Life-Hack#2 from Bhagavad Geeta

Life-Hack#2 from Bhagavad Geeta:

Very often we give millions of excuses to our grief. There is a constant illusion that each of us is blessed with unique problems. To each, his own sorrows seem to have sufficient validity so as to render all sane advise irrelevant. We philosophize our sorrows and talk of lofty ideals while brooding in nasty miseries. 

Strange isn't it that everyone of us says that Happiness is within and still cries for worldly losses? 

Krishna now decides to shake Arjuna out of this hypocritical double standard living, and says: The wise do no keep grieving. 

This is a far reaching statement because it hits straight on Arjuna's self-image. Each of us somewhere believes that we are wiser. Krishna says, well, then don't grieve!

This also leaves us with a yardstick for measuring our own spiritual progress. How does one know if one is becoming spiritually wiser? Watch how often, how quickly and for how long you succumb to sorrow. 

Our ignorance and attachment are directly proportional to our sorrows. 

Our wisdom is directly proportional to our happiness. 

So, this week, let us all decide to just be wise. How? Refuse to be unhappy. Be staunch, stubborn and fanatic about this! Just refuse to be unhappy no matter what! Let's be wise for a week. Let's just be happy!

THINK!

Quote for Today: "If you only feel for life, life is a complete tragedy. If you think about life, life is a comedy." - Swami Chinmayananda

#lifehacksfrombhagawadgeeta

Life-Hack#1 from Bhagavad Geeta

Bhagawad Geeta is a textbook of life.

Several Masters, leaders, scientists, thinkers and authors have reflected on the Geeta and shared rare and precious insights with all of us.

Our purpose here is not to dive deep into the Geeta because study of the Geeta needs a different mental availability which cannot be assured in this forum at the moment.

But the idea is to cull out a few practical everyday tips from the Geeta. So we are going to call this "Life-hacks from Bhagavad Geeta"!

Life-Hack#1 from Bhagavad Geeta:

Arjuna was an ordinary intelligent young man - bright, noble, weak, jealous, angry, attached, caring, daring, talented, sharp, and most-importantly confused! He stood in the face of one of his life's biggest ever challenges and broke down within minutes into a feat of utter despondency and daze - wondering what to do and what not to be, lamenting over life's ironical paradoxes, complaining about the increasingly blurring lines between what feels right and what is right.

At such a time, Geeta came to his aid. Krishna said something simple at the very outset : Give up your weakness of heart! 

There was no assurance given, no sympathy extended, no motivation meted out. Krishna slammed a hard whip on Arjuna's excuses, dependencies and blame-games. Krishna clarified that Arjuna's suffering, sorrow, confusion was all because of his own weakness of heart. That there was none else to blame - not God, not man, not destiny, not life.

What that means is even more empowering: It means that the onus of our entire life rests on us. I have the remote-control to my happiness or sorrow. And interestingly, i do not need to attain anything to be happy. Happiness already is. I just have to give up being weak.

THINK!

Quote for Today: "To laugh is wisdom, to weep is folly. Refuse to be unhappy." - Swami Chinmayananda

#lifehacksfrombhagawadgeeta

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL READERS / SUBSCRIBERS / FOLLOWERS

DUE TO UNAVOIDABLE REASONS, THE REFLECTIONS ON UPADESA SAARA HAVE BEEN KEPT ON HOLD FOR THE TIME-BEING.

WE WILL BE REFLECTING ON THE BHAGAVAD GEETA IN FORTHCOMING POSTS.

INCONVENIENCE DEEPLY REGRETTED.

What's wrong with Karma?

If we do right Karmas, we will get right results. That’s all it takes. 

As long as I keep acting dynamically in this world, why do i need to believe in the Supremacy of God at all? What’s wrong with Karma? 

In life, we constantly indulge in different types of actions. 

Whenenver an action is performed, it produces some kind of a result. 

When we experience the result, we are either happy or unhappy. 

If we are happy, we want something more. 

And if we are unhappy, we  want something other or better. 

To experience more, other or better results, we are compelled into action again, which leads to new results, which again create in us the urge for more, other or better, which again prompts us to act. 

Further, even after constantly doing actions for the last so many decades of our lives, we don’t seem to have got enough of the more, other and better that we are seeking. We still seem to be unfulfilled. What an irony indeed! 

Karma being limited by itself, can produce only limited results. Hence, no matter how much of refinement we bring into the actions we perform, they are not going to be able to fulfill us. 

Thus to live ever addicted to Karma is going to leave us exhausted, unfulfilled and limited. 

This degenerative attachment to Karma which leads to the downfall of an individual into a realm of helpless slavery to compulsive action, is called “Bondage of Karma”. 

Life thus cannot be meant only for the performance of actions and enjoyment of results. If this was the purpose of life, considering the overwhelming amount of Karma we have been constantly doing from the day we were born, by now we would all be fulfilled and liberated and completely happy. But the fact that you and i still stand unfulfilled is a proof that Karma alone cannot be the purpose of life. 

Like a silkworm gets trapped in the cocoon formed out of its own saliva, we get trapped in the cocoon of our own Karma. We may attain wealth, fame, etc through Karma. But not freedom and fulfillment. 

In fact, Karma, when performed without any recognition of the Divine, becomes a source of bondage and downfall.

But we don’t really have a choice to not do any Karma. In fact, till we are alive, we must act. What to do then? 

The Answer will be provided in the next post!

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 2 OF UPADESA SAAR.  

The Dynamics of Karma

Hari Om. Namaskaar. 

Extremely sorry for disappearing and sincere gratitude to all of you who chose to patiently wait. For various reasons, I could not get back to continue the Satsang as planned. But, now we will move ahead. 

We had seen earlier the story of the Mendicants and certain thoughts were posted on the implications of the same. 

For a quick revision, visit http://www.seek-the-eternal.blogspot.in

Now we will actually enter the text Upadesa Saar…

Ramana Maharshi was one of those teachers who called a spade a spade. He wasn’t the types to garnish the truth with convenient interpretations. So, he states in the very beginning the nature of Karma, and it is worth being warned that this text will shatter many of our longstanding notions!  

Here it is very important to understand that the discussion is not yet about Karma Yoga. It is about Karma (actions). 

And it is extremely important that we understand this thoroughly because our entire lives we live addicted to Karma. There is a certain fascination, a kind of an irresistible temptation to indulge in action all the time. That is the reason sitting quietly is so difficult for most of us. 

Even when the scriptures tell us to sit quietly, we turn around and ask: Ok, but what to “do” after sitting quietly?

It is funny, but what we do not realize is that we are all human “beings” and not really human “doings”!!! 

So, because we are all such slaves of action, we need to understand action. 

