The Secret of Success

The Supreme Self is within the other as well. To the extent the egocentric tendency is reduced, the small circle of man’s usefulness expands and he thinks good of others and does god to others, the man actually attains greatness.

A blossomed rose emits its fragrance. It attracts many. On thinking deeply, you would realize that its ability to blossom and attract can be attributed to its roots. In the same manner, the greatness and abilities that are noticeable in someone can be attributed to the fact that to some extend, knowingly or unknowingly, that person has dived within-to the root (origin) of the vritti, (operative waves) of the mind. If deceit or fraud could have made anyone great, then all frauds and cruel people would have become great. On the contrary those who are great in real terms have become so by respecting the unity of all beings and attaining the evenness of mind unknowingly. The root causes of all evils (vices) of the world are – personal egoism, sense of reality in the world, and the desire for sensual pleasures. These are the root causes of all misery, obstacles and disease. On the other hand, the cause of all happiness is rising above body consciousness, ‘I-ness’ and ‘my-ness’, and worldly attachments, knowingly or unknowingly. The person who carries out his task for the sake of it, and the degree to which he does not cover for its results, becomes successful and great in the same measure.

The secret principles of success are belief, affection towards oneself, introversion, love for all beings and altruism.

‘There is nothing in the world beyond the reach of those who have others’ interests at heart.’

A child once said to his brother: ‘I shall complain against you. Father will beat you’. The brother said: ‘Let him beat me… I know it will be for my good. What will you get out of it?’ in the same way if your mind says- ‘This trouble will befall you, you will suffer such grief, such fear, in the future…’ then rest assured that if God sends suffering or pain, then it will be for our good. If we obey our father, do as he says, then why will he beat us? Similarly, why will the Creator give us suffering? He will give us suffering only if we go astray so that we can come aback to the right path. Suffering leads us towards His abode.

God is the best friend of all beings. He gives us happiness only for our good. He gives us unhappiness only for our good. One should not get anxious, worried and fearful imagining suffering in the future. Come what may… we will see it. Be happy in the present, give up selfishness and remain steadfast in your dharma.

The root of all suffering is selfishness and egoism. As you forsake them, suffering will cease on its own. Troubles will disappear, however big they may be, if you follow the virtues of renouncement and cheerfulness. Worldly attachment, finding faults in others, and hedonism leads to all the troubles.

Karma Leads to Bondage and Freedom

‘The Guru’s grace alone can bring about the disciple’s supreme good.’

Guru’s grace alone can bring supreme good to the disciple; nothing else can. This is the verbal testimony of valid knowledge. One who grasps the verbal testimony gets liberated. On the other hand, the one who weighs the Guru with reference to his own mind and desires is led astray. ‘The Guru should do this; he should not do that…. We should get this and that …..’ if one has such thinking, it means he is guided by desires.


One, who is guided by the scriptures, acts in accordance with pramāna, instruments of valid knowledge. One who is guided by his desires acts according to the dictates of his mind. Many people get Mantra-Diksha from a Guru, but most of them are guided by desires. Rare are those who act in accordance with the pramāna. They firmly believe – what the scriptures say is the truth; what the Guru says is the truth; what the mind says is untruth.

Desire-driven actions are the cause of bondage; samsara, the cycle of birth and death. Actions guided by the scriptures, on the other hand, are the means to material and spiritual progress, to God-realization. Of course, we should do Purushārtha, should make full efforts; but what kind of Purushārtha should we do? Should we do what comes to our mind or should we do what the Guru or the scriptures ordain? If you act according to your long cherished notions, howsoever great may be the amount of work you do, howsoever big returns you get, it will be worldly gains, not spiritual.

What validated by Sruti, the Vedas has to be accepted. For example, the Sun is 13lakh times larger than the earth. This is an authenticated fact. It has to be accepted even if our eyes don’t see it. The sky looks blue but it is an authenticated fact that the blueness is not there. We have to accept that the blueness is not there and the blueness that looks to be there is on account of the inability of our eyes to perceive the space. The well authenticated fact has to be accepted. ‘The Guru’s grace alone can bring about the disciple’s supreme good.’ This is a well authenticated fact. Guru Nanak says, ‘The home within is filled with Bliss, but the self-willed manmukh does not get to taste it.’ This is a well authenticated fact.

