Category: Uncategorized

Swami ji said…

Life, in its brief span, shows us something new and unfamiliar – each passing day. No two days are ever quite the same. Yesterday’s rhythm and tomorrow’s melody are always different, even, if, subtly so.Yesterday may have been filled with joy, but, tomorrow might bring sorrow. One day, you stand tall, ready to take on the world, and the next day – you find yourself lost, weary. Such is the way of life. But , to grumble, to complain , to be always critical of life ? That’s not what life asks of us.

Change is the law of the universe. You can be a king, or , a pauper in an instant.Lord Ram understood this to be the natural order of life. He was born a prince, destined for the throne of Ayodhya, yet , in an instant, His fate changed. Banished to the forest for fourteen years, stripped off all royal privileges – Lord Ram accepted His fate with grace. In the Ramayana, we see his unwavering acceptance of life’s changes.

And, so, with each dawn, a new beginning unfolds before us – different from the last. To live – means to accept these changes ; not resist them. Life, after all, is a gift – a precious one. Yet, how often do we let ‘time’ – its moments slip through our fingers ?Wasted – never to return. We cherish the gifts our loved ones give us and tuck them away safely – yet , we forget to treasure the greatest gift of all – this life, this breath, this present moment – gifted to us by God.

We must thus strive to check ourselves when we find ourselves complaining about how the day is going, or , how hard we have been working, and , the number of obstacles we have faced to get things done. We must look at every instance and happening with the view that there is some divine reason behind it, and, accept it with a sense of complete surrender.

Life – is the greatest opportunity – that we have been gifted by both – God and the universe – and to ‘live’ with purpose – should be our aim. To live a life without attachment to the fruits of our actions, but, to find meaning in the journey itself. But, very often we stray from that purpose, losing ourselves in fleeting comforts, or , in despair. The world tells us to find happiness in things that don’t last. But , real peace ; real contentment, comes – when we align ourselves with the eternal ; the unseen.

Life – untarnished and unblemished – it should remain. Pure – like the first rays of the morning sun. Yet, we make mistakes. We are human after all – we tell ourselves , sheepishly. Sometimes we fall. We act – out of anger, out of fear ; and guilt settles in our hearts like a heavy fog. But, one must remember that there is no condemnation for those who keep God in their heart and thoughts. Negative thoughts will creep in – they always do. We start to feel unworthy, overwhelmed by the weight of it all, and, in those dark moments, some may even consider ending – what was so lovingly gifted to us by God – their life.
But , we must remember that the ‘soul’ is neither born, nor does it die. Our purpose, our spirit – is eternal. God created us not to be crushed under the weight of the world , but , to rise above it. We were made for victory, not defeat.

The spiritual seeker too will sometimes feel dejected and unworthy – when he is unable to gauge whether he has been able to make adequate progress in his spiritual journey. He might feel that despite all his effort and the number of hours that he has been devoting to meditation ; he does not sense an increased presence of God in his life. It is during such anxiety filled moments that his mind could question him – whether his spiritual belief and practice – is even worth it. He might be going through difficult times and feel that his spiritual practice has not been of any use. He might feel like giving up on God altogether.

It is all the more important – when one is plagued with such doubts – to remember the instances when we have undoubtedly felt God’s hand in shaping our destiny. This will help us in staying motivated and renew our faith in the spiritual path that has been adopted by us.

Thus, in life, when darkness surrounds us, we must endeavour to let the light within us shine brighter. And, just as Shri Krishna encouraged Arjun – on the battlefield – we must rise – with determination – above fear, doubt and the darkness that clouds our hearts – and fight the battle within. For , greater is the power within us than the forces outside. Yes, life may be filled with trials, but , it is also filled with promise, unlimited possibilities and His Grace. And, with each passing day, we are given the chance to live it fully – to rise, to grow, and to become all – that we were meant to be.