For Karma to happen, 5 factors are essential: 

Karma (the action by itself) + Kartrtva (doership) + Karana (means of doing) + Karmaphala (Results of action) + Kartaa (doer of the action)

When all these 5 are there, then Karma is said to happen. 

The interesting thing is that we all want favorable results (karmaphala) in life. 

For the sake of better or other results, we keep on doing Karma, because we believe that Karma decides our results and that Karma therefore is supreme. 

But, Karma by itself is inert. And so is Kartrtva (doership), Karana (means) and Karmaphala (results). Due to lack of sentiency (life factor), by themselves, none of these can shape the karmaphala. 

The only one who can do so, is actually the single sentient factor in this complex mechanism of Karma - the Doer or the Kartaa. 

Now the question is: Who is the doer? 

The doer is not you and me as we commonly understand. In fact, if the Lord’s grace was not there, you and I could have not managed to do something as simple as breathing!!! So, the actual Doer in that sense is the Lord. 

So Ramana says that Karma being inert cannot be supreme and thus must not be given the exaggerated value we give it. Instead, we need to realize that results are gained by the will of the Supreme Doer - the Lord Himself, and none else.

It does not imply that the Lord decides our results. The Lord is like the Maths Teacher. When we are asked what is 2+3 and we write 6, the teacher gives us 0 marks. But it is not actually the teacher who is giving us the marks. The law of arithmetic is that 2+3 is not 6. The teacher just delivers the result in accordance to the laws of maths and as per the answer written. 

Similarly, God only gives us the results in accordance to the laws of karma as per the actions we perform. 

But, we have no say in the result. The law will decide it, the Lord will imply it. We can only do Karma by His grace. 

But no inert Karma in the world is more powerful than the Lord who is the doer of all Karma. Hence it is important to surrender to the Lord and not to Karma itself. 

Also, the entire mechanism of Karma is governed by the Laws of Karma. Whenever there are laws, any intelligent person would ask: Who made these laws? and Who makes them work? 

That Supreme Power which created the very laws of Karma and ensures that the laws continue to function, is the Lord Himself. We can call Him by any other name if we do not like the word “God”. But in that sense, the Lord, or whatever we choose to call it, is the supreme authority in the matter of Karma. And since Karmaphalas are the very fabric of our life’s experiences, the Lord is the supreme authority in our life too! 

THINK! 

But what is the harm if we don’t believe in the Lord? What’s wrong in being a Karma-holic? We will discuss in the next post! 

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 1 OF UPADESA SAAR. 

Points to Ponder

1) Actions give results which fulfill desires for power, pleasure, prestige and possession. But, none of this truly fulfill us or help us overcome our own ego.

2) When we experience results of actions, we are somehow pushed to perform more actions for better or other results. Thus we continue to act compulsively rather than out of choice to act.

3) Even divine actions, seva work, or religious rituals can bind us if we are not focussed on knowledge and evolution. Just because the actions are pious does not mean they can assure moksha to the performer. Person bound by gold shackles is not more free than person bound by iron shackles. Think.

4) Actions are not useless. They purify the mind and invoke the grace of the Lord. Because the Rishis performed so many rituals, the Lord himself came to release them from their delusion. If they were worldly people, engaged in materialistic pursuits, even that would have been impossible.

5) Without the surrender to the Lord, even so-called divine actions will bind us. And with surrender, even worldly actions can free us. Bondage therefore is not because of actions, but because of the ego which doesn't allow us to surrender.

6) The Highest knowledge is taught by the Lord to the mendicants only after they surrender to Him. It doesn't mean God wants us to surrender. It means we NEED to surrender in order to evolve.

7) Both the charming mendicant and the enchanting Mohini was the Lord himself. Every weakness in us is also a manifestation of the Lord. When we are alert, open and ready-to-learn, even a weak moment can be a moment of transformation. Think.

8) Lord gives and forgives. Man gets and forgets. Even the results of actions are attained only by the will and grace of the Lord. He is the Law-maker and the Law-executer of the Universe and our lives. But, how easily we forget that every achievement of ours is actually a matter of His grace and not our greatness! The Rishis forgot that the success of every ritual also was by His will alone. The Lord however, having given us everything we have in life, still forgives our forgetfulness and ingratitude, and offers us opportunities to learn and grow.

With Salutations to That Compassionate Lord, we shall discuss the first verse of Upadesa Saar in our next post....

Some Practices:
1) Every time you say "Thank God", MEAN IT!
2) Tell yourself "This is a manifestation of His Grace" at least once in every 1 hour.
3) Start every action with a prayer.
4) End your day with silent prayer of gratitude.
5) Don't let action hijack your devotion to Knowledge

Hari Om. :)

The Story of the Mendicants

There is a story in the Puranas which must be narrated at the very outset of our reflections on Upadesa Saar. The story is about a team of mendicants, who were experts in rites and rituals. By performing extraordinary rituals with impeccable perfection, they had also attained several supernatural powers. Thus these great mendicants had come to believe that they had attained all that was to be attained in life. They felt that since actions brought them such glory and power, actions were enough to ensure any spiritual and material progress, and that God was non-essential in this process. These great men were terribly caught up in this misconception, and thus lived with a myopic vision of life, constantly trying to perfect their actions and attain better results, more power and greater possessions. At such a time, Lord Shiva felt extreme compassion for these seekers and their fallacious thinking, and decided to teach them a lesson. Thus he appeared in their Ashram as a young and handsome mendicant - charming in looks, glamorous in personality and enchanting in demeanor. The mendicants, focussed on their rituals, did not even bother about the presence of this young lad. However, their wives were totally enamored by him and spell-bound by his endearing personality, they followed him into the heart of the forest. Enraged by the audacity of the youth to dare to infatuate their wives, the mendicants left their rituals half-way and rushed into the forest. However, just then, Lord Vishnu appeared in his most enchanting female form of Mohini devi, and just one glimpse of this beautiful damsel was enough to infatuate the mendicants. Forgetting their wives and the young mendicant hero, these men of great action now began to follow Mohini. She, with her magical smile and charming gait, led them far into the forest, and then suddenly disappeared into thin air. 

This shocked the mendicants. They were also ashamed that they could not hold themselves back in spite of having done so many meritorious rituals and attained such great powers. This made them realize that the whole episode was probably a sport conducted by the young mendicant hero, perhaps to put them down. In fury, they invoked all their powers and celestial weapons, and began to attack the young mendicant. But the handsome young man, who was none other than the Lord Shiva himself, calmly subdued every attack. At this, the mendicants were utterly shocked, and then it dawned on them that this could not have been an ordinary person. A mere mortal would not have the powers to refute the results of such great rituals. Hence, they realized that the mendicant must be Lord Shiva himself. Their pride was humbled and they understood that all their actions are ineffective without the will and grace of the Lord. 

