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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.

Swami ji said…

Man’s thoughts are the origin of his ‘karma’. What he thinks ; his way of thinking – is reflected in the nature of his ‘karma’. Much like seeds, which when planted in fertile soil, grow into plants and trees ; thoughts, too, once planted in the mind transform into a lifetime of action. And, just like a tree gives us fruits to eat ; our ‘कर्म’ too gives us ‘कर्मफल ’ – in the form of our destiny in our lives ahead.

Much like we do a quick quality check of a fruit before eating it – in order to ensure that it is not rotten – why don’t we give a
thought to the ‘कर्म’ – that we intend to do – knowing very well that we will have to reap the consequences –
‘कर्मफल ’ – good or bad – of our ‘कर्म’ in the lifetimes ahead. Why do we make bad decisions ? Why do we act in a manner that is rash and selfish?

Clearly, then, there is something wrong with the ‘seeds’ of the thoughts that we give space to grow in our mind. When asked to make a choice between ‘fear’ and ‘hope’ – knowing very well that there is just enough room for only ‘one’ to stay within us – what do we decide to do ? The longer we take in deciding which one to invite ; to accommodate within us – greater the perplexity, as we only add to our misery by being indecisive.Do we find it easier to harbour thoughts which are fearful and anxious in nature , as one could simply succumb to them ?Thoughts that constantly question us in a negative manner – ‘कल मेरा क्या होगा?’ ‘अगर कुछ बुरा हुआ तो क्या होगा?’ – are the thoughts of a fearful mind. These lead us to act in a way that is often self-serving. Our behaviour becomes like that of an animal living in a jungle – concerned only for his own survival. Morals are discarded for the sake of personal safety. One tries to get as much as one can for himself – today – for who knows, what calamity – tomorrow could bring ? There is no time to help and serve others. One is only supposed to think of – oneself. As long as there is a ’net positive’ to oneself, the cost to others – from one’s actions are disregarded in such a state.

Yet, there are those who think differently. While they accept the challenges of today, they act with the true belief in a better tomorrow. They have ‘hope’ in their minds and hearts.They make sacrifices today with the hope that their tomorrow will be better.They share this hope with others. They motivate others with their hopes and dreams of a better tomorrow. All their actions are based on the hope that something good will come out of it. It is only those who act with ‘hope’ in their hearts – will, in all likelihood, be the ones to experience any growth in their lives.Their courage to give life a chance, even when it feels burdensome, is what shows them the beauty – that life has to offer.

For the spiritual seeker, this is very important. Their actions will often be based solely on ‘hope’. The hope that what they are doing will actually be ‘good’ for them – even though, at the same time, all of this, might seem foolhardy to those who live in ‘fear’. Sacrifice, sharing, service to the needy – all these are acts done in the ‘hope’ – that they will be set free from the clutches of ‘maya’.These go against the nature of one who lives in fear. In fact, an act of service or compassion is something very frightful to one filled with dread and fear -as he is terrified by the idea of doing anything else that deviates from making them more secure.

Thus, it is of utmost importance to keep ‘fear’ at bay and fill the mind with ‘hope’. Fear is the enemy within us. Yes, it helps us survive, but , it is only courage and freedom that makes us thrive. It is fearing the worst – that is the worst experience of life and not actually going through and facing the difficulties of life. Most of us might have realised by now that we are able to go though the thick and thin in life – and the pain and suffering of those times is often forgotten – once things get easier. Pain is just temporary, but , it is the fear of enduring it that makes us suffer – and on replacing fear with hope – our approach towards life changes for the better – forever.
” ‘भय’ डराता है , ‘आशा’ हमें उत्साहित रखती है…”