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Swami ji said …

The wheels of restlessness constantly turn within the mind – and they should,if, they were to do so in the pursuit of noble dreams or improvement of the self. But more often than not it is in – what the other is doing, what others are achieving that causes the brain cells to be ever active. An air of disquiet blows within us – fanning further anxiety, agitation and envy – as we see others do better than us.. ‘ऐसा लगता है जैसे हमें शांत रहना आता ही नहीं है और शायद हम शांत रहना भी नहीं चाहते…’

This narrow and closed mindset of ours – of never wishing well for others, lest, good things stop happening to us – can be nipped in the bud , if , rather than praying only for our personal, our family and loved ones’ welfare, we were to say a prayer for the welfare and upliftment of all – wish well for everyone around us, rise above our selfishness and bear love for all.

But how many of us can honestly say that we wish well for others? We wish the best for ourselves; pray that everything good happens with us – but make it a point to exclude others from it. Why are we so small hearted? What are we scared of? The solution to this is that we must realise and learn to truly believe that no one can take away what is destined to come our way, and that ‘Time’ – the greatest equaliser – will bring to us and give to us what belongs to us and what we deserve. Only then can we learn to be secure in our own skin and circumstances, and begin being happy in the happiness of others.

Freedom from insecurity and being able to rejoice in the success of others is only possible if we are honest at heart. To be able to recognise that someone has deservedly gained what they have received and to be able to celebrate that and take inspiration from that frees us from the futile and draining emotions of envy and jealousy. We must learn that everyone is truly equal in God’s eyes, and that our efforts will be equally rewarded. Feeling disgruntled at someone else’s happiness and success is a sign of weak character and a lack of belief in one’s own ability.

More often than not, we feel that others are lucky and favoured in life to receive what they get. We feel that they do not deserve the gifts they receive from God and that we have to struggle a lot more – even for less. Such thinking is incorrect. We refuse to believe that someone can work harder than us ; make bigger sacrifices than us to achieve what they have ! This is only a reflection of our own inability to push ourselves and inspire ourselves to work harder when we see others succeed.

Taking inspiration from success of others leads to success in our own endeavours.
Jealousy and resentment only lead to one’s downfall, as, one’s actions then onwards will always be misguided and ill-intended. Yes, it is important to compete and a healthy dose of competition does lead to excellence; but we must be wary of becoming envious of others, as it will simply rob us of our peace of mind. And , instead of reflecting on lines of our own self-improvement, we will be only scheming against others.

We must not forget how such a negative attitude led to Duryodhan’s downfall. Despite being a capable prince himself, he was always envious of the Pandavas and constantly plotted of depriving them of their right – to and in the kingdom. He was never at peace with himself and later in life lost everything while wishing ill for his brethren. What was the end result? The Pandavas finally got the kingdom that they had always deserved, whereas, Duryodhan on the other hand, lost all his brothers and his own life in the Battle of Kurukshetra.

Only those who are devoid of love for others – fail to rejoice in the achievements and happiness of others. We must change our mentality and instead of only saying – ‘mera mangal hoye’ – let us learn to say -‘ sabka mangal hoye…’ and we will gradually begin to feel a sense of peace pervade our being.

We must always remember – ‘ ‘शांति’ उसी समय से हमारे जीवन में प्रविष्ट हो जाती है , जिस समय से हमारा मन दूसरों के लिए शुभ सोचना प्रारम्भ कर देता है …’

Swami ji said …

Our time on Earth is precious. The life we are blessed with has to be lived to the fullest , irrespective of the conditions or circumstances that we are born in. There is always something that we can do ; there is always a way to improve our life. We cannot wait for things to happen, it is only we who can try to make things happen.

We all have dreams and aspirations. There is something we want to achieve or become in life. Yet, we often wait – sometimes for a sign, sometimes for support, sometimes for a push – to begin our journey of transformation. We constantly live in hope that someone or something will come along and help us along the way. Often lifetimes are spent only waiting in anticipation.

But life cannot be lived that way. We always have to make the first move. The only expectation we should have is from ourselves. We must encourage ourselves to put our best foot forward in any endeavour. The only person whom we should expect to do the best for us is – oneself.