Swami ji said…

It is very common , nowadays , for us to feel stressed, hassled, weighed down under the pressure of managing the never-ending needs and requirements – that ‘life’ seems to ask from ‘us’. It is during moments like these – when we blame ‘life’ for putting us in the spot where we find ourselves – instead of doing this – we should look within
ourselves – fairly and squarely – and determine exactly – to what extent are we responsible – for feeling a sense of disquiet, lack of peace, restlessness within us – that is difficult to define clearly. On screening ourselves – we might not be too surprised at seeing what is revealed to us – as somewhere deep down – we always knew this to be true in our case. The feeling of discontentment that seems to be our faithful companion – seems to have nothing to do with an unfulfilled burning ambition or a dream not realised – but the reason for it could be most puerile and silly.

The mind thrives on a healthy nutrition of knowledge , information and new learning.It is curious and inquisitive about everything and wants to know more – all the time – and we follow its directions obediently. But , somehow , somewhere – our curiosity gets the better of us in an unwanted, undesirable way – by making us think , talk and discuss a lot – about ‘others’. ” पूरा समय हम दूसरों के बारे मे- उनके जीवन में क्या चल रहा है ? कौन क्या कर रहा है? वह जो भी कर रहा है कैसे कर रहा है? और अगर वह कुछ कर रहा है तो क्यों कर रहा है? – इन्ही सब चीज़ों के बारे में सोचते रहते हैं…” Why is he doing this?And why now? How has she obtained this? Why is she or he behaving this way? How do they make money? How did they manage such wealth?” These are the sort of nonsensical questions that we let our minds get engulfed in. And, without realising it, we waste precious time on trying to solve these useless questions and riddles.

To make matters worse – we further add two plus two from our end ; create either a dream like or a nightmarish sequence to what must be happening in their lives – come to a conclusion – good or bad – depending on our perception and what gives us happiness- and we are cat’s whiskers after that ! Most of us are prone to this indulgence – which comes at no cost. All we need are some ‘like – minded’ people whose keen ears will absorb every bit of gossip said by us attentively ; add some more spice to what’s been said and their wagging tongues will pass it on to others. One could understand , if , we slipped on the threshold of gossip, once in a while , but , there are some amongst us – who will just not stop – दूसरों के जीवन मैं ताँक झाँक करना… उनके बारे मे मन गड़िथ कहानियाँ बताना..”

All of us are familiar with the proverb – ‘ Curiosity killed the cat ‘ – but when it comes to people as curious as us – in this particular scenario – we come across as fearless, intrepid – and do not hesitate in taking the lead in ‘discussing’ others – as we seem to know so much about them. Is this what we are going to do through out our lives ? Day after day – without a break ? And for what purpose? To gain popularity of a kind that should be least desired by us ? Imagining, vividly, about all the good that is happening with others – we , unnecessarily, become morose and sad – at the way our lives are shaping out and lose our peace of mind. We end up feeling unhappy – as it always appears to be greener on the other side – “इन सब बातों से हम जितना दूर रहेंगे , हम उतना ही खुश रहेंगे…”

As it is , in today’s world, we, are just a few seconds away from finding out what the other person is doing. A few clicks on the internet, a bit of scrolling on the phone and we know what someone has eaten, what did he do over the weekend, where had he gone on a holiday, all about the new things that have been bought by him. In fact, most of us spend an unreasonable amount of time doing exactly this – finding out what the other person is up to. In a physical or digital form – we are always engaged in some sort of chatter or gossip – trying to find out what the other person is doing.

While it is always good to be curious, and, there is certainly nothing wrong in knowing about one another; it is altogether an unhealthy habit to stick our nose into other people’s business. And, unfortunately, we are often guilty of indulging in this habit. We love to discuss about someone else’s life with others.We spend a tremendous amount of effort on dissecting other people’s lives.

