” Man’s favourite pass-time seems to be fretting and worrying. Worrying about ‘what’ is known only to him! It could be either about his present life – the prevailing conditions in which he finds himself; or, it could be about his future that is unknown to him…his life ahead of which he has no idea ; but worry he must…as for some strange reason it makes him happy, content and confident , that after investing so much time in just thinking and analysing about his future – some good will surely come out of it, and things will work out perfectly for him – the way he wants life to shape out for him. But will only worrying needlessly make things fine for him ? Doesn’t he need to focus on solving his problems first?”
“The human mind is capable of great creativity. It can think of the most ingenious things in fields as diverse as art, machines, scientific theories. Yet, it is also capable of imagining that it is besieged with problems – problems that it feels are so real, that it keeps people petrified and plagued by these ‘problems’ the entire night. Even in the most normal circumstances, the mind, at times, fabricates its own stories that have no relation to the past, present or future, but we accept them as real, true and feel that we have been touched by them. Man has always feared the unknown.”
” ‘Jeevan, ek sangharsh hai …’ and the earlier we understand this, the better and easier it becomes for each one of us to accept, face and solve problems that come unexpectedly – simply out of nowhere, at various junctures of our life. A certain amount of anxiety about the wellbeing of one’s family, education, career, relationships and finances rises within each one of us, and it is bound to happen that way, but can worrying perpetually about these issues, if they somehow fail to follow the course created by us, truly help us and make us feel strong, either physically or emotionally !”
” Pointless and excessive worrying is exhausting and can drain us of all positive energy. Is it possible for a tired, fatigued mind that always sees its bearer – weighed down by the burden of his over imaginative problems – visualise, even for a fraction of a second, the same person walking with a straight back and look squarely, beyond his problems, at the solution that his ‘working’ mind has thought for him? The ‘thinking’ mind needs to be reprimanded and told sternly to quieten down – as its constant churning and whining, drowns the sensible voice and words of the ‘working’ mind.”
” We must learn to put worries aside and rather concentrate on, and enjoy the tasks that lie ahead of us. A successful attempt should be made by us every day – to ensure that we do not allow worries to get the better of us , but instead develop the art of abandoning the dreadful fear of these so called problems, that we feel, have a strange knack of finding us wherever we may be.”
” The chaotic turmoil and turbulence caused by over- thinking about one’s problems only leads to loss of one’s inner peace, and this needs to be quelled at the earliest. After all, how much can one worry about a particular thing ! What is one gaining by making himself so unhappy ! One has to find the root cause of the issue that is troubling him; think of ways of attending to, and solving these problems without letting them dominate and overpower him. The exhilaration and confidence that he experiences – ‘chintan’ karne par…’ are much more rewarding than all the time that had been wasted on ‘ ‘chinta’ karne par…’ and once he realises that self- motivation had worked wonders, he sees himself as a new, rejuvenated person with the ability of handling problems by finding solutions, effectively and efficiently. His perspective and attitude towards life changes completely.”
“A free, clear, uncluttered mind makes us feel fresh, alert, and energetic and we learn to accept problems as pre-cursors to a joyful, happy life. And this is the best way to treat our worries. Yes, they will come…but one fine day they will go away too. They hover around us – but we must keep our minds calm – and be on guard lest they distress us unnecessarily.”
“A face creased in smiles and a forehead free of furrows of worry and anxiety is a sight of joy for all – and all of us can radiate a similar warm glow of happiness, once we refuse to submit to stormy ‘chinta’ and devote time to result – oriented ‘chintan’.”
“How do most of us react when we see a tall, handsome man or a fair, beautiful woman ? Aren’t we charmed beyond words? We gush about their looks and long to be like them.”
“Now let us visualise our reaction on seeing a short, ugly, deformed man or a plump, crippled, scarred, dark- complexioned woman! We do not bother to look at them twice , as we do not find them attractive and thus fail to see the anguish in their eyes on being always treated as a sight … grotesque, unwanted and undesirable. At times the sight of a handicapped person could fill us with such revulsion that we curse the moment we had set eyes on him. So strong and powerful is the impact of one’s physical appearance on us…on our senses ! Don’t we, if not always, assess a person’s worth by his personality and physical appearance.”
“It is here that we need to be humane and sensible…and not limit and restrict our perception of others, purely on the basis of their ‘physical being’. Do we pause and think about the nature, temperament, character, qualities possessed…good or bad…that could be diametrically opposite, when compared, between the ‘beautiful’ people and the ‘not so fortunate’ people. It simply doesn’t strike us … as we are blinded by the physicality of their appearance.”
