Dedicated to Swamiji Ajay Jain ji

Swamij ji said…

We wake up every morning with a mission in our mind; a goal to be accomplished; a dream to be fulfilled — and many a time, when we are right at the threshold of attaining that objective; realising our purpose – which appears to be very much “within our grasp” at that moment – it seems to fall apart the very next moment, leaving us dumbfounded, heartbroken, and extremely distressed and dejected.

At other times, something happens that we least expected. Something that rudely jolts us, scares us, and takes the wind out of our sails. What follows is deep despair. The mind, in fear, is unable to fathom what is happening. One feels completely numb. It appears as though what has now happened will forever stay with us and will always be on our minds. One is convinced that one’s life has been altered in such a way that there is no possibility of there being any happiness in it – ever again. But that is never really true.

‘Time’ takes its own ‘time’, but, changes everything – at the right time; at the moment destined for the change to happen. Little by little, inch by inch – that significant change occurs in our lives. And what seemed implausible before – lies right before our eyes – as ‘proof’. Pain recedes and is replaced by joy. Hope gradually overcomes fear. The immovable mountain that seemed to stand in our way is now behind us.

“स्वयं समय में ही इतनी शक्ति है कि वह ग़म को खुशी में; हार को जीत में; उदासी को खुशहाली में; हँसी को रोने में — अगले क्षण में ही बदल सकता है…”

And it is this singular, significant, and exclusive feature that time possesses – which has never been comprehended by God’s most intelligent creation — man. His arrogance, sense of superiority, and habit of overriding others – can only be silenced and subjugated completely – by the stronghold and absolute control that time exerts on him – as and when it feels the need to do so.

It is the situation and circumstance that time places us in, that finds us either exhilarated or dejected; gloomy or happy; positive or negative. But, the most amazing and mystifying quality of time is that – bad days will most certainly see the light of good days – one fine day; days of sadness will lead to days of merriment; and months of repeated failure will see monumental success one fine day.

So, it is ‘time’ alone that has the power to wound as well as to heal us; to give a disease and to cure. But what does this mean for us? What message does it carry?

To the spiritual seeker, this means only one thing : to have faith in all kinds of situations. What exists today — be it good or bad — will not be there tomorrow. Nothing is permanent, even though it might appear so. In good times, one is often acutely aware of this, praying that the good times last. But they never do.

In bad times, however, one seems to believe that the situation one is in will never change. But that too is never true.

With a little reflection, we will realise this – to be true. But it is when we internalise this lesson that we are able to live life better. For those who realise, see and feel the power of time- they are never too bothered by their circumstances today. They neither rejoice at good tidings excessively , nor, mourn in grief too bitterly. They are acutely aware that change is bound to happen,and, they thus act accordingly.

What matters, thus, is to keep moving forward in life. Life might trip us up today, but we must get up and continue, for it could only mean that we might ‘now’ be on time – for something great ‘later’.

Time teaches us the value of patience. It teaches us that patience does not mean slowing down, but, rather accepting and waiting for change to happen at the right time. It teaches us that today is only fleeting and does not necessarily have much say in how tomorrow will be. And, all we can do is our best and leave the rest to God.

In the Ramayana, Lord Ram’s life is an enlightening example of this. From a prince in a palace- to a warrior roaming the forests- and then to be crowned the King of Ayodhya- time placed him in circumstances that would have been impossible to discern- from any moment in the past.

Time heals all, time creates all, time erodes all, and finally, time reveals all. Thus, we all must strive to keep our faith in ‘time’ as- ‘समय’ हमेशा बदलता है और ज़रूर बदलेगा…”

Swami ji said…

Have we tried to visualise, even for a moment, the expression, the emotion, the look that would flit across God’s face on listening to the prayers, pleas, and petitions that we present and lay out before Him unfailingly, unhesitatingly, day in and day out— without ever thinking of giving Him a respite, even if it were only for a day? Have we ever wondered whether we come across as individuals whose expectations from Him are non-negotiable?

