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Swami ji said…

‘Money’ has cast a spell on us – a spell so magical that none of us ever want its enchanting effect to wear off from us. The satisfaction, confidence and sense of power that is related with money by us – makes us adapt to the requirements of earning it, acquiring and possessing it – quick and fast , by any means. The means of earning it – fair or unfair; dubious or legitimate – do not matter any more. We barely reflect on the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of what we are doing – while making money. Thus , not surprisingly , only a handful of us are content today – making an honest, decent living. The glitter of gold is blinding and emboldens us to compromise wrongly with our scruples, ethics and sense of honour – when it comes to money matters.

Money blinds our sensibilities, as we are in a rush to accumulate it. It is said – ‘Money makes the mare run’ and sadly – the smell of freshly minted currency; the crisp notes and shining coins – is doing exactly the same with us – making us run in their direction.Of course, none of us could survive without food, shelter and clothing – and for our sustenance we need money. We would die of hunger and neglect if we didn’t have any money. Education, our growth and development – can only be realised – if we have enough means to meet these expenditures.

There is also no denying the fact – ‘ घर मैं चीजें तब आती हैं जब हम धन कमाते हैं … ‘ After all, money, not only enables us to buy essential items for our day to day living – but also allows us to indulge in all available material comforts of the world. We stuff our houses with the best of things – the latest appliances, hi-tech gadgets, fancy vehicles and beautiful artefacts. But, somewhere down the road, when resources dry up – we look for refuge in dishonest means of income and resort to devious ways of making a fast buck. Some of us have taken the words – ‘It’s a rich man’s world…’ literally – and focus all our time and energy on making money only. Do we realise that the fruition of every materialistic desire of ours takes us further away from God? The ‘source’ of our income which provides us with our daily bread – plays a pivotal role in determining the state of our physical and mental health. Do we even bother to question ourselves about the kind of money that is coming into our house ? Has it been earned honestly or secured through ill – gotten means? ‘ ऐसे पैसे कामते हुए , हमें किसी की बद्दुआ तो नहीं लग रही ? ‘

We must ask ourselves – is our obsession with money making us insensitive towards our ageing parents, so much so, that we feel that their longevity is depriving us of inheriting their property at the earliest – as we have many personal desires to fulfil. Our wealth could definitely make it possible for us to build our dream house – but we need to remember that a house turns into a home only with the blessings of all those who matter the most to us – our family and relatives…’ क्योंकि जब आप लोगों ki दुआयें प्राप्त करते हैं तो धन के साथ खुशी, अच्छा स्वास्थ्य, बड़ों का आशीर्वाद और स्नेह भी मिलता है…’

Yes, wealth is important – but not at the cost of love, principles and relationships. We must guard ourselves against excessive greed and its ability to take away all that we hold dear from us – in order to become wealthy. Judas willingly betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. His greed for wealth and other reasons made him sacrifice even the Son of God. In the end, there was only repentance, misery and death awaiting Judas. His wealth could not shield him from the anguish that he suffered in his final moments. What could have saved him was God’s Grace ! His name was tarnished forever and stands synonymous with ‘traitor’ ever since then. We must thus beware the devastating ruin that greed for wealth alone can bring upon our lives … but , blessings that pour from a loving and grateful heart , go a long way in shaping our destiny.

Swami ji said …

Our ancient scriptures, hymns, sermons and ‘भजन’ ‘कीर्तन’ – emphasise on God’s Grace on us and the needlessness of man to live in a state of fear – as we have our Protector – our Guardian Angel – constantly by our side – even when unexpected, unfortunate incidents hit us in the face – leaving us in despair, alarmed and anxious. But, rather than seeking shelter in Him, trusting Him and reposing faith in His divine will – we, still prefer to live in a state of fear. We embrace this turbulent emotion instantly, as if it were second nature to us. Fear of the future ; fear of the unknown ; fear of what the future will bring to us. Living in a constant state of fear is not new to us. We fail to see the callous, all – consuming nature of fear ; the intensity and ferocity with which it can make us powerless and submissive – once it has its fangs on us.

