Month: December 2021

Swami ji said…

” Life is God’s gift to us. It is an opportunity for the soul to reconnect with the ‘परमात्मा’; to realise and become aware of its origin and divine nature. At times,the trials and tribulations; highs and lows of life do make man see the futility of struggling in the material world,and, make him look within; to explore his inner being,and, try to understand ‘what’ and ‘who’ ‘he’ is.”

“Yet, all this is rarely achieved by us on our own. Like sheep, we, too need a shepherd to guide us; to look over us and show us the way out of the miseries of the world. But, not all of us are lucky enough to be taken under the tutelage of great spiritual teachers and ‘gurus’, who can enlighten our minds and show us the path to peace and salvation. Many souls pass through life unguided and lost. They are bound in the endless cycles of life and death, until and unless, they are shown the way to attain liberation.”

” It thus becomes important to know – ‘How can we be worthy of ‘Divine Grace’? A few qualities that God looks for in us – are the abilities to walk on the ‘Right Path’ with sincerity; to self-analyse critically and honestly; and, make genuine efforts for self improvement.
It is, thus, truly miraculous that some fortunate ‘souls’ – considered worthy enough by God – are able to find, a ‘sadguru’, a ‘saccha sant’ to guide them on their spiritual journey. This is ‘ Divine Grace’ – in its most sacred form that is showered upon them by the ‘नीली छत्रीवाला’.”

“Nothing and nobody; neither creation, nature nor the universe can avert the meeting of a ‘guru-shishya’ in a particular lifetime – as they are destined to meet. Miracles take place when true and genuine feelings exist between a ‘guru’ and his devotee. A ‘guru’s’ heart melts on sensing the spiritual inclination and yearning; the devotion, purity and selflessness of a ‘saccha bhakt’ and, then, he, too, quenches the devotee’s thirst by focussing on purifying his ‘soul’ further ; opening his ‘chakshyu’…his eyes, and, awakening ‘consciousness’ within him.”

“ The Holy Bible says – ‘Blessed are the Pure in Heart, for they shall see God…’ and, thus , it becomes important for us to try and cleanse our hearts and minds of all negative thoughts and purify our ‘souls’,if, we truly seek ‘Divine Grace’. The pious and pure bond between a ‘guru – devotee ‘ can achieve the unachievable and an unbelievable transformation begins to take place in the devotee. A self realised ‘guru’s’ touch and teachings can bring about unprecedented
changes in a devotee’s ‘inner’ being and way of thinking. He becomes selfless, pure hearted and is filled with love for all as he prepares to enter the gateway of Heaven and merge with His Creator.”

” Life takes a completely different meaning when we experience the beauty of ‘Divine Grace’ – which is God’s Grace on us. His love and concern for us infuses us with an inner strength not possessed by us earlier ; when we surrender unconditionally to Him and His ways, knowing very well that His will only prevails. We finally begin to understand that what is happening in our lives had to only happen this way and thus – “हम ‘दुख’ में भी ‘सुख’ देखते हैं… ‘मुश्किलों’ से उभरना सीखते हैं और ‘मुसीबतों’ से हार नहीं मानते हैं…’ “

“Jeevan mein ‘Arjun’ hi nahi , ‘Abhimanyu’ bhi banna seekho“

Swami ji said…

“In the ‘Mahabharat’, ‘Arjun’ was destined to win against all his foes. Not only did Arjun possess unparalleled skills of a great archer ; but, he also had God – Shri Krishna, Himself, by his side and once his doubts were clarified by Lord Krishna, his belief in himself ; in the rightness of his actions grew beyond measure. He gained supreme confidence not only, in, himself, but also, in the fact that victory would be theirs. He fought one of the greatest battles on the battlefield of Kurushetra and tasted victory.”

” Similarly, when good fortune and success come knocking at our door; when we feel that the steps taken by us to experience the ‘winning’ moment had been just and right, then, like Arjun, we too can feel worthy enough of receiving acknowledgements and recognition that we knew would be coming our way, as ‘आप जानते थे कि आपकी जीत निश्चित थी aur जब जीत’ निश्चित हो तो ‘अर्जुन’ कोई भी बन सकता है ‘ In such circumstances, when one has the Midas touch – it becomes easy to look strong and unfettered. One exudes an aura of both spunk and elan. It is easy to captivate and draw admiration from others as they are well aware that you are bound to succeed. Like a gambler on a lucky run, every move you make seems like a masterful, winning strike and as a winner you will always be remembered. The inspirational words of winners, stressing on their beliefs and attributing them to their success are heard over and over again. But, is it possible for all of us to only face win win situations and be winners all the time ? “

” Let us reverse the situation now, and, for a moment think – ‘What kind of an image do we present, project – when faced with unanticipated and completely unexpected developments in our lives?’ Do we lose every vestige of faith, belief and confidence and simply grapple with the problem mindlessly, without a sense of purpose and direction. Is it a case of being a winner only when things around us are conducive to us? How we react in adverse conditions is a true test of our character ! Do we make an attempt to win situations that require unprecedented mental courage and strength?”

