Month: March 2024

Swami ji said…

‘If I do this, this will happen.’ ‘If I do that, that will happen.’ Man carries this great belief that his intentions and actions are what decide his fate. He is convinced that his effort, his sacrifice, his intent is what brings about the outcome of what he desires. He sees himself as the great and grand ‘करता-धरता’, the one who has single handedly written the story of his life.

Yes, one has to act towards any desired outcome in a planned and systematic manner. One has to also make sacrifices, remain focussed and disciplined. Without any effort from our side , it would not be possible for us to achieve anything.There is absolutely no replacement for hard work.

But, it would be one’s folly to think that it is solely our actions, our ‘मेहनत’ – which are the only factors that play an integral part in creating our destiny. Many a times, during the ‘good times’, while basking in the glory of success, we forget – that while it is man who proposes, it is ultimately God who disposes.What we achieve, what we enjoy, is only because – God found us worthy enough – to bless us with all of that. If God does not deem us worthy of something – then no matter the amount effort we put in , no matter the number of sacrifices we make – we will never be able to receive any of that. All that happens with us, to us – happens by His will or will not happen at all.

There are so many examples of this around us. We see many who work towards a goal , tirelessly, but, fail over and over again. It is not because of lack of effort from their end – but as most of us would say – ‘ What they seem to be running short of – is plain , simple luck.’ Luck is not on their side ‘ – we say with sympathy. But , there is no ‘luck’ involved – in any bit of what we do ; what is done by us – there is only God’s will.There are many instances – when we set out with one objective – begin working towards it, but, ultimately find and obtain something even better than expected. This too is God’s will. How do wonderful developments take place in our life in the most unexpected manner ? How could something so startlingly good happen with us – out of the blue – leaving us confounded ?
We must reflect on this. Only then will we see His hand behind all the pitfalls and windfalls that crop up in our lives.

Similarly, it often happens that despite putting our best foot forward, we fail to make anything happen. As a
consequence,
some of us, are so heart broken, so disappointed – that we convince ourselves that life is unfair. We remain sad and develop a bitter attitude towards life – lamenting all the time – ‘अपने बुरे भाग्य पर.’ Or else, we get engulfed by self-doubt and are low in confidence. We lose the belief that we can do anything at all. This too is a pitfall of thinking – that it is solely ‘we’ who get things done. But , for someone who leaves it all to God – ‘failures’ are not closed doors, but , signboards to move onwards. They move ahead with the firm belief that God has something better for them in mind – something that even they could not have visualised for themselves – in their wildest dreams.

Even the spiritual seeker falls victim to his ego. He feels that his spiritual practices, his daily rituals or prayers – will definitely guide him to enlightenment. He unknowingly begins to take ‘pride’ in his spiritual life. His humility is long forgotten – as he begins to treat meditation, rituals and other practices as a part of a ‘deal’ to get spiritual enlightenment in return. He too seems to believe that he will get it done – forgetting that it is only God who will allow him into the gates of heaven.

Would you choose a murderer to spread the word of God? Would our ideas of what is right and wrong, correct and incorrect not hold us back from doing such a thing? Yet, God chose Moses, who had escaped Egypt – guilty of murder – to return and spread the word of God among the Jews.

Did Lord Shiva not grant ‘moksha’ to the thief who accidentally worshipped Him through the night of Shivratri? Would society, today, respect such a thief? Would we consider him worthy of spiritual enlightenment?

Who are we to try and understand God’s ways ? What we can do , however, is offer all our effort at his feet , all our trials and sacrifices – as offerings and pray for Him to guide us through this world. When good things happen to us, let us feel humbled by the Grace of God. Let us thank Him and wonder why we were lucky enough to receive His Grace in the first place.

Swami ji said…

‘Why do people take me for granted?’ ‘What makes them behave the way they do with me?’ ‘What have I done to deserve this kind of a treatment from them?’ All of us have spent hours putting up these questions, in our regular conversations, to our family and friends. We also pose these questions hoping to hear words – not necessarily true, but , of comfort and reassurance – that there is absolutely nothing wrong with us. We like to be reminded that we are soft – hearted and that we – who wouldn’t hurt a fly – certainly couldn’t treat anyone else in the unbecoming, ungainly manner – in which, unfortunately,
we are treated, quite often, by others.We like to be appreciated for being so careful with the tone, volume, note and weight of our words – while speaking with others. And, on hearing such appreciative words about us, our mind, too would definitely echo – Of course , we do !