They had spent an entire lifetime seeking power and hoping that will fulfill them. But they saw that how easily they got enraged and distracted. It was clear that it is not lack of power but lack of self-knowledge that is the problem. However much power we gain, however much we do actions, we still remain limited and bound. 

At this point, Lord Shiva himself teaches the mendicants about the various paths - Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Gnana Yoga. This teaching was encapsulated by Sri Ramana Maharshi as the Upadesa Saar in Tamil, and later in Sanskrit. 

It is one of the most holistic and inspiring texts of Vedanta. We shall see more details and implications of this story in our next post...

Surrender & Realise

The skies of limitless freedom are inviting us from within our own bosoms, the path has been indicated clearly with elaborate instructions, and the opportunity to soar up and reach the Heights of Infinitude is being repeatedly offered to us at least once in every breath. Is it not strange that you and I are still living as the same limited individuals that we always lived as? What is holding us back still? What is the problem? Why can't I just get up and embrace myself? 

Why am I hesitating? This final hedge that keeps us away from the Highest is lack of surrender to the Guru. The Goal is indescribable, the path is undefinable and the journey indomitable. The Gurus can keep explaining to the extent of exasperation, but it is impossible to capture the extent and existence of that Infinite Goal of Life in words or expressions of any kind. There will always be a limitation to every explanation about the Truth. There is just no perfect way to say it. And thus, going by merely intellectual understanding of the verbal descriptions of the Divine Reality, one will never grasp it. 

Whatever words express, is not the Truth. Whatever is the Truth, is beyond words. Then how can anyone understand the Truth through the words of the Guru? 

However, the secret to know is that the Guru doesn't even want us to listen only to His words. Words are only the entrance gateway to the Absolute relationship of the spiritual preceptor and His disciple. Words are not the language in the Guru-Sishya relationship. Through words and inspirations, the student can reach a stage of 100% surrender to the Guru, because only then can the unspeakable Nature of the Self be understood through the unspoken silence of the Guru. The student needs to learn to listen to the Silence of the Guru. Silence is the language in a spiritual relationship.

Thus, having meted out such detailed spiritual instructions spread over 30 melodious verses, now Shankara most compassionately leaves the seekers with the ultimate masterkey to spiritual success: SURRENDER TO THE GURU. 

"Gurucharanambuja Nirbhara Bhakti" - Absolute surrender and devotion to the feet of the Guru. 

The Guru is the link between the individual and the infinite. The Guru's grace is the armor which protects the seeker from assaults of desires within and attacks of temptations outside. The Guru-Sishya relationship is an absolute relationship which lasts forever and forever - through lifetimes together. We may forget the Guru, but the Guru stays by us till we reach the Goal of Liberation. 

The Guru is not an individual. The Guru is the Truth itself. The Guru is beyond name and form. In fact the Guru alone is the Lord. He may manifest in my life in a specific form, and that form remains ever reverential and worshipful in the life of a spiritual seeker. But the Guru is not limited to any form. The Guru is the nameless, formless Reality. 

When the Reality expresses itself in our life in the form of the Guru, there is no greater blessing than that. It is a direct access to the Truth. It is Reality in person. For a Vedantic seeker, the Guru is the Goal, the Path, the Guide and the Companion in this pilgrimage towards the Truth within. 

Thus Shankaracharya closes the text with an assurance that if we surrender to the feet of the Guru, then we will surely know the Lord of our Hearts, we shall surely be permanently liberated from sorrow, and we will surely live a life of Absolute Bliss & Peace. And Shankaracharya sweetly adds a very encouraging word "Achiraad" - meaning QUICKLY. 

You don't need to wait lifetimes together. You don't need to wait for the mystic miracle to dawn on you. You don't need to wait for the right time. Your time is NOW. Your place is HERE. You are That. Surrender to the Guru, obey Him explicitly, be committed to Guru Bhakti Yoga, and when He says "Tat Tvam Asi" - Realization will be instantaneous. 

Don't waste more life. Don't delay your own liberation. Don't wait another moment. Surrender & Realise. NOW! 

May all of us remain surrendered to Pujya Gurudev and by His Grace, know the Truth...and that too, QUICKLY. 

TODAY's REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 31 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM. AND THAT COMPLETES THE REFLECTIONS ON THIS TEXT BHAJA GOVINDAM. 

By the Grace of Pujya Gurudev and Blessings of Pujya Guruji, we have completed the text. I have not been perfect. But whatever has been delivered on your screen, is ONLY HIS GRACE and nothing else. As a token of gratitude, I urge all seekers to please chant the 108 names of Pujya Gurudev any time today. It will take just 10 minutes. 

I also thank of each of you for bearing with me, in and through my irregular posts, strict rules, and limited capacity. I feel extremely fulfilled to have received the opportunity to reflect on the 31 verses of Bhaja Govindam. Thankyou for giving this opportunity. Hari Om. 

10 things to do in Daily Life

Philosophy, Philosophy, Philosophy. Empty philosophy! Be One with the Universe, Stay Calm, Practice Detachment...Haah! Big talk as usual!! 

Spirituality is really useless if it is just armchair philosophy. If this is what Bhaja Govindam is all about, well, let's not waste more time. Everyone please exit the forum NOW. 

This is how it feels when unreachably ideal goals continue to be the kernel of the discussion in the text. Any scripture earns value only if it can be lived in the daily life of the stress-ridden common man of the era. Thus, Bhaja Govindam, now gives a clear manual for a divine life. 

There is only one single way to attain any goal - spiritual or material. And that is, HARD WORK. Every single day needs to be designed as a step forward. Every single day. 

Occasional bouts won't do. They just won't. If you are ready to transform your daily life into an extra-ordinary life, then here is the manual....

10 things to do in Daily Life: 

1) Study the Geeta and/or any other spiritual texts systematically, thoroughly and regularly under the guidance of a competent teacher. Try to genuinely study, reflect, understand, remember and apply the teachings of the scriptures. At this point, it may just be a great idea to go back and read all our insights from the Introduction to Bhaja Govindam till so far. You can find them all at www.seek-the-eternal.blogspot.in

2) Pray. Yes, pray. Invest your love, your faith, your longing into the Higher. Spend time with the Lord. May be chant a prayer daily. Or do a small pooja. Or perform a Havan. Or simply do Japa of His name. Or sing some Bhajans. Or just sit and talk to the Lord. Anything will do. But allot at least 15 minutes daily for a Date with HIM. 

3) Do Satsang. At least once a week, have some committed Satsang - ideally through a class conducted by a Spiritual Teacher, or through a particular book, a video, an audio. Anything. But this needs to be regular. Fix a day and time. And do it like you will choke to death if you don't. 

