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Swami ji said …

” Times have changed and so have we. But , then the question that arises is whether the change that has taken place in us – is it for the better or worse ! What has brought about this change? Is it a change in our value system , our life style, in our being over ambitious ? If we were to ask ourselves today – ‘What makes us happy ? ‘ – what do you think our answer would be ? The probability of receiving an answer as – ‘Money’ – cannot be ruled out completely.”

” At the same time, it is not that each one of us has made ‘money’ our top most priority, but, the fact, that ‘it’ has begun to dominate our thoughts and conversation – cannot be swept under the carpet. There was a time when life and we were very simple. We would be happiest with the smallest pleasures of life and the ‘happiness’ that we derived was ‘priceless’ as our needs were minimal and desires realistic and attainable.”एक वक्त ऐसा था जब हम बड़े थे , हमारी खुशियाँ बड़ी थी …और पैसा छोटा था …परन्तु आज पैसा बड़ा है …और हम छोटे …” And, we can see this dangerous trend pick up speed at an alarming pace. All this is happening because we have allowed it to happen.”

” Do we ask ourselves – ‘Why is money enslaving us ?’ ‘Why are we allowing money to become our Master?’ And that too, to such an extent, that we are willing to sell our ‘soul’ to the Devil if need be. Does the disproportionate shadow of wealth and gold make us feel like dwarfs, overwhelmed by the power and potential that it promises us – leaving us confused and bewildered.”

” Man, by nature, is a consumer. He has to consume basic essentials in order to survive. But with his thoughts centred totally on his personal growth, brilliant future, cutting out all competition ;
somewhere, midway, man has forgotten to draw a line between his ‘basic’ needs and greed. The more expensive the desire, the greater is his fascination for it – uncaring whether he is in a position to afford it or not. In order to keep himself and his loved ones happy, he is willing to resort to any means – illegal or forbidden to possess the unattainable.The values of honesty and goodness that were imprinted on our minds by our parents appear to be hazy and unclear now. We fool ourselves by saying – Why live in an uninteresting past if one can enjoy a rosy, luxurious present , irrespective of the fact whether the means to do so are illicit and irregular ! ‘हमारे सोचने का तरीका कितना छोटा हो गया है ! क्या हम पैसे के आगे सर नही झुका रहे है?’ “

” The disturbing signs are visible to all. We have become unscrupulous in our day to day dealings. Property and money mean more than relationships to us. We do not hesitate to indulge in shameful acts. Old parents are forced out of their own homes as their children are in a great rush to encash that property. Patience to serve elders is being replaced by impatience for money. Money is given so much of importance now that one is unable to take out time to devote to one’s physical well being and spiritual growth. We need to be cautious of the web of greed and deceit in which we could get entangled – as we are tossed about between bundles of currency – forgetting that …” जो सबसे ‘छोटा’ है, वो है हमारा ‘जीवन’, और हमने अपने ‘जीवन’ को ‘बड़ा’ बनाना है नेक कर्म करके, पवित्र विचार रख के और सत्य का साथ दे के । “

Swami ji said…

” It is often said that we must listen to our heart , for, it is from here, that the voice of truth emanates and guides us through the haze of ‘मोह-माया’. But, not all actions and decisions must be made from one’s heart. For it is the heart that suffers most – when love turns to attachment and longing. In such cases, the heart is the one that is blinded – disbelieves logic and reason – and misguides our journey of life.”

” ‘Moh’ – attachment – renders even the most powerful, the most capable – incapable of thinking soundly and acting wisely.
Attachment to anything and of any kind does not serve anyone well. In the epic – ‘Mahabharat’, the filial head – ‘Bhishma pitamah’s undue attachment to his ‘pratigya’ and family actually lead to sorrow all around. ‘Ganga putra’ – Bhishma pitamah – all knowledgeable, the strongest of warriors, became a slave to his own attachment for his family. First, his love for his father, Shantanu, and , need for approval from his step-mother, made him take a pledge of celibacy that would ultimately subject Hastinapur and its residents to a weak lineage of Kings for generations. He would again, for the sake of his family – wrongfully kidnap Amba from her ‘swamayamvar’ and then abandon her to fend for herself. Time and again, such a learned and strong man would take repeated mis-steps out of ‘moh’ for his family.”