We have grown up hearing our elders remind us constantly –
‘जैसा करोगे, वैसा भरोगे..’ Only, if , we were willing to give this age old wisdom some credence; we should be able to judge ourselves impartially. We would then be able to reflect on , whether our conduct , reflects clearly and exactly, that – what we expect to receive from those around us. We would ask ourselves – Does our attitude, our behaviour; our mannerisms; our way of talking to others – convey the same very respect that we expect from them ? If we are honest in our dealings with others – would it be very wrong to expect the same from them ? If love is all we have for others ; it is love we hope to receive from them too. But , then , are we wrong in expecting others to reciprocate in the same way ?

Things can be very simple for us, if , we believe in being reflections of what we would like to receive from others.
” हम जैसा बर्ताव दूसरों के साथ करेंगे, वैसा ही बर्ताव वो हमारे साथ करेंगे…”
What we radiate, emit and give out – will always come back to us – both the good and the not so good ; as nothing that we do bounces off us – but, seeps into our lives and is existential with us. The choice to pursue what is correct; what augurs well for us – shouldn’t be very difficult for us to zero down on.

But, whimsical and irrational that we are, we feel that just by expressing our distress and anger at the intolerable manner in which, we feel, we have been treated by others – the issue will somehow dissipate on its own. No.Things don’t work out this way. We would certainly know, if, there is something wrong in the way in which we behave with others – in different situations of life. On finding something wrong with our mannerisms with others, we
need to rectify ourselves immediately. If we dole out uncalled for arrogance to others – smirks, raised eyebrows and criticism are all that will come our way.
Co – operation from our end – will always find hands outstretched to help us , all the time. Rather than letting words of appreciation getting lodged in our throat – let them flow and envelope others in happiness – and we will see smiles and joy directed back at us.

There are times, of course, when such a way of functioning with those who are always ungrateful and unresponsive – appears to be futile and an effort wasted. The world being a tough place, challenges this idea many times.Trying circumstances, uncalled for aggression from others, often make us wonder, if , we too need to develop a coarse character to survive in this world. But, it is during such times that we must remember – that it is God – who is giving us an opportunity to let our goodness shine in darkness, rather, than letting it get engulfed in it. It takes ‘light’ from the stars – millions of years to reach us.

Thus , we too must believe and have faith – that the ideals and principles colouring our actions – will come to our aid, will benefit us some time or another – ‘और अगर ‘Ishwar’ हमारे अच्छे ‘बर्ताव’ से प्रसन्न हैँ ‘- then do we need anything else apart that ?

Swami ji said…

Haven’t we whispered amongst ourselves,
with a tinge of envy in our voice – on seeing the affluent – “उसके पास सब कुछ है … वो कितना सुखी होगा !” These days a quick assessment of the kind of comfort in which a person lives ; the number of cars he owns ; the numerous houses he has ; the various gadgets that he owns – which are upgraded constantly – is all that is required by us – to certify him as a – सुखी इंसान ! Greater the number of means of comfort seen and associated with a person by us – entitles us to unilaterally declare – that he must be the happiest person on the planet, living a life of pleasure and ease, experiencing bliss on earth. What more could he need – we say – as according to us – he has everything going for him ! And, we could even secretly wish to change places with him anytime. So sure are we of that person’s state of happiness. But , is he? ‘शांत’ because of all the ‘सुख – सुविधा’ that he has?

Can drawing such conclusions based merely on parameters of possessions ;
‘सुविधाएँ’ –
surrounded by all material comforts ; possessing a sea – facing house ; a residence in the hills ; owning a fleet of cars – qualify to label him as a – सुखी person – actually be realistic and rational ? Can we say with certainty that material comforts can cent percent guarantee him mental peace – ‘शांती ? He could still be restless as he craves for more – and, being content and at peace with himself even after acquiring so much is something that is still unknown to him. Could there be a person more unfortunate than him ?

