Dedicated to Swamiji Ajay Jain ji

Swami ji said…

Since pre-historic times, man has always preferred to live in groups. Initially, he found strength in numbers.
This strength was useful in hunting, gathering and safe – keeping. It also led to the development of relationships between people, giving rise to social structures of family, communities – as we see around the world today.

As a result, today, man is always, in some way or another, always ‘connected’ with someone else. If it is not in one’s physical presence, there is always the digital world of messages, video calls – that keeps him connected with
others. And, he, mistakenly, feels very secure with that tangible connection.

In fact, the assurance of constant accessibility to others ; of
‘someone being around’ us ; the availability of immediate family, relatives and friends has made us almost alien to the idea of being alone. In fact, the idea of living alone, of spending time without someone with us – is almost daunting and scary…” मैं अकेला कैसे रहूँगा ?” मैं अकेला रहने के बारे मैं सोच भी नही सकता !” – we say with a tinge of worry. Many a times, seeing someone live alone makes us pity them, or , wonder how lonely they would be. We are convinced that someone who is alone cannot be happy or lead a life of contentment. This repeated narrative has created a negative and fearful perspective on being alone. On seeing a ‘sanyaasi’ , a monk – aren’t we left wondering – ‘How does he live alone?’ ‘How does he manage all by himself ?’

Yet, in full honesty, can anyone really say that they know what it feels like to be alone? How many have even ventured to try and experience it? What is it about being alone that is so scary? Is it simply being alone with our thoughts? Or, is it, that we have to then live only with ‘our selves’ – something we possibly do not find very pleasing? We need to define the meaning of being ‘alone’ – individually – to understand what it means to us and follow it up.

We have to ask ourselves whether we avoid being alone – to avoid self-reflection – aware that we might not appreciate when we see what we truly are ! Many a times, we feel overwhelmed, when we take stock of ourselves and simply want to avoid ‘thinking’ about the unanswered questions that could ring out about us – in the quietness of loneliness.

Yes, of course, there are situations when we certainly need other people to be around us. But , we must reflect on why we do not try to enjoy the bliss of solitude. To understand the divine significance of those precious moments when we find ourselves alone – we just need to remind ourselves that God has sent everyone else away – so that we can spend time with Him.

The spiritual seeker must always strive to spend some quality time with himself ; question himself as to what is it that he seeks in this lifetime ? Is he aware of the significance of this lifetime of his ? What does he intend to do with it ? Does he want to be a conqueror of material goods or overcome the lure of all the trappings and win over God with his devotion and faith ? This is what would make him aware of how the mind operates ; its nature to wander and worry ; to procrastinate on doing what is essential – yet difficult. It is when we are alone that we can truly begin to work on ourselves.When we make an earnest attempt to cut ourselves away from the distractions of engaging with others – only then, can we truly begin to engage with the ‘self’. We begin to understand what our character truly is – as then there is no one to ‘act’ in front of us. We gain an opportunity to get a true measure of ourselves in black and white, and, who we are as a person.

Loneliness becomes solitude as the process of self-reflection and self-improvement begins. As we take steps to improve ourselves, we begin to enjoy the warmth of the ‘soul’ ; we begin to ‘feel’ a live connection with God ; oneness with nature. Our process of self-discovery, also begins to tell us a lot about the world around us. More importantly, we begin to realise how fruitless a lot of social interaction is – as it does not necessarily make us happy. In solitude, we begin to appreciate the value of our own time, our thoughts ; to preserve the sanctity of the mind – and make constructive changes to our lives to improve everything about ourselves. It is only when we are alone, that we begin to understand – what it is that we truly need. We realise the importance of keeping company of those people – who contribute further to our spiritual and mental development and try to move away from those who unfortunately seem to hinder conversations related to the awakening of our ‘soul’.

Swami ji said…

Man can be a paradoxical creature. God has given him sight to enjoy the world around him. Yet, man very rarely sees and enjoys things as they are, and, more often than not, points at what is missing or could or should have been.

In our everyday lives, this manifests in the form of complaining – a constant drone about how something is missing or not up to our expectation or mis – timed. More often than not these complaints are rarely actual grievances, but , more of weak reasons and excuses to explain why something seems unachievable and cannot be done.

It is this habit that we have ; a weakness – to conjure up and see what is ‘wrong’ or ‘missing’ in any and every situation – that makes us masterful complainants. But true masters, in the physical or spiritual realms of the world, rarely ever complain. They work hard. And no, they do not just make do with what they have – they excel with it. And they do it without feeling sorry for themselves.