” Even today men steal, defraud and deceive for the sake of their ‘family’. But they forget that one’s ‘karma’ is one’s own and that they will alone have to face the consequences of their actions. Feeding one’s own family by stealing from the mouth of others has never brought any good to anyone. But ‘moh’ for their loved ones makes them see no wrong in what they are doing ; and since all their love is centred on their families, they fail to see to see the course correction signal that ‘He’, who loves them the most, is trying to send them.”

” Attachment comes in many forms. Sometimes, it is simply the attachment to the way things are around us – even though they might not be conducive to our well-being. Unfound sentiments can often make us get stuck in a rut and not allow us to make any change in our lives. We do not move from old, dilapidated homes that are hazardous to our health as we are emotionally attached to them. We are not willing to let go of untrustworthy people, from our lives, as sometime in the past, they had been good to us. We will suffer forever – for the sake of sentiment and attachment ; rather than experience the temporary pain of detachment , and , finally experience the joy of freedom of the heart and mind.”

” Attachment to money and wealth is the greatest destroyer of man.
‘ हम वस्तुओं के मोह मे ही डूबे रहते हैं।’ Even as one grows richer than before in terms of worldly possessions, he , strangely, remains insatiable and longs to procure more for himself. The thought of possessing more is what fires his body and mind. A sense of dissatisfaction at not having made enough and of losing a fraction of his assets takes away his peace of mind. He tends to forget that ‘ईश्वर’ के ‘मोह’ मे तर jaane se joh sukun aur shanti milti hai ; vaisi khushi kisi bhi vastu ko praapt karne se nahi mil sakti hai …” Happiness during such ‘materialistic’ moments is fleeting ; whereas experiencing oneness with God gives us everlasting happiness.”

” Attachment to this physical world is the biggest impediment in our spiritual growth. Family, wealth, power, pleasure – all these keep our mind pre-occupied and distant from focussing on what should be most important to us – God. ‘ ‘मोह’ केवल ‘भगवान’ का होना चाहिए । ‘ We must strive to keep God in our thoughts all the time, so that our actions also become good and pure. Thus, we must guard ourselves from the trappings of ‘moh-maya’ for objects and all things transient in nature. We must find ways to keep remembering God even when we are immersed in our dealings with the physical world around us. Whenever we sense that we are making decisions and committing actions driven more by emotions, a discontent and restless heart ; rather than with a sound peaceful mind – we must stop and reflect on our own spiritual state. We must reconnect with the Supreme through meditation and prayer and have an honest conversation with ourselves. It is only through such repeated practice that we will find our way out of the tangles of this worldly illusion and attain spiritual bliss.”

Swami ji said …

” Life is a continuous battle with हमारी परिस्थितियां – our circumstances which change their colour and nature on a daily basis with the speed of lightning. Circumstances are deemed to be so ! They are made that way. ‘ कभी वह कष्ट देती हैं तो कभी आनंद। कभी हमे आरोग्य रखती हैं तो कभी रोग देती हैं।” Their meandering role makes them just touch us and move on without turning back to see the impact that they leave on us – whether we are smiling or fretting.’ अनूकुल परिस्थित मे हम प्रसन्न होते हैं और प्रतिकूल परिस्थित मे हम मूह लटका लेते हैं।’ Such is our habit of having things go our way. But is that the way God’s most intelligent creation supposed to behave ? If we look deep within us, we know the answer to this question. We know that we have no control over our circumstances which tend to waltz by us. But, what certainly is in our control is the way we react to them; and respond to their unexpected nudge. The ‘परिस्थित’ could be an unexpected bonanza out of the blue or a sudden calamity that moves the earth from under our feet and leaves us shaken. Well! If we can extend our arms outwards to accept the boon with glee and happiness, then why do we wince and flinch on being faced with an ailment, a tragedy or unexpected and adverse circumstances.”

