Dedicated to Swamiji Ajay Jain ji

Swami ji said …

“More often than not, we, as well as others find great comfort in complaining vociferously about how exhausted, tired and fatigued we feel all the time. And, to a certain extent we could be right, if we were to look at it , purely from the physical labour and hard work that is put in by us to meet the requirements of our day to day life. But, have we ever asked ourselves – ‘ What exactly is it that makes us feel tired so often ? Is it purely because of the ‘work’ that we do – the nature of our work , that makes us feel tired , or , is there something else that makes us feel so ! Our elders would wisely say -‘थकान कभी भी काम के कारण नहीं होती है…’ and we can’t really dispute what they said as they used to work very hard to make ends meet.”

” It has been said – ‘ Work is worship’ – and that is the way we must look at it – be in a state of eternal gratitude to God for enabling us to earn our bread and butter by blessing us with an opportunity to work ; by giving us good health so that we are able to work and an alert mind to absorb knowledge that can be applied by us. WouId we actually like to lead a life of inactivity ; not work ; not have a goal or task at hand to attend to. A life devoid of work , a profession or lack of talent – would not be worth living and to just live aimlessly would itself be a monotony. Work we must for our survival and self dignity by throwing ourselves completely into it – body , mind and spirit. Yes, it can be understood, if, once in a while, we did complain of physical tiredness on returning home after putting in long hours of hard work or after weathering an otherwise physically demanding activity or a challenging sport event. But , if , we were to look at the lifestyle adopted by most of us in the present time, we would not be wrong in saying that more than physical tiredness, it is the weight of all the anxiety, fear, disappointment and dissatisfaction – the mental pressure that we create in our mind – it is this that tires us the most. Rather than directing our energy into the successful fruition of our work, we waste it by focusing on negative thoughts.”

” Is the mind over burdened with us becoming over ambitious? Is the thought -‘ There is too much to do in a short time !” weighing us down. Too many desires to be fulfilled. Too much to be achieved. Are we realistic and practical while working ? Or are we building castles in the air knowing somewhere deep within us that what we are striving for is not attainable. What do you think will be the state of our mind when it bears the unwanted stress and pressure that is exerted on it from all sides? And for what – for some more money , fame and name.“

“ The rush that we are in to attain everything is bound to create stress for us. Stress is counter productive. It is our enemy as it gives birth to negative thoughts , disturbs our minds, feeds on our health, affects our physical prowess and mental ability. Unrealistic targets, greed, impatience, envy – all lead to stress. “थकान ज्यादातर चिंता, निराशा, भय और असंतोष के कारण होती है… ज्यादा काम के वजह से नहीं होती है…’ One begins to buckle physically and mentally under the self created stress as he fails to manage the time on his hand, leading to delay in completion and submission of his work , thereby leading to further unwanted problems. Half the purpose is lost If we don’t enjoy our work and like what we do. Our approach and attitude towards our work is what matters the most.”

” The spiritual practitioner, in particular , should be wary of letting the mind fall prey to these dark, stressful emotions for they distress the mind, weigh heavily upon it and tire it out. Can a mind covered in such darkness of stress and tension ever allow divine light to illuminate it ? We need to urgently clear the mind of all the clutter that crowds it making it dull, ineffective and less focussed. It fails to give priority to work which should be done first as it wants to do everything at the same time, worried about its outcome in the future.To escape from stress one must learn to live in , and ,focus on the present moment.”

” In life, we are bound to feel overburdened and overwhelmed by circumstances. Everything seems important and urgent ; logic does not come to our rescue. During such times, we must take His name, begin our work with faith in Him, pray to Him to accept the fruit of all that is done by us and the sense of calmness that descends on us then, enables us to work with a fresh and balanced mind.”

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 । “