I was member of a rich family. There was no dearth of caves and places suitable for meditation. Yet Guruji ordered me to live at a place I didn’t like to, in a slum at disa. I accepted it and didn’t allow the mind to have its way. Had I left that place following the dictates of my mind or my relatives, I would have met the same fate as other wretched men meet. He is wretched who allows a lump of butter that has come into his hands to slip away and licks buttermilk. One who fails to take advantage of a propitious situation is wretched. Had I behaved in the way wretched men do, I would have fallen from the path of sadhana. Disa is not very far from Amdvad. I was married; I could have gone home dozens of times in seven years without taking permission from my Guru…. Even if I had gone seventy times, Guruji would have said nothing. But I thought, ‘What would I ultimately get if I cater to the fancies of my or my relatives’ minds? How can the advice of those, who themselves have not crossed the ocean of birth and death, help me cross it? The saints pronounce:

‘No wonder one may reduce his body to a skeleton through severe austerities and practice of meditation night and day but desire won’t be eradicated without reflecting on the enlightening knowledge.’

If it were possible to attain God without engaging oneself in actions ordained by scriptures, everybody would have attained God. There are a large number of people, who are believers; a good many of them are devoted. Why don’t they attain God then?

Many people came to my Gurudev’s Ashram. A two-and-half lakhs of people appear of I.A.S. Competitive examination. The bulk of them are eliminated at various stages of tests and interviews and finally about 1,000 of them are appointed as I. A. S. officers. Similarly, many people come to the Guru; only those out of them attain the Supreme Goal, who have an earnest zeal for God-realization and persevere diligently in Guru’s divine works and actions ordained by scriptures.

Action according to the fancies of one;s mind, jiva is swept away by the current of samsara. Desire-driven actions make one wander in samsara, transmigratory existence and actions based on scriptural authority (pramāna) leads one to liberation. Of course, one will feel good if things go the mind’s way. If one works according to the fancies of one’s mind, one slides towards ruination and by working according to Gruu’s teachings one elevates oneself. One may live a thousand births following one’s beliefs and fancies; one gains nothing and falls to abysmal depths; therefore one is advised to act according to the dictates of scriptures.

Shri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, on the strength of his faith, make Divine Mother Kali to manifest Herself but the Mother said, “seek refuge in a Brahmajnani Guru to attain Self-knowledge.”

Namdevji similarly make Lord Vitthal said, “Go and get the Knowledge of Ultimate Truth from Visoba Khechar.” Ma Pravati worshipped Lord Shiva to get Him as her husband but Lord Shiva said, ‘Go and get the Knowledge of Ultimate Truth from Guru vamdevji.’ What is the secret behind all this?

‘The Gruur’s grace alone can bring about the disciple’s supreme good.’ One must agree to and accept this fact.

‘Let what is mine, be consigned to eh flames, let what is Thine prevail.’

the purport here is that our desires should be destroyed to reveal the Guru’s experiential Knowledge alone. Serving with alacrity, one’s desires are checked and one starts yearning for God-realization.

It is a well authenticated fact that the world is ever perishing. Whatever the jiva may achieve in the world, it cannot get relieved of the sufferings of birth and death without attaining the state of supreme Consciousness.

‘Without the love for Lord’s lotus feet, the sorrow of the heart will not be destroyed.’
One should readily accept authenticated fact and should make one’s life accomplished.

Food for Thought

Take the plunge and go all out on the path of Supreme Purushartha (attainment). Stop brooding over the past and worrying about the future; just march ahead. Depend totally on the Lord. And then see for your self how, even in this horrendous Kaliyuga, your needs of food, clothing and shelter are met on their own!

When you feel interested in some mode of sadhana, God invariably makes it more interesting for you. What is important is to maintain a firm faith and conviction in the Lord Almighty. When your Supreme Ishta is pleased with you, no Anistha on earth can bring harm on you. Your supreme Ishta is the atman, your own True Self. If you have undivided and unalloyed devotional faith in the Supreme Lord, he won’t give you anything, but he will assimilate you in His own Self. And once that happens what else is left to be given?

All the pleasures other than that acquired from devotion to the Lord are invariably accompanied by the thorns of futility. A little analysis will make it clear and you will automatically take the high road of God-realization.

If the mind doesn’t get steady and keeps wandering around, stop your meditation forthwith and tell your mind, “Alright, My dear! Go… go wherever you like to. Each and every form is the manifestation of the Lord Himself. All objects are but different forms of Lord Narayana.” Knowing all in this world as different forms of the Lord, mentally bow your head in reverence to them. One Almighty Lord has manifested Himself in infinite forms. Realization of God becomes simple by nurturing such feeling in your mind time and again.