Much like many other emotions that are inherently within us – fear, too, needs to be understood and controlled. And, while we would not be human without fear , it is when fear takes control over our mind that we act in the most unpredictable and inhuman manner. A mind filled with fear – makes one take actions that could be self destructive and harmful. When dark shadows of fear and apprehension loom larger than life over us ; we fail to see that we are faced with two situations.We can either give up, forget everything and run away in fear , or , we can face everything with courage and confidence – certain that we will fight our demons and rise – a victor. What is our response when faced with a situation like this ?

When in the grip of fear, we only aim to preserve the status quo – to avoid a loss of any kind – be it name or fame. We are unwilling to take the blame for anything and thus are afraid to think out of the box and instead toe everyone’s line. But, in our efforts and quest to survive – we forget to thrive. We forget that the true essence of life is to push our boundaries – to explore the unexplored – fearlessly.

To understand the true effect of fear in our lives, we must reflect and see minutely the kind of role it plays in our thought process. We fear not only that which is life threatening, but , even that which might cause us pain. We fear the pain of hard work ; we are apprehensive about the pain of sacrifice ; we fear the uncertainty of taking new directions and journeys in life. So many times, it is simply our inability to put those fears to rest that stops us from being the best versions of ourselves.

The best way to overcome fear is by taking small but regular and determined steps towards building courage within ourselves. We must utilise every opportunity that dares us to venture out of our comfort zone – one at a time. It is only then that the mind learns to accept and rein in fear.

The spiritual practitioner must develop courage. This courage must be rooted in the belief that those on the path – leading to God – will never come to any harm as long as their actions are based in humility, honesty and are worthy of His Grace. After all – ‘ Good and honest people have nothing to fear. It is the dishonest who need to be fearful.’

Swami ji said…

Imagine if we were served a cold platter of mouth-watering desserts – the sugary flavours of which would undoubtedly satiate our palette, not only for those brief moments , but also, make us long for more. The presentation and flavour of this platter makes our eyes light up and we long to tuck into the savouries immediately. But then – for how many days would we be able to enjoy the same sweet platter – devoid of salt and spices? Of course, even the best made dessert could not be eaten every single day by us. We would ultimately find eating it a chore – no longer relishing its fine sweet taste. We would, in fact, crave for foods that are sour or even a little bitter.
Imagine if life too were ‘sweet’ all the time ; if we had everything available to us at our beck and call – like a genie – whatever we wished for would appear or happen. While life would be amazing for some time, gradually even the wealth and power available to us would seem to lose its shine as we would take all of it for granted.

Life, perhaps fortunately, does not allow this. There is a always a mix – like a buffet – of some things sweet, some salty, some sour and some bitter. And, just like food that doesn’t taste great – but seems to agree most with the stomach ; hard work and difficulties – are often exactly what the doctor ordered – when it comes to the health of the mind and soul. We however, fervently pray to God to make our lives ‘easier’. We keep talking about how good life must be – for those who have more than us or have always had things easier than us. Instead of acknowledging the reality of life and what it is trying to teach us, we live in the delusion of getting to live the ‘perfect life’ one day – a life in paradise.

When one is untouched by hardships, challenges, and difficulties, that person begins to entertain a condescending, superior attitude – secure in the false knowledge that maybe – ‘ परिश्रम ‘ and ‘दुःख’ ” will always remain foreign, unknown to him. The possibility that one can become stone hearted when basking in the glow of ‘sukh’ cannot be overruled completely – ‘ दुःख को अनुभव किए
बिना हमारा हृदय निर्मल नही हो सकता |’

Difficulties make us sensitive to the struggles of others. Only those who have walked a torturous path to reach a particular destination can understand and empathize with the struggles of others, can feel their pain and suffering. After all, the ability to empathize with our fellow beings is what makes us humans unique. Thus, ‘difficulties’ should not be categorized as bad things to happen to us. Similarly, hard work also makes us see value – in not just what we have achieved through it – but also what others have achieved through their efforts. We, thus, must not be overwhelmed and daunted by hard work or difficult times but rather accept and embrace them fearlessly. Only then will our personal growth be possible.