4) Share what you earn. Give charity. This implies that work hard to earn enough so that you can nurture yourself and your family, as well as share with the society. Remember charity cannot be born from deficit. In short, create selfless abundance. Don't be happy with mediocrity. Empower yourself enough to be able to practice charity and then do it - as much as you can. Not because the world needs resources from you. But because you need to experience the fulfillment of giving abundantly. 

5) Practice Pranayama. It has a mysterious power to soothe and revitalize a tired body, a flagging spirit, or a wild mind. The ancient sages taught that prana, the vital force circulating through us, can be cultivated and channeled through a panoply of breathing exercises called Pranayama. In the process, the mind is calmed, rejuvenated, and uplifted. Try. Just try.  

6) Live in Self-Control. If one wants to get anywhere in life, the importance and necessity of self-control can never be overstated. And thus it is repeated again and again. Lack of self-control is the greatest practical obstacle in our journey. Whether you are trying to lose weight, earn money or attain liberation, living in self-control is inevitable. It does not imply that you must not enjoy. It only means that enjoy as a Master, not as a victim of what you enjoy. THINK.  

7) Practice clear thinking based on scriptural knowledge. It is useless to know all about Bhaja Govindam and yet live our same old lives. It has been more than 25 verses now - each word rich in transformation insights. But what use is it if it remains just insights. Insights must change our vision. Every moment of life, try and apply the learnings. Discriminate voraciously between the right and the wrong, the real and the unreal, the Self and the not-Self. 

8) Do JAPA. This is a MUST. Whether you like it or not, do your Japa. Every day. If possible, twice a day - in the morning and at night. If not possible, at least once a day. But do it. Japa purifies, unifies and transforms the mind like magic. The Mantra or name of the Lord has tremendous positive impact on the body and the circumstances also. Like you eat every day, do your Japa DAILY. Don't ever compromise with your Japa. 

9) Meditate, meditate, meditate. Meditation is the most crucial instrument to harness the power of thought, cultivate more peace, clarity and happiness. Meditation has healing power for the body as well as the mind. Meditation is scientifically proven to enable us to move from higher frequency brain waves to lower frequency, which activates different centers in the brain.

Slower wavelengths = more time between thoughts = more opportunity to skillfully choose which thoughts you invest in and what actions you take.

Meditation is the only final leap into the Higher. True, we may not all be ready for Meditation right now. But every day, attempt to sit quietly and meditate at least for 5 minutes. 5 minutes can't be too much to ask, isn't it? 

10) BE ALERT. VERY VERY VERY ALERT. Pujya Gurudev always said: "Alertness is the price we pay for freedom." 

This is not an easy path. You want comfort? Choose another goal. This is the inconvenient truth about Sadhana. If you want to get anywhere, and you really start walking the path, you will realize how slippery it is. We already have minds which are filled with desires, temptations and unknown vasanas. If that is not enough, the world is sufficiently tempting and discouraging for a spiritual person. Its like trekking up a steep mountain without any support. In such circumstances, if one becomes inalert even for a single breath, one may slip to abominable lows. Even people like Vishwamitra and Naarad slipped. How careful each of us have to be. Just imagine. Therefore, be alert every moment. Don't ever allow the mind to compromise. NEVER. 

This is the manual of an ideal life given in Bhaja Govindam. But what use is a manual if you do not actually do what is written in it? Knowing is not doing. Doing is doing. 

Yes, trying to do all of this at once can be pretty difficult. Never mind. Try 2-3 of them. Follow the 40-day Discipline. Then add the next one for the next 40-days. Then add another 1-2. Within a year or so, you will realize that your whole life has changed. Then, and only then, studying Bhaja Govindam can be of any use at all. START NOW. Right now. 

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 27 & VERSE 30 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM. 

The Calamity of Lust & Wealth

As we proceed towards the close of the text, Shankaracharya takes us back to the 2 greatest causes of our downfall: 

1) Kaanchan (Wealth - Representing the Tendency of Acquisition)

2) Kamini (Lust - Representing the Tendency of Indulgence)

 

We spend our whole life running away from sorrow and running after pleasure. To run away from sorrow (incompleteness), we acquire more and more and more. And to catch up with pleasure, we indulge more and more and more. 

These are 2 most difficult-to-overcome weaknesses of the human mind. We constantly want to possess and enjoy. And this is easy also!! We are all experts in this because for lifetimes we have lived in such animalistic ways. Thus it is very easy for us to allow the mind to indulge uncontrollably in the cravings of the body. Going down is always quick and easy. Climbing up is however difficult. 

Hence, invariably, no matter how much we hear about self-control and other such spiritual principles, we slip. One more object, one more relationship, one more....This is never-ending as though. It keeps us trapped. 

This is the Last Temptation. So Shankaracharya impatiently reminds us about how calamitous such a life devoted to the lusty impulses of the body is. 

To live in the flesh, implicitly obeying its wretched biddings, is to allow the dissipation of the personality-strength at all levels. Regulated enjoyment with maturity, balance and understanding is allowed. But excessive indulgence without any control leads to suffering only. Thus, Shankaracharya indirectly asks us to follow discipline. 

Discipline ensures that enjoyment doesn't violate the balance of the mind. However the difficulty is we all hate discipline! Our minds rebel! Enjoyment, it is said, is like nectar in the beginning, but like poison in the end. And discipline is like poison in the beginning, but like nectar in the end. 

Naturally short-sighted people keep away from discipline, not being able to have any control even in spite of knowing that death lies around the corner - awaiting for an opportunity to pounce, not realizing that blind indulgence ultimately leads to suffering at all levels, not realizing that indiscriminate indulgence will even sap us of our capacity to enjoy! This helpless indisciplined foolish indulgence pulls us away from our attempts to live nobler and the divine virtues of spiritual living and leads us to a rotten death. 

It is this addiction to enjoyment which leads us to an uncontrollable infatuation to wealth. We want more and more and more all the time, so that we can enjoy more and better. But this whole money-psychology is rather deceitful. Money, no doubt, has value. It is important and required. But, to give an over-exaggerated importance to money as such is thoughtlessness, and it will breed lovelessness, hatred, and a thousand subhuman impulses in the money-mad people. 

Shankaracharya is not asking us to give up our wealth or to stop earning. But this is an indication towards Dharma. Money earned with Dharma and spent for Dharma, is never calamitous. Use money for the right purpose, but don't make money your purpose - this is the simple but difficult-to-practice message of the Acharya in Bhaja Govindam. 

You see, in the whole of the world, maximum crimes happen because of either wealth or pleasure. This is a proven fact. All fights and wars happen because of wealth or pleasure. So much so, that one's own children end up even killing the parent for the sake of wealth or pleasure. 

Shankaracharya is reminding us one last time to refrain from such blind acquisition and enjoyment, by practicing Discipline and living by Dharma. Without living a disciplined life and without practicing Dharma, it is impossible to control theses impulses of the human body and mind. Hence, before anything else is done by the seeker, a strong grip on Dharma is inevitable. 