Barely have we whispered our fervent appeal into His ear or read out our prayers with greater devotion and zeal- that we begin to expect immediate results, miracles and fructification of our endless desires from Him. And to say that we do not expect Him to hear, listen, and pay heed to every invocation of ours would be an understatement?

After all, don’t we tell ourselves and hear others say—“वो नहीं सुनेंगे तो और कौन सुनेगा…?” But, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could develop the strength to ensure that the same exultation that we show on seeing our wishes being granted- doesn’t turn into sorrow on being denied the fulfilment of our desires?

Because that is often what happiness and disappointment are to us. When things happen as we wish—we are happy—happy with God. But, when they do not—we look at God with disbelief- hurt and betrayed.
But when has God ever promised this to us? Where is it written? When was it ever said that every wish of ours will be fulfilled and that every request agreed upon? Asking God for things to happen—that is not really prayer—those are wishes being expressed to God- that we await to be granted by Him.

Yes, He hears us- patiently. Yes, He sees us. And yes, He does take care of us—but all in His own time and His own way, and not as we think is best and should be best for us. For who are we to think that we know better than Him? Why are we so impatient? When will we start believing in the Truth- that since what is happening with us in the present moment is the ‘best’ for us- so will it be in the future?

And it is perfectly natural to ask God to fulfil our wishes, and it is alright to feel disappointed when those wishes go unfulfilled. It is even more normal to personally spar with Him in seclusion ; question Him why He hasn’t listened to us. After all, we are His children—even we have a right to expect from Him.

But at the end of the day, like a good child accepts the final decision of his parents, we should accept what He decides for us wholeheartedly and move forward trustingly.

If a toddler cries out for more sweets – it is not the parent’s duty to meet his demands—for that would only harm the child in the long run. While the child might think his parents inconsiderate, they are only doing that what is good for the child. For a moment think of our ‘wishes and hopes’ that we express to God as similar demands. They seem ideal to us. But God is doing us a favour by not agreeing to give them a final shape- as He alone knows they will not be beneficial for us in the long run.

Pray to God to surrender to Him. Pray to God to be able to listen to what He tries to tell us. Pray to God to understand His ways. That is true prayer. Prayer is not meant to ensure outcomes—it is meant to free the mind and its thoughts from them.

If we can accept this, and embrace this in our heart; if we can instil this in our mind, we shall be freed from all the anxieties of the world. We will be unburdened of fears and adverse outcomes. We will realise that there is only the Now—that what we do at this moment is all that truly matters and is all that we can control. By doing so, we will be living free in a world where men are shackled by the five senses and the wayward thoughts of the disquiet mind.

Be comforted, knowing that He will do not as we please, but , rather that which He sees best for each child of His.

Swami ji said…

“हम ऐसा कौन सा बोझ अपने हृदय में लेकर; कौन सा भार दिमाग पर लेकर, मुँह लटकाए जीवन को व्यतीत करना पसंद करते हैं?” Why do some of us prefer to live life in this abysmally sad manner? We are glum about anything and everything that is not to our liking. Whether it is something or someone – we find a reason to give them more than enough space in our mind- so much so that we find it difficult to focus on better and cheerful things.

Can any of us derive any happiness by clinging to our past- which would be best if we forgot about it. Why do we live scared and petrified, in constant fear that—“मेरे साथ ‘आज कल’ यह ‘क्या’ हो रहा है, ‘क्यों’ हो रहा है और मेरा ‘कल’ कैसा होगा?”

To add to our woes, we seem to revel in literally torch-lighting the feelings of ‘insecurity’ that trigger various panic-causing reactions. We play out scenarios in our head that leave us with a feeling of doom and despair. Half our problems are a fabrication of the mind.

And, then, of course the back- breaking weight of all the ’emotional baggage’ that we simply love to carry with us- although we are well- versed with the fact that ‘failed expectations’ hurt us the most- but they simply refuse to let go off us. It seems as though the bitterness that we had experienced on seeing the ingratitude and thanklessness of all those who had looked expectantly at us during their moments of distress- and who we had helped with all our heart- seem to forget all about it after some time and look past us- and this emotion declines to leave us.

