Author: thetreasuredivine

Swamiji says …

“You must learn to develop the habit of exercising self-restraint and self- control on yourself. Begin by taking small steps on the path that you can choose of ‘giving up’… ‘sacrificing’…
‘tyaag kar ne ka’… with implicit faith and determination.”

“Believe me when I say that there is a lot of power in the simple act of ‘giving up’ something for a certain period of time…or, maybe, for ever. It is possible for each one of you to make a beginning by ‘giving up’ something or the other for a span of time decided by you. It could be a simple thing…like not eating an egg on a particular day or not making rice an integral part of your diet on another day … not performing a ritual that you observe everyday otherwise … not combing your hair the number of times that you, maybe, comb everyday … not having ‘dal’ on a certain day or avoid using lemon in the same way that you had been doing previously. When you begin doing this you will definitely feel positive energy building up within you … a certainty, serenity and calmness make home in your mind…which, otherwise, constantly clamours for gratification of every desire of yours…and thoughts … pure, clear and clean… will start taking birth in your mind. Oppressive thoughts of depression and negativity will be a thing of the past. Tell yourself that you will be in a state of ‘maun’…silence your mind and tongue…for a fixed duration of time whenever you can. Rein in your senses,inwards, to know who you are…What is the purpose of your birth ? What is the mystery of life and death?”

“These acts of ‘tyaag’ might appear to be insignificant and meaningless but they have a wealth of significance behind them. Once you make these traits a part and parcel of your life and live a life based on such principles, you will get connected with the source of divine power within you .. discover the inner strength that you are blessed with in abundance, and will be pleasantly surprised to know that it is possible for you to control and conquer your senses and you will see that … ‘ashubh kaam bhi shubh ho jaate hain’ …”

“I am sure each one of you is capable of developing these skills of self-mastery.”

Swamiji says …

During your lifetime, you come across hundreds of individuals. A few of them might be suffering from delusions of grandeur. Such people are completely in love with themselves. They think that they are better than the best, unparalleled in every which way. They form a self-opiniated thought process that they are the only ones capable of doing anything and everything… and if it wasn’t for them nothing could ever work out fine. They bask in self praise, sing paeans about themselves…their greatness, magnanimity, tolerance and helpful attitude… about the wonderful qualities, habits and traits that they are endowed with.

They are so greatly enamoured with themselves that while blowing their own trumpet they fail to notice that the people listening to their monologue are least inclined to listen to them…to their one -sided talk … but, bewildered and bemused, they are forced to listen to them, and are left with no other option but to lend them their ears.

At times, the dislike nurtured for such people could turn into hatred and abhorrence … and we start avoiding them.
This, perhaps is the mistake made by most of us. We fail to understand that we are doing a wrong thing by disliking a person with such drawbacks . It is justified to dislike the shortcoming in a person … but we should not judge a person only on this parameter … reject him and discard him.

Rather than highlighting their weakness, you can serve as their well-wisher and counsel them, guide and help them in improving themselves by working on their flaw. Your goodness in accepting, checking and correcting such individuals could definitely bring about a change in their behaviour and they could refrain from talking only about themselves and indulging in self praise. As a result, they may experience a sense of pride in being in your company as they know they can count on you in future.

Swamiji says ….

Man should learn from the tenacity, determination and single-minded pursuit displayed by ants, insects and the tiniest organisms that exist … their ability to remain undaunted, fearless and calm during the most trying and demanding situations that are faced by them. They do not let a sense of hopelessness and despair engulf them as rather than quitting, they begin the uphill task of rebuilding their nest … place of shelter that is mercilessly destroyed by nature’s fury.

Man, on the other hand, magnifies his problems to such humungous proportions that he gets fatigued on merely thinking, visualising and imagining the severity of the difficulties that are created more by him ‘mentally’ … and he relents and succumbs willingly to weak thoughts of failure, pessimism and despondency and simply stops doing his ‘karma’ , blaming everthing else … his fate , destiny … but himself … for the ills and misfortune that are faced by him.

At times , he finds solace in blaming his self – realized ‘guru’ for having been inept at not making him wade smoothly through the vast and wide ocean of life and places the entire onus of his ‘unfortunate’ and ‘tragic’ state on his guru. He becomes idle, aimless and stationary … like a stagnant pool of water … that in time accumulates mud and grime in it. He forgets that he should be like an ever- flowing, gurgling, fresh spring of water that spreads cheer and refreshes everyone with its sweet water … and not aim at being like the vast ocean which, irrespective of its mammoth size, is of no use due to the saline water that it possesses in abundance.

When the tiniest organisms can put up a brave front and work on uphill tasks courageously, why can’t man be infused with enthusiasm and positive energy to confront the challenges that come his way … with the same vigour and faith and prove that he is worthy of being called God’s most intelligent and marvellous creation!