this manner, repeat these pious resolutions.
“Do not insist on anything else in life. Insistence is more harmful than unfavourable stars. Whatever comes to you, whether it is simple or delicious food, whatever you get to put on, accept it keeping in mind the health of the body and piety of the mind. Do not insist than ‘This is what should happen….. That is how I should become’. If your wish does not get fulfilled, your insistence will lead to agitation and unrest in your mind. Simultaneously, it will also fill your mind and intellect with attachment, conceit, affections and aversions. It is this insistence only that pushes one into eighty-four lakh lives. So do not hold on to any insistence. To overcome all kinds of resolves, just hold on to one, ‘Come what may, I will attain divine bliss, wisdom and peace in this very birth and lives as a liberated soul’.
In this manner, freeing the mind of all negative resolves and holding on to just one of God-realization your spiritual path will be simplified. Always contemplate-‘I am the soul. Just as, if a millionaire firmly visualizes himself as a pauper, he will start considering himself as one. However, if he visualizes himself as a millionaire, he will start regarding himself as a millionaire.
“In the same way contemplate and think to yourself as the soul. Every morning, in solitude, determine-‘I am Brahman; I am eternal; I am the Consciousness; I am liberated and I am the Truth’. However, be careful not to visualize yourself as a Marwari or Sindhi or Gujarati or Punjabit or even that you are happy or sad. This false belief will only make you sad and perturbed, instead of being happy. These fallacious samskaras will push you into the cycle of birth and death.
“Search for the means of peace and happiness in this birth and think as to what you should do to achieve that state. This does not mean that you approach a saint and plead-‘Sai! Change my wife’s nature.’ O Brother! Change your own nature; change your understanding. Suppose your wife’s temperament does change, then you will plead the same for your son, for your enemy and so on. Instead, why don’t you change yourself? Why don’t you withdraw your attachment to them? On the contrary, why do you want to get more involved and stuck with them?
Rather than insisting on obtaining things and circumstances as per your desire, accept what is and progress towards the path of liberation. You do not want to get rid of your folly and at the same time you want to bring an end to your sorrow. What is your folly? It is the wish to change the world, your wife, your husband, your son, your friend, your servant as per your imagination and become happy-this itself is your folly. No one has ever been able to find peace and happiness this way. The only way to happiness is to firmly establish the remembrance of your True Self. In this manner, by repeating these pious and true resolves regularly, by quitting the resolves based on your desires and tendencies and by remembering your True Self, your spiritual path with be simplified.”
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