” Much like the cycle of life and death, the wheels of circumstances too keep on moving; spinning out good or bad, favourable or unfavourable days. ‘हमे इस बात को गांठ बांध कर रखना है … that our ‘प्रारब्ध’ will give us only what has been earned by us in our previous lifetimes. We are accountable for the circumstances which appear to come out from nowhere and it is then that we either declare an all out war to overcome them with great stress and tension or learn to flow with the turn of events that disclose themselves of their own free will to us. In the end, it doesn’t really matter how many battles have we won or lost. The only thing that matters is the manner, temperament and behaviour that was displayed by us while we fought the adverse circumstance like a lone warrior – sensibly and intelligently – and learned some life changing lessons and survived the ordeal with forbearance and faith in Him.”

“The best way to handle परिस्थित irrespective of the fact whether they are sweet or bitter – is by accepting them as naturally as the glory of a sunlit day and the darkness of a moonless night – ‘both’ giving way to each other from time immemorial. We must learn from Mother Earth which endures and suffers the killing heat, devastating storms, destructive earthquakes and its soul ravaging floods… but it endures quietly and then doggedly begins the process of healing and recuperating. Similarly, we too should be reservoirs of peace and joy and develop happy and spiritual minds – understanding once and for all that happiness is not the absence of problems but the ability to deal with them…’और जो भी हमारे साथ हो रहा है, वह हमे सहना ही पड़ेगा…’ as it is only then that we will be able to survive.”

” ‘ जीवित रहने के लिए… being merely
physically strong is not good enough. We have to be mentally tough too – to endure, to keep going forward ; applying every skill to emerge victorious from the चक्रव्यूह that life in a way is – with a sense of complete surrender in His Divine plan for us.”

” Shri Ram is the epitome of stoicism in the face of ever changing destiny. Be it as a King or a forest dweller, He never compromised on His principles and behaviour with others. He was just as kind, benevolent and understanding when He was in need of help from others or when in a position to assist others. He did not let destiny define Him as a person. Similarly, a spiritual practitioner should also remain impassive to his ever changing ‘takdeer’ or destiny. He must learn to smile, accept and enjoy life in all circumstances , as his spiritual journey is one, which cannot be postponed by providing weak excuses of bodily suffering and lack of determination. ‘Moksha’ bahut kuch seh ke hi milta hai … “

Swami ji said…

” ‘जीवन में ‘लक्ष्य’ होना
जरूरी होता है … A goal, an ambition, a dream – gives our life a sense of direction; a well defined purpose. The climb uphill towards one’s goal can never be easy. It comes with its share of twists and turns, unforeseen problems and unimaginable obstacles – all of which appear to loom larger than life , and , beyond our reach, as we face the insurmountable nature of the unachievable ‘lakshya’ that we had set our eyes on. And, all the more so, when our ‘goal’ appears to look back at us defiantly and knowingly – that ‘its’ degree of difficulty might deter us from pursuing it, so much so, that we might quite simply give it up.”

” However, it is this weakness of ours – of focusing more on the challenges leading to the goal, rather than the goal itself – that is our true undoing. Fear of the pain we might have to go through, the fear of defeat, makes us victim to the imaginary difficulties and unceasing problems that the restless mind needlessly conjures, and , before we know it “ जब हम अपना सारा ध्यान उन समस्याओं पर लगा देते हैं तो लक्ष्य दिखना बंद हो जाते हैं।’ It is during such moments of weakness ; when the mind highlights hindrances and darkens possibilities – that we must put in every ounce of positive energy and remind ourselves that – जब हम ‘लक्ष्य’ पर ध्यान देंगे तो ‘समस्या’ दिखनी बंद हो जायेंगी …”

“Another trap that we often fall into is visualising problems in plentiful even before taking tentative steps towards our ‘lakshya’. Very often, even before we start off on something, we imagine a hundred scenarios of why it might be a bad idea and why it will not work out. Such an approach is highly corrosive to our development. We should infact embrace hardships on the way to our goals, as it is ‘these’ alone that make our success taste sweeter later. It is in overcoming difficulties that the worthiness of our lofty goals is proved. Thus, we must never be intimidated by the challenges that strew the path leading us towards our goal.”

“Jesus Christ was well aware of His crucifixion that was to take place at the hands of the Romans. He was well aware of the immense pain that His body would suffer from their wrongdoing. Yet, these ‘hurdles’ did not stop Him from concentrating on His ‘goal’ of spreading the word of God. Neither did He hide nor did he stop preaching and curing the sick. Our problems are not even a fraction of what He faced. Why then must we cower down? Why must we give up on our dreams in the face of difficulty ?”