Often people ask, "But why should i follow Dharma when nobody else does?" 

The answer is simple: "Because you want infinite happiness." THINK! 

TODAY's REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 28 & VERSE 29 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM.

Just BE

I wake up this morning and can't see a thing. It is pitch dark. I wonder what happened and why it is so dark. I want to see the time. I somehow stretch to the switch for the light, feeling the wall with my fingers and hoping I don't end up dashing or breaking something else on the way of my hand. I turn on the light. But it is still dark. The light didn't turn on. I don't know what to do. It feels desperate. I have a touch phone. If I don't see, I don't know anything. I try turning on the torch on my phone. No!! Even that is not working!! I can't even understand why it is so dark. I now start wishing I had a torch, a music player or things that could help me feel less helpless. Fear and anxiety grip. Slowly I start thinking of the things I want more than the light I want, because I feel there is no hope of light now. I don't know why this happened, and how it has happened. There is sorrow and suffering. I start walking towards the cupboard to find myself some candles. But on the way I hit the table and fall. I am in pain and suffering. Tears roll down my eyes. And just then, a kind friend enters and I hear the sound of the door. I don't fully trust it is a friend because I have not seen who has entered. But I blurt out "This feels awful. I want a music player here. And a torch. And a candle too. Why not light a lamp? It will be good. At least it won't be so dark!" And he says, "But, dear friend, it is not dark. It is bright. It is a beautiful morning. The summer sunlight is playing around with the bright bulbs of your room and flooding the room with streaks of golden white light...What darkness are you talking about?"
Huh??? Then why am I seeing darkness? I want a torch, a stick, a bell, a music player....
"You need nothing!! Give up these silly attachments and just take your hand off your eyes!! You have shut your eyes with your hand!!"
WHAT?????
Yes, this is how it is. I am infinite. But I have shut my mind with my own ignorance and vasanas. And now, to remove this sense of limitation and incompleteness, I entertain attachments, pursue anger, nurture greed, fuel jealousy...hoping it will heal us of the darkness of the ignorance which is not!!!

Stop stop stop!! Renounce the desire, give up the anger, drop the greed, forego the jealousy...
Why should I?

Well, because everything has a maintenance cost. And the maintenance cost of desire, anger, greed, jealousy is "sense-of-finitude".
What's the problem with that?

The moment you start living as a finite being, you start having fears, anxieties and insecurities. And that makes life miserable. And a miserable life is too much of a maintenance cost to pay for the sake of these negativities.

So Bhaja Govindam urges us to give up these negativities. Just drop them all. But it seems very difficult to fight fear, anger, jealousy, pride, etc all at once. We are not Bollywood actors with the bran to fight a heavily-armed mafia-gang single-handedly. We can't!!

That's right. We can't fight all of them. So let's fight one. Which one? The one that causes all the rest: ATTACHMENT. If you don't have any ATTACHMENT, you will never be angry or jealous or greedy. These are just symptoms. Attachment is the disease. Fight that.

But what to do then? Wouldn't life be drab and dry without any attachment? Yes, it will be.
....So give it the juicy slushy ripe Self-knowledge! A mouthful of Infinity is all that we need and we will soon start realizing how bitterly poisonous our attachments are!

Like the fish swimming exhaustingly in circles trying to catch its own tail, we are trying to gain Infinite Happiness through all our attachments. It will be a never-ending, exhausting, draining, straining cycle of pointless effort. Don't waste time. What to do? The fish has to do nothing to get its own tail!!! Just BE.
Yes, Infinity is not an object outside, not an experience, not an achievement. Infinity is Me. I AM HAPPINESS. We have to do nothing to experience Infinity. We just have to Be.

Not Be "happy" or Be "sad" or Be "spiritual" or Be "smart" or Be "slim" or Be "something". No. Just BE. Full Stop. This Being is seeing. Rest is illusion. See the Truth. See the Self. See Infinity. BE Infinity.

Like the air without oxygen, like water without liquidity, like dance without feet, like music without notes, like fire without heat, like love without identification, life without Self-Knowledge, is meaningless, worthless, pointless. Caught up in all sorts of mundane non-essentials, an opportunity called life gets wasted in earning, achieving, aspiring and enjoying. The limitedness of our own false identities is the greatest tragedy that can be. We do not even realize how we have gotten so used to this painful existence in the rotten darkness of ignorance, that even when light of infinity is thrown at us, we shut both eyes and weep. This self-created horror of a life confined to worldliness is called hell. This is our 'self-created' hell - tormenting us continuously for lifetimes.

Gurudev writes:
In the non-apprehension of Reality, misapprehensions of ego, its desires, greed and anger, likes an dislikes, and such other misapprehensions, arise and they create a self-made hell for man to live in and suffer continuously. Tortured by them, torn limb by limn by the buffeting waves of passions in his own bosom, man cries as a sorrowful creature, eternally suffering in a self-condemned existence, in a hell created by himself, for himself.

Stop living thus in hell. Walk out into the open skies of Self-Knowledge and fly!! Yes Realization of the Infinite is a flight unto unconditional freedom. Don't waste more time in the charming golden cage of your own attachments. Drop it all, and Discover the Self.

Practices for Today:
1. Observe life and become aware how each and every facet of life is riddled with sorrow. Know that we live in hell.
2. Consciously drop attachments. Attachments are dropped when we accept whatever life brings us without complaining or worrying. Acceptance is the highest Detachment.
3. Spend at least 7-10 mins daily contemplating on these questions: What am I if I am not all that which I think I am? What is it to not be "anything" but just be? WHO AM I?

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 26 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM

What are your relationships based on?

Whether we Sanyasis or Householders or whoever, life is a continuous movement in relationships.
Every moment, we are relating with someone or something.

So Bhaja Govindam now asks each seeker to spiritualise his/her relationships. When we have a material view of people, our relationships are based on material factors like good looks, charming personality, loving temperament, bank-balance, etc. But all this is temporary. Neither the looks nor the love nor the personality nor the property remains the same. Everyone is constantly changing in that sense.
When our relationships are based on such flimsy factors, obviously we go through frustrations, disappointments and stress.

If we look around us, we can't find any relationship that is absolutely friction-free. Relationships should bring us happiness. But they end up draining us in several ways. We keep breaking out of relationships hoping we will be happier without certain people. We keep getting into relationships hoping that we will be happier with certain people. But relationships still remain the most difficult of all battles of life.
Bhaja Govindam snaps at us saying "Stop this hook-up and break-up!" What's the point calling someone friend, another foe, another family? What are all these relationships at the end of the day? Everyday people are constantly changing, and so is our relationship with them, our love for them, our attitude towards them. Till yesterday, he who was a best friend, is today a sworn enemy. Till yesterday, she who was a stranger, is today the love of my life. In this constantly changing field of relationships, how can i ever find changeless eternal happiness?