For those on the spiritual path, this is the biggest obstacle to overcome. For even when they are trying their best to live a life that is principled, disciplined and virtuous – they still, often, end up observing others, and , before long – their mind starts to wonder – ” Why do these people not try to seek God? Why do they lie? How can they live like this?” Should a spiritual seeker be doing this ?
Just because he is attempting to take a few tiny steps towards God – he starts differentiating himself from others and feels he is superior and better than the ‘others’. And, eventually, he begins to waste time – as the precious time that could have been spent in self-reflection and worship – is now wasted on passing judgement on other people’s way of life. Such thoughts often displace thoughts of God. What we end up doing – is giving precedence to other people’s lives – over our own. We find ourselves getting agitated, distressed – and all these negative emotions – severely affect further progress of his spiritual growth.

The solution to this is to learn to find comfort in God. When we find ourselves – thinking about and voicing our opinions on others, we , must pause and tell ourselves that – “Thinking of them will change nothing. Let us focus on the glory of God instead.” Doing this repeatedly
will let the spiritual seeker focus on his spiritual development, instead of getting the mind embroiled in such frivolous matters.

We need to remember that nothing will give us greater peace than minding our own business.

Swami ji said…

Do we ever consider and reflect on the kind of surroundings ; or at what time of the day ; or in the presence of which people – is it – that we have mostly found ourselves to be happiest or most joyful ? The chances, most probably, are – that there is no such common thread to be found. There is no particular place ; no particular time of the day ; or season ; no particular person’s presence ; no physical conditions which could have guaranteed a permanent and long lasting positive effect – on our mood ; our state of mind. We can be happy in the sweltering heat of the sun, and, be sad in the cool environs of our home. We can be exuberant in solitude, and , be depressed in the presence of even our loved ones. Even the opposite of these hold true.

Yet, inexplicably, we , still live life with this almost singular approach – to obtain that – which we think will make us happy. “If I could go on a holiday there, I will then be happy !” “If I could buy a house there, I will be happy then !” “If I could buy this watch, this car, then , I will be happy !” “If only he or she would listen to me, I would then be happy”. There are always these numerous terms and conditions – which we set for ourselves needlessly – the ownership of which once accessed – we make our ourselves believe – alone will guarantee our happiness. And, more often than not, we spend a lot of time and energy focussing on making these things happen, and, do not even allow ourselves to be happy otherwise.

But, that is not how God made us ; that is not meant to be our sole purpose. Man’s sense of hunger was meant only to indicate a sign – that he was hungry – to eat food, ; and his thirst was an indicator – that he had to drink water. With a full stomach and quenched thirst, he , was meant to be content physically, and, could then address his mind. But, now, man, hungers for things like status, wealth and power – mistaking them as his needs. Without these, there is no relief in his mind ; and , even with these – there is none. Such struggles and labour – are eventually, going to be futile , if , we are looking for ‘pure’ contentment and ‘genuine’ happiness. For , there will be no ‘true’ happiness found at the end of such journeys.

Yes, we , need physical comforts. We need homes, jobs, decent living conditions etc. We all have to strive to obtain these. But , that does not mean that everlasting happiness is dictated by them ; can be obtained by them. Does not happiness arise from the heart? And , if , we were to be realistic , we would understand that it is actually the smallest of things that make the heart happy ; and this is what we mostly miss out on.

Can we not enjoy a cup of tea in the morning – without stressing about the tasks of the day ahead ?Can we not have a light hearted laugh with the shopkeeper we buy our groceries from, or, with our colleague at work? Or , bring a smile to our children’s faces with a funny joke?Can we not be grateful to God when we are able to eat a nice hot meal at home? Can we not take out just a few minutes in a day to help someone out with a task?

Does not such a life already seem to be filled with happiness ? Would leading such a life not guarantee that one has a day – with the occasional spark of joy? With such an attitude – the problems, trials and tribulations of life will be met with a smile. All endeavours will be made – not with the tension and pressure of having to succeed, but , with confidence and a smile on one’s face.