There is nothing wrong in wanting to make life comfortable for ourselves – and most of us work very hard – in order to make a decent living and progress in life…”हम सब एक ऐसा जीवन जीना चाहते हैँ जों सुख- सुविधा से भरपूर हो, परन्तु अगर हम तब भी शांत ना रहें – then there is something wrong with us ? Is it because we have made the mistake of getting attached to ‘सुविधाएँ’ ? Has our over – dependency on all these conveniences and means of easement made us mistake them for harbingers of peace…” हम ने ‘सुविधा’ को ‘सुख’ समझना शुरु कर
दिया है ? ऐसा करना गलत है…”

Peace cannot be bought at any counter of any store.There is no money involved in letting it flourish within us. It is a choice that we have to make – to be at peace with all the ‘सुख’ that we have.
It can only be experienced by us , if , we have made up our minds to experience it – let that sublime feeling of peace – become a part of us.The more detached we are from the ‘luxurious’ comforts of life, the more at peace we are ! And, what is extremely important is – to atleast, be grateful for whatever ‘सुख’ we have. We need to draw inspiration from the saints and sages, ‘सच्चे – संत’ , who had deliberately chosen to distance themselves from all kinds of ‘सुख – सुविधा’ – as their only aim was to experience unparalleled inner calm and peace.

Swami ji said…

“मेरे जीवन मेँ इतने कष्ट क्यूँ आते हैं ?” “मैं इस विपत्ति का सामना कैसे करूँगा?” Isn’t this our immediate and instinctive response to any unforeseen problem ? ‘किसी भी तरह की कठिनाई के लिए जो अचानक से हमारे सामने आ सकती है…?’ Difficulties that had never been envisaged by us; infirmities that could have been farthest from our mind – leave us shell – shocked – as they unleash themselves on us. Unexpected medical problems that could challenge the limits of our physical endurance; ऐसी शारीरिक ‘कष्ट’ और ‘पीड़ा’ जो सहन करने में हम सक्षम नहीं हैं – beyond our tolerance; incidents causing such unbearable grief and sorrow that one feels he will never be able to understand as to why did it happen with him and that he will never be able to come out of it …’

We could find ourselves being attacked severely by problems that are both – demanding and daunting. And, for some strange reason we feel that by throwing back the question – ” मैं इस विपत्ति का सामना कैसे करूँगा?” – at the cause ; the problem itself will be solved – just by doing so. If only it was as simple as that !

We need to understand that – जो भी कष्ट’और ‘विपत्ति’ हमारे जीवन मे हमारे सामने आते है , उनका सामना हमें ही करना पड़ेगा, हमारे अलावा कोई औऱ नहीं कर सकता…” It is we – who has to face them ; deal with them and overcome them. Thus, how we attempt to face them, tackle them – rests totally with us – whether we cry and complain about them non – stop, or, be resolute and determined; refuse to buckle under any kind of mental pressure, and , instead develop the mental strength needed to face them.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful, if, in times of crisis – we are able to approach whatever it is … ‘कोई भी कष्ट , किसी भी तरह की विपत्ति’ – with a strong mindset and mental toughness … accepting the fact that everything that comes our way – be it good or ‘bad’ – is our ‘कर्म’ – whether we want it or not ; whether we like it or not. It is but natural that the severity of the issue could overwhelm us so much while suffering with it and bearing it – that we fail to understand that – times of distress, misery – painful , as they may be, do make us stronger – as we tend to grow and evolve in ways that we had never associated ourselves with. On reaching the end of the tunnel – after waging a battle with adverse situations – we will find that – ‘ हम में सहने की शक्ती उत्पन हो गई है ; साहसी हो गए हैं और खुद पर भरोसा करने की क्ष्मता बढ गई है…’

When faced with a mammoth ordeal, we need to motivate ourselves by recalling the words – ‘ God tests those who He loves the most and those who are strong enough to put up a fight…’ – and recharge ourselves with indefatigable energy to overcome the odds and it will be possible for each one of us to come out stronger than before. It is people like these who are the actual winners – who conquer terminal diseases; financial losses in which they lose everything and start from scratch again; when natural calamities make people homeless but they remain stoic and rebuild their homes – brick by brick. It is people like these – जो ‘कष्ट’ और ‘विपत्ति’ के पल जब उन्के जीवन में आते हैं , तो वो उन से घबराते नहीं हैँ परंतु साहस के साथ, उनका सामना करते…ऐसे लोग हमेशा सफल होते हैं…”

