Question : How did you have spiritual gains ?
Swamiji : I have gained through ‘satsang’ (Association with Truth, association of Holy company). I do not give as much importance to spiritual practices (saadhan), as much as I do to satsang. For others too, I believe that if they fix their mind and grasp the message of Truth, they will benefit immensely. I am sharing an extraordinary point – give importance to satsang, try to understand it deeply, then it will not take you as many years as it took me ! You will progress very quickly – this is very clear to me, I have no doubt about this !
I do not consider you incapable, ineligible in this subject. You have all the abilities to remove the shortcomings in you. According to me, you are only lacking in that intense longing. On awakening that intense longing, even if you are the worst of all sinners, even if you are the most ignorant of all, even if you have a very limited time remaining, then too, you can benefit. The awakening of the intense longing for Truth will be when you give up the attachment and affection for the world.
Kabiraa Manuaa ek hai, bhaave jahaan lagaaye |
Bhaave Hari ki Bhagati ker, Bhaave Vishay kamaai ||
If we wipe out the attachment to worldly enjoyments and hoarding, then true longing for God-realization will take place. There is so much money, let there be a little bit more; I have had many enjoyments, let there be a few more enjoyments. Let there be more rest and relaxation. May I get more name and fame, may I be free of all disease, may I have a high position in society, may I become like this – give up all these good things, and then true affection for God will manifest. The reason that the intense longing and affection does not come is because you are unable to give us as much as you should. What is renunciation ? Gita has called giving up of desires as ‘renunciation.’ What is a desire ? Such should happen, and such should not happen – this is a desire.
Question : Without desiring, how will we be able to care for this body and this family ?
Swamiji : Caring and supporting the family does not happen due to desire. Please try to understand this point. O Merciful One ! Earning of money, acquisition of things is not in the least bit dependent on desire. Things are acquired as a result of past and present actions (meaning, effort). There is a very close relationship between actions and objects. There is no relationship whatsoever between desires and objects. Can anyone say that I have not desired money-wealth, and therefore I have remained poor ? If I had desired money, I would become wealthy ? In reality, it is not like that at all. Please try to understand this point. There is no relationship whatsoever between desire and objects. Objects have a relationship with actions; because, actions as well as objects are in Prakriti (Nature), and are of the same element. Therefore, relationship of objects is with previous or current actions. Previous actions are called ‘Praarabdh’ (Deeds performed in earlier birth) and present actions are called ‘Purushaarth’ (Present effort, exertion).
There is no connection whatsoever between desires and objects. If I desire that I be taken care off, then simply by desiring, will I be taken care off ? For an hour all of you get together and desire that the family is well-taken care off, and if you do not give them a single paisa, then will the families be looked after ? Not in the least bit. The only connect between desire is with God (Paramatma). If there is a deep longing, an intense desire for God, He will be attained ! Now what is the reason for this ? We are separate from objects. They are far from us; they are far from place; far from time; far from people, therefore their attainment is through actions. However, God is not far from place, nor from time, nor from things, nor from people. Where we say ‘I’, there too God is present completely; therefore, Attainment of God (Paramatma ) ( is simply by desiring. Money is not present everywhere like Paramatma (meaning, Supreme Consciousness, God) is. Money has to be created. However, Paramatma does not have to be created, we do not have to bring Paramatma from anywhere at all. Paramatma is ever present.
Swamiji : You say, ”We have a large family and it is difficult to even provide food and clothing for them. It is difficult to sustain, then how can we stay without desiring ?” Then, do you think you will get things by desiring ? Certainly not ! Therefore, have desire to work, but do not desire things. Do not remain worthless and useless. Do work that is righteous. Do not do any work that entails lying, cheating, deceit, treachery etc. Within, do not give importance to money. Give up this greed, this desire to accumulate, then this will be new fortune for you. In other words, what is not written in your fate will come to you ! However, you must give up your greed and there must be a deep-seated conviction, a firm commitment, that I will not commit sin, even if death comes, I will not do injustice, I will not lie-cheat-deceive. Even if we die, what difference will it make ? One has to die sometime; then why take the baggage of sins with you and die ? What is the issue in going without the accumulated sins ? If one cannot get money without committing sin, then let us die remaining hungry, at least we won’t go to hell. If you live by committing sins, you will surely go to hell. You will not be saved from hell. Even Brahmaji will not be able to save you from hell. Therefore, have the desire to do your duty, to not be idle and unserviceable. On this topic, I have four things to say.
1. Engage all your time in the best-of-best, highest-of-highest work. Do not be idle and uselessly waste your time. Cards, games, cigarettes-cigars, alcohol, films-dramas are all waste of time. It is all born of mode of inertia and delusion, due to which one will have to take birth in lower wombs and in hell – ‘Adhogacchyati taamasaah’ (Gita 14/18). Do not waste your time in such useless activities. Continue to remain engaged in work that is to be done for sustaining the body, for taking care of health and well-being, activities that are for the benefit of the world, and for remaining engaged in attaining God.
