Dedicated to Swamiji Ajay Jain ji

Swami ji said…

So caught up are we in the scintillating lights of the world—”दुनिया की चकाचौंध में, नाम, इज़्ज़त और सम्मान पाने में…”—that their brightness stimulates us and drives us to sparkle and shine brighter than our peers or colleagues in the field chosen by us. We put in endless hours to succeed and earn recognition. And why not, we may say, for nothing is sweeter than success? After all, the mind thrives on meeting success.

The riches of this world beckon us to work hard, put in long hours, and sacrifice enjoyment today in order to have a better tomorrow. We have unending thoughts about how to achieve success, how to become richer, and how to obtain more. This often leads to anxiety—a constant gnawing at one’s mind about the future. But we happily and willingly undergo all the stress that comes in this quest – as we have decided to be better than the best- ” किसी भी कीमत पर…”

Then there are our emotional needs. The heart longs for us to be loved, cared for and thought of by others. We want to feel important to people. We want to feel that we are a part of others’ lives. When we do not find this to be so, we are driven to grief and anger.

Life is such that no two days can ever be the same. What we enjoy today may not seem adequate tomorrow— be it material things or relationships. One cannot, and should not, hope to find perpetual happiness in physical things or even in people. The circumstances that satisfy us today might make us feel uncomfortable tomorrow. The people who love us today might hurt us tomorrow. That is the nature of life. Its uncertainty is, in fact, the only constant. But, the heart continues to sing a different tune- “क्योंकि उसे अपनी ही धुन में चलने की आदत है..” – as it is confident of receiving love from everyone and everything good from life. Things can never go wrong for it- as all it seeks is love and affection from others- which should not be difficult for others to give it- it feels.

But, since the ‘heart’ and ‘mind’ blind us and distract us from the real truth- the ‘soul’— the real ‘we’— suffers in such circumstances. The soul cannot experience peace- if one is caught in this constant flow of varying emotions and tumultuous thoughts that induce them.

One needs to ask oneself every single day : “When does one’s duty towards this physical realm end, and when must one begin to look within, pay attention to the ‘self’, and take stock of one’s ‘real’ condition?”
Is the soul dragging itself along, carrying the burden of guilt over one’s actions, the grief of the past, and resentment towards others? Is there no calmness or peace within- that can be drawn upon to steady oneself in moments that are otherwise confusing and confounding? Is there no reservoir of patience within- that allows one to let go of the struggles and failures of today and look forward to tomorrow with hope? Is there no tranquility that allows one to forgive the trespasses of others and love them nonetheless? If the answers to these questions increasingly become ‘no’, it means that we are losing the plot. It means that we are unbalanced in our approach to life and are denying ourselves spiritual growth and strength. It means that, instead of engaging wisely with this illusory world, we are completely enamoured of and subsumed by it.

There can be no spiritual development if we pursue only worldly pleasures. The satisfaction of the body, the intellect, and the mind is not to come at the expense of one’s spiritual growth; rather, it must be used to enable it. Even a monk has to satiate his hunger in order to focus his thoughts on God. However, the same monk cannot allow- the taste of delicious food and the desire to consume it- to distract him from his spiritual practices. The solution is thus not to abandon this world – but to rather walk through it without abandoning oneself to it. That is the very balance that we, too, must seek in our lives – giving significance to the fact that we are accountable to our soul too- and that since- “हमारी आत्मा को शांति, पवित्रता, निर्मलता और स्वच्छता चाहिए…” – we should ensure that we do not indulge in any ‘karma’ that can corrupt it, scar it or make it impure- making it next to impossible for us to merge with our Creator- ever.

Swami ji said…

A monk who had renounced all family ties and material attachments, and had immersed himself completely in spiritual life, was once consumed by a desire to ‘understand’ the meaning of life.