Lord Ram, despite having a full-fledged army at his service back in Ayodhya, had to rely on the abilities of the ‘vanar-sena’ – an army that was under the control of Sugriv and not his own – to fight with the ever powerful Ravan. Have we ever heard that Shri Ram had made excuses – “ If only I had my own army…” , “Ravan is lucky to have such powers….”, “If only I had these weapons…” No ! He showed us how the seemingly impossible could be achieved with almost negligible resources by simply wielding one’s effort, patience and faith.

Why then must we lament on that which we have no control over? Why waste time complaining when we can use the same time to make some progress towards one goals?

We must never forget that it is God who provides. And when He is satisfied with our effort and dedication, He provides in abundance, even when it would seem otherwise.Thus, we must never waste time complaining. We must focus on ‘karma’, and ‘karma’ alone.”

And as the saying goes –
” कोशिश करने वाले को ईश्वर हमेशा सहारा देते हैं …”
He , who has gifted this life to us – would undeniably feel let down on seeing us put down our defences ; give up – without making the smallest effort to regain , conquer that what was lost by us – by maybe failing to achieve what we had set our mind to – in the first attempt and give up after that in abject despair. And instead of trying again – just complain by finding fault in our stars. In a way we accept defeat – when we complain in any given situation. Our ‘mantra’ should be to overcome the situation – by putting in double the effort – instead of complaining.

The spiritual seeker’s development is also prone to such hurdles. He is liable to complain about many things that seem to restrain him from pursuing spiritual practices. And, yes, while family, friends, work etc. will always tug the mind and demand more focus and attention ; we must always remember that no amount of time spent on God, spent on knowing oneself – can ever be a waste of time.

Swami ji said…

How happy are we when we are complimented on our looks, our height, our hair, our glowing skin, our lean frame? We check ourselves gleefully, time and time again, in the mirror to re-affirm the compliment that has been paid to us. And are happy on seeing the stunning vision reflected in the mirror validating this well-deserved praise. A few among us – blessed with beauty – might not even need any kind of confirmation from anyone else – so well aware are we of the beauty we are endowed with. And, thus we take upon ourselves – dutifully – what otherwise could be laborious to many – the everyday routine of maintaining a perfect external appearance. Because that is what we feel matters the most to us – and , woefully , to others too.

Of course ! It is essential for each one of us to take care of our physical health ; to develop immunity and to stay strong and fit. But, to be obsessed with one’s desire to only ‘look’ good all the time, can in no way contribute to our spiritual growth and will only keep us away from the ‘Truth’ – which should be known to us from early on – that we are not the ‘body’ but a ‘जीव – आत्मा’ ! We must never forget – ‘हम ‘देह’ नही, देही हैँ …’

How meaningless would our life be, if, we were to focus – only on our ‘body’ all the time ? “हमें
सारा समय , अपना ध्यान अपने देह , अपने शारीर, पर केंद्रित नहीं करना चाहिए…” Is there any point in just ‘looking’ good and not pay any attention to how we ‘feel’- within – which is most important ? Are ‘we’ determined to use the ‘body’ in the right manner and steer it onto the path of ‘satya’, ‘nek karma’, ‘ ‘achchi soch’ – thereby purifying ‘ourselves’ – our ‘soul’ further – or waste this lifetime by just remaining fixated on the ‘body’?

The body, with which we form an unbreakable bond ; are so much in love with and deeply attached to – as we feel we will live forever – has to inevitably break one day – as the ‘soul’ will shed it off.The cause or reason could be any.The most natural one being old age. Rather than giving undue importance to the body and pampering it all the time, we need to remind ourselves that – we are the ‘soul’, we are ‘permanent’, that we have always been here and will always be here. The ‘soul’ is indestructible – because of which the wise say – ‘ We never die.’ The body, on the other hand is like a cloth – worn for some time – before being discarded for another – as embodied by the cycle of life and death – of the ‘body’.

And, just like we wash the stains from our clothes to keep them – and thereby ourselves clean – we must also ask ourselves – whether we do the same for our mind and thoughts ? How much care and concern do we show for the kind of thoughts that go through our mind ? Do we try to nourish our mind the same we way we nourish the body ? Do we maintain a strict vigil over what goes on and into our mind ? Do we try to enrich it with knowledge and create every opportunity possible to purify the ‘soul’ ? A popular saying – ‘ We are what we eat ‘ – is applicable to the body. In the same way – it is what is fed to the mind ; the diet that we provide to the mind – is what matters the most – to the soul.

