Give Up Dishonesty

||Shri Hari ||

From Lecture given in Govind Bhavan, Calcutta on March 9th, 1983

There are two things ­ One is ‘Parmatma’ (God) and two is the world. This ‘Jeevaatma’ (embodied soul) is an inseparable ‘ansh’ (part) of Parmatma, which has caught hold of this world. This is the main point. The world has not caught hold of the ‘Jeevaatma’ (embodied soul), but the ‘Jeevaatma’ has grabbed hold of the world. He who knows how to hold on, also knows how to let go. Just as you regard your girl as your daughter. But, on giving her away in marriage, even though she is your daughter, you do not regard her as yours. The woman has gone to her own house.

You already know to accept or to not accept. God is ours and the world is not ours ­ this is the truth, it is a key point. You will be greatly benefited by accepting this truth. This is the truth, it is not false. It is not that you will have to labor or make effort for this. Only accept this one point, that this body and this world are not mine, and God is mine.

Gita calls this ‒‘मामेकंशरणं’ ‘Maamekum Sharanam Vraj’. Meaning ­ You take refuge in Me alone. This is the essence of Gita. We are only God’s and only God is ours. We are not of the world, and the world is not ours. Now, what is our relationship with the world ? The relationship is that the mind, intellect, senses, body etc. are all of the world and have been obtained from the world. They have to be applied in the service of the world. The family, wealth, possessions etc. are all received from the world. To regard them as ours is a grave mistake, it paves the way to hell.

To regard the money, ­wealth as belonging to us, is a great dishonesty. Earn money in a fair and just manner; but wherever you see a need, spend generously, regarding the money as theirs, and not regarding it as yours. After you have eaten your roti, for whom is the remaining roti ? We don’t know. You have worn clothes, now for whom are the remaining clothes ? It is not known. Well ! It belongs to those who do not get a ‘roti’, those who do not get clothes. Only as many ‘roti’ as you can eat, and the clothes that you can wear, belong to you. Give as much as a person’s essential need is, and give it, regarding it as belonging to them. That much will be given, and that much will be taken. If you have such sentiments, that this is their portion, then you will be greatly benefited.

I don’t say that leave everything and become a ‘sadhu’, become a renunciate, but wherever you are, staying there itself, silently give to those, as per their essential needs. Do not broadcast and make a big show of that which you give. If someone has a need for medicines, then arrange for their medicines. There are such poor widowed mothers, whose children are not getting education, then arrange for the education of her children. How much ? As much as the money that is leftover, after providing for the education of your children, or else let it be. By giving away the money that was leftover, there is no issue of any pride; as you are giving away that which belonged to them only, and it should be understood as paying off your debts right now. If not, you will remain indebted, you have a liability on your shoulder, therefore let those debts be paid off. Understand that the person who accepted charity from you has graced you, by taking what belonged to him. This is the truth.

See ! We are delivering discourses ! As such we are only sharing, that which belongs to you, even though we become proud that we are delivering discourses. You may believe that Swamiji has told us these things, but the truth is that, only that which belongs to you, can be given to you. The founder of Gita Press, Shri Jayadayal Goyandka used to often tell me what should I share with you? Then it was my job to tell him to deliver to us, that which was for us. This is the truth. I am delivering the knowledge which is your, which entirely belongs to you. If I become proud and think that ‘I am giving’ then it will be a big mistake, it will lead to punishment. I will become debt free, on giving that which belongs to you. Until I don’t share with you, till then, I will remain indebted. When you take it, I become free of debts. You have greatly benefited me, you have freed me from by debts, this is the truth.

I am sharing with you what I have seen, what I have experienced. Such incidents have taken place where I said that I will share with you something very special, then at that very moment, nothing came out. I applied a lot of force and effort, but it was difficult to fill the time ­ this is something that took place in my life. Where I said ­ ‘brothers, I do not know anything, I have little knowledge,’ when such feelings are there, then surprisingly words start flowing and lot is revealed ! My experience has been shared with you over here. The point is ­ that which belongs to you, that itself has to be given to you. This is the truth. In the same way, those things that are with you, understand these as belonging to the world and give it to the world. That which is not with us, for example, if we do not have money, then we are not responsible for giving money. I become indebted, for those things that I know, which I don’t tell you when asked. On telling, the debts are paid off. By taking, you reduced the burden on me, and graced me immensely. Relate in this manner with the world, then liberation is axiomatic and natural, whereas bondage is created.

That which does not belong to me, has been assumed as mine ­ this is dishonesty, and this itself is bondage; because this is not ours at all, ours is only God, and we are God’s. This is the truth. All the things that we have received, whether it be the gross body, or the subtle body, or the causal body ­ ‒this all belongs to the world, and since it has been received from the world, so utilize it in the service of the world. His things are revealed to him, his things are turned back to him, and he has accepted it, that is his grace. We have turned ourselves over to God, and our things are turned over to God, then, we will be supremely benefited. Yesterday I had said, why do you all become happy and sad with the things that come and go ? That which has come will go away. If you become happy, then you will have to become unhappy. If you do not become happy on receiving things, then in the future, you will not have to become unhappy.

