Month: June 2026

Swami ji said…

Individuals with exceptional talent, outstanding skills in a particular field, brilliance in their chosen sport or art, and great accomplishments at a very young age – are all God-gifted. Those who are intelligent enough to ignite this dormant spark into a burning fire through their passion, determination, and single-minded devotion, at the right moment and at the opportune time- are indeed blessed and extremely fortunate.

‘ They’ are very few in number— perhaps only a handful among billions— whose pictures are splashed across newspapers and displayed on billboards. Worshipped by many and looked upon with awe by millions of fans, they have the ability to make us shout, cheer, or tear up unabashedly.

But why is it that a few extremely talented individuals — “अपने कौशल से, अपनी विशेष योग्यता के कारण, जिन से वे अपना नाम और अपनी पहचान बनाते हैं— कुछ समय बाद अहंकार, घमंड और अभिमान से भर जाते हैं? उनमें अपने हुनर का गुरूर क्यों आ जाता है? “

Why do they begin to develop an “attitude,” an arrogant demeanour, and behave in a superior, condescending manner- with those whom they consider “insignificant”? After earning accolades, name, and fame, is it their ego that makes them feel incomparable, unparalleled, and unique? Do they begin to believe that what has been achieved by them cannot be achieved by anyone else?

Do the lights of the cameras that follow them everywhere blind them to the reality that all the adulation coming their way today is only because of God’s Grace and His Will? One cannot deny that their perseverance and hard work have played a significant role in their success; but, again, if, He so wishes, He can take away everything in an instant.

Does our vanity make us erase the age-old proverb, “Pride comes before a fall,” from our memory? Do we forget that excessive pride has caused the downfall of many- many times over?

The spiritual seeker must always ask himself, “What do I possess that was not given to me?” We must ask ourselves this question again and again. Everything we have- has been given to us by God, and that includes any special gifts and abilities that we may possess. Talent is not self-created. It is only discovered. It is only harnessed. But ultimately, it is God’s gift to us.

The more one reflects on this, and the more one begins to believe it, the looser the grip of pride becomes. One realises that humility is not about denying the fact that one has special abilities, but, about being aware that those abilities are gifts bestowed by God and that one is truly fortunate to have received them.

The ancient stories are filled with such examples of great men who were led to their doom by pride. रावण— the most knowledgeable, the most devout, the most intelligent— was blinded by his ego to such an extent that he could not see that- ‘The राम’ against whom he was waging war- was Lord Vishnu Himself on Earth. He, who was Lord Shiva’s greatest ‘भक्त’, forgot to close his eyes to ‘माया’ and look into his heart- to see whether what he was doing was right or wrong. With the many boons that God had given him, he began to mistake himself for God.

Such is the folly in which many, even today, ultimately find themselves.

The answer to this lies in being the exact opposite of रावण— in being more like Lord Hanuman.

We must remember God in every action. When we succeed, we must praise Him with gratitude. When we fail, we must seek His guidance in setting us on the right path. We must detach ourselves from the results in all forms— good or bad— and pray only that God gives us the wisdom to act correctly. This will wash away all our ideas of “my greatness” and “my ability,” and make us focus on, and, realise the grandeur of God in the smallest of things that happen – with us and to us.

Swami ji said…

Life is nothing but a series of circumstances; of instances that we face, from birth to death. There is not one moment which is ever in our control. Everything that we go through and experience in this life, in this world, is pre-destined. It is all a result of our past actions. The good, the bad, the ugly—and everything in between.

And, while most of us seem to know this, how many of us truly believe this? How many of us are acutely aware of this in our thoughts? Wouldn’t our reaction to any situation or circumstance be very different- if we had truly embedded this belief within ourselves?

If something good happens, we rejoice; if something bad happens, we become sad. Our mind during such moments is akin to a log of wood tossed in the seas—simply at the mercy of the crests and troughs of the sea, which seem much like the ups and downs of life.

When the going gets tough, we forget everything and look for someone to blame. And when the times are good, we look for ways to attribute that to ourselves. But, that is not the characteristic of one who is in control of himself. That is not the hallmark of one whose action is measured and thought out.

All our actions, whether planned or not, are ultimately a reaction to life around us. From the grand gestures to the smallest of acts. Be it our everyday routine or some special activity we do—everything is a response to life itself. And that is all that is in our control.

Some of us go through trials and tribulations in life- which are harsh, unforgettable. And many times, we believe that they, in turn, have made us harsh in our behaviour. Yet, there are others who go through worse and still come across as the kindest souls one could come across.

One student fails an exam and gives up on academics forever. Another digs deeper and decides to retake his exams, emerging as a much better student. Then there are some among us on whom fortune smiles, making us wealthy beyond measure. But what does that wealth do to us? Some become proud and arrogant, displaying the worst within them. Yet others become even more humble, more sacrificing, and ever more grateful. Same circumstances, yet different reactions. None of these examples are new to us. Yet, what do we learn from them?