The spiritual seeker must learn to untangle the threads of the sensory world, societal expectations – from those of the spiritual world. He must learn the simple truth that – he ‘is’ joyous and cannot be ‘made’ joyous. One ‘is’ sad, and cannot be ‘made’ sad. The mind, its perspective – with effort can be tamed. It can be made to not just see a glass as half full, but , also see how good a thing it is – for it to be half full. The spiritual seeker must strive to become a ‘happy’ man who goes to work’, and ‘not a man who goes to work to become happy’. He must seek paradise not in the world outside, but , in the ‘world’ within him. It is only when he strives for this in earnest will he begin to lead a ‘blissful life’. Such a person will not ‘go to heaven’, but , would rather have ‘found heaven within’ already, and will take it with him wherever he goes.

Swami ji said…

” इस बात में कोई संदेह नहीं है कि – ‘ज्ञान’ प्राप्त करने के लिए इंसान मे सीखने की इच्छा होनी चाहिए …
ज्ञान प्राप्त करने में रुचि होनी चाहिए …” It is rightly said that – Knowledge is the light that leads us through the darkness of the world. ” ‘ज्ञान’ के बिना हमारा जीवन अधूरा होगा…”

We are always filled with awe on seeing people around us – who appear to be storehouses of knowledge – who can talk, discuss and debate on any and every issue under the sun. What makes them so proficient and efficient , we wonder ? How impressed are we with individuals who have an accurate answer for every question that is put to them? We look up with admiration at all the great minds who have been successful at carving a name for themselves – with the extraordinary knowledge that they have accumulated over the years.

But , is just possessing knowledge in itself good enough? Are we able to effectively put into good use all that has been taught to us ? Is there any point in ‘knowing’ how a car is to be driven , if , one eventually is unable to drive it on a road ? There is no point in ‘knowing’ the recipes of innumerable dishes, if , one is not adept at cooking them. Similarly, there is no use in learning every verse of the scriptures by heart , if , they are not implemented by us in our day to day life. There is no use ‘knowing’ about spirituality, if , we do not let it seep into every thought and action of ours.
While it is great to be a ‘विद्वान’ – and to be known far and wide for his knowledge ; it is the wise who implement and live the very knowledge they have imbibed.

For the spiritual practitioner, the seeker of God, this distinction is very crucial. While millions of pages have been printed, countless words have been written and thousands of discourses conducted – describing the glory of God – there are still only a very few among us, who truly ever succeed in realizing their true ‘self’. We should ponder on it and ask ourselves – What is the reason for this ? Why is this so ?

We all know that – “Honesty is the best policy”, yet, how many of us really practice this policy ? Do we even try to stay firm to the truth ? Do we even attempt to subvert the habit of speaking falsehood for no rhyme or reason? All of us ‘know’ a lot about how life should be lived. Yet, how ‘much’ of what is known to us – is truly being implemented by us in our day to day lives? Are we truly ‘living’ any of the knowledge that we know ? Is it possible that while we are ‘perceived’ to be the one – who has great knowledge of the holy books and ancient scriptures ; we are yet to walk even a few steps in the path we seem to ‘know’ about and admire so greatly – from a distance.

We are supposed to be intelligent creatures – thus , shouldn’t we use the intelligence that we are endowed with – to inculcate , follow and adhere to every grain of knowledge that has been learnt by us – in our everyday life – through our behaviour , belief and attitude…” जब हम में बुद्धिमत्ता है
… किसी भी चीज़ को समझने की क्षमता है … तो हमें अपने ज्ञान को अपने जीने के तरीके में , अपने
व्यवहार में लाना चाहिए…”

Let us ask ourselves – Who is the better man?
One who sings praises of the Lord everyday, but , lives very little like Him. Or , the one who strives to follow God’s tenets , but , speaks very little of Him otherwise ? Is not even the atheist , who is honest – clearly better than the one who believes in God, yet , speaks lies all the time ?

