Rishi Prasad - Sant Asharam Bapu
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| The Secret of Progress |
| (From Pujya Asharam Bapuji's highly propitious discourses) |
How can one attain God-realization in the battle field of the world? The answer to this question is provided by Srimad Bhagwad Gita. And the question, 'How to improve one's lot in the other world after death' is answered by Srimad Bhagwata.
A sadhaka should analyse his daily routine. One should not plan for a month or a year. One should plan each day and resolve, 'Come what may, I will not be heedless; I will be wakeful. Whatever I do or eat or give or take, I will do with full regard to its likely consequences. I will be watchful whether my actions or endeavours are helpful in God-realization or they take me away from Him.' Conducting oneself thoughtfully in this manner helps one in God-realization.
If one learns the art of making good use of one's thoughts and one's intellect, one can live in the world in peace, bliss and love. He can get joy many times of what can be had in heaven. He can experience Moksha while living and also after death.
The very aim of 16th chapter of the Gita is to endow one with Knowledge of the True Self and thereby to help one attain Moksha. The 16th chapter of the Gita tells us to acquire the wealth of divine virtues so as to save ourselves from demonic tendencies, to break free from worldly bondage and to easily attain Moksha. Fearlessness, silence, austerities and restraint in the matter of food are some of the divine virtues.
There are four principles of progress in life.The first is fearlessness. Man is plagued by many fears like, 'If I don't spend this much money on the marriage ceremony of my son or daughter, people will deplore me. If I don't have furniture, people will look down upon me. So I must buy furniture even if by taking loan...' Don't do anything out of fear or to please somebody. Please only your True Self. Don't care as to what people will say if you don't wear make-up to look beautiful. There should be fearlessness in life. A drunkard friend says, 'Come on, let us have a drink.' If you don't drink, the friend gets displeased. And if you drink, it is harmful to you. What should you do? Be firm on your resolve not to drink even if it means displeasing friends. Don't be scared of those who drag you into evil deeds, evil company and evil tendencies but be scared of displeasure of your parents, Guru, the Shastras and God. Such fear is conducive to the purity of the heart because it saves one from evil deeds, evil company and evil tendencies.
'Fear of God, of the Guru, of the society is good. Rajjab says one who has such fear gets delivered; the negligent one suffers misfortune.'
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Fearlessness in life is a must for everyone. Fearlessness is required to save oneself from ostentations. Don't worry if you are not able to offer varieties of delicacies and fried foods to guests. It does not matter. Instead, offer them with love and respect and with a pure heart whatever you can afford even if it is only a glass of water. It will elevate them.
Don't care for what the people might think or speak of you. You breathe through your own nose, not through that of others. You spend your own life, not of others. We are all bound by the craving for approval of others, so much so that we choose an apparently harmful course and ruin ourselves and others by drinking and attending parties. Therefore the Gita says, 'Be fearless and pure in heart...' Don't be fearful and cowardly; don't be rajasic or tamasic in temperament.
Sometimes, I go for a walk in the fields. There are houses nearby. Sometimes the dogs start barking at me. When I stop and stare at them they become meek and keep their tails between their legs. But I have a fun-loving nature and so sometimes, I start running away. Not only the dogs but their puppies too chase me.
Sorrows and troubles harass cowards but meekly submit to the fearless. So if you want sorrows and troubles, be afraid of them; and if you want to overpower them, be fearless.
You may submit yourself to God, the Guru, parents, and scriptures in order to get restrained by them but fearlessly resist those who drive you to bad company and to consequent degradation. Steer clear of such people and fearlessly hold on to good traits.
Second principle is to have such food and mode of living and thoughts that keep your mind pure. It is said, 'The subtle part of food forms the mind.' A sadhaka should be careful in selection of his foods. Food is not only what we eat; it also refers to what we take in through all our senses, (the eyes, the ears, the nose, the skin). All that is gathered through all the senses should be pure.
The third thing is tapasya or austerity. A degree of self-denial and discipline is necessary in life. Even if you find the water very cool in the morning (in the winter), do finish your bath before sunrise. And you will yourself see how cheerful and fresh you feel! Meditate for some time. This is a kind of tapasya. Spending time, energy and money for satsang and virtuous deeds, too, is tapasya.
The fourth principle is Mauna (silence). Observe a vow of silence at least for two hour or four in a day. This will increase your inner strength and make your utterances impressive. Those who indulge in gossips and wander like moths do not get peace of mind. They do not have virtues like forgiveness, power of thinking and power of judgement. They dissipate their energy. Women are particularly prone to be talkative. They create discords and quarrels between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, between neighbours and others through futile gossips. Even if they do not pick quarrel they indulge in futile talks. They don't even know how much they lose in terms of life-force and power of speaking.
Therefore, sadhakas should observe mauna as much as possible. Mauna is immensely beneficial. Mauna for a week or so, observed even once, gives inner joy. In addition to development of thought power and power of judgement, it will cultivate virtues like fortitude, forgiveness and serenity.
There is a saying in Gujarati, 'Keeping mauna gives nine benefits.' Talkative persons tend to tell lies, pick quarrels and fritter away their life. When you talk with somebody, be concise, pithy and affectionate in expression. You will thus influence the people and your speech will become impressive.
When a Brahmajnani saint casts a smiling glance, the whole gathering is magnetized. Not to talk of humans, gods and goddesses too are at their beck and call. As we do not know their greatness we waste our lives in useless conversation and mirth. We are blissfully ignorant of the wealth hidden within us and of how we are squandering it.
The smile of Self-Realized saints works wonders. Anyone coming near them is filled with a feeling of reverence and wonder. Lord Krishna would cast a smiling glance and then play on His flute and the minds of cowherd boys and girls would instantly become pure. Similarly the smiling glance of Self-Realized saints makes people's hearts pure.
'Those who come near Self-Realized saints feel accomplished of their goal by their gracious glances.'
You too should make your glance like them. You shouldn't wander aimlessly, talk excessively and pointlessly to damage your neurones, blood vessels and harass your mind.
If one cultivates the four virtues of fearlessness, purity, austerity and Mauna, one's life will get substantially elevated and you can do it. If Arjuna could do it on the battlefield, why can't you do it? Arjuna was facing a host of adversities; yet Lord Krishna imparted the message of the Gita to him. You are not facing a situation of that kind. Just make up your mind to assimilate the divine virtues of fearlessness, self-restraint, austerity and Mauna in your life.
'What can I do? I am a householder... I am a worldly person... I am a servant...' People in ancient times had more problems than what you have now. Yet men of courage and wisdom spared time to do sadhana in order to overcome passions and ignorance and attained to the Supreme Self.
Prahlada had to face so many obstacles in his life. Mirabai had to face so many troubles. Yet she was firm and fearless. She did not get disappointed or frustrated. And she scaled great spiritual heights.
You too can elevate yourself. You too can attain Self-Knowledge. The only thing required is to cultivate these divine virtues. Avail yourself of satsang and make self-effort. Satsang will give you inspiration, encouragement, guidance and zeal to cultivate the divine virtues of fearlessness, self-restraint, austerity and Mauna. These virtues will effortlessly unlock the treasure of elevation for you. Therefore, firmly resolve and engage yourself in the task right away. Won't you?
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