Where there is Unwisdom, Misfortune is the Inevitable End

I have observed it in many people’s lives that those, who maligned saints and vexed them or hindered their divine endeavours, had to face a lot of misery, misfortune and troubles. And those who participated in saints’ divine works got blessed; they salvaged lost games. Their extinguished lamps were relit and their arid lands become green. There may be thousands or even lakhs of such fortunate ones.

The Gurubaani says and it is very true:
‘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. Departs disappointed. The slanderer of the saint receives his punishment in the Court of the Lord. O Nanak, if it pleases the saint, then even this one may be liberated.’

If he shows signs of reformation and surrenders himself to the saint, the saint with his compassion liberates him.
If you want to ruin somebody, engage him in hearing slanders of a saint; he will be automatically ruined. And if you want to liberate somebody, get him to participate in a saint’s divine works; he will automatically get elevated.

Tulsidasji also says in the Rama Charit Manas:

‘Where there is wisdom, there too is every kind of prosperity.’

If you repeat and constantly remember Lord’s name, if you eschew evil tendencies, you intellect attain wisdom. Then divine wealth of every kind safeguards you. Even those around you are benefited. So the wise are protected by the divine nature.


Where there is unwise judgement, there at the end is misfortune.’

Those, who are engaged in evil deeds, who shake people’s faith or do some other sinister act, are bound to suffer great misery. And it is not necessary that one breaking others’ faith will suffer for his misdeeds on the same day. It may happen months or years later. The law of Karma is inexorable. Our actions may bear fruit for us after 50 years or even in the next life.

Faith begets the joy of Love; faith enables us to attain the Truth. If somebody breaks our hand or leg or head, he is not as big sinner as the one who breaks our faith.

‘Kabir considers that a slanderer of the Guru is worse than a thousand sinners. Such a one should be regarded as carrying lakhs of sinners on his head, because there is a possibility of reforming the sinners, but there is no salvation for the slanderer of the Guru.’

One who maligns God, our sādhanā or our Guru, and thereby breaks our faith is a grave sinner. We should never lend and ear to him.’

There were people who used to spread rumours and gossip about Ravidas, dadu Dindayal and other saints. There were people who slandered Swami Ramsukhdas. Such dirty rumours were spread against this great saint when he was sixty years of age, that if I go to mention them, I would only be making my mouth and your ears dirty. The pious saint was so anguished that he went on a complete fast.

The slanderers who break people’s faith will get their due in future. Those, on the other hand, whose faith is broken, are ruined instantly. There peace of mind is gone, the joy of Love is gone and the light of Knowledge is gone too. The bond they had forged with the Guru has been broken by a sinner.

Today a conspiracy is under way to malign Hinduism. Why should we break our faith in our religion? Why should we abandon the Dharma in which the Lord incarnated Himself as Lord Krishna, Lord Rama and Lord Shiva, in which came saints like Mirabai, Kabir, Guru Nanak and others, in which there were kings like Bhagiratha, who brought the holy Ganga to earth?

“Guru Tegbahadur said, ‘Listen O Sikha! O blessed ones! Give up your life but not your religion. If you get into the tutelage of a Satguru at the cost of your life, it is a very good bargain.”

If one comes by a satguru of Hindu dharma at the cost of one’s life, it is a very good bargain.

On the path of sadhana, in the pursuit of the supreme goal, identification of oneself with the body, attachment with the body is a Gordian knot. Without cutting this knot, without crossing the quagmire of delusion, no aspirant can attain accomplishment. An aspirant is unable to cut this knot without the due grace of the Sadguru.

The Workings of Samskaras

If one is not careful in life, he is bound to develop attachment towards that which gives pleasure and aversion towards that which causes misery. Thus one unknowingly develops impressions (samskāras) in his develops impressions (samskāras) in his mind which in turn will cause reputed births and deaths.

‘I will get pleasure here’ – when such thought or series of impressions run in your mind, the consciousness directs you to engage yourself in that activity. You naturally turn away from the activity which you think gives misery. Consciousness is the cause of Pravritti and nivritti. Objects, individuals and circumstances are only the apparent means of pleasure and sorrow, but if you know the root of pleasure and sorrow, you will attain Absolute Knowledge. The knowledge of action and inaction originates from the consciousness. However, due to the error of your smaskāras, you foolishly squander it away in futile pursuits. If one develops hunger for God, the inquisitiveness to get to the root of the Consciousness Absolute, one will realize that the source of all happiness is self-god – the Supreme Lord. When the Lord resides in our own home, why should we bow our head in kaba or go to Kashi?

