There is a tendency to interpret renunciation as merely giving up worldly
attachments. Renunciation truly means attaining perfect equanimity. People
may criticize you or praise you, take them both with a sense of
equanimity. One may try to harm you while another may try to do you a good
turn; treat both situations with equanimity. In one business venture, you
may incur a loss while in another you may make a profit; treat them both
alike. Equanimity is the hallmark of yoga (spiritual attainment).
July 2, 2005
It is not possible for anyone to abstain from action. Action is the basis
for our existence. The purpose of man's life is to sanctify it through
right action. The world is a factory where man has to shape his destiny by
honest, untiring effort. One should take up this challenge and spend one's
allotted years and use the skill and the intelligence one is endowed with
in purposeful activity. This stream of action flows through jnana (wisdom)
and ultimately leads us to the highest stage of realization.
July 3, 2005
Do you think I would confront you with pain were there not a reason for
it? Open your heart to pain as you do now to pleasure, for it is My will,
wrought by Me for your own good. Welcome it as a challenge. Do not turn
away from it. Turn within and derive the strength to bear it and benefit
from it. It is all a part of My plan to drive you, by the pangs of
unfulfilled need, to listen to My voice, which when heard dissolves the
ego and the mind with it.
July 4, 2005
Faith can come only by association with the godly, by studying the lives
and experiences of godly persons. An individual who has faith in God must
put his faith into practice. By believing in God and yet ignoring God's
utterances and commands, you are contradicting yourselves. Faith is not a
cloak to be worn outside for deceiving others. Devotion and prayer should
not be for the sole purpose of obtaining something or fulfilling some
desire. It should be for the sake of the Atma (the inner divinity) and for
the sake of the bliss of becoming one with the Lord.
July 5, 2005
The true secret of enjoyment lies in sacrifice. Sacrifice has also been
declared to be the only means of achieving immortality. Giving up what is
taken in is a law of life. It applies to breathing, food and other things.
Likewise, the wealth which one acquires should also be given back to
society. Wealth includes not only riches, but every other form of
acquisition including knowledge, scholarship, and skills of various kinds.
The knowledge you have acquired through education should be imparted to
others. It is by such sharing that your education gets enriched and
purposeful. If you do not impart the knowledge you possess, it becomes
useless. This means that the more you give, the more you grow.
July 6, 2005
When clouds gather in the high skies, they are usually accompanied by
lightning. In the same manner, wherever there is education, it should be
accompanied by wisdom. Since good qualities like sacrifice, forbearance,
truth and love have been somewhat pushed to the background, the society is
suffering from various ills. It is the sacred objective of education to
rid the minds and hearts of people of all evil.
July 7, 2005
Man is not a mere combination of the physical, the mental and the
intellectual, but also the spiritual. He is enveloped in five sheaths: the
Annamaya Kosa (gross body), the Pranamaya Kosa (the sheath of life force),
the Manomaya Kosa (sheath of the mind), Vigyanamaya Kosa (the sheath of
the intelligence) and the Anandamaya Kosa (the blissful sheath of the
spirit). The Upanishads (ancient scriptures) state that each of these
Kosas (sheaths) are sacred and suffused with Divinity.
July 8, 2005
Man can be described as a conglomeration of thoughts and ideas. Every
little thought becomes an integral part of one's life. The kind of
feelings one has determines one's future. Therefore, one must install
sacred ideas in one's heart. The fostering of pure thoughts will promote
the spirit of selfless service in our hearts. Nishkama Karma (selfless
service) uproots the bestiality in man and confers divinity on him.
July 9, 2005
The sun sheds its light equally and impartially on all - men and animals,
birds and beasts, mountains and valleys. But the sun’s image is reflected
only in the placid surface of clear water. Likewise, the sacred vision of
Paramatma (God) is revealed only in an unperturbed and tranquil mind in
which all thought waves have subsided. A pure and holy heart will mirror
the glory of Paramatma, while a man with a wavering mind can never
experience divinity.
July 10, 2005
'Deha', the physical body, is composed of the five primordial elements of
earth, air, water, fire and ether. Sooner or later, the Deha will perish.
But, the 'Dehi' or the indweller, the Atma (Self), has neither birth nor
death. It is indestructible, imperishable and immortal. And this Dehi is
one with Brahman (Godhead). Atma and Brahman are essentially one. The
identification of the Atma with Brahman is the final goal of spirituality.
July 11, 2005
Sacrifice means giving up kama (desires), krodha (anger) and lobha
(greed). Man generally identifies himself with the Anatma (non-Self)
without realizing his true nature. The reflection of the sky in a pot of
water disappears the moment you pour out the water. Likewise, when you
recognise the transient nature of all that is non-Self and empty yourself
of desires, you get closer to the Atma. Unless you sacrifice desire, anger
and greed, you cannot attain divinity.