Relationships, work, wealth. Irrespective of whatever it could be- we will always feel that they could and can certainly be better- than the level at which they are at the moment- and, we let that one shortcoming become the centre of our attention. We are upset on feeling why someone is behaving differently with us. We are upset about not achieving the personal or financial targets we had set for ourselves. We feel there is always something that seems to elude us- and that makes us unhappy.

And, in truth, there will always be something that makes life seem imperfect, unjust, or cruel. But for how long and to what extent can we let these things affect us ? Why should we allow them to take away our happiness? How can we give them the right to make us drift away from God and stop being aware of the presence of God in our lives during every problem of ours?

Those on the spiritual path must be wary of this. The intellect will always be aware of what is lacking in our lives, but, that does not mean that we must let the heart grieve at every such thought. Problems that can be solved by our own actions are never a problem at all. And the problems for which we do not have a solution have a way of resolving themselves in time. That is the way life works. If we stop and reflect on this, we will realise that this often holds true.

‘Problems’ or ‘troubles’—what are these really? They are simply what we do not expect or want to happen, yet, they happen regardless. This is a feature of life, not a glitch.

When life takes an unexpected turn, do not let the mind fall into a tailspin. Rather, be curious; analyse and reflect on what life may be trying to tell us; what it may be trying to teach us.

We do not have to become morose and serious. We do not have to turn into unsmiling and sad masks. That is not the purpose of life and that is not how life is meant to be lived.

Everything that has happened so far, and, all that will happen with us in the future – is a result of our ‘karma’ and God’s will. We must, therefore, focus only on our own actions. This focus will unburden us from unnecessary and self-pitying thoughts and instead keep us motivated and energised towards developing ourselves spiritually.

Swami ji said…

Has the craving to possess more—even when we already know that we have enough; the impatience to acquire more—even when we can clearly see that our present and future needs are adequately provided for; and the urge to own everything that catches our eye—set in motion within us strong currents of disenchantment and discontent, creating a deep disconnect from the truth that life is not meant to be spent merely in collecting material possessions?
Are we here only to become hoarders of inanimate objects, or are we meant to learn the far greater art of being content, of being satisfied with what we already have?
How many of us can honestly say that we have reached a state of contentment with whatever we have as – “ हम ने ‘और’, ( more ) ‘थोड़ा और’ पाने की होड़ में जीवन बिताने के बजाय, ‘ हमारे पास जो भी है, काफ़ी है’- (enough) कहना, समझना और मानने में ही समझदारी समझी है?”

How many among us can truly relate with such a sublime feeling—an emotion so deeply rooted in contentment that no outer object, no glitter in the world – can disturb our peace of mind? True wisdom lies in recognising that peace does not come from having ‘more’, but from understanding that what we already have is ‘enough’.

The spiritual seeker must understand this—but in a nuanced form. The idea that “I need no more” or “What I have today is enough” is truly liberating for those who gradually realise that chasing material gains in life has little value. But this does not liberate one from one’s duties. One must still perform one’s best. The motivation that once made one work hard, make sacrifices and strive to have more must not disappear altogether. It is only that- the reasons that motivate a person must change.

A student should not study hard merely from the point of view of securing a good job in the future, but, must do so because it is his duty to gain knowledge to the best of his ability. That student must nourish the mind’s thirst for knowledge. The action and effort remain the same, but the reason must change. And why so? One must wonder.

Acts – ‘karma’ – that are committed from a place of contentment and duty are always correct and good in nature, for they are not corrupted in principle by greed or gain. A businessman who conducts his business not keeping in mind only his own profits, but, also the contributions of his staff and the support of his customers, is one who is performing his duties to the best of his ability. He is motivated not merely by his own well-being, but by the well-being of all. He trusts that what he has today is enough, and that by acting correctly and righteously, he will also have enough for tomorrow.