” It is possible one might lose a loved one ; be given the ‘pink’ slip and informed that his services were no longer required ; or, is all of a sudden afflicted with a deadly disease. There is no “success’ at the end of the dark tunnel in such cases. Often, such misfortunes, seem more like a walk to the gallows, as there is no sweet reward for the suffering one goes through while living through ‘them’. How can one behave confidently in such a situation? What is there to be confident about, one might wonder, in such a hopeless situation ?”

” परंतु जब जीवन में ऐसी मुश्किलें और चुनौतियां आती हैं, या मृत्यु निश्चित हो, तब क्या हम ‘अभिमन्यु’ बनने ka साहस रखते हैं? During such moments, we should understand that since the storm that has risen out of nowhere before us, has not been created by us, it is not possible for it to be controlled by us either ; but, what we can surely do is to plot the course, set sails, and try our best to manoeuvre successfully through the life threatening storm. ‘Abhimanyu’, Arjun’s son, did not let the thought of his imminent death at the hands of his enemies – while he was trapped in the ‘chakravyuh’, surrounded by his opponents, baying for his blood – shake his mental strength and courage. He knew that his end was near. He could have surrendered to the enemy and requested a quick painless death; yet, he chose to struggle on – to fight on with the same confidence and energy as had always been shown by his father ‘Arjun’. ‘Abhimanyu’ fought – what one could refer to as a “losing battle” – but he still fought it , like a lion, with every intent to win, with the belief that he would win.”

” All of us face such ‘losing battles’ at some point in our lives. But, this does not mean that we should quit without putting up a fight against whichever challenge that we are destined to face. For, it is neither our circumstances, nor the result ; but, our actions and our intent that ultimately count. If Abhimanyu’s name is remembered today, it is because of the courage and bravery that he had shown in the face of adversity. While he may not have won his final battle, his legacy has lived on for generations. Similarly, we too must ensure that the life we live in this ‘karambhoomi’ is one where we are strong, courageous and positive minded ; where we are steady and strong beacons of light that can outshine and eliminate the darkness of challenges, not only for ourselves but for others too.”

Swami ji said…

“Society has always been trapped in the ‘मोह-माया’ of this illusionary world. Man is unable to perceive anything beyond what his physical senses tell him of the world. We are constantly chasing fortune and fame. These motivations take up different forms. For some, looking beautiful or handsome matters the most ; for others, running a big business or excelling professionally could be a matter of great pride.Yet, all in all, the motivations remain the same – wealth, and, a renowned name ; physical and social capital.”

” Yet, both, are powerless in the face of old age, disease and death. No amount of popularity, or wealth can alleviate the suffering from these. Yes, to have money and be known in society is beneficial – but beyond a certain limit, they are considered inconsequential,if, the individual concerned, lacks the essential qualities of goodness, kindness, empathy and sympathy for others.”

” When Alexander the Great was leaving India, he encountered a few ascetics, who, laughed at him, as, if, telling him that he had made a fool of himself. Bewildered, Alexander demanded they explain their behaviour to him. In reply, the ascetics explained that they were trying to show him the folly of his ambition. They explained to Alexander that he had wasted his, and , his soldiers lives in killing people mindlessly,and, conquering the vast lands of Mother Earth, for, he, never really needed any more land, than the area that he stood on, at any given time. Could he explain the cruelty and lack of mercy that had been shown by him while he had massacred thousands ! “

” This story tells us, how man loses perspective of the meaning of his life, when he is all consumed by ambition. Man’s one true wealth is the goodness in his heart – the love, kindness and concern that he has for his brethren. Jesus Christ is a unique example of these traits. A simple carpenter by profession – He was able to win over others with His kindness and love. He spent His life helping the poor and needy. Even at the time of His crucifixion – He looked upon the people with pity and worry. Centuries after having left this world, He, is worshipped by billions. Such is the power of love and kindness.”

” Preoccupied that we are in meeting the challenges of life, have we somehow failed to pay attention to the fact – that the life that we are blessed with – is fleeting ! Every breath that is taken by us, and, the number of times that our heart will beat, has already been decided by our Maker; and, thus, it becomes extremely important for us to weigh the value of our life in gold ; cherish the ‘role’ that has been allotted to us by our Creator – “और समझें की जो ‘भुमिका’ हमें ईश्वर ने दी है उसे अच्छी तरह से निभायें , अच्छे ‘लक्ष्य’ को पाने का निर्णय लें, और अच्छे ‘विचार’ को अपने अंदर विकसित करें…”

“Once we understand how fortunate we are to have taken birth
‘मनुष्ययोनि में’ – relate with its delicate and divine nature, we need to play the role assigned to us, in this birth, to perfection; make it meaningful, credible and worthy. We have not come here to be in a state of sloth, slumber and sleep, but, to be remembered for the love, goodness and positivity that we carry with us, all the time, so much so that it becomes our trademark and leaves an indelible impression on those whose lives are touched by us, motivating them also to emulate us.”