” For the spiritual practitioner, practising these words in principle, becomes all the more relevant.The path of enlightenment is difficult. It demands listening to the voice of ‘Truth’ even when the world will speak untruth, ridicule you, insult you and isolate you for it. It demands a determined pursuit of an honest life ; one that itself is difficult in a world where physical comforts and lies go hand in hand. Focussing on God becomes difficult – it seems easier to live like the rest. Yet, such ‘problems’ should not be the focus ; rather, they should be ignored completely. Only and only ‘He’ must be the focus of all of one’s actions. It is only then that He will reveal to us – the divine path leading towards Him.”

Swami ji said…

” ‘ कर्म करो, फल की इच्छा मत करो…’ This is ancient wisdom that has been passed down to us through generations. Words that motivate us to focus only on our actions and not on what we might obtain as a result of them. Words that give us a new perspective of our ‘karma’ ; our way of living. Yet, in a world where material desires drive the majority at large – can such words serve any value? Do they hold much meaning for us – who are mired in desires ? After all, we all go to our jobs to get a salary at the end of the month. We work hard to keep our stomachs full and a roof above our heads. Surely, the results of our actions do matter and do require consideration.”

” It is thus folly to take a simplistic view of the words. Of course we want to be wealthy after working tirelessly for years. Of course we want to look good after putting in hours to shed weight.There is nothing wrong if we find motivation in seeking such rewards. Yet, there is a limit to how much we can let our lives be dictated by such thinking.”

” Today, people view each other more and more as a means to an end. It is easy to take help but difficult to give it – unless of course there is something in it for us. Society today believes more in ‘networking’ than in ‘friendship’. People have more ‘contacts’ than ‘friends’. We make acquaintances based not so much on mutual hobbies and characteristics but rather on how we might ‘benefit’ each other.”

” The act of helping someone in need is a noble action – and while our ego might make us believe that we are being magnanimous and generous, it is only God’s way of giving us an opportunity to do some good ‘karma’ and release ourselves from the debts of the past. Unfortunately, even when such an opportunity comes our way – we tend to ask ourselves – “ Why should I help him? He has never been of any help to me! Nobody helps me when I’m in trouble!’ Instead of being grateful that God has put us in a position where we can be of help to someone, we only fear of being helpless – in our own times of need.”

” Service or assistance of any kind by us to others is not ‘us’ helping any one. It is merely ‘us’ being used as an ‘instrument’ by God in giving out the help needed, that we are supposed to, in a particular lifetime. Similarly, it is only God who gets us out of our troubles. The people who come to our rescue are there merely because He has willed them to be there and play the role of our ‘saviours’.”

” To live a life based on the principle of ‘you scratch my back and I scratch yours’ – would indeed be a poor life. Poorest of the poor , infact. Such a life is lived by those who have no faith in God, His love and concern for their well being.Those who abide by such self laid out tenets, are truly alone, as they rarely have any true relationships in their lives. They live in a constant fear of being hurt and betrayed. Bitterness and suspicion is only what remains in their hearts.”

” Thus, it is important to keep monitoring our expectation riddled behaviour time and again and to get rid of it at the earliest. How free are our actions from the weight of expectations? Do we find ourselves ruminating about how much we are ‘owed’ for small acts of kindness that we might have done in the past ? Constant reflection on this would serve us well. We are most exposed to falling prey to such thoughts when we truly need to make an ‘effort’ for another person ; when we are tired and don’t have the will to make time for others. It is in such circumstances that we must strive to overcome negative thoughts which pull us away from doing ‘nek karma’.”

” Expectations expect an immediate return and their fickle nature raises disquieting thoughts in us – ‘ What good will I get by helping him out ?’ or ‘What difference will my contribution make?’ “इससे क्या फर्क पड़ेगा?” One way of silencing such irrational thoughts – is to think of ourselves as those fortunate individuals who have been earmarked by God to help those in need. We must tell ourselves that we are doing His work, and there is nothing better than seizing every opportunity that He creates for us to do the smallest and simplest good ‘karma’ for anyone, devoid of expectations.
‘Samaaj’ mein ‘salaah’ toh sab de te hain…’sahyog’ dena seekho, bina kisi umeed ke…”