If we live in the hope that others will help us in this journey ; that someone else will bring or create opportunities for us all the time , without us doing something about it ; that someone will guide us in avoiding the difficulties of life – then we are bound to be disappointed. And such disappointment , down the road , over a period of time , turns into resentment and hatred.

How often have we not heard people saying how someone – a family member, an old friend, a co-worker did not do enough for them ; did not help them out when they should have; did not guide them or mentor them to a better life. Such people forget to ask what they have done for themselves. They live in a constant state of delusion, believing they were cheated of a greater destiny by someone else.
Even the loudest alarm cannot ensure that we wake up on time. Eventually it is we who have to muster up the will to fight the lethargy in the body to wake up and attend to what matters in life. How then can someone else’s lack of effort be the reason for our failures ! Even parents, who care for and raise their children cannot be held responsible forever for what their children eventually become and achieve. Eventually, each individual is solely responsible for what they achieve.

So in the end, it is only us – we are our best friend and ally. There is no one else who knows us better than we do. We know in our hearts whether we are doing the best for ourselves or not. If we are not good to ourselves, if we do not put in the effort to achieve our dreams, then no one’s assistance and help can be of any value to us. If on the other hand we are sincere in our efforts and committed towards this precious life of ours , God himself will guide us to success. Any assistance or help we get on the way is a blessing of His. We need to remember that expectations from ourselves can inspire us a lot , whereas, expectations from others – when not fulfilled or met – can hurt us a lot.

Ekalavya had a dream of being the best archer in the world. Being a tribesman, he was not able to learn from a great teacher like Dronacharya. Yet, he did not sulk about life being cruel to him. He did not cite social injustice or hierarchy as an obstacle in his path. He simply did what he could do himself – to hope that he would be able to teach himself. And lo behold ! We all know what a great archer he became ! So much so that he had to be tricked into giving away his thumb by the great Dronacharya himself ! While many see this story as an example of a grave injustice, it is also a story of the miraculous results that self-reliance can achieve.

For the spiritual seeker, there should be no doubt that his actions are what make his destiny. What we experience now is a result of our past actions.There is no escaping that. The only freedom that we have is – is in doing the actions that we do now. Those actions must be sincere and just. A ‘guru’ too can only show us the path to enlightenment ; the seeker has to walk the path himself sincerely in full earnestness. Thus, if there is any – उम्मीद – it must be from ourselves ; that we will do the best we can to walk into the light of divinity.

Swami ji said…

Let us visualise, just for an instant, what the word ‘enemy’ describes. It is someone who has ill-intent towards us, attacks us when we are at our weakest and in the end leaves us for the worse. And while unfortunately there are enemies like this around us who we are mostly aware of and avoid; there are some that are unseen and are to be found within us. One such enemy is ‘anger’ – क्रोध – a vice – within nearly each one of us.

‘ To see red ‘ ; ‘ to seethe with anger ‘ – these are discomforting descriptions of an emotion through which we transit – rather easily. In no way can they be good for us. And yet, we often find ourselves in the clutches of anger. Sometimes while driving through a busy road or traffic ; sometimes while waiting in a queue. It takes over our being at any moment. A slight incident, the smallest of nudges is all it takes for us to lose our cool ; to make our blood boil. If we were to introspect honestly, we will realise that quite often, it might not be the actions of others, but , anger fuelled actions with which we retaliate – that truly hurt us.

Yes, anger is sometimes justified, but , what should not be acceptable is losing our control due to it. Anger rises within us when we feel wronged, when we feel that an injustice has been carried out … ‘जब हमारी कामना पूरी नहीं होती …’ But , like everything , patience is the key. We must always pause and let the swell of this strong emotion within us subside, and, then reflect on our anger. During such moments it would hold us in good stead to understand the situation in which we find ourselves poised and – giving ourselves some time to breathe easy – could help us avoid taking actions that we will only later regret. A little more reflection helps us identify what exactly made us angry and whether we were justified in expressing it vocally or otherwise.

This process of reflection over time will help us understand ourselves better. Do we have an inflated ego that keeps getting hurt ? Or are we being taken advantage of for our decency ?While the former will make us learn the importance of humility for our mental peace, the latter will make us learn to be stern with those who seek to harm us.