Imagine two persons are fighting. Why? One fears that the other will take away his belongings while the other intends to rob him. So, it is fear and treed that are fighting. There is Consciousness in both of them. In spite of the knowledge-personified consciousness, the impressions of fear and greed are making them fight each other. Same is the case with attachment and hatred.

The Rakshasas who have attachment towards Ravana and hatred towards Hanumana fight against Rama, while Hanumana and the ape-forces, who have love for Rama and dislike for the Rakshasas, will fight against the rakshasas but the consciousness which give them the power to fight, is same on both the sides. The wire running through a geyser will great the water and the same wire running through a refrigerator does just the opposite but the electricity in both is one and the same. The Lord is Existence and Consciousness Absolute. He is infinite. Even after the death of the body, the knowledge personified Real Self does not die.

If one’s karmas are sāttvic, his samskāras will be sāttvic as well. As your karmas are, sāttvic, the knowledge and samskara of coming to satsang has brought you here. A drunkard or meat-eater would have said, “Today is Sunday Let’s go to the liquor shop.” A movie hobbyist would take one to the theatre. So, your samskāras toss you in the world with the support of consciousness.

So, how does some things appear to be good or bad? It is determined according to samskāras. If anybody brings some sāttvic prasād mixed with tulsi to me, I say, “Ok! Keep some and take away the rest,” if any body brings meat, liquour, egg etc. I will admonish him for that but if you give those things to a drunkard and meat-eater, he will be overjoyed on seeing it. And if you give my prasād to him he will say, “Hey, put that aside. Don’t talk about these Babas. I am enjoying my omelet.”

So his tāmasic and base samskāras make his knowledge base. If his samskāras are mediocre his knowledge too will be mediocre and if his samskāras are superior, his knowledge too will be superior. If his samskāras are divine, his knowledge will be divine as well and if his samskaras are those of Self-knowledge, he will realize his Real self and attain liberation.

Whatever changes and attainments that are seen, are seen only in human life. One who nurtures thoughts of escapism in the face of troubles, is a coward. He is unfortunate. When base samskāras come to the fore, the knowledge too becomes base. For example, the same rainwater, turns into a swamp when it falls upon mud, washes away stains of diesel and dung when it falls on a road, facilitates the growth of crops when it falls on fields and turns into pearls when it falls on fields and turns into pearls when it falls into oysters during the period of the svāti star. So the same water provides different benefits according to the things it comes into contact with. Same is the case with knowledge. If the samskarās are divine, one will get the benefit of the divine knowledge. Now from where does one gain divine samskāras?

There is no question of gaining divine samskāras in the materialistic world, where one can gain samskāras only of attachment, hatred, lust, anger and greed. Therefore meditation and worship should be practiced.

Meditation and worship are good compared to materialism, as it makes the intellect noble but higher than this is satsang.

No wonder one may reduce his body to skeleton through severe austerities and practice of meditation night and day but desire won’t be eradicated without reflecting on the enlightening knowledge.

Meditation is no doubt good. One may practice it day and night, but desire will make the mind wander. Even after attaining concentration of the mind, there are chances that one may get entangled in the celestial worlds and in the pleasures of heaven. Hence satsang is necessary, which awakens the divine samskaras of knowledge. Therefore is said:

‘In one scale of the balance my friend, put together all the joys of heaven and the bliss of liberation, but they will not outweigh the joy derived from moment’s communion with the saints.’

The scripture further says:
‘…be sure that their goal has been attained through association with the saints; there is o other means in the world or in the Vedas.’

Salutation Denotes Humility

‘One should constantly examine one’s conduct.’

Swami Akhandananda Saraswati used to make obeisance to renowned and perfected saints of India like Shri Uria Baba, Shri Shashtrananda, Shri Hari Baba, Shri anandmayi Ma etc.

At the time he took the life of an anchorite, he was told, ‘One should not make obeisance to all and sundry.’ This raised a doubt in Shri Akhandananda Saraswati’s mind. He expressed his doubt to Shri Uria Baba, Shri Uria Baba explained to him, “When one is seeking spiritual instructions or Mantra-Diksha, one should be careful to approach only a Brahmajnani (One reveling in Brahman) but obeisance one should make to all. And the obeisance should be made to the divine within, not to outer covering in the form of human body. Obeisance is a mark of humility; it is a grand virtue. You should without any second thought, continue to make obeisance to the saints and great souls you have been making obeisance to earlier.”