“If looks were all that mattered, then shouldn’t there have been a great difference in our belief and faith within us for our Gods … Ganeshji and Hanumanji ! Have we ever differentiated them from the other Gods in any way while worshipping them? No. Why? Because of their wisdom and unconditional ‘bhakti’. Are they less worshipped or revered by us in any way? Don’t we always begin our prayers by first taking the name of Lord Ganesha.”
“We must remember that a person with a deformity could be blessed with sound values and the best traits possible. The most twisted and crooked sugarcane shoots give us the sweetest juice. Has its convoluted form ever affected its inherent quality?”
“Appearances don’t matter … It is what a person is …that matters.”
“The gross body in which the soul is robed…and with which we associate ourselves, is prone to ailments, sickness and disease. Each one of us falls prey to some illness or the other as we traverse through our journey of life. These bouts of illnesses leave us weak, drained and helpless. We are affected, undoubtedly, both physically and mentally by the suffering that the body has to endure. We fret and worry about the nature of the disease, the mounting medical bills…and lose mental peace as we start believing that we have lost and, maybe, will lose everything. The only ray of sunlight during such days is…the hope and optimism that our near and dear ones, friends and acquaintances bring alongwith them, when they come to cheer us up and offer their support in any which way.”
“We must understand clearly that, actually, this is not the case. Yes, we do lose ‘something partially … fractionally … in a small measure as our body does suffer. We think that time has been wasted in being unwell… recouping and convalescing from a dreadful disease, later on. Time, that you think could have been used in a more fruitful manner, like striking a lucrative business deal. We think that a financial loss has been incurred by us in paying for our treatment. We assume that we have lost a lot…But we are wrong when we think on such lines.”
“On the contrary, you only lose ‘everything’ when you do ‘something’ that makes you a suspect in the eyes of others… that make people question your ‘character’…
‘tumhara charitra’…and doubt your integrity…as is it your ‘character’ that is the actual jewel in your crown…your true possession. This is the truth. You must be extremely cautious before doing ‘anything’, I repeat ‘anything’.. ‘wrong, incorrect’…that is against ethics and core moral values.’ Why do you indulge in corrupt activities, mal-practices,
immoral acts like extra-marital affairs? Visualise the moment when your nefarious activities see the light of day! You will have to hang your head in shame. How will you out-run your humiliation? Your reputation will be blown to smithereens … and you will be a target of ‘character assassination’ by all and sundry. The reputation and name that you had made for yourself will bite the dust within seconds. The same people who had comforted you when you were unwell, avoid you like the plague, now, as they are wary of being associated with you and refuse to acknowledge you.”
“Remember , it is your character alone that makes you or breaks you. It is time to do some soul-searching and opt to live a simple, uncomplicated life.”
A tree bears fruits…some of which are ripe, delicious, juicy and are plucked at the opportune moment and consumed with great delight … and a few that are rotten, putrid and bad…fall to the ground and are unfit for human consumption. Mother Nature’s rule of governance and functioning is such. Although the ‘good’ fruit is surrounded by ‘bad’ inedible fruits … it retains its good qualities and thrives, unaffected by the ‘bad’ qualities of the decaying fruits which have mushroomed around it.
In a similar manner the society too in which we live is unfortunately made up of people of varied temperament and nature and we judge them accordingly and categorize them as ‘good’ and ‘bad’.
If you are basically ‘good’ … your inherent goodness will ensure that you attract ‘good’ people towards yourself and, you too , will always gravitate towards like-minded ‘good’ people and remain the way you are … good, simple and pure … unaffected by the pollutants that pervade society. Constant exchange of pure, good thoughts and ideas will purify your mind further and you will cultivate a rich yield of a principled and sound ideology….that will enable you to rise in every dimension of life. It is very likely that your magnetic and exemplary goodness could have a positive effect on people with a diametrically opposite thought- process and you could make them realize the futility of leading a life mired in falsehood, deceit and treachery … and they too could make an effort to rise from the pit of darkness and ignorance in which they are trapped.
You should aim to live a good , honest and upright life which motivates you, uplifts you and others around you to achieve greater heights of True Bliss.
“Divine Grace…You can name the book ‘Divine Grace!”… Swamiji Ajay Jain had suggested this title, at my behest, for the hagiography that I was attempting to write on Him. Once the soft beauty of these words had nestled within me, I deliberated on the thought that was surfacing repeatedly in my mind. Had Swamiji voiced these words with a specific purpose in mind! Over the years, a strong belief had rooted itself deeply within me, that every word said by Swamiji is of great significance, relevance and the underlying meaning of His suggestions, His opinions…cannot be, and should never be overlooked! Why, Divine Grace? His divine vision had undoubtedly visualized something in particular that had prompted Him to suggest this name for the book! Swamiji was certainly seeing something that could neither be perceived nor discerned by me!