Impatience as a characteristic also leads to anger. Our inability to accept things not happening the way we want them to should not be a cause of anger. Venting – whenever a situation is unfavourable for us – only shows a weak spirit and an inability to adapt to unpredictable, unexpected actions and responses of others.

While anger is often portrayed as a sign of strength and aggression, in reality, it means that we are mentally so weak that anyone’s words or actions, any situation can turn our state of mind for the worse. Being angry only portrays a lack of control over our own actions when under duress. We should ask ourselves – would we like to be such a person? Would we be able to trust such a person who cannot control himself ?

Anger leads to bad ‘karma’ – and bad ‘karma’ leads to an even worse future. We must draw comparisons from the stories of Shri Krishna and ‘Karna’. Circumstances led both to be separated and abandoned by their parents as babies. Despite being born into royalty, they were recognised as a cowherd and charioteer respectively. Despite being mighty and having the greatest of skills and knowledge, neither was given the respect of a ‘Kshatriya’. While Shri Krishna was never made King, Karna had to be awarded a Kingdom and could gain none through his right. Yet, their reactions towards their circumstances defined their legacies. ‘Karna’ was forever bitter towards his life and circumstances, always believing he had been wronged and betrayed. His anger led him to pick arms against his brothers and be slain at the hands of one. On the other hand, Shri Krishna became a king maker instead. Not once did he complain about what life had to offer , and , instead, with a serene smile on his face ensured that society would be ruled by a lineage of just and principled kings who upheld ‘dharma’. In doing so, he rose beyond the heights of any other that walked this Earth and is even today worshipped by millions.

This is why it is important for us to be wary of anger – ‘क्रोध’ – that sits impatiently within us – waiting for just about anything to trigger it – for, we do not even realise when it takes control of us, feeds our ego and takes us away from the path of God. It is important to remember that one blinded by anger cannot see the light of God. We need to remember – ‘ ‘क्रोध’ हमारी कमज़ोरी का बयान करती है …’

Swami ji said …

In today’s world man is busy chasing dreams. Dreams of wealth, fame, fortune and other finer things in life. Everyday is a hustle. He deals with others around him the way it suits him – smiles at some, frowns at others ; makes promises to some and excuses to others. In this hullabaloo of life he forgets to do something extremely important – वह स्वयं का ‘आत्मनिरिक्षण’
करना भूल जाता है … which he must do time and time again , regularly and unfailingly. He seems to find time to do everything that interests him – but , somehow , fails to spare those few minutes needed to sit awhile , and , interact with the ‘self ‘, and , ask himself how he has been doing ? How does he really feel about himself ? What has he become ? His reluctance to do so makes one feel that he is afraid to face the honest answers that he would receive from his ‘self ‘.

Like any journey, the journey of life , too, makes a traveller weary – and that traveller in this case is the ‘soul’. The numerous ups and downs; trials and tribulations; joys and successes leave their mark on a person’s character. What one sets out as – is nowhere close to how one emerges – at the end of this journey. It thus becomes important to stop once in a while and take stock of our ‘self.’ Self – reflection thus becomes important. Do we pay attention to what we are evolving and turning into ? Are we very happy with the kind of individuals that we are becoming ? Most of us love ourselves the way we are – our nature , temperament – every single thing about ourselves – and do not hesitate in declaring that we are perfect ; that there is nothing wrong in us. If this is not a delusional thought – then what is ? A thought of this kind can only be a figment of our imagination ! There is always room for a lot of improvement in ourselves.

Do we raise some honest, critical questions to ourselves ? ‘ Am I as good as I project myself to those around me ! Do I play games with people – of pretence, deception, dishonesty ? Do I tell people that I like them on their face and talk ill behind their back ? Do I find it easy to lie ? What sort of a person am I ? Am I the sort of person I would like to see around me ?’
Believe me , you will find all the answers within yourself, as similar to the manner in which a mirror never lies – the conscience too only speaks the truth.

Repeated failures can make some of us highly negative and we might not even realise it. Some of us might have become very comfort-minded over time and not seen the subtle changes in our behaviour. Some of us might have become susceptible to dishonesty in order to escape the various stresses of life. It is only periodic self-reflection that can make us stay alert and aware of these changes that take place in our character.