Hence we see that they who have none, are unhappy. And they who have many, are equally unhappy. At weddings we see sign ages saying "Happily Married Forever"!!! But how is that even possible unless one divorces from one's sense of difference and individuality.
All differences are based on the ephemeral. Relationships based on the ephemeral, can't ever be eternal. So, Bhaja Govindam indicates that base your relationships on the eternal - on That factor which can't ever change.

That's the secret. The dimple may become a wrinkle. The concern may become indifference. The charm may fade, the age may pass. But the Self remains. Don't love people because they are beautiful or kind or loving or intelligent or successful. They may not always be so. Love people because they are you! That never changes.

The Self in me is the Self in all. I love you not because of how you are, but because who you TRULY are. With this attitude, approach everyone as an extension of your very own Self. Then, no relationship will be strained.

I heard that some lady divorced her husband because he did not remember their Anniversary! She should have married a computer, not a man!!! Lol!! Memory is such a meaningless thing to base our relationship on.

Meher Baba says: I and you are not we. I and you are One.
That's the idea. When there is Oneness, there is acceptance. Every part of me is dear to me because it is me. Similarly each one is dear to me. I may have functional and behavioural differences. But no psychological difference. I know that functionally I will still wear the anklet on the ankle and the bracelet on the wrist. But, psychologically, it is only pure gold and thus all of them are valuable.

Point is that when we love people for the wrong reasons, relationships remain weak. Thus, Bhaja Govindam says that see each one as a reflection of you. When we look at a reflection and don't like what we see, we do not change the reflection. Instead, we change our look. Same way, Relationships are a mirror of our personality and each person is a reflection.

What takes effort is to know what needs to changed. Greatest tragedy is that we usually learn wrong lessons from our relationships. It needs a subtle mind, kindled carefully in innumerable Satsangs, trained meticulously through right living, tuned thoroughly through selfless action and tamed lovingly through devotion to the Lord.

When the mind thus learns to see each one as the Self and not as the matter vestures, there is complete acceptance, complete love, complete oneness. That is when relationships become "schools of enlightenment". Let each of us aim to make every relationship of our lives such Aashrams!!

Practice: Write 5 reasons why you like or dislike certain people of your life. And categorise each reason as physical or emotional or intellectual or social or spiritual.
Become aware of what your relationships are based on and realise that the problem lies precisely there.

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE NO. 25.

Live Calm

Hundreds of scriptural verses, thousands of Vedic texts, millions of inspiring satsangs may be undertaken. Yet, often we find that the seeker remains incomplete - struggling against his own mind in the realm of stubborn attachments, fierce fears and meaningless delusions.

This can be frustrating for the ones who are making a real attempt. And by the time one crosses the 23rd verse, after waiting months and months, and reading the same thing told again and again in different ways, sometimes a sincere seeker can very justifiably lose all her patience, and even get a little upset with the Teacher!

But that is the very test of the spiritual seeker. Bhaja Govindam says: Bhava Samachittah - Be Evenminded.

Impatience is the enemy of spiritual growth, because revolution happens overnight, but evolution is always slow and silent. Patience is the way of nature. Flowers bloom slowly. Sun rises slowly. Clouds move slowly. Grass grows slowly...

Sadhana is a journey of slow silent blooming. To replace the beast in by the best in us, is not easy. Consistent, dedicated, patient effort needs to be put in every moment. Negativities, false notions and attachments gathered over millions of lifetimes have to be slowly cleansed out.

We often complain that we are doing Satsang and Sadhana for 15-20 years and yet are not able to reach the Goal. What is 15-20 years of cleansing compared to the filthy grime of old vasanas and wrong tendencies seething and rotting in us for so many lifetimes? Be patient.

Nobody reaches the mountaintop one fine day. They climb up step-by-step every day. With great love, great faith, great wisdom, great clarity, great commitment and great consistency, one has to try to lift oneself everyday.

The higher we rise, the steeper it gets. As Sadhana progresses, every slip will become more dangerous than ever before. Walk with care. The only slip in Sadhana is to allow the mind to lose its Equanimity. That is why at this point, Bhaja Govindam warns us against impatience. That is why Krishna says in Geeta : Samatvam Yoga Uchyate - Equanimity is Yoga. That is why the only real Sadhana in life is Calmness, Equanimity, Peace.

Peace is too difficult a thing to gain and too precious a thing to lose. No matter what happens, do not lose your peace.

Everyone talks about "Keep Calm". That's doable. Try to "Live Calm" - amidst the maddening traffic, with the irritating spouse, in spite of the boring job, the killing mortgage, the awful breakup, the fat body, the disgusting neighbour, the bad business deal, the annoying mother-in-law, the stupid law-and-order, the irresponsible government, the insensitive society, the financial crisis, the crime, the corruption...the everything. Just LIVE CALM.

Living calm involves HARD WORK - every day of sweat, blood, tears. Living calm involves sacrifice - every day of letting go of pleasures, comforts, joys. Living calm involves a life of total commitment to just one thing: Sama chitta - calm mind.

Only a calm mind can be truly selfless and fearless. When all the disturbances in the mind have been eliminated, nothing more needs to be done. Happiness is here and now. Infinity is here and now.  Truth is here and now. Divinity is here and now.

One instantly experiences the Absolute Oneness - the substratum of the entire Universe. the Cause of the infinite Cosmos, the Reality behind the Unreal Samsara!

Pujya Gurudev writes: "In order to develop the mental equipoise, one must strive to filter away from one's mind all the existing vasanas. This is accomplished through
1) dedicated action,
2) devotion to the Lord,
3) service to mankind,
4) contemplation upon the Highest, and
5) constant study and reflection. "

Let's try.

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 24 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM.

How Seriously can Your take a Dream?

All our lives, we laugh, cry, wonder, wail, dream, despair...because of the myriad variety of our experiences. World teaches us to handle these experiences at best by being strong and courageous. But spirituality makes us question the very reality of these experiences. It can be a stunning moment for many to even think that everything which we react and respond to, is indeed unreal.
Like a dream, it appears, it enchants, it inspires, it entangles...and it ends.
When we think deeply, we realise how silly our pursuits in life are. Everything we do, say, think, feel is based on an unquestioned assumption that this realm of our experiences, called Samsara, is real.
Bhaja Govindam says: Question that assumption.
Why after all do we believe it is real?

BECAUSE WE PERCEIVE IT, WE EXPERIENCE IT EVERY MOMENT! Our parents, teachers, elders, text-books, encyclopaedias, newspapers, television shows, movies and social surroundings have all taught us ever since we remember that “seeing is believing, experiencing is being.” And we have comfortably slumbered in this belief for all our lives. 