An unscrupulous businessman, on the other hand, looks only at how much more he can save for himself— even at the expense of others. This motivates him to cheat, to lie, and to take shortcuts. He has no faith in the Divine that he will be looked after.

Contentment is key to a divine life. Only when one is content, when one has learnt to ignore the constant calls of the mind towards worldly desires, can one learn to focus solely on God. Only then can one give oneself wholly—in action and in thought—to God.

Contentment is also not to be confused with giving up. Yes, there are many material things which we all feel would make our lives much easier if we possessed them today. The discontented mind grieves over this. But those who have learnt to be content are not blind to what they lack—no, not at all. It is simply that they choose not to fret over it. They believe that what they have today is what God has equipped them with to face life, and who are they to question God’s choices? They are thus unbothered by what they have and what they do not have. They simply go about doing the best they can with what they have as they believe- “हमारे पास जो कुछ भी है पर्याप्त है …”

Swami ji said…

Have we not often heard our family members, relatives, friends and acquaintances express their regret—at times with a sense of panicked restlessness—as they seek to repent, atone, and ask for forgiveness – for the many instances in which they had deliberately said something negative or wrong, and, had knowingly hurt someone, even deriving a sense of pleasure from doing so- when they were in a position of power?

But as a person ages, grows older, and begins to mellow down, the adrenaline rush associated with power, position, youthfulness, and recklessness begins to abate. That very impulse which had once nudged and provoked him to treat others with heartlessness, disdain, arrogance and contempt- gradually fades—yet not before he realises that every action of his has been recorded in his ‘karmic’ account- a fact he had earlier chosen to remain oblivious to…“परंतु अब अपनी ढलती उम्र के साथ या जीवन में अचानक आई किसी चोट के बाद, वह व्यक्ति पछतावे से भर जाता है कि जीवन में उसने वह सब कुछ किया जो उसे नहीं करना चाहिए था, और वह नहीं किया जो उसे करना चाहिए था…”

But by then, it is often too late—the damage has already been done. Deep within their hearts, they know that every wrong, hurtful action committed in the past- can never be undone in the present. What troubles them now, what fills them with unease, is the question of how they can seek redemption for a ‘karmic’ account marked by dishonesty, disrespect, and duplicity?

Can the truth, the essence, and the meaning of every action of ours ever remain hidden from us? It is not possible for us to claim that we have forgotten our actions, for every ‘karma’ has been performed consciously by us. It is difficult to forget the many times we could have been kind, but chose not to—when a certain harshness within us prevented us from doing good.

We remember the occasions when we withheld help from someone who needed it, choosing instead to withdraw, perhaps because we had not forgotten a past slight or an instance when we ourselves had been treated poorly by him. And so, rather than rise above it, we allowed resentment to guide our actions.

Whether one can truly escape the consequences of one’s misdeeds in the past is a difficult question to answer. Whether one is granted a second chance to redeem oneself lies entirely in God’s hands. But what is certainly within our control is the ability to avoid such regret in the future. The answer is simple—to act rightly today.

The spiritual seeker must strive to rein in anger and pride. No action committed in rage or haughtiness can ever yield a good result. It is akin to believing that a poisonous seed will give rise to a fruitful tree.

What we do now—what we do today—is all that we must focus on. Forget the injustices of the past; do not dwell on the uncertainties of the future. We should not allow them to cloud our judgement when performing the right action in the present moment.

There will be times when the intellect will make us question whether doing what is morally right will be beneficial for us. But in such moments, we must learn to listen to the voice of righteousness within—the quiet voice that simply tells us what is right. It will not explain what is beneficial, nor will it reveal what the future holds. But it will tell us how we will feel on doing the right thing.

And that feeling will be one of closeness to God. For in that moment, we would have acted in a way that reflects our faith in Him and in His teachings of love and kindness.

‘Karma’, when performed solely at the behest of God’s calling, without any motivation of material gain, greed, or even fear—that is the ‘karma’ that brings true peace to man. For then, he has truly done no wrong. He can rest in peace, knowing that he is under God’s care—and that, for him, is all that truly matters.