“When the element of ‘अच्छाई’ – goodness – underlines all our feelings, thoughts and actions; we, not only do good for others, but, we, too, benefit by doing good ‘karma’ ; further purifying our ‘soul’ with the ‘goodness’ that becomes an integral part of us, and, before long, we are known and remembered, not, necessarily for our wealth, but, for our goodness…’ एक अच्छा इंसान, हमेशा याद किया जाता है, ‘मन’ मे भी और ‘शब्दों’ में भी …” as, he, understands what the odds are like, when the strongest of hands lose their grip at times , and , the greatest of minds becomes cloudy – but, he , is still kind to them as he is tolerant, forgiving and less judgemental.”

Swami ji said…

” ‘Why does man do anything? What leads him to act? Why does he act in different ways at different times?” We all have the same basic needs of food and water to survive. Yet, we all seem to be doing different things and behaving in different ways. Man even behaves differently in the same circumstances. What is the root cause of such behaviour?”

” It is quite simply due to man’s thoughts.
Thoughts lead to action. All action is preceded and dictated by thought. Some eat more than they need to, while others don’t. Why? It’s because some think that to eat more in the present moment, will delay tomorrow’s hunger; while others think that feeding the body more than it needs will only harm it.”

” Even in the simplest of tasks, our thoughts – our way of thinking – leaves its imprints. And, this is also why, some of us perform good acts – good ‘karma’ – and others perform bad ‘karma’. It is because the nature of our thoughts are reflected in the nature of our ‘karma’.

” Let us take the simple act of exercising our bodies. Most of us exercise with a different motive and goal. Some of us would like to remain fit, disease – free and healthy, so, we allot a fixed period of time to exercise regularly, and, then, move on to other necessary activities through the day. Some of us could exercise way more than needed ; spend endless money on gym memberships and diets; waste time scrolling social media to get tips to get the ‘best body’ – lost in the ‘मोह माया’ of the body as we could be obsessed with it. So busy are we nursing thoughts giving paramount importance to our body that we are left with no time for any intellectual and spiritual growth in our lives. How can such thoughts help us in
leading a balanced and fulfilling life ?”
But, a ‘spiritual’ seeker will exercise his ‘body’ for a completely different reason, as he understands that to keep the ‘body’ healthy in which his ‘soul’ resides is a responsible act – as, firstly, he is looking after ‘the’ body which God has blessed him with ,and, secondly, it is through his ‘body’ that he will be able to do tap, jap and meditate on God and merge his ‘atman’ with ‘Parmatma’. Our thoughts can influence us to such a great extent !”

” It is thus essential to be aware of the nature of one’s thoughts. Many a times, we are oblivious to the nature of our thoughts, and, thus, our actions are also uncontrolled. Very often we gossip about others, quite simply, because somewhere in our hearts, we are jealous of them. We do this, even when we know, that we would never harm them. But, since we have not acknowledged, in our mind, that we might be jealous of them, and had never tried to reason with ourselves,nor, tried to get to the bottom of the reason for feeling jealous, we end up bad mouthing or gossiping about them, in an almost involuntary manner. Such is the negative power of one’s bad thoughts. If our thoughts are negative, they can lead us into the darkness of wrong, unwanted ‘karma’ and cause great misery and sorrow to us.”

” It is common in Hindu tradition to offer fresh un-tasted food as ‘prasad’ to God. Guests too are served freshly cooked food. Yet, in the Ramayana, Shabri, seemingly, broke this tradition by offering Shri Ram ‘ber’, which were tasted by her and then given to Him. Even though Lakshman seemed disturbed by her act , Shri Ram, paid no attention to the fact that the ‘ber’ had been tasted by her, and, readily accepted the fruits from her. Why was this? It is quite simply because Shri Ram only saw Shabri’s pure intent. He only saw Shabri’s love and concern for Him when she explained that she was tasting the fruits to ensure that He got only the tastiest ones to eat. In this case, even a ‘karma’ deemed ‘wrong’ by society, brought joy to God because the intent, the nature of the thought behind it was pure and kind. This ‘karma’ of hers, for all purposes, was in the end ‘good karma’ – a loving and caring act.”

” It is our ‘karma’ that decides our ultimate fate. ‘Good’ karma releases us from the tentacles of ‘maya’ and ‘bad karma’ entangles us in it further. However, looking more closely, it, becomes clear that our ‘karma’ is the fruit borne of our seed like thoughts. Thus, it is only good thoughts that can lead us to salvation. We must endeavour, at all times, to cleanse the mind ; for, by cleansing the mind, we will make our thoughts pure and our actions noble and good.”

” Yaad rakho…
‘विचार’ से ‘कर्म’ की उत्पत्ति होती है…
‘कर्म’ से ‘आदत’ की उत्पत्ति होती है…
‘आदत’ से ‘चरित्र’ की उत्पत्ति होती है…”