Swami ji said…

Man is fickle by nature. Our ability to change colours – faster than that of a chameleon, and, knack of donning as many hats as possible, in one go, to please and placate the audience standing before us – is truly beyond comprehension and can leave any one of us bewildered and speechless. But, then that is the way we are! Our moods and choices; wants and desires; likes and dislikes can change – just like that – from one moment to another. If we are happy one moment, we could be sad the very next. We could love someone whole heartedly one day; and, on falling out with them, could detest them intensely – the very next day. Well, this flaw, inherently present in each one of us – can be understood to a certain extent. But, what cannot be understood – is our foolish tendency of having an elephant’s memory – when it comes to counting and remembering the number of problems that have been faced by us in the past – rather than recounting the blessings that God has bestowed upon us in abundance.

This weakness, at times, could be so deep – rooted within a few of us, that we remain restless, indecisive, confused, unhappy, envious of others; find ourselves unable to face a crisis and incapable of overcoming grief and sorrow, unsure of what should be done by us.Negativity gets through to us very easily, and, positivity seems to make a hasty retreat – leaving us questioning – “Will we continue to live this way forever? What is the purpose of our life?”

It is during such moments of despondency and uncertainty – that many lost souls like us could have gone through – that the good ‘karma’ that has been accumulated by us over our past lifetimes – leads us to the Lotus Feet of a ‘सद्गुरु’, a ‘सच्चा संत ‘ – who, in His quiet manner, had been waiting for that special individual – to be led to ‘Him’ in accordance with God’s plans for both – ‘गुरु’ औऱ ‘भक्त’… “हमारे जीवन में वही ‘सद्गुरु’ आएँगे, जिन्हें नियति ने निर्धारित किया हुआ है…और उचित समय पे ही, सही समय पे ही…ईश्वर हमें उन्के तय किए हुए ‘सद्गुरु’ के पास हमे पहुँचाते हैं…” And, our ‘सद्गुरु’ gives us – everything that He feels would be ideal for us. ‘He’ accepts us as one of His own lovingly, as, He too, had been waiting eagerly to shower His Grace on us, and, assist us on our spiritual quest. If we are alert to developments and happenings around us, we will see miracles take place around us, and, all of a sudden life begins to take a new meaning for us. It becomes beautiful, meaningful, worth-living. Every minute invested by a ‘सच्चा संत’ in us – opens unknown, unseen paths for us – enabling us to understand all that we need to learn and do – to develop a closer connection, relationship with God.

But, since; faith, loyalty and trust are in short deficit in most of our relationships – do we apply the same yardstick when considering our relationship with our ‘sadhguru’? Do we begin to have second thoughts about His powers when we feel that some desires of ours have not been fulfilled by Him. There is no running away from the fact that we have always wanted more ; longed for more – and, thus, can the possibility that the devotees quickly forget about the ‘sadhguru’ – “जिन्होंने उन्हें जीवन जीने का ‘सही तरीका’ और ‘सही सोच’ सिखाई थी…” – and, in the future, have no qualms in setting out to look for another ‘Guru’?

Do we become complacent after having advanced spiritually under a ‘self – realised’ guru’s’ guidance and directions? After having gained success and benefitting profitably – do we begin to take the Grace that our ‘Guru’ had showered on us for granted? Do we, over a time period, turn smug enough to believe that – ” ‘सद्गुरु’ की कृपा हमेशा हमपे बरसती रहेगी ‘ – and, that irrespective of what we further do in our lives, we will continue to be recipients of His blessings ? Can we say with all sincerity that we are worthy of being blessed by our ‘sadguru’s divine presence in our lives?

Our ‘Guru’ might never voice his dissatisfaction about us – to us ; but shouldn’t we, as His devotees, make every effort possible – to earn ‘Guru – kripa’ from Him? Our ‘Guru’ will always give us much more than we had ever dreamt of – as according to Him , His ‘dharma’ will always be to ‘give’ to His devotees. When He says that – “मेरे दरबार से कोइ ख़ाली हाथ नहीं जाता है और नही जाएगा…” – ‘He’ not only says it with utmost sincerity and conviction – but also means what He says.