July 12, 2005
The joy which you seek and the self-realization which you aspire for, are
both within yourself. They cannot be found in the external world. It is as
foolish as a person who begs for food on the street, even though there are
sweets and other delicacies in his own house. You think that this world
and its objects confer happiness on you. This is merely an illusion
created by your mind. It is only when you follow the intellect that you
will be able to enjoy Atmananda (the bliss of the Self). True happiness
lies within you.
July 13, 2005
The mind is called 'Manas' because it is continually engaged in the
process of 'Manana' or cogitation. Very often, the mind is led astray by
conflicting impulses that are generated in it. The mind travels faster
than the wind. Just as we apply brakes to halt a fast-moving vehicle, we
have to curb the flow of our thoughts. The fickle nature of the mind acts
as an impediment to man’s spiritual progress. Hence, it is imperative that
every spiritual aspirant gains control over his mind if he yearns to
immerse himself in the bliss that is his inner self.
July 14, 2005
There are three states relating to the mind: shoonyathwa (emptiness),
anekagrata (simultaneous pulls of multiple thoughts) and ekagrata (one-pointedness).
These three states have their origin in the three gunas (inherent
tendencies) in man. While Thamo Guna (indolence) brings about dullness in
the mind, Rajo Guna (the quality of passion) provokes the mind into
wandering hither and thither. Sathwa Guna (the quality that promotes the
sacred aspects of human life) stills the mind into one-pointed
contemplation. Thus, it is only those who cultivate Sathwa Guna that can
undertake meditation with ease.
July 15, 2005
When you build a house, you build doors as well. These doors are meant to
facilitate easy entry and departure of friends and relatives. Only those
who are authorised to enter are allowed through these doors. The door is
not meant for dogs and donkeys to come into the house. Similarly through
the doors of the senses, we should usher in only sacred thoughts, feelings
and ideas. The heart is the abode of God. The Lord cannot be enthroned in
a heart fouled by evil thoughts, ideas and feelings. We should not allow
either animal or demoniac qualities to enter into that sacred abode of
Divinity.
July 16, 2005
Lord Krishna declared in the Bhagavad Gita - "Mamaivamso Jeevaloke
Jeevabhuta Sanathanah" (all beings are an eternal part of My Self). There
is a spark of divinity in the heart of everyone. It is because of Bhrama
(delusion) that man is unable to realize his divine nature. Delusion
causes evil feelings to arise in the heart. Therefore, man should make
efforts to overcome this delusion and realize that God is always with him,
in him, around him, above him and below him.
July 17, 2005
One should not strive for physical strength and happiness alone. One
should strive hard for control of the mind. One who becomes a slave to his
mind is bound to become weak, however powerful he may be. So, you should
make the mind your slave. The power of the mind is matchless. It is from
the mind that the most precious virtues originate. If wealth is lost, it
can be earned back. If health is lost, it can be restored. But, if human
values are lost, life becomes worthless. Only when we develop noble
thoughts and follow the path of truth in our daily life will human values
blossom in us and protect us under all circumstances.
July 18, 2005
Like the moon that illumines the night, the sun that illumines the day,
and Dharma that illumines the three worlds, a good son brings glory on his
entire lineage. Your foremost duty is to revere your parents. A good son
sets an example by his conduct. A good son is one who reveres and serves
his parents, who honours his preceptor, who is humble and respectful
towards elders and who earns a good name by his service to society.
Without reverence for these three, all your other achievements in life
will be worthless. The mother, the father and the preceptor represent the
Divine Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara respectively. But above all
of them is the one God who is in all beings. Develop love for God and
thereby show your reverence for all.
July 19, 2005
To achieve the attitude of surrender and dedication, you must have faith
in God. This world is His play; it is not an empty dream that has no
purpose. It is the means by which one can discover God; see Him in the
beauty, the grandeur, the order and the majesty of Nature. These are but a
few facets of His glory and splendour. Upasana (adoration of God) leads to
the knowledge that He is all.
July 20, 2005
In this Iron Age, when darkness is enveloping the mind of man, any little
lamp that can light the path is most welcome. That is why I advise you to
resort to Sathkarma, Sadaachaara and Sathpravarthana (good deeds, good
conduct and good behaviour), so that you may be established in the
constant presence of the Lord. You must also strive to practise Shravana
(listening to ennobling and elevating words), Manana (ruminating on those
teachings) and Nidhidhyaasana (putting into practise the teachings and
experience the fruits thereof).
July 21, 2005
Today is celebrated as Guru Poornima or Vyasa Poornima, the full moon day
dedicated to Sage Vyasa, who codified the Vedas and presented them to the
world on a full moon day. This is the day when people should seek to make
their minds as pure and bright as the full moon. You can see God only
through the Jnaana-chakshu (eye of wisdom). Realize God as the indweller
of your heart and accept Him as your Guru (preceptor). There is no greater
meditation than constant remembrance of God at all places and at all
times. When you practise this, you will lack nothing and will be ever
blissful.