Well, if you stand on a non-digital weighing machine inside a moving elevator, you will “see” the meter scale reading your weight as 0 Oz. But your weight is no less than what it was yesterday! When we travel in a flight, we “experience” no movement. But we travel thousands of miles! Sometimes, when you are viewing a movie on your laptop, the angle of the LCD is not set right for viewing, and you “see” only a black screen. But, the hero in the movie has already finished wooing the heroine, and neither of them is wearing anything black! When you are on the treadmill, you “experience” so much movement as if you have really walked up 10miles. But in reality, you are where you were!

So, what we are trying to say here is that only seeing is NOT believing and experience alone is NOT being. Sometimes, what we see is not and what we do not experience is!

Therefore, just because we see the world, we cannot for sure say it is real. In our dream, we see the dream too! And at that time, we experience it as very real. 

Funny Story: One day, Mrs.Gurbaxani woke up from her mid-night dream in a state of great misery. She was weeping away to glory, as Mr.Gurbaxani was trying hard to understand what was wrong. Finally, sniffing away her tears, Mrs.Gurbaxani said, “You slapped me in my dream!” Mr.Gurbaxani smiled and said, “But sweetheart, it was just a dream!” To this Mrs.Gurbaxani snapped back, “Yes, but if you can dare slap me in my own dream, I dread to think what you might be doing to me in your dream!”

The point is that the dream slap hits my dream cheek, the dream fire burns my dream finger, the dream water satiates my dream-thirst. But just as this does not make the dream any more real once i have woken up, in the same way, just because i experience my world as real does not necessarily make it real. Just as the dream wealth can be useful only in my dream, my shares and debentures in the waking state can make me wealthier only in my waking state! So how can we call it any more real than a mere dream...? They all have limited degrees of reality...

THINK!

We now realise the point being made. But, if this world, which we always thought of as real, is like a dream, then what is the real REAL? There must be a wake-up from this world-dream. What is that?

Now, Bhaja Govindam relaxes a little and says, “Now you have asked a worthy question. But, i cannot answer this one. Sit quietly and realise!”

We realised the world-dream... So, what is the real REAL? Sit quietly and realise!

Practice: Write 10 things that decide whether you call your day a good day or a bad day. Eg. Bad-hair, waking up with a headache, loss in business, boss in bad mood, son being sick, skipping the morning tea, being praised at work, going shopping, a gift from the spouse, gyming, whatever....

Write it all down. 

Now think: Would all this really matter as much if I knew that it was all unreal?? 

Do this exercise often and you will see your list become shorter over the months, till you reach a point when nothing really matters. That is when, you will become the Master of your day, of your life. 

Quote: We are not lost in a dream, but we are only dreaming that we are lost. - Guruji

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 23 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM. THIS IS A CONTINUATION. 

Ask Questions that Matter....

Questioning is the greatest pre-occupation of a human-being. We ask questions all the time. Yes, all the time. But what are the questions we ask?? 

Whats up? How are you? How's everything? Why me? When will you back? What's the plan? What next? What happened? What will I get? How to....cook pasta?? and so on...

But do the answers to these questions really matter at all? 

Nothing is wrong with these questions by themselves. But it is so strange that we spend our entire lifetimes in just seeking answers to these and such other insignificant enquiries.... Queries, whose answers make absolutely no difference to us. 

Bhaja Govindam urges us to ask better and more sensible questions. 

Instead of "How are you?" ask "Who am I?"

Instead of "What's the plan?" ask "Where is my purpose?"

Instead of "What next?" ask "What's my source?"

Change what you ask yourself. When you change your questions, you find your answers. 

Have you ever thought that we are often asking questions that we do not even want to know the answers to? Otherwise, do I really want to know who the neighbours' daughter ran away with, or what my friend has planned for his holidays, or how much a cousin earns, or even how a couple met each other, or what the top actress wore for an Award function, or which song belongs to which movie, or what the cricket score is? No. None of us are really dying to know any of this. Yet, most of us die with just these or similar other questions....Is it not sad? 

But what are we desperately asking through all these questions? THINK. 

Actually, we are all searching only few basic answers. 

WHY AM I NOT FEELING COMPLETE? WHAT'S MISSING? WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR?  WHERE IS TRUE HAPPINESS? HOW TO FIND PEACE? WHAT'S WRONG? WHY AM I HERE? WHAT IS MY PURPOSE? WHY AM I DOING ANYTHING THAT I AM DOING? 

All these answers lie in the womb of only one fundamental question: WHO AM I?  

Not knowing who am i leaves a permanent intriguing empty feeling within each of us. And we fill this void within us with stupid meaningless questions and their answers, just so that these vital questions of life do not haunt us. 

Most people spend their lifetimes without ever asking the most vital questions of their lives. 

But, those who do, they are called "Seekers". 

These are not questions that we are encouraged to ask...Nobody wants us to ask these questions because nobody really has the answers...And nobody has the heart to tell us to turn within and find our own answers within. Instead our questions are snubbed, snapped and killed till they silently sign away in the dark corners of our hearts...

As children when we ask these questions, we are told not to trouble our elders. 

As youth when we ask these questions, we are told not to waste time. 

As adults when we ask these questions, we are told something is wrong with us. 

As seniors when we ask these questions, we are told it doesn't matter any more!

Can you imagine what a colossal loss this can be? Life after life, we live without ever finding the answer to our most vital questions, without even knowing our own self, without finding lasting peace no matter what, without any higher purpose, without any meaningful answers... Don't let this happen to  yourself please. ASK. Ask questions that matter...

Inquisitiveness or the spirit of enquiry, also called Jignyasa, is is the life-blood of a seeker. It is the beginning of our spiritual journey. 

Every discovery has hidden itself behind a question. When Newton asked "Why does the apple fall?", Gravity was discovered. When Gandhi asked "Why are we slaves?", freedom was discovered. When Arjuna asked "What is Dharma?", Geeta was discovered. When Narendra asked "Have you seen God?", Vivekananda was discovered. When Meera asked "Who will be my husband?", Krishna was discovered. When Ramana asked "Who am I?", Truth was discovered. 

What are you asking today? 

Don't pick up others' questions. Discover your own. It has to be the question to the answers YOU seek. It has to be the questions which make YOU think. It has to be the questions for which you can go over the Oceans, walk across the mountains, give up your ego, surrender to a Guru, and drop everything and everyone you love. It has to be the question that doesn't let you sleep at night. It has to be the question that lingers on in your mind like a heavy hangover. It has to be the question that kindles your life. It has to be the question you can spend your whole life finding the answer to...

When you find your question, your story is defined. When you find your question, your life unfolds. When you find your question, you become a Seeker. 

What is your question? THINK.