2. Whatever work you do, do it in a satisfactory way, by which your mind is satisfied and others also say that this is great work ! If you have to write, read, inquire, sell, buy etc, whatever work you have to do in this world, do it very satisfactorily and completely. Mothers and sisters ! When you cook, do it well. Serve the food well. While working, let the sentiments be – how will all be satisfied ? How will all feel happy ?
3. Pay attention that you do not take other’s rights and privileges. It is acceptable if someone else gets your rights and privileges, but other’s rights must not come to you at all.
4. Spend the least amount of money for the sustenance of your life. For maintenance of this body, for food and drinks, for clothing and bed covers etc. spend less money. Make do with ordinary things. Do not take on luxuries, rest-relaxation, tasteful and fanciful things. If you live frugally, there will not be any shortage in your life, try it out and see for yourself.
Nowadays, people say what should we do, we are sitting idle, there is no work. Such talk is absolute nonsense. Why are you sitting idle ? Recite the Divine Name, chant God’s Name, read Gita-Ramayan etc. Do housework – sweep the floor, wash the dishes and utensils, clean your shoes, clean the bathrooms etc. In this way, keep doing something or the other. If you truly want to do, then lots of work will surface. By doing work, the inner faculties will be purified. One should have no time remaining for playing cards, dice games etc. When holidays arrive, do not be uselessly travelling places and roaming around, watching films, playing games, spraying water, pushing-kicking, shouting etc., uselessly wasting all your time. This human body is not for wasting time. If there is oil in the house or one who is a trader of oils, then surely the jars filled with oil are not there for washing his feet !
God has given the best of all – this human body. Such a human body’s time must be utilized for the best-of-best work. To waste that time is a major loss. Money can be regenerated. If a child dies, the two younger siblings can grow into youths. Householders can have babies again. However, years (meaning, time) by no means at all can be created, they are destroyed and destroyed only. You are very careful about money, every paisa you think carefully before spending. Whereas, you use up 5-6 minutes in watching an airplane ! What have you gained ? Tell me? Did your health improve or did the world improve ? Did you get money or did you attain God ? What did you gain ? The real wealth you have received in the form of time, why do you waste it ? If you remain cautious and alert, and without wasting time engage yourself in the best-of-best work, the highest work, then there will be progress for you, in this world as well as beyond. There is no doubt about this. In whatever field you go, you will progress. Even if the most atheist of all, thinks carefully and utilizes his time well, then according to his notion, his actions, he will surely progress. He will surely be successful. Then, what to speak of proper utilization of time by one who is a believer in God, and who wants to realize God ?
Let others rights not be taken. Whatever are a woman’s rights, give them to her. Do not snatch away whatever are her rights. And whatever are your duties towards her, fulfill them. Whatever are the rights of a son and the duties of a father, you must fulfill them entirely. Mother and father have been given to you at birth, and they have raised and supported you, they have educated you. Therefore, fulfill your duties entirely towards them. Protect whatever are their rights. And whatever claims they have over you, give those to them. Do not be called a bad son. Conduct yourself, similarly, with your neighbours, with those you conduct business or have a relationship with etc., make sure their rights are protected. Have a relationship of friendship and honesty with them. In this manner, remain cautious and alert at all times. In spite of doing all this, the debts will not be repaid; however, at least new debts will not accumulate.
On remaining cautious and alert, you will come to know when you are stepping on others rights. Right now you rarely ever come to know about rights of others. If you are asked right now, you will simply say – ‘I do not interfere with anyone’s rights, I am doing everything alright. I do not sin at all’. I have met people who ask, ‘What is the use of worship and remembrance of God (Bhajan), when we do not sin at all. Let those who sin worship God and have devotion (Bhajan). Such people lack awareness (or consciousness)’. They do not even know what true sin really is ? What is injustice ? Therefore, at all times remain alert that whatever we have heard right now, we will follow for the rest of our life. Now onwards, we will never forget or make that mistake.
Right now I have shared with you that there is no relationship between money and objects, and desires or thoughts about these, their relationship is with actions. It is extremely essential to understand this point. You ask how will it work just like that ? You ask – ‘We are householders, we have to work and do business, therefore we have to think (meaning, inquire), how should we work. How should we serve ?’ There is nothing wrong in thinking in this manner. To think about aspects such as – I must get money, I must get things, is wrong.
Question : But we do end up thinking and worrying Maharaj ji !
Swamiji : If you get worried, then leave those worries and do your work. By worrying the intellect gets destroyed – ‘Buddhi shoken nashyati’. Peacefully think, only then the intellect will open up. To worry is one thing and to think is another. ‘How to and in what manner to work, in what manner to care for the family, in what way to conduct business, in what way to relate and behave with others’, think about this with a quiet mind. On thinking, the intellect will open up and reveal itself. But if you worry that, ‘Oh ! What will I do ? How will this big family be taken care off ?’ etc., then your intellect will be destroyed. It will even come in the way of doing your work. There will be no gain. Therefore, without worrying think, make efforts, do not be idle. Listen to spiritual discourses and associate with Truth (Holy company), read books and think for yourself, or share with others your thoughts and think through them.
Narayan ! Narayan ! Narayan !
From book in Hindi ‘Saadhan, Sudha, Sindhu’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji
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