July 22, 2005
There are two aspects to education: One involves collating facts about the
external world and sharing them with students. The other is Educare.
Educare involves gaining in-depth understanding of the knowledge that
springs from within and imparting it to students. But the modern system of
education gives the students only knowledge about the external world. It
is culture or refinement that can develop a good personality and not this
type of education. So, both education and culture are important.
July 23, 2005
Life is the chance afforded to man to recover the peace and the joy that
he had lost when he was last here. If he recovers them now, he need not
come again. But, he loses them through ignorance of their value and the
means of retaining them. If only he would remain in the consciousness of
Shivoham (the belief that "I am Shiva"), "I am immortal; I am the source
and spring of Bliss", he would be supremely contented. But, instead of
this correct evaluation of himself, this recognition of his innate
reality, man goes about weeping at his helplessness, inadequacies, poverty
and evanescence. This is the tragic fate from which man has to be rescued.
July 24, 2005
The study of the Vedas is the highest type of learning, since it leads to
the conquest of death, while all other studies deal with the means of
deriving little pleasures of the world. The Vedas show the path to the
realms of eternal bliss, where there is neither birth nor death. People
strive to know all about the world, but they seldom try to know even an
iota of their own inner realms.
July 25, 2005
"Kaarunyam paramam thapah" (Compassion towards all beings is the highest
spiritual discipline). Man is the crown of creation; he is the highest
among living beings. Therefore, he bears a great responsibility. He has to
love other living beings, serve them and save them, for they are his kith
and kin, and they too have the Divine Principle as their core. But, man is
proving himself worse than animals due to self-centeredness, conceit, envy
and anger. Though man is endowed with the virtues of compassion, charity,
sympathy, fortitude and joy, he has given up these virtues and become
inhuman in conduct and behaviour.
July 26, 2005
There are three levels of truth: Nijam (fact), Sathyam (truth) and Ritam
(absolute truth). To speak according to what one has seen is to merely
state a fact. Suppose I see you wearing a white dress and say "you are
wearing a white dress", this becomes a statement of a fact. Later, at
home, you may wear a blue dress. Then what I had said earlier will not
hold good anymore. Thus, a fact is subject to change. Truth on the other
hand does not change with time. A person may change any number of dresses.
But, the person, as such, remains the same. Thus, truth is the same at all
times. Ritam, however, relates to the Atma (self) which is changeless and
eternal, unlike the body or mind that are subject to change. It transcends
both good and evil. It is described as attributeless, pure, eternal,
permanent and unsullied.
July 27, 2005
Vice breeds disease. Bad thoughts and habits, bad company and bad food are
the main cause of ill-health. Arogya (good health) and Ananda (happiness)
go hand in hand. When the mind is happy, the body too is free of disease.
Indulging in evil habits is the chief cause of sickness, physical as well
as mental. Greed affects the mind; disappointment makes man depressed. Man
can justify his existence only by the cultivation of virtues. Only then
does he become a worthy candidate for Godhood.
July 28, 2005
There is at the basis of everything, a power that is continuously at work.
It is the Will of the Divine that maintains the balance in the universe.
You may ask that if God is controlling everything, then what is the need
for human effort? God is like the electric current. To obtain light from
it, you need a bulb and a wire. Sathya (Truth) is the current, Dharma
(Righteousness) is the wire, Shanti (Peace) is the bulb and Prema (Love)
is the light.
July 29, 2005
The philosophers of all lands and all times have sought to discover the
truth about God, the objective world and man. Maya is the Will that causes
all the three. It is a clear, flawless mirror. When Sathwa-guna (purity
and goodness) is reflected in that mirror, God results. When Rajo-guna
(passion and restlessness) is reflected, the jeeva or the individualized
Self results. It is ever anxious to grow, to grab, to survive and to be
secure. When Thamo-guna (inertness and inactivity) is reflected, matter or
the objective world is the result. All the three are basically Divine, but
appear diifferent because of the interplay of the Gunas.
July 30, 2005
Let the petty wishes for which you now approach God be realised or not;
let the plans for promotion and progress which you place before God be
fulfilled or not; they are not so important after all. The primary aim
should be to become masters of yourselves, to hold intimate and constant
communion with the Divine that is in you as well as in the universe of
which you are a part. Welcome sorrows and disappointments for they toughen
you and test your fortitude.
July 31, 2005
Man's character gets transformed into good or bad depending on his
company. Noble company bestows noble feelings and bad company gives rise
to evil traits. Your speech and conduct are based on your feelings. You
deserve to be called a human being only when you develop good feelings.
Form alone does not constitute a human being. A true human being is one
who embodies good habits, helps ever and hurts never. You should not
merely be an Aakara Manava (human in form); you should become an Aachara
Manava (human in conduct). Speak good, see good, do good and be good.
Divinity will manifest in you only when your conduct is good.