Quote: 

"The day I start questioning the validity of my pursuits, I become a seeker."

- Swami Chinmayananda

Practice: 

1) Make a book where you write every question that ever occurs to you. Even if it is a silly question, write it down. Don't ask the answers to anyone yet. Keep writing for 90 days. After 90 days, review your questions. You will find a pattern. You will discover a few questions that have consistently surfaced again and again, that have been the substratum of every other question you asked. Those are probably the questions you are looking out answers for! Discover your questions. 

2) Stop asking IMMATERIAL questions. Just stop. If it doesn't matter, you don't need to know it. Just do not ask anything that is trivial, meaningless, insignificant. Don't ask any question that you don't think will even bother you after 10 days. If it won't bother you then, why be bothered by it now? 

When we turn your inquisitiveness away from the outside-world, it turns within. TRY. 

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 23.

A Spiritual Personality...

We all live in our own ways the spiritual values of life. But, that doesn't really make us a spiritual person. A spiritual person is one who has taken to the Final Goal of Absolute Happiness. She/He has reached and clearly discovered that Infinite Bliss within. No pleasure, no comfort, no desire is of any value to him/her. Even if living amidst the world of tempting sophistications, charming luxuries, enchanting names and forms, even if involved in worldly activities, social systems and even material pursuits, even if interacting with people, objects and situations, the Spiritual Personality remains untouched by the external world. How does such a person live?
1) Like a child - Pure, Free, Happy
2) Like a madman - Disconnected and Lost in the Within
3) Like a ghost - Fearless and Unnoticed
It is not that the Spiritual person is like any of these. In fact, it is impossible to even describe or define a truly spiritual person because we can't ever gauge His infinite experience with our finite minds.
But, he has no malice in his heart like a child. He does not live in the past or the future. He has thus nothing to be stressed.
IF YOU ARE STRESSED, YOU ARE NOT REALLY SPIRITUAL.

He is in the world but he doesn't belong to it at all. He lives amidst us, but is always absorbed in His inner experience. Whatever he does is without any insistent intention to attain or achieve anything. He is thus neither strong likes nor dislikes towards anybody or anything in the world like the mad person.
IF YOU HAVE LIKES AND DISLIKES, YOU ARE NOT REALLY SPIRITUAL.

He roams in the world as fearless as a ghost - no darkness can scare him and no light can frighten him. Like a lion walking around in his own forest, the Spiritual Person walks around in the world in utter fearlessness and strength.
IF YOU FEAR ANYTHING OR ANYONE, YOU ARE NOT REALLY SPIRITUAL.

He wears just a wrap-around made of rags. He is least bothered about fashion or looks. In fact, nothing really matters because he is not at all interested in taking anything from the world. His entire purpose in life is to give, give and give. Thus he takes minimum, lives in exceptional simplicity and offers his best to one and all.
IF YOU DON'T GIVE MORE THAN YOU TAKE, YOU ARE NOT REALLY SPIRITUAL.

He is That to which no injunctions of sin or merit are relevant. He lives free of all scriptural orders also. It doesn't mean he does wrong things. But His abidance in the Truth is so unshakeable that to him there is no good or bad. In other words, He has lived Dharma & Self-Control (Niyojita Chitta) to such an extent, and made his mind so pure that the purity of His mind has negated His mind. Thus, now merit and demerit do not affect Him at all.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PURE, SELF-CONTROLLED AND DETACHED MIND, YOU ARE NOT REALLY SPIRITUAL

Are we REALLY spiritual?

TODAY's REFLECTION IN BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 22.
To read earlier notes, visit www.seek-the-eternal.blogspot.in

Let Go, Let God...

We try. We try very hard. But we are not perfect people. We are not the best of seekers. We are not born saints. We are human. We have limitations, attachments, jealousies, egos, resentments, selfishness - what not. We are fighting every moment. But the Goal Eternal appears to be so far...almost unreachable. 

The climb is steep. The time is short. And i am lame and blind.

Can i make it? 

Within my capacities, it seems impossible. The pangs of birth after birth after birth into this realm of change and sufferings, the horrendous world of temptations that drags me mercilessly into millions of psychological dependencies, the seething ulcers of rotten values and injured consciences flings me into meaningless oceans of tears...how will I ever escape this? 

On my own, I can't. But i + God = I can! 

Yes, O Lord, lift me from here with your Grace. Inspire me to walk out of the narrow alleys of ignorance into the broad daylight of clarity and bliss. Oh Lord, Give me Strength. Give me Purity, Give me Knowledge. 

But may be I won't be able to hold it within me. Even if you bless me, I may still be a loser. 

I don't have the time, the strength, the interest to experiment any more with the flimsy pleasures of the world. No, let's not waste time. Give me...liberation! 

This is the prayer of the seeker. The prayer of complete surrender. 

But God has no chosen ones. His Grace floods the universe like sunlight...But, we have to open our eyes and see the light. Prayer opens our eyes and allows the light of His Grace to enter into us and fill our lives. Thus, a true seeker...prays and prays and prays...not shamelessly begging for sundry desires, but asking the Lord to end all his suffering for once and for all...

In this prayer there is readiness to renounce, willingness to sacrifice, availability to transform...

In this prayer there is eagerness to free and to fly in the skies of infinity...

In this prayer there is absolute faith and complete surrender.

Gurudev beautifully writes the words of such a prayer: 

"True, I have no faith to meet Thee, O Lord. I have nothing to offer Thee, except my own tears. I have nothing to claim for myself except the fatigue of my indulgence, the stink of my selfish acts, the sweat of my passions, the chords of my attachments. In fact, I don't deserve to be saved. Yet, Lord, I am tired - beaten out completely, exhausted thoroughly - repentant fully - helpless wholly...

I surrender myself to Thee and Thy Grace. I claim a hearing and expect help from Thee. Are not Thou the Ocean of Krpa - of grace, of kindness, and of love? Are Thou not the Destroyer of the demon Mura? Won't Thou, in Thy kindness, take pity on me and once more destroy the old enemy Mura in my bosom - the bundle of my own wretched vasanas?"

Thus, to surrender unto Him and to sincerely invoke His grace is to create in us divine and godly vasanas, which are the only antidote to the ego and the egocentric vasanas that constantly clamour in our bosom for gratification. Once these are hushed, the Song of the Flute-bearer shall be heard, the blue-light of His aura can be seen, the fragrance of His garland of wild flowers can be smelt, the butter of His hand can be tasted, the embrace of the Infinite can be experienced!

This is the first post of the year. Let us make this the Year of Surrender. 

Practice: 

1) Begin and end every day with a short prayer for next 90 days. 

2) Chant the 21st verse of Bhaja Govindam at least once a day daily. 

3) Let go. Let God. 

TODAY'S REFLECTION IN BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 21. Happy 2014.