What exactly is Divine Grace? Would I be able to justify these words in this book? Would it be possible for me to define them in their true perspective? Would I succeed in encapsulating them in the true sense of their meaning? Words, like winged birds take a completely different flight, meaning and connotation when analyzed and interpreted by each one of us. They fly, they soar, they perch, they nest…taking the flight we will them to take! I could not but pause and think that while endeavoring to construe these simple yet subtle words, I could be limiting them, restricting them, encompassing and confining them within specific boundaries set by me. Wouldn’t I be clipping the wings of these mystical words mid-flight, denying them their rightful freedom to fly high soar and… cutting short in mid-air the flight of fantasy these words could take… and unknowingly deprive the readers from analysing and defining them in a manner, personal…and with which they could relate! Wouldn’t I be stifling their voice as the impact of these soundless, yet speaking words could be profound and deep, varying vastly, depending on the intensity of meaning they hold for each one of us? For instance… Divine Grace could be experienced when we set out on a pilgrimage to a sacred temple, church, mosque, synagogue or ‘Gurudwara’ and feel the presence of God. We could be closest to divinity when we serve people in myriad ways, selflessly…cook food for them, serve them, clean utensils and take care of personal belongings of pilgrims within the premises of places of worship or otherwise… Would my portrayal be in tandem with the mindset of other people? It was a thought… perplexing, daunting and challenging!
And then like a bolt from the blue, a thought rose in my mind that allayed all my doubts and put my mind to rest! I set my mind in flashback mode and relived the underlying nuances, the tone, inflection and mood of Swamiji’s voice when He had christened the book…’Divine Grace’. After replaying and listening quietly to the supernal sound given to these words by Swamiji, I started deliberating on their essence with a completely new frame of mind. These words now acquired a surreal quality, a heavenly hue, and an ethereal elegance with which I could relate visually!
I could vividly conjure a blissful vision of God, in all His glory and splendour…very well acquainted with me…who knew me personally…accepted me the way I was…with my foibles and fallacies…and was willing to descend on Earth to bless me in a never before manner…unprecedented and unexpected! I have always believed that God on taking into account the past karma of every individual enacts the role of The Good Shepherd by shepherding him to His Chosen Representative on Earth…who will help him discover the Truth and…in my case it was my good fortune and karma of some lifetime that He showered His blessings…Divine Grace…on me by holding my hand and leading me to the doorstep of Poojya Swamiji Ajay Jain’s Holy Darbar…and transformed my life forever from that soul elevating and transcendental moment when Swamiji had placed His hand on my head…And now Swamiji was doing the same in a similar measure by providing me with the rarest of rare opportunities to chronicle His Teachings for posterity! I could have never forgiven myself had I had failed to read between the lines of the story of my life and not be filled with awe at divinity’s beautifully timed planning, and blessing…
The blissful years that I have spent under Swamiji’s spiritual umbrella have enriched me…matured me to such an extent that I can answer this question with conviction and humility that Divine Grace is experiencedby us, as devotees of Swamiji,when we sit at the Lotus Feet of our Gurudev and receive True Knowledge from Him…when He acquaints us with the magic of meditation…when unexpectedly, He gives us the biggest compliment of our life by saying that we are receptive as His disciples and are being colored in the same colors of spirituality as Him…when He acknowledges that we have accepted Him in totality and have surrendered to Him completely and wholly…simultaneously discouraging us from developing blind faith of any kind…when His face lights up with divine love and joy on seeing us…when His eyes twinkle with mirth at as He narrates a lesson-learning anecdote…when His voice gurgles with laughter as He gently corrects us, forgives our mistakes…and smiles fondly at us, recognizing the genuine effort being made by us to imbibe and implement His teachings…and through His Teachings learn andaccept that there is a power…supreme and phenomenal…an energy…invisible yet palpable with which or whom you can establish a direct contact. You can give it a form, if you so deem…that listens to you when you pray to Him…while you talk to Him and…unbelievably He responds to you…when you are steadfast in your belief that…all that He does, whatever He does, is, and has to be for your good…when you feel His subtle presence within you…when you disconnect yourself from your body…its suffering…as it becomes secondary…as you have finally realised that you are not the body but the soul…and the only thing that you should focus on…is the cleansing and upliftment of your soul…when you accept pain and pleasure with a sense of objectivity…when comprehension dawns that this world of falsehood, lies and deception…which we take for ‘Real’ is illusionary and nothing but The Untruth…when He decides to personally take upon Himself the onus of sprinkling nectar on a few charmed, favoured ones, in a particular lifetime, thereby awakening them from the deep slumber in which they had willingly fallen…and make them aware that they are living the destined lifetime in which they have to enact their last and final role and merge with their Creator…as they have cleared all debts that they owed to their creditors…when their karmic account finally is as clean as a slate…and it is time for them to attain freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth.
