Dedicated to Swamiji Ajay Jain ji

Swami ji said…

” ‘मैने’ ये किया … ‘I’ did this ! ‘I’ achieved that ! – if said once in a while by us, to highlight the amount of hard work put in by us , and , to motivate ourselves further – can work wonders for our personal growth and self – confidence. But, when the same words are said repeatedly with even a slight trace of self-praise and arrogance, they can have a toxic effect and sound a man’s doom at the hands of his own ‘झूठा अहम”. When success is celebrated as solely a personal achievement, and , progress becomes a yardstick of one’s own abilities , without giving due credit to those who have helped us reach that position, be rest assured then that – ‘ हम झूठे ‘अहम” की गांठ मे उलझ रहे हैं।”

” It is thus important to pay heed to the words – ‘ Pride comes before a fall ’ – but we seem to have formed a kind of a disconnect with the principal truth of these prophetic words.These words were meant to serve as a gentle reminder to all of us – of the perils of giving in to the pull of complacency, smugness and high headedness that ‘हमारा ‘झूठा अहम ‘ can lead us to. We fail to see the wicked pleasure that ‘अहम’ derives when it sees us behaving the way it wants us to. And, the worst part is that the problem doesn’t end here.”

” झूठे ‘अहम को पाल कर हम जिद्दी भी बन जाते हैं … as one negative quality triggers the growth of another negative characteristic quick and fast. Once our inner being is tied in the knots of ‘झूठे अहम ‘ and “जिद्द’ हम इन गांठों मे उलझते ही जाते हैं … as it becomes next to impossible to untie these knots ; the firmness of which refuse to loosen their hold on us and make us think in a twisted manner. Only one thing matters to us then. We must have our own way – always. Once we’ve said something ; asked for something – it has to be done, followed to the last detail and fulfilled. Do we realise that life cannot be lived this way ? Why should we force our thoughts on others and then take it personally if others are not willing to do things as desired by us ?The net result is that we are upset with all those who are strong enough to say ‘no’ to us and we allow cracks to develop in our relationship with others … be it family members or friends.”

” Dare anyone try to contradict us and our ‘झूठा अहम’ goads us to take it as a personal insult. It beguiles us into believing falsely that the entire world could be wrong and ‘we’ are always right. And , we much like lame sheep obey the ‘conscience’ silencing commands of our ‘झूठा अहम’ and gradually begin to grow ‘जिद्दी’ as we start believing that there is no one like us ; we are always right and we can do no wrong. Ever. Can that really be possible ?”

” A man’s ‘झूठा अहम’ और उसकी ‘जिद्द’ are his worst enemies as they take away all his goodness and turn him into a person disliked by many. An ego-controlled mind causes us to indulge in destructive actions bearing disastrous consequences. One’s speech becomes authoritative when it should be kind. What should have been humble requests become entitled demands. Slowly but surely, a superiority complex comes about. We believe we are above our fellow brethren.We are quick to point out people’s mistakes and shortcomings to them, but, are not open to the idea of accepting any flaws in ourselves.”

” ‘ जिद्द ‘ karni hi hai toh ‘Ishwar’ ke darshan ko paane ki जिद्द karo … Unke dikhaye huey ‘satya’ ke maarg par chalne ki karo… Har haalat mein ek achcha insaan ban ne ki जिद्द karo…” If we want to be stubborn, then we should emulate the stubbornness of all those great men who refused to deviate from the path of honesty and renounced all the pleasures of the world for their spiritual awakening.”

Swami ji said…

“‘ How dare that person speak to me like that?’ ‘How could they treat me that way?’ ‘What do they think of themselves? I will sort them out. I will not spare them.’ Vengeful words filled with hate and venom echo in our mind, deafening out all logic and reason. And, from that ill-fated moment, when we vow to neither forgive nor forget the person who has wronged us – for either doing or saying something that we hadn’t liked – our decline begins. Our downward fall is swift and detrimental to our spiritual growth, as from then onwards our thinking and morality gets corrupted. The negative energy we release ; the uncaring manner in which we compromise our values – as we begin to navigate on a journey most useless, self destructive and dark – as it is based on ‘बदले की भावना’ .. seeking revenge and crossing swords with those who have hurt us , knowingly or unknowingly. “

” It cannot be denied that most of us are sensitive and emotional. This makes us prone to being easily hurt by the unexpected rude behaviour of others around us – be it a scornful look, being ignored or passed over or the fact that someone deliberately disagrees with our opinion. It could just be anything that touches our sense of pride. And, we take these acrimonious actions to heart and promise ourselves that … ‘हम बदला लेकर ही रहेंगे।’ But, not once do we think – ‘To what avail, to whose advantage are we embarking on a revengeful course of action ? As individuals, we most certainly will not gain anything by igniting this spark of negativity within us. As a matter of fact , we could get engulfed in the fire of hate lit by us and be ravaged by it.”