Intrigued by the mysterious nature of life, he sought answers to his questions by reading as many scriptures as he could, along with other sacred treatises that he felt might answer his query. However, after many years of reading, the only answer left to him was:

“Life cannot be understood…”

This should convince us, at least to some extent, that- “जब हम अपने जीवन के रहस्य की गुत्थी को नहीं सुलझा सके हैं, तो हम उस नीली छतरीवाले के खेल को कैसे समझ सकते हैं…”

And this is exactly what He expects from us— His children— who are often heard complaining to others about their family members or friends that- “मैं उसको समझ नहीं पाता हूँ…”

When we find it difficult to understand them, will we not once again find ourselves at a similar crossroad, facing the same question- “जब हम अपने रिश्तेदारों और घरवालों को समझ नहीं पाते हैं, तब हम ईश्वर को कैसे समझेंगे…”

In His wisdom, and with love for all His creations, He has always maintained:
“उनकी लीला वही जानें…”

For the spiritual seeker, it is important to understand that life will unfold as it is meant to. God is not to be held responsible for what happens to us, for what we experience today is only the result of our own past ‘karma’.

It is futile to try to reason with God or to be angry with Him because of our circumstances. The idea that one might be able to discover, “What is God thinking?”- is both futile and unnecessary.

This is because the mind believes that it knows how life should unfold for us. However, that assumption itself is flawed. The complexity of life and the manner in which events occur cannot be fathomed by the human mind. It is, therefore, a wasted effort for the mind – to even attempt to understand the divine reasoning behind anything that happens with us at any moment in our life.

What is essential is that we place our faith in the Almighty’s plan. Ask God not for the ability to look into the future, but for the wisdom to know the best way to act correctly, honestly and nobly during every moment in life.

“Do not question what is happening to you. Instead, ask yourself what you must do to ensure that your actions remain right and principled.”

This is possible only when we trust God. It is only when such faith develops that we begin to control our actions- instead of trying to control our circumstances.

When we place our trust in God, we begin to look inwards instead of constantly looking at the world around us. We remain undisturbed by what is happening outside and become more conscious of what is happening within.

Trust in God’s plan for us makes us more focused on our own thoughts and actions. It helps us improve our ‘karma’ and, thereby, improve our lives- secure in His warm, embrace that- ” जब ‘दुख’ में और ‘सुख’ में वो हर क्षण हमारे साथ हैं, तो चिंता किस बात की ? “

Swami ji said …

“Do not judge a book by its cover”- is a saying- often used to remind us- that the first impression we form of someone may not always be correct. And, human beings are far more complex and profound than mere books! It is often not possible to recognise their potential, gifts and values even after spending considerable time with them.

Many a time, we make assumptions about others. We form opinions based on various factors—sometimes on their appearance, sometimes on the way they speak, sometimes on the way they dress, their professions, and so on. It is a natural exercise of the intellect. The mind creates filters and categorises people. Accordingly, we decide whether they are important to us or not.

This is not something to be ashamed of. It is often a practical way of dealing with society.
However, this does not mean that such ‘filtering’ should be adhered to in heart and soul.

After all, even the society around us is merely “माया”. Someone who is important today- may become inconsequential tomorrow in the eyes of society, and, vice versa. It is all a result of ‘karma’.

The absolute truth is- that we are all equal. Irrespective of our circumstances, no one is more important than another in the eyes of God. And that, even though it may seem difficult to believe, is what truly matters.This is what we, too, must realise and internalise.
Everyone we meet and interact with- is just as special as anyone else. We can learn a great deal from each one’s experiences and wisdom- irrespective of what they look like, how they dress or where they work.

If we are willing to remove the tinted glasses of class, stature and status that distort our vision and conceals the true image of our fellow beings- we will realise that everyone has something immense to contribute. Through the smallest of actions and the simplest of words, they can teach us invaluable lessons about life.

Appearances can be deceptive. But, we are so greatly enamoured by the ‘suits and boots’ of the rich and famous people- that in our eyes they can never do anything wrong- while a scruffy looking person- can never do anything right and we write him off immediately.