Challenging times keep us on our toes; as even in the ‘good times’ we remember to not be arrogant, but, simply stay composed and sharp. We do not let our guard down and get carried away when things are in full bloom around us. Instead, we understand that life is a regular flow of struggle and thus tackle the situations that challenge us with determination – which reveals an unknown side of ours ; a little more about ourselves – ‘ परिश्रम के बिना मनुष्य का विकास नहीं होता है !’

It is only when we accept that struggle, pain and heartbreak are a part and parcel of our life – that we truly begin to live to our full potential – as we are then free of the fear of failure. We are able to pursue our dreams with a lot more determination and confidence, secure in the knowledge that any and all difficulties and challenges along the way are only stepping stones to our further growth and advancement.

The spiritual seeker must remain undaunted by any amount of toil that lies ahead of him as he progresses on the spiritual path. He must readily accept that this is what life demands of him before it bestows spiritual rewards on him. The spiritual seeker will face many personal problems ; situations that are demanding in the face of his spiritual practice. These will challenge him – his beliefs and principles. But , it is only by going through these demanding experiences, and , emerging successfully on the other side, will he truly be enlightened. Only then will he be able to appreciate the True Knowledge that was imparted to him by his ‘guru’.

Swami ji’s Sandesh …

Man’s behaviour, very often, is perplexing – almost a paradox. While he can be immensely self-centered at one end, he, also loves to meddle in the lives of others, at the other end. While he always prioritizes himself first ; thinks of his own welfare first; his eyes are always darting here and there and ears are perked up to figure out what others are upto. In some ways, he is neither here nor there – neither is he truly focussed on himself, nor, is he completely immersed in his fellow beings,and, thus, many a times, all he ends up doing is – waste precious time. Such is the sad story of many lives that have ended – and unfortunately could be the same – of even those who are yet to come.

समय अमूल्य है – Time is invaluable. And there is only a limited amount of time to achieve what we want to truly accomplish. At its core, any success or achievement is the result of a constant struggle to be better.The more we struggle the better we turn out to be and greater is our success. Thus, we need to understand that most of our time should be utilised, in improving ourselves. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case.

People idle away time – gossiping, passing judgement, criticizing and finding faults with others. Many entertain themselves with television shows that popularize such behaviour. Social media encourages us to keep an eye on what our friends are upto. We indulge ourselves merrily in these activities and fail to discern that most of the time – there is no emphasis on ‘reflection’ and ‘self-improvement’ – in all that we do. Our time is constantly spent on the ‘external’ – on other people and other events. How can we then hope to truly improve ourselves ! How can we expect to be truly exceptional at anything ?

We must look at those – who , according to us , are successful. Do they appear to be involved with what others are up to ? Do they seem inclined to express opinions on that which does not concern them ? A closer look will reveal that successful individuals are unable to find that extra time – to waste it – in gossiping, hating , judging or criticising others, but, focus all their energy on improving themselves – their lives.They realise that time is valuable and the best would be to direct their attention towards their aim and ambition. They have a fire within them to do something worthwhile – that makes them want to improve all the time. Such is the attitude that we too need to develop.

Cherish this lifetime. Value it. Add further meaning to it ; a few more dimensions. Be passionate about improving every aspect of your life. Become so involved in bettering yourself as an individual – in strengthening your weaknesses – converting your handicaps into citations – your odes into celebrations – that you do not find time to talk ill of others. Hours that could be utilised by us to improve ourselves ; work on our incompetencies – are instead whiled away nearly everyday by back biting ; directing all our energies on hating certain people we dislike. Do we ever realise that …” Hum doosron ki burai karke , unke ‘karma’ bhi hum apne upar le lete hain ?’ The minute someone projects disagreement with us, we enter into a verbal conflict with him – are willing to face rounds of verbal duels without accepting defeat. What do we gain by such a clash of egos’ ? Precious time is lost in such petty behavior.

We must question ourselves regularly – whether we are making the best use of time or not. Even the random thoughts that arise in the mind are actually a waste of time. Why not strive to control them and centre them on God? Why indulge the mind by thinking about things that least concern us? Why waste time thinking about the future or the past, when we can collect our thoughts and focus our mind on God. A single moment, filled with the thought of God ; filled with thoughts of self-improvement – is time that has been utilised to its fullest.