” If we were to think with a calm, peaceful mind and question ourselves – ‘ What would we truly gain by constantly thinking of ways and means of bringing down the other person ? Our transformation from happy , positive individuals into unhappy, sour beings – only to experience a sense of satisfaction on humiliating them later ? Is it worth it ? Would we then be any different from those who have misbehaved with us? Why let them feel that they are winners as not only have they taken away our mental peace , but , they are also responsible for bringing about a drastic change in us which is harmful for us in every possible way ? Who is affected the most by this distasteful way of thinking ? Who ends up wasting all his precious time by plotting and thinking of hundreds of ways of belittling and insulting the person who had heaped insults on us…”हम अपना सारा समय ये सोचने में लगा दे ते हैं की मैं उसके साथ ऐसा करूंगा और ऐसे बोलूंगा…” We rant and rave in anger and wish misfortune to befall them. Such obnoxious, inhuman thoughts, if not restrained and checked, can scar the mind and soul for good. Precious time that should be utilised in taking God’s name is instead wasted in planning revengeful acts.”

” The strongest men are those who do not let the wrongful words and actions of others directed at them fill their hearts with poison. It is said that when Yudhishthir finally reached Swarg Lok ( Heaven), he was astounded and angry to see the Kauravas already present there – enjoying themselves. He was perplexed as to how – those very people who had caused him and his family much grief could enjoy Heaven in the afterlife. He was then told by the Gods, that his anger was unfounded – since the Pandavas had already killed the Kauravas in the war and regained their kingdom on Earth, they had already made the Kauravas suffer for their misdeeds. Yudhishthir too was only carrying within him anger and animosity that was no longer relevant.”

“We too must ask ourselves from time to time whether holding a grudge is truly necessary. Perhaps it is better to let bygones be bygones. Such reasoning will help us unburden ourselves from the primal need of vengeance , and , instead enable us to become better human beings and focus more on evolving spiritually. “

Swami ji said…

“Other than that particular duration of time when we are asleep, the remaining hours of the day when we are awake, find us in a state of physical motion – ‘हम सब कोई न कोई कार्य या कर्म करते रहते हैं।’ We are either involved in some physical activity, doing something or the other , or , are lost in thoughts pertaining to the action that should be taken by us in the ensuing situation or focussed on what we are supposed to do in the near future. ‘कर्म’ and we go hand in hand. We are so used to ‘it’ that we feel ‘कर्म’ is just an action, a deed that is to be done by us – best done, when it suits our mood and is beneficial for us. After all, how many of us can claim to be selfless – putting the welfare, issues and requirements of others above ours? Are we aware of the ‘nature’ of the thoughts that we harbour, the intent of our ‘कर्म ? Do we analyse ourselves while doing our ‘कर्म …’ हमारी भावना कैसी है जब हम कर्म करते हैं ? क्या हमारे कर्म करने के पीछे हमारा स्वार्थ छिपा है ? चाहे कर्म छोटा से छोटा हो या बड़ा , कर्म निस्वार्थ होना चाहिए…” Does selfishness seep into our actions? Kya hum ‘karma’ karte huey apna ‘swarth’ aur laabh dekhte hain ?”

“The entire purpose and meaning of our ‘कर्म’ is lost the moment it rests on a weak structure of duplicity and selfish, vested interest. ‘कर्म’ – when done for others should be done with a joyful mind, love in the heart and a pure soul. What could be more saddening than the sight of children making a pretence of loving and taking care of their old parents – when their actions make it clear that they are weighed by a heavy burden – and with hearts devoid of genuine love or affection for their parents , they are forced to bear this responsibility – simply because of the lucrative factor that tempts them – the hefty inheritance that awaits them on their parents’ departure from the world. Do we actually think that God is not aware of what goes on in the inner recess of their selfish minds and hearts !”

“Similarly, it would be wrong on the part of parents, if , they were to provide quality education and the best of everything for their offspring – with an ulterior motive – that irrespective of the challenges that the children face in their own personal lives, they are duty bound to take care of their parents as they grow old. There is no point in compelling the younger lot to take care of their old parents. If good values have been instilled in our children , they will always do the right thing. “क्यों बच्चों को कहते हो कि वह तुम्हारे बुढ़ापे का सहारा हैं ? क्यों उम्मीद बांधकर रखते हो बच्चों से?” As parents, we have to do our duty of raising our children , but , when we do this -‘ यह निस्वार्थ भाव से होना चाहिए …’ – without any expectations.”

“We are willing to wine and dine our bosses for a promotion in the most expensive hotels , but , the thought of parting with money to feed the poor could make us blanch. Why are we such selfish hypocrites? ‘कर्म ‘ when done by us for anyone with a selfless, noble intent can take a completely new dimension. We simply have to make an earnest effort to replace the physical form of the person we are serving – with the form of our ‘इष्टा’. We will immediately feel a divine shift in our intent as the ‘कर्म’ then becomes spontaneous and joyful, offered in the service of the Almighty with a loving heart and a soul that is purified further as it looks for nothing in return – no benefits, no dividends…when divine love for all precedes everything else, making us selfless for that time period at least.”

“We must strive to transform ourselves from ‘saadhaks’ to ‘ni:swaarth karmyogis’, so that if ever someone remembers us, we are remembered for our selfless ‘कर्म ‘…”

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.”