We never know—our bias towards one’s colour and background- could be preventing us from making a wonderful friend. We may not be paying attention to someone who does not ‘look’ wise- but regularly offers pearls of wisdom while interacting with others. It is also possible that someone could be warning us of an impending peril, but, because the person appears too plain and simple for our liking, we fail to heed his warning- smirking- ” ये बेवकूफ, नासमझ इंसान मेरे कल के बारे में क्या बताएगा ?”

Those on the spiritual path already know this. In fact, it is something they can ignore only at their own peril. Often, God communicates with us through others. The most impactful words, the most touching actions and the most inspiring suggestions—all these come from Him, with the people around us serving as His medium.

It is, therefore, important to keep one’s eyes and ears open. Those seeking enlightenment must remove from their hearts and minds all unfounded prejudice and intolerance, and look upon everyone around them as their brethren— the children of God.

It takes effort to understand those who are dissimilar to us. However, it is necessary, to respect the differences between us and others- if, we seek to develop spiritually. People are diverse in their characteristics, but, ultimately, they are quite alike.

Everyone’s experiences and perspectives must be considered. That is how we can truly expand our horizons and understand others better. It is also how we come to understand ourselves better.
There is a curious truth about life: the more we accept people who are different from us- the more we allow ourselves to grow and develop. We must remember-” ‘ईश्वर’ राजा और रंक को एक ही नज़र से देखते हैं…”

Swami ji said …

The majority of us love to follow sports. It does not seem to matter that we may never have held a hockey stick, played football, or played tennis — but watch we must, and react vociferously to whichever game we may be watching.

We just cannot seem to have enough of our favourite sport. A few among us have an addiction so strong to the sport of our choice that we have to watch every match ball by ball, shot by shot; count the number of goals that have been posted by our idol till the very end of the match; and respond excitedly to every turn that the match may take.

Emotions run high, not only on the actual field of play between rival teams, but also in the family room, where family members, supporting opposing teams, emote and react to the failure or success of their favourite team and player. We shed tears of joy on seeing them win, and weep copiously over their loss and defeat. Instinctively, we say, “Thank God, they have won,” or “Oh God, how could he not make his century?” Such is our emotional involvement with sports that it makes us take His name eventually. And, what could be better than that?

At the same time, what comes across vividly is the reaction of the players — those who are destined and lucky enough to score a century; those whose accurate kicks see the ball fly into the goalpost; and those whose magical serves across courts enable them to become title-holders.

Their reaction to victories and losses is discernible to all, and, yet distinctive at the same time. Some jump high up in the air, thump their chests, and pointedly show that they are the ones who have single-handedly won the match for their team, or added another feather to their list of accomplishments. Their ‘ego’ is still at play here- as they fail to see His love and blessings which had made them play their best game ever- by enabling them to surpass their previous best and instead let vanity take over them- which makes them feel that they are the ‘doers’.

Some of them scream in joy as they release all the tension that they had been holding within them throughout. And yet, a few among them, after undergoing the gruelling and exhausting battle on the field, do not forget to look up- at the sky above them and, for a second or two, whisper a few words of gratitude and thank their Creator for blessing them in the most magical way.

In fact, it is the first thing that they remember to do. And, that is a sight worth a rethink, as it makes us realise that their celebrity status and the millions and crores that they seem to have earned through their sport, for that ‘sacred’ moment at least, seem to be relegated to a forgotten space, as they temporarily surrender themselves to the Divine Grace of the Almighty- which made them achieve the impossible.

They realise that what has been achieved by them during that priceless, unforgettable moment was only possible as He willed it to happen- which makes them feel grateful and indebted to His blessings.

Simultaneously- the defeated team or the player who failed to make it past the winning line- too look up above at heaven- as though questioning Him- about their failure; seeking answers to- “What had gone wrong?” Why did we lose?” In both instances- ‘He’ is certainly thought of and remembered. Such is the power that God has on both- the winner and the vanquished.