Shri Akhandananda Saraswati accepted this advice given by Shri Uria Baba and thereafter he had no hesitation in making obeisance to anybody.

‘The vital airs of a young man mount upwards to leave his body when an elder approaches; but by rising to meet him and saluting he recovers them. He who habitually aged obtains an increase of four things, viz. long life, knowledge, fame, and strength.’

Therefore, our deeds and conduct should be such that invoke blessings from the elders’ hearts. None of our actions should be such as to hurt them. In this lies our supreme good. If one is benefited even by making obeisance to an idol, then why should the ego pose a hurdle in making obeisance to the living gods on earth? Sant Tulsidasji too supports this fact:

‘Realizing the whole world to be pervaded by Sita and Rama,

I make obeisance to it with folded hands.’

‘That head is not worth its name, which bows at every door.

That door is not worth its name, at which the good do never bow.’

You are verily in possession of the key to potence. Once you make your mind strong, you are full of strength. There is no goal which cannot be attained by courage, willpower and vigorous efforts. Obstacles are things to be trampled upon. Love and bliss are things that should be allowed to overflow. O man! You are yourself Love, Bliss and Happiness! Still you are wandering in search of love, bliss and happiness and making yourself miserable? Wait… stop it. Peep into yourself and se how sweet you are… how pious you are… how lovely you are!

One Must Experience the Fruits of One’s Actions

The celestial sage Narada said to Sanka: “O Lord, a doubt has occurred in my mind. You stated that those who perform meritorious deeds enjoy their fruits even in the course of billions of kalpas. You also said that in the Prakrit laya (the final dissolution into the Prakrit) all the worlds are destroyed and that the only one who survives is Lord Vishnu. Do not the experiences of the fruits of merits and sins come to an end till the dissolution of the creation? This doubt has arisen in my mind. You are able to dispel this doubt.”

Sanaka said, “O man of great wisdom, Lord Narayana is infinite and imperishable. He is eternal and the Supreme Consciousness. He is the purest and without attributes. He is permanent and free from delusion caused by Maya. Although in reality he is without attributes, he is the greatest bliss and appears like one having attributes. He appears to be differentiated manifesting in the forms of Braham, Vishnu, Shiva, etc. he does all actions in the Universe through His Maya. Being Brahma, he cerates the Universe, being Vishnu, He sustains it, and in the end being Rudra, he swallows everything. At the end of the Pralaya (disssolution), from the bed of Shesha, Lord Janardana gets up in the form of Brahma and creates everything in the whole universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings as before. O illustrious Brahmana, in the new Kalpa, Brahma reinstates all mobile and immobile beings back to their former states in the new creation. Hence, O excellent one, the fruits of all action, meritorious or sinful must be experienced. The fruit of an action is inevitable and must be experienced. Even in the course of billions of Kalpas, no action gets nullified without being experienced by the doer. One is bound to experience the fruits of one’s good and evil actions.

Pujya Bapuji says:

Irrespective of whether anybody looks or not, there is One who is an eternal witness to al doings of all beings at all times. He has all the accounts of our sinful and virtuous deeds. One may escape the punishment given by the government of this would but nobody has ever escaped nor shall anyone ever escape the government of God. No kind of influence, recommendation or bribery works there. There is no where to escape. Man is free to act but not in experiencing the fruits of his actions. Therefore, we should engage ourselves in god and righteous actions while steering clear of evil ones.

The actions which give peace and happiness to oneself and to others and which sooner or later lead one to God-realization, are good and righteous actions; while those which provide momentary and transitory pleasures and in the long run take oneself and others away from God leading to misery and hell, are evil actions.

One’s evil and good actions chase him for many lives. One has to experience the effects of the action done in past lives.

‘Hard to understand is the nature (path) of karma.’

One is bond to experience the fruits of his actions, be it in this life or in the second or third, or even after a thousand lives. How blessed it is to lead a virtuous and pious life for a few years rather than living in hell for thousands of years!

Human life is like a junction from where all roads begin. You can awaken your divinity through good deeds and attain heaven, or engage in such action as would make you a demigod (yaksha, gandharva or kinnara), it is up to you. You are also free to attain knowledge of Brahman through the practice of japa, meditation worship, the company of saints etc. and attain liberation, and then you will no longer be bound by the fruits of actions.