Just as you will not feel sad when you have to leave from this building, thinking that we are leaving this Govind Bhawan. The reason is that you have not held on to it in the first place. Becoming attached and holding on to it is the cause of birth and death. In the same way, turn all the things of this world over to the world, and you turn yourself over to God, then you are definitely liberated. If you are unable to turn these over to God, then ask God for help that ‘He Naath ! O’ Lord ! I need help to realize the Truth’ and our Lord, the embodiment of Truth, will most certainly help you. There is no doubt about it. The false cannot be helped. All will help the genuine. The world, God, Dharma, saints­ great souls, Gurus, and all will help. The world becomes concerned about he who becomes devoted to God with a true and sincere heart. Even in present times, there will be no shortage of bread, clothes, a place to stay; because they are following the path of Truth.

Those who desires to grab, to take from others, such people, even if they are your sister or daughter then too, you will not wish to give them. Even though one should give to a daughter or a sister, but one does not want to give to those who want more and more. Whereas, those who say ­ ‘No brother, I have a lot ! I don’t have any need for more’, then one feels like giving more to such a person. Saying ­ ‘Please sister ! please take a little more.’ You will be pleased on giving, the sister will be pleased and others will also be pleased on seeing this. This is the truth. It is not that her household will run by your giving. Her household will run by her family, then why spoil what is appointed. ‘Let me take a little more and more’ by such thoughts, we are only spoiling what is set, and you will get nothing.

Many years back, a thought had come to my mind that these ‘baniyas’ (men of the trading class), they earn money and they also give to the Sadhus and Brahmins. They give charity and donation. Whereas the Brahmins who work in jobs, or do business and over and above, also accept charity and donations, they do not not become very rich ? What is the reason ? For earning a livelihood, they do not work any less than the ‘baniya’, then they should be rich ? Tell me, shouldn’t they be more rich ? But do they have a lot of money ? One will only get as much as he is destined to get. Then why spoil your intentions ? ‘I will take from this one and from that one’ this is impoverishment. This impoverishment will go with you, nothing else will go with you. Even if you do not want to take, then too, the thing that is bound to come, will surely come. This is the truth. To purify your outlook is within your hands. It is in your hands to not take something that doesn’t belong to you. Have your sight on ­ ‘I want to serve’. When you purify your intentions and outlook, then you will be greatly benefited.

It appears to me that there is nothing as easy as liberation. The only thing one has to do is to give up dishonesty. If you do not give up that dishonesty, then what spiritual practice will you do ? I had heard from a ‘Jaath’ (punjabi ethnic group) that there was a ‘Jaath’ living outside the city nearby. The man used to come to the city and tell the shopkeepers ­ Seth ! give me all those things, and take this money. Whatever money the Seth gave back in return, he used to take and walk away. He never asked the price, nor weighed the items, nor asked its quantity. Someone said to him ‒‘why do you do like this’ to this he said ‒‘That which is mine, the Seth will not be able to take, and he will not give his things’ Now a ‘Jaath’ person said so ! This is a real incident. You all will be unable to do so, and I don’t even suggest that you all should do so; because immediately you will not even be able to do. And if you are betrayed then there will be turmoil in your mind, therefore do not do so. Only take on as much work, as you are able to do, but have your sight entirely on it. If a thief comes to steal, he takes away his things only, he cannot take our thing. He does not have the power to take anything ! Such examples are seen taking place in this day and age.

Do not spoilt your intentions and outlook ! If sustenance was to be, then, undoubtedly it will take place, but on spoiling your intentions (by desiring), you will have to suffer. Even on having lakhs of rupees too, you will not be able to eat a ‘roti’ (indian bread), and it is said from the experience of the saints that though not having a single penny in the pocket, they receive in abundance ‒

The paddy is yours, the field animals (cows-­bulls) are yours, the money is yours, and we eat. That which was to come to you, will surely come. That which was not to come to you, will most certainly not come. It is not that on becoming a ‘sadhu’, one gets things. We will get, that which is meant to be ours. When you and I were born, our mother’s breasts were filled with milk, then, will there not be food for us in the future ? He alone is the provider and arranger, therefore, it is our job to do honest work, to work hard, to endeavor and to be diligent. Do not worry. With great enthusiasm, work like a machine.

Tasmaadsaktah satatam kaaryam karma samachar (Gita 3/11)

Therefore go on efficiently doing your duty, without attachment. (Gita 3/11)

Narayan ! Narayan !! Narayan !!!

From book ‘Bhagwat Praapti Sahaj Hai’ in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji Maharaj.

www.swamiramsukhdasji.net