Just like in our childhood – when we used to clean and decorate our classrooms for inspections and make rigorous efforts to ensure that our class was awarded the prize for the best classroom – we must also make regular efforts to inspect ‘ourselves’ – and just like we used to clean away the dust and cobwebs that had begun to spread – we must curtail the growth of bad characteristics, wrong habits , weaknesses in us – overcome them and be an honest, genuine version’ of ourselves.

For the spiritual practioner, ‘self- reflection’ – and on seeing his shortcomings – constantly improve and correct himself ; overcome his weaknesses and purify his ‘soul’ further – is what leads to self-realisation. It is only when we observe ourselves keenly – our mind, its thoughts, the actions that these thoughts yield – it is only then that we start the process of understanding who and what we are – and also the main purpose of our life – which is to merge our ‘soul’ with our Creator.

Swami ji said…

We are all unique and have our own skills and talents. Some are born with them , while , others develop and hone them with time. Whatever the case may be – these abilities are what, rather often than not, enable us to earn a living, become wealthy, or even become famous. Some of us have artistic talents ; some are blessed with physical and mental prowess, and, others have exceptional gifts, that serve them well in their respective circumstances and situations. The tonal quality of a singer’s voice can win him fame and acclaim. The sharp mind of a stock trader could make him fabulously rich. Greater oratory skills could make a politician a great orator and extremely popular with his countrymen. Smart managerial abilities could make one a CEO of an international company. Hours and hours of practice at improving one’s skill or ability can pay rich dividends over time, and , there are many of us who are doing so now – enjoying the fruits of our abilities and skill. We are confident of our abilities and thereby assured of the successful outcome of our actions.

But, in all this hay and glory, we often let confidence turn into arrogance; and let our success make us feel invincible. The ego takes control over the mind, it tells us – ‘ See what YOU have achieved. Only YOU could have done this. This is all YOUR doing.’ And suddenly we hold ‘ourselves’ in great esteem and develop an air of self-importance. We hold our heads proudly and show the world what WE have created. This is the time that काल is hovering around our head – for it takes away our ‘बुद्धि’. We forget that our abilities and skills are God’s gifts to us and instead of attributing all our joys and successes to God’s grace – we instead congratulate ourselves and put ourselves on a pedestal. Our actions and words follow suit – they are egoistic and arrogant. We behave like know-alls.

The humility and patience that was once our trademark and which had helped us to reach where we are today, seem to have been shed off by us during our ‘ego trip’. We reach a stage when we refuse to listen to anyone but ourselves. Those days of the past appear to be lost somewhere , when we had always been eager to listen to others’ perspectives and feedback.
Businessmen who believe they know more than their customers; artists who feel they know better than the audience – such is the typical behavior exhibited by those heady in their own success.

It is said that the poet-sage Valmiki was once informed that even the great Hanuman had written a Ramayana. Intrigued, Valmiki ji set out to lay his eyes on Shri Hanuman’s Ramayana. On reading the words that had been written by Shri Hanuman, tears rolled from his eyes and he began to cry in sorrow. When asked by Shri Hanuman as to why was He crying , it is said that Valmiki ji confessed, that Shri Hanuman’s Ramayana was much better than his own and that he was convinced that no one would be interested in his Ramayana once they had read Shri Hanuman’s treatise. It is said that on hearing this Shri Hanuman immediately tore his own writings, leaving Valmiki ji all the more bewildered. On being asked to explain his actions, Shri Hanuman told Valmiki that he had written his Ramayana only for Shri Ram and not to receive any praise from anyone. If his Ramayana had caused grief to Valmiki ji , there was no reason for the world to see it, as he did not need the fame and accolades of writing a great epic. All that mattered to him was Shri Ram’s blessings and love.

We must learn an everlasting lesson from this story. Not once did it occur to Shri Hanuman that he was the ‘better writer’ nor did he once think of enjoying the fruits of his labor as a writer. He did not take any pride in his knowledge and literary prowess. He did not seek any recognition. What he did, he did only for Shri Ram. We too must learn to attribute all our achievements to God’s grace on us. We must accept that whichever abilities we have – are only a means to an end that God has given us. What we achieve from them are also God’s gifts to us.

हमे हमेशा यह याद रखना चाहिए – ‘ ‘क्षमता’ और ‘ज्ञान’ को, अपना ‘गुरु’ बनाना चाहिए, अपना ‘गुरुर’ नहीं…’