Embodiments
of Love!
People
worship God with devotion and sincerity, but God is not-satisfied with external
worship.
You should serve society. Only service can confer bliss on you. By rendering
service to society, not only can you alleviate the sufferings of the people, but
you can also bring about transformation in their lives. Yad Bhavam Tad
Bhavati (as is the feeling, so is the result). If you serve with sacred
feelings, it is bound to yield sacred results. Serve society to your utmost
capacity. You are doing bhajans in the morning
and
evening. The satisfaction that you get by participating in bhajans is
temporary, whereas service confers permanent satisfaction. A few minutes ago,
the students sang Bhaja Govindam, in which it is said, Ma Kuru
Dhanajana Yauvana Garvam,Harathi Nimeshath Kalah Sarvam (do not be proud of
your wealth, progeny and youth; the tide of time may destroy them in a moment).
Youth
and wealth are like passing clouds. Do not entertain excessive desires. Do your
duty sincerely. Whatever happens, be it good or bad, accept it as the gift of
God. Understand that it is good for you. Time is the most precious gift of God,