If we truly are miserly about anything – then it should be about ‘time’ – the manner in which we spend it. Is it effective and efficient? Time must be used for development of the mind, body and soul. If we are greedy for anything at all – it should be only for more time – time that can be utilised to improve ourselves. To truly utilize our time well, we must raise self-awareness through meditation and self-reflection. We must be mindful of what we are doing at any time – and double check whether we are using time judiciously. With practice, we will slowly but surely, become masters of our destiny – as we will develop the skills needed to utilise time for our optimal growth.

Swami ji’s Sandesh …

Man’s behaviour, very often, is perplexing – almost a paradox. While he can be immensely self-centered at one end, he, also loves to meddle in the lives of others, at the other end. While he always prioritizes himself first ; thinks of his own welfare first; his eyes are always darting here and there and ears are perked up to figure out what others are upto. In some ways, he is neither here nor there – neither is he truly focussed on himself, nor, is he completely immersed in his fellow beings,and, thus, many a times, all he ends up doing is – waste precious time. Such is the sad story of many lives that have ended – and unfortunately could be the same – of even those who are yet to come.

समय अमूल्य है – Time is invaulable. And there is only a limited amount of time to achieve what we want to truly accomplish. At its core, any success or achievement is the result of a constant struggle to be better.The more we struggle the better we turn out to be and greater is our success. Thus, we need to understand that most of our time should be utilised, in improving ourselves. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case.

People idle away time – gossiping, passing judgement, criticizing and finding faults with others. Many entertain themselves with television shows that popularize such behaviour. Social media encourages us to keep an eye on what our friends are upto. We indulge ourselves merrily in these activities and fail to discern that most of the time – there is no emphasis on ‘reflection’ and ‘self-improvement’ – in all that we do. Our time is constantly spent on the ‘external’ – on other people and other events. How can we then hope to truly improve ourselves ! How can we expect to be truly exceptional at anything ?

We must look at those – who , according to us , are successful. Do they appear to be involved with what others are up to ? Do they seem inclined to express opinions on that which does not concern them ? A closer look will reveal that successful individuals are unable to find that extra time – to waste it – in gossiping, hating , judging or criticising others, but, focus all their energy on improving themselves – their lives.They realise that time is valuable and the best would be to direct their attention towards their aim and ambition. They have a fire within them to do something worthwhile – that makes them want to improve all the time. Such is the attitude that we too need to develop.

Cherish this lifetime. Value it. Add further meaning to it ; a few more dimensions. Be passionate about improving every aspect of your life. Become so involved in bettering yourself as an individual – in strengthening your weaknesses – converting your handicaps into citations – your odes into celebrations – that you do not find time to talk ill of others. Hours that could be utilised by us to improve ourselves ; work on our incompetencies – are instead whiled away nearly everyday by back biting ; directing all our energies on hating certain people we dislike. Do we ever realise that …” Hum doosron ki burai karke , unke ‘karma’ bhi hum apne upar le lete hain ?’ The minute someone projects disagreement with us, we enter into a verbal conflict with him – are willing to face rounds of verbal duels without accepting defeat. What do we gain by such a clash of egos’ ? Precious time is lost in such petty behavior.

We must question ourselves regularly – whether we are making the best use of time or not. Even the random thoughts that arise in the mind are actually a waste of time. Why not strive to control them and centre them on God? Why indulge the mind by thinking about things that least concern us? Why waste time thinking about the future or the past, when we can collect our thoughts and focus our mind on God. A single moment, filled with the thought of God ; filled with thoughts of self-improvement – is time that has been utilised to its fullest.

If we truly are miserly about anything – then it should be about ‘time’ – the manner in which we spend it. Is it effective and efficient? Time must be used for development of the mind, body and soul. If we are greedy for anything at all – it should be only for more time – time that can be utilised to improve ourselves. To truly utilize our time well, we must raise self-awareness through meditation and self-reflection. We must be mindful of what we are doing at any time – and double check whether we are using time judiciously. With practice, we will slowly but surely, become masters of our destiny – as we will develop the skills needed to utilise time for our optimal growth.