We must make a habit of relating with the ‘soul’, in the same way, in which, we associate ourselves with the ‘body’.Slight scratches and bruises on the body are nursed with great care , tenderly and are checked to see whether they are healing well – but , we are not even aware of the hundreds and thousands of wounds and lacerations that are inflicted by us on the ‘soul’ – again and again – in our lifetime. We lie blatantly ; deceive others without blinking ; embrace corruption – without a care in the world – scarring the ‘soul’ for ever.

The moment we start thinking of ‘ourselves’ as distinct from the ‘body’ – we will begin to live life in a more apt and balanced manner. The body, like a tool, is a means to an end. And, in our case, it is to carry out good actions , do good ‘karma’ and free ourselves from this world. It is this perspective that can free many of us from the frivolous concerns of our physical appearance – and rather focus on feeling good – in mind and heart.

We should not forget that it is the body that ages ; feels
and knows pain when it suffers. It is not the ‘soul’ that falls ill , hurts or ages.The body is the means through which we are made to pay for our bad ‘karma’. Why then should we be so attached to it ? Instead, we must ensure that it is healthy – so that we can make good of it – for a task most important ; for our liberation from this world. That should in all – be its main purpose to us and no other – and a spiritual seeker must use his body in the most effective manner to reach the highest goal.

Swami ji said…

All of us have grown up hearing the proverb – ‘ Ignorance is bliss’. These are words, sometimes, used unkindly, for those who are unaware of , or , do not possess adequate knowledge to understand what their circumstances truly are, or, where they are headed to in life. Their ‘ignorance’ is what keeps them sheltered from the despair and anxiety that they would have experienced if they had truly been knowledgeable.

But , can even the most ‘educated’ among us – those of us who have degrees from premier institutions, who hold high positions in corporations and government, who have learnt to create wealth for themselves, claim not to be ‘ignorant’?

The majority of us are busy living superficial lives. We are trying to fill in time – by chasing material dreams, relationships, recognition, and validation from society at large. And, when we find success in these areas, we become content and are then, only focused on getting either more, or , preserving the same. In fact, so stuck are we in this illusionary world, that we even pray to God for only these things, and thank Him when we receive them – as we feel our cup is replete with happiness. After all , all we need is wealth ! Isn’t it ? This is what we tell ourselves.

But, then the question arises, despite all these worldly joys, and material success – are we truly ‘rich’? Are we truly ‘wealthy’? Is the satiation of material hunger the end all in life ? Should these alone be our true desires? Is the soul satisfied ? Is this all we need from God ?

Who then is truly ignorant ?Is it not us? On being satisfied with these false and mortal treasures of wealth, relationships and fame ; we do not even try to have any access to Him or to gain an understanding of Him. Why do we not feel ourselves ‘lacking’ – spiritually ? Why does it not agitate us and worry us that we have not made progress on the spiritual path? We treat our spiritual practice as if it were an indulgence – bereft of discipline and fervour. We do not even attempt to chart out a plan for our spiritual progress. Most of us follow a strict schedule to go to the gym ; to go for walks and dinners; but , rarely do we have a scheduled plan to delve into our ‘soul’. We track our calories and bank accounts, but, rarely do we track the hours we spend on meditation and praying.

The illusionary world of ‘maya’ – lulls our mind to sleep in the comfort of materialism ; keeps it away from seeking ‘true happiness’ – from reflecting on the ‘true purpose’ of our birth. When God fulfills our material needs, He does it in the hope that we ‘sense’ Him ; that we internalize and accept His existence in our lives ; understand that there is a power who ‘gives’ us most of the time. But, ‘He’ too waits in the hope that a day will arrive , when we might ask Him for that which truly matters – ‘gyaan’ – spiritual knowledge. But, we in our ignorance, do not ask him for this. We remain fixated on acquiring more and more in the material world – more than we need and require – as external wealth can be displayed to the world. Spiritual growth, on the other hand, we tell ourselves, can only be experienced internally – and not exhibited to others.

Instead of ‘asking’ God to give us joy, wouldn’t it be better, if , we sought to remain indifferent to – both joy and sadness. Instead of asking Him to satiate our hunger for material prosperity constantly, let us rather ask Him to destroy the hunger for material objects itself. Instead of asking Him to make us receivers of love of others ; let us seek guidance from Him – to be a beacon of love and light for others. Let us ask Him not to ‘give’ us, but , rather teach us how to ‘give’ to others – the way He gives us.

