If a devotee leaves aside these two thoughts – ‘this should happen, this should not happen’, and obeys God’s command in doing his work, then he can easily attain God. He can easily attain liberation and supreme welfare. Ramayana says –
Kabahu kari karuna nar dehi
Det iss binu hetu sanehi. (Manas.7/43/3)
The ever-compassionate God on His own, out of his graciousness, without any reason gives beings a human body. He showers his graciousness so that human beings can attain their own supreme good. God bestows this human body with such sentiments, so that man may attain his salvation. Hence, from God’s side he has resolved to uplift man. But man gets caught in the web of – it should happen like this, it should not happen like this’ and gets caught in its bondage, and this is what is called desire.
The renunciation of desire that Gītā talks about, means giving up these two things – ‘it should happen this way, it should not happen this way.’ By renouncing all the desires in this way, human beings will not have any association with this world and then by God’s grace and by God’s resolve, he will surely be uplifted – without any doubt.
It is God’s nature to shower His grace without any cause – ‘Binu Hetu Sanehi’. Hence, it is God’s resolve that man should be uplifted. God’s resolve is always true, ever existent and self-evident. Therefore, man doesn’t have to do anything for his welfare. Only one thing must be done, that they don’t interfere in God’s work by saying ‘It should happen this way or it should not happen this way’ – Remove this interference, then his upliftment will happen automatically.
This should happen, this should not happen – doesn’t solve any purpose. Because even if one desires – ‘This should happen’, then does it happen? And if one desires ‘This should not happen’, then will it not happen? All brothers and sisters should think about it that. whatever we desire does happen and whatever we don’t desire, does not happen – is it always true? So far no one can say that all their wishes have come true, then how can it be so now? Everybody, see their own lives, whatever we have desired, has it always happened that way? Things we have not desired, have they not happened? Did you have such an experience in your whole life? Hence what has our desiring done? They have only created an obstacle in attaining God. It has only created obstacle in all things which we term as enlightenment, God’s love, God’s grace, supreme welfare, upliftment, liberation etc. and nothing else.
People say – ‘You are right but still such desires keep coming in the mind, what should we do?’
I will tell you one thing. Things that happen are not to be blamed, but when one does something, then he gets the blame. Like if it rains or does not rain, do people blame us? Are we responsible for it? Things which naturally happen, we have no obligation towards them. Hence, even when the mind says – ‘it should happen like this or not happen like this’, just ignore it and say – ‘No, we are not supposed to keep such desires, never ever are we supposed to think like this.’ If you are fully determined in this thought, then desires will go away.
This thought should always stay in our mind – ‘Whatever God desires should happen and whatever God doesn’t want should not happen’ –
Meri chahi mat karo, mein moorakh agyan
Teri chahi mein prabhu, hain mera kalyan.
Even if desires come up, then request God – ‘Oh God, please don’t do whatever I desire.’
Naradji wanted to marry, so was he able to do so? He even asked God, then God said – ‘I will do whatever is best for you.’
Jehi vidhi hoe param hith narad sunhoe tumhar
Soe hum karab na aan kachu vachan na mrisha hamar. (Manas 1/132)
Naradji has given himself to God; hence even if he asked for it, God didn’t give him. Hence, why ask for it and lose respect; because God always does His own will. When He didn’t listen to his best devotee, then why will He listen to us? Then why to say? We will keep our respect if we will not desire anything.
When Hanumanji returned after finding Sitaji and gave her message, Lord said – ‘What can I give you? I have nothing to give; hence I am indebted to you.’ Same way if one doesn’t ask anything from God, then God will become indebted. Like, if you come to know that this saint, hermit doesn’t need anything, then you will think of giving him something. May he take something from us – this thought will naturally come to your mind. Same way it comes to God’s mind that ‘Those who don’t need anything from Me, I grant them welfare’.
One saint said – this has been used by us, experienced by us – Ask your mind – What do you need? Reply from mind – I need nothing!. Ask again – Tell me, what do you need? Nothing! –Repeatedly ask the mind, and remove all desires. We don’t need anything, as God has already arranged for food and clothes. If we are alive, then we will automatically get all the things required to live. Then why do we desire? All of us want happiness and no sorrow in life – but have we met even a single person who has no sorrow in his life, rather has only happiness? Hence, make God’s desire your own desire. Whatever God is doing is for our own benefit.
It should happen this way and it should not happen that way – this is bondage. If this is removed, then everything is God’s ‘bhajan’ (worship and devotion).
Making God’s desire your own desire and not having any separate desires, is the real worship. If we keep in our mind ‘it should happen, it should not happen’ then it will create an obstacle in our worship. I met one saint who said, ‘Whatever I desire, happens!’. I asked the saint ‘Maharaj! How come whatever you desire, happens?’ He said ‘I don’t have any desire of my own, I have made God’s desire my own. Now whatever He does, same thing I desire. So, whatever happens, that is my wish, whatever happens; happens as per my wish only.’
Ram kin chahi soi hoi, Kare anyatha aas nahin koi.
(Manas 1/128)
Hence, a devotee should never desire anything.
Udhoh, Maan mane ki baat |
Dakh chohara jhadi amritphal, vishkira vish khaat ||
Jo Kapoor ko de Kapoor koi, taji angaar aaghat |
Madhup karat ghar kore kadh mein Baidhat kamal ke paat ||
Jyo patang hit jaan aapno Deepak so laptath |
Surdas jako maan jaso, tako soi suhat ||
Kaha kaho chavi aajuki bhale bane ho naath |
Tulsi mastak tab nave dhanush-baad liu haath||
Murli mukat durayeke naath bhaye Raghunath |
Lakhi ananyatha bhakti ki jaan ko kiyo sanath ||
From book ‘For Spiritual Aspirants’ in English by Shradhey Swamiji Shri Ramsukhdasji Maharaj
www.swamiramsukhdasji.net
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