There is absolutely nothing wrong in seeking knowledge. One must definitely read the scriptures, attend spiritual lectures and discourses, perform rituals that appeal to him and move him.Yet, one must realise that – that in itself is not enough.The mind must be trained to use the ‘knowledge’ that he has gained so far. Every action – big or small, must be considered in the light of the spiritual knowledge that we have.

Did Ravan not ignore all his ‘knowledge’ in his ego driven actions ?Clearly, he forgot that his anger, his pride were clouding his judgement. Is it possible that he did not apply all that he had learnt – in the required manner – while performing his actions ? Or , else, how could such a great devotee of Lord Shiva go down this path ?

We need to remember that – While ‘knowledge’ comes from learning ; ‘wisdom’ is acquired by ‘living’ that knowledge – by putting it into practice –
‘समझदारी से ..’

Swamiji said…

Life, more often than not – is what we perceive it to be. A poor man can find taste in the simplest of meals and relish it whole – heartedly, but , a rich man is unable to find none – in the most exquisite meal served to him. A humble hut can be ‘home’ to one, and, a palace can be a prison to another. Thus, it is really how we choose to experience life – with which lenses we opt to look at it – that decides whether we enjoy it or not.

The same principle also extends in the way we interact with our brethren. All of us are unique in our own way. Each one of us is a distinct combination of emotions, characteristics, moods, habits and temperament. It is very rare to find two individuals with identical dispositions and similar attitudes. As a result, each one of us will have some good qualities and some weaknesses too..”हर इंसान में… हम सब में … ‘खूबी’ और ‘खामी’ दोनो होती हैं…”

The only difference is in the way we look at others. ” हम में से कुछ इंसान ऐसे होते हैं जो दूसरों की कमजोरियों की तलाश में ही लगे रहते हैं …” – and love to talk about their weaknesses only ; gaining some kind of smug satisfaction in highlighting their shortcomings – with glee. Looks – to the affect – saying, “Didn’t I tell you about him ?”, are exchanged openly – mocking the hapless target on the sly.

Why do we behave as though we are like some hunters on the prowl – looking for the next victim, to prey upon – by criticising and judging him ? Rather than indulging in this senseless, wasteful tendency that we have allowed to flourish within us; we should make a constructive attempt to change by focussing on the qualities and positives of others.

We must question ourselves – ‘ Why are we like this?’ Why do we revel in highlighting and discussing others shortcomings? Even in their success and happiness, we tend to move our focus towards what they are not good at. Perhaps, we , ourselves are insecure, and, thus, find comfort in looking at people as diminished and imperfect. This is perhaps an escape mechanism for us to avoid facing ourselves in the mirror, and, to begin the often difficult and tumultuous journey of self-improvement. We fool ourselves into thinking that – others are of a weaker and more flawed character than our own. This makes us feel better about ourselves, and , absolves us of the task to improve ourselves.
Is it very difficult for us to change our mental makeup ? Why don’t we give a deep thought to the harm that we are causing to ourselves – by refusing to see goodness in others…”आख़िर हमें दूसरों में अच्छाई को देखने में इतनी तकलीफ क्यों होती है?”

Do we count the thorns while admiring a rose bush? Do we not consider lions and tigers as majestic creatures – even though they are ferocious carnivores and can kill and eat men too? Do we not all flock to the ocean, even though it has claimed countless lives in its storms? Why then be so critical in our view of our fellow beings ? Just like we enjoy the beauty of nature and are inspired by it – we too must look at positives of our brethren and look to emulate them. It is only when we are willing to see some good in others – that we can hope to become like them – by making their goodness a part of our lives.

Despite having been wronged by Ravan, Shri Ram, still had the humility to acknowledge the great knowledge that Ravan possessed. He did not simply dismiss Ravan as an evil man, as most of us would have done, but, instead, paid him the respect due to a great warrior – in his death. We need to remember that we can benefit tremendously …. ” जब हम अपने आप को दूसरों की अच्छाइयों से तराशेंगे…”