The spiritual practitioner must strive to control his actions- unaffected and untouched by all that is happening around him. Irrespective of the circumstance- what truly matters- is the way he behaves and reacts to them.

Shri Ram’s temperament and nature did not change- while he was in exile- in the forest. His thoughts and actions were just as noble and grounded- as they had been while he was a prince. As a king, he maintained the simplicity and humility of a sage. The forests, the crowns, and the wars did not make Him deviate from His ‘principles’. He maintained His composure, His pursuit of truth and fairness, and His practice of “dharma”- throughout his life – indifferent to the contrasting circumstances that were faced by Him.

Similarly, the spiritual seeker must strive to be measured, composed, and strong in thought and action- always- no matter what life presents him with. He must be observant of his emotions, his thoughts and actions- and not let the challenges that will most certainly be faced by him while on the spiritual path- doubt himself, waver and move away from the Right path.

Swami ji said …

All of us have a common dream: to have a dream house of our own one day. It is not uncommon to hear people around us express this wish with longing and, at the same time, with a nervous hope that God will hear their appeal: “बस, एक अपना घर चाहिए…” “I will be the happiest- the day I have a house of my own…” “I am saving every penny to buy a house…”And, once the house is finally bought— after much financial planning, loans, and, at times, even after parting with precious assets to which deep emotions are attached— a ‘ गृह-प्रवेश पूजा’; a house-warming get-together is held to celebrate this milestone- in the life of an individual, a family, or a couple. During those auspicious moments, a prayer is on everyone’s lips, requesting God to bring peace, positivity, prosperity, good health, and harmony into the newly acquired house-“घर में, परिवार में प्रेम और एकता बनी रहे…” is what everyone asks for. This prayer beautifully sums up the sanctity and emotion of that cherished moment.

But, unfortunately, why is it that, as time passes- the genuine love, affection, and unity- very often begin to erode? Why do these emotions lose their significance and give way to friction, fractured relationships, and a lack of unity among family members?
How much time do we, at times, waste in allowing the devious mind to dance to discordant notes that are aimed at creating disunity within the family?

All of us know that a great deal of labour goes into constructing a house. It begins with clay, soil, and other materials being moulded into bricks. These bricks are then arranged, joined, and plastered to form walls. It is these solid and strengthened walls that enable a house to take proper shape.

All these inanimate, “lifeless” objects work in harmony, silently supporting one another — a shining example of the truth that “united we stand.”

And this is the lesson that should remain in our minds forever- once we move into the house: Come what may, “we” — each one of us— will stand by every member of our family through thick and thin. We will remain ever ready to support one another and will not allow any external factor to disunite us.

Brick by brick, our life is made. We must always remember that the solid foundation of sound principles and good character on which we stand today- is due, in no small measure, to the immense contribution of our family. And that- discord, disunity, constant verbal conflicts, and unending differences of opinion with our loved ones- can create cracks which, if, allowed to develop- may never be repaired.

The ‘ego’ often does not allow us to accept defeat in the verbal duels that we constantly wage with others – creating a negative environment in the house. It is, therefore, important to think of ways to bridge the gaps- that begin to emerge faster – than our attempts to seal them.

As spiritual seekers, we must understand that familial disharmony is a sign- that the mind has already created foes out of one’s own people. A spiritual seeker must remember that one’s family is just as human as anyone else, and, is therefore, bound to err and make mistakes.
Their mistakes, their words, and their actions are not to be held on to forever. The same principles of forgiveness, understanding, and unconditional love that we seek to apply to the world- must also be applied to them. Yes, angry words and regretful actions by family members can hurt more deeply, but, they are just as deserving of forgiveness and love as anyone else.

It is important, therefore, that we should always try to maintain an environment in which we use loving words and kind gestures, centred around honesty, while interacting with family members. Such an environment is conducive to developing mutual respect, fostering genuine interest in one another’s well-being, and making the family a tight-knit unit which, instead of challenging itself from within, faces all difficulties together- with strength and unity.

The epic- ‘महाभारत’ – is a profound teaching on this very truth — how nurturing feelings of hatred, injustice, and revenge can turn even brothers into enemies. And, even though God, in the form of Lord Krishna, was present among them, the Kauravas and the Pandavas were unable to reconcile and overcome their differences. Instead, they spilled each other’s blood.

This is a powerful lesson on how allowing ‘ego’ and ‘pride’ to go unchecked in family matters can lead to utter destruction and chaos. We may not have God ‘physically’ present among us, today, in the way Lord Krishna was present ‘then’, and, thus, it is incumbent upon us- to preserve the pillars on which the family stands.