Remember – We are the wealthiest – when rather than feeling embattled in the face of an ordeal – we feel strong , sure and confident of facing and overcoming the crisis – as the ‘awareness’ within us – that has been kindled by a ‘satguru’s’ divine touch and ‘kripa’ – in an unfathomable way – warns us and prepares us for the impending difficult times.

The world’s greatest riches come to us during those special moments – while living in a world of vibrations , visions and voices – we are able to hear His voice – telling us the ‘Truth’ – during the silence that descends between our thoughts. A voice that tells us clearly when and where we erred ; how we can go about doing the right thing ; to correct ourselves for our betterment … ” इस से ज्यादा धन किसी के पास हो सकता है क्या ? “

Swami ji said…

In the epic – ‘Mahabharata’ – there is the story of Lord Krishna , showing Arjun , how he had used Arjun’s chariot – to absorb numerous celestial weapons – which had been used against them by the likes of Karna , Drona and Bhishma Pitama. The Lord told Arjun that he had done this to protect him and ensure his victory in the war – while also not disrespecting the creators of the celestial weapons.

Some say that this revelation had left Arjun humbled – as he realised that the sense of pride that had grown within him – with each victory in the war – was misplaced. The realization that all his skills and knowledge of warfare would have amounted to naught – had it not been for Lord Krishna’s protection ; made him see how powerful he was ‘with’ – and how truly helpless he was ‘without’ the Lord by his side.

More often than not, we too behave like Arjun – while immersed in the day to day grind and struggles of life ; waging small personal battles of our own – we too forget about ‘who’ is looking over us – all the time ; ensuring that we emerge unscathed from the worst of scrapes and falls in life. What is our mental state when we find ourselves tethering precariously at the edge of a precipice and feel that our fall is imminent ?Nothing and no one – according to us – can stop our downward, steep plummet – we cry out in fear – when all of a sudden, out of the blue, in the most unexpected manner – some unseen , invisible force – literally plucks us from the point of danger and places us in a secure and safe zone – and we are left wondering – as to ‘who’ had turned the tide in our favour at the last moment. ‘Who’ is responsible for all the good things that happen to us, even when we sometimes feel we don’t truly deserve them?

Such moments of fear, anxiety and pain – leave us feeling so stressed and fatigued – that they obliterate the deep significance of words of great import – that were said to us by our ‘sadguru’ to us – ” मैं हर पल अपने भक्तों के साथ हूं …” Remembering these words and playing them out in our mind should most definitely enable us to remember the number of times His invisible presence – has successfully bailed us out from troubled waters.

But , so weak is our memory – that rather than drawing strength from the sincerity of His powerful words – and placing complete faith in the reassuring words of our ‘गुरु’ – we continue to remain restless and uncertain about the future. Doubtful and suspicious that we are – we, at times, try foolishly , to gauge the powers of our ‘सद्गुरु’ – by assessing His ability to rescue us from the most dire situations – which at times are created by us – ourselves. We tend to forget that we are no one to test the might and unparalleled powers of a ‘सच्चा संत’. How can we think for even a minute that our ‘guru’ could have said words – filled with such sincerity and promise – lightly ?

What needs to be etched in our memory is that – a ‘sadguru’ doesn’t make any false promises and neither is He here to please any of us by saying things that are meant just to make us happy. Every word said by Him to His devotees is a commitment that He intends to keep. knowing that the divine connection , the spiritual bond that is formed between a ‘sadguru’ and His ‘sadhaks’ is not confined to the realms of the physical world, but , rather transcends barriers of every kind – and remains ‘alive’ between them – even when the ‘sadguru’ has relinquished His physical being – at His will and taken ‘महासमाधी’. The impact and effect of a ‘saccha sant’s’ words – said to His devotees – does not decrease or lessen – once He has discarded His physical form. What was said maybe ten years back by Him – materialises in the shape of a reality – at the time considered appropriate and right by Him. He will not allow any development to take place in our lives – which is not deemed suitable for us by Him.

Once He accepts us as His own – His love for us doesn’t let Him turn away from us – although some of His devotees could turn away from Him – on not receiving all that was desired by them…’परन्तु हमारे ‘गुरु’ हम से सदा प्रेम करते हैं – जैसे श्री कृष्ण अपने प्रिय अर्जुन से करते थे…”