Divine Grace…I understand today that these simple words have a subtle, yet profound deep meaning. They do not announce and proclaim loudly…but quietly, hint at the spiritual treasure that could be discovered by you once Divine Grace is showered on you. They conceal a treasure chest of priceless valuables which cannot be bought…and the concealed, layered gifts are so valuable, so precious that no wealth, no money can acquire them…which cannot be felt or touched by you physically as they are not material elements…but can only be perceived and felt by you when Divinity decides to reward you in a way that you had no inkling of…and allows them to touch your inner being…when you feel that your soul has been touched by someone you are unable to see… when you smile for no reason…when you are joyful and at peace…when you walk with a spring in your gait…when you are affected spiritually…when you are radiant as the divinity within you glows and sparkles…as the soul within you which is in an eternal state of bliss…makes you feel blissful and blessed, every moment of your living day.
Who is Swamiji? If I say that I am capable and competent enough to answer this question honestly, then, it would not be the Real me, but my ego alone…inflated and conceited, with a sense of false bravado…that could boasting triumphantly…of knowing Swamiji in all His colours…in all His moods and pronounce confidently that it can explain, elucidate and elaborate on His glory! The only thing that I can say with firm conviction is that if it were not for God’s mercy and blessings, I might never have experienced Divine Grace and that these words take an entirely new connotation when we direct and train our thoughts on Swamiji!
At times one wonders about the myriad roles that Swamiji has played in our lives…and wants to understand as to who Swamji is! He is our Gurudev, undoubtedly…preparing us for our spiritual journey! But is he a magician too, inexplicably, fulfilling a plethora of desires that benefit us in the long run? Is he a preacher too…leading us by example, setting before us an ideal idol to emulate…as He practices what He preaches? Is he a teacher too…teaching us the fundamental values of a principled, noble life? Is he a healer too…healing every wound and treating every ailment of ours? It is impossible to categorize and compartmentalize Swamiji’s mystique!
Every interaction, meeting, discourse or dialogue with Swamiji reveals new, unknown facets and fascinating characteristics of Swamiji in the most mysterious manner! And just when we feel that Swamiji has made us accomplish or acquire the ultimate…and there is nothing more left to conquer beyond that point, He amazes us by raising the bar and making us scale the next dizzying height of achievement, with alacrity and elan.
The kaleidoscope of devotees who bow their head in gratitude with respect and reverence before Swamiji is profound interesting and impressive. The professional background of His devotees is as varied as chalk and cheese…oranges and apples…from ambitious students to dedicated teachers, from leading politicians to bureaucrats, from established businessmen to budding entrepreneurs, from skilled scientists to software engineers, from specialized doctors to biotechnologists, from senior bankers to Bollywood aspirants and efficient house-wives…who irrespective of their diverse fields are united by their respect and deep affection for Swamiji.
Am I right in saying that Swamiji is an enigma? His outer, physical being suffers silently with polio, thyroid, diabetes, blood pressure, respiratory issues…but in stark contrast, His mind and soul, free of ache and agony, work tirelessly for the welfare of His devotees in the most unpredictable manner, incessantly without a minute’s break!He is willing to do anything for us! His love, concern and munificence for us transcends all possible barriers to the extent that He is always ready to inflict our pain upon Himself and take diseases borne by us and our tears of suffering upon Himself! Does He experience pain? If He does so, He does not let us feel for a second that He experiences pain on our behalf. He smiles, genuinely through His physical pain, living the words said by Him that the soulis in an eternal state of happiness. No sacrifice made by Him for us can be termed good enough or big enoughby Him,as He does not look upon our problems as a burden, as a problem…but smilingly, volunteers to take our woes upon Himself, as our problems become His problems! What have we done to deserve a Guru like Him is something that I fail to comprehend to this day! I fall short of words to clearly define Swamiji as by doing so, I would be enclosing Him within man made lines and limits…and that is something that I am incapable of doing…as His ‘kripa’…Grace is ‘aprampaar’…limitless.
Dedicated to Swamiji Ajay Jain ji 