A spiritual seeker must understand the significance of keeping his ‘ego’ at bay- on making rapid progress on the spiritual path, and, not for a second entertain delusions of grandeur that it is ‘he’- who should be given the credit for his commendable progress- which in reality would not have been possible without God and ‘guru’s’ Divine Grace on him. All that he has gained and acquired from his ‘guru’ ‘विद्या’, ‘ज्ञान’, in accordance with God’s will can be taken away from him in an instant- on displaying the first signs of arrogance and condescension in his attitude and treatment of others and- maybe towards his ‘guru’ as well. He needs to understand that the point at which he finds himself today, has been designed by God and what is required by him is to love God and follow His instructions- with humility and surrender to God’s love for Him- instead of showing his superiority and ‘know all’ behaviour. At the same time, another devotee- who could be considered a ‘misfit’ by others- simply because of his simplicity and ignorant ways- could be the first one to benefit immensely from ‘guru-gyaan’ and experience God’s ‘darshan’- within no time- only due to the purity of his soul and complete surrender to God.

Swami ji said…

In our day to day lives- we come across individuals- who are committed to making an improvement in the quality of their lives. They seek peace- in the madness of the turmoil around them; tranquillity- amidst the chaos in which they find themselves submerged, and to gain a deeper spiritual understanding of life. In order to achieve this, they are willing to experiment with the latest practices- as they know it is only then that it will be possible for them to improve the quality of their life- irrespective of the circumstances in which they live. They believe in the importance of living in the present moment only- not dwell on the past that has gone for ever, nor, live in the imaginary, illusionary future. They believe that they must make the best use of the circumstances in which God has placed them.

Some say that we must focus on the body—its health, strength, and appearance. Many of us follow this path with great sincerity. We exercise in parks and gyms. We watch our diet carefully. We ensure that we do not consume even an extra grain of food. We regularly measure our weight and waist, hoping to see signs of weight loss.

Others say that we must become more learned and knowledgeable. For this purpose, we read many books, write journals, listen to intellectual discussions, and try to make our mind more aware of the world around us. Through these practices, we, earnestly and diligently, try to expand the horizons of our mind. Then there are those who advise us to return to the ancient traditions of our ancestors— yoga, meditation, controlled breathing, and, many other spiritual practices. There is nothing wrong with any of these suggestions. In fact, all of them are beneficial.
However, what often happens is that, though there may be changes in physical appearance or mental sharpness, the mind itself does not necessarily change. Outwardly, a person may appear improved, but, inwardly, he may remain the same.

For a spiritual seeker, this is an important lesson. A person may become so attached to the means that he forgets the end. One does not seek good health merely for the sake of good health. One does not seek knowledge merely for the sake of knowledge. One seeks these things because they are considered means to joy and happiness. But true joy and true happiness can be experienced only when one becomes one with God. This must be the focus of life.

The quality of our life, our thoughts, and our actions truly improve when we make God our real aim. It is better to meditate for five minutes with sincere focus on God than to meditate for an hour while the mind contemplates on the benefits of meditation itself and the reward that we expect from Him for focussing on Him. When we exercise the body- it should not be only with the intent of receiving admiration from others on our ‘physical’ appearance- but we exercise- so that the body remains healthy and does not become an obstacle in our spiritual journey of knowing Him, seeing Him and merging with Him one day.

Could there be a better habit than reading, learning, and reflecting? But, we should not allow knowledge to become a cause of pride. Rather, we should let the knowledge that we have been fortunate enough to assimilate- help us move closer to God. We need to be aware of the significance of
pausing and contemplating on God. We must unfailingly reflect on the teachings of our Guru. We must remember to make God a part of whatever we do.

One is often distracted by the ‘small’ successes these ‘practices’ bring us. And, more often than not, one is more devoted to one’s practice- than to God, Himself. This is self-sabotage for those seeking the path of enlightenment. When God becomes the centre of our actions, even ordinary actions become sacred. When God becomes the focus of our life, peace is no longer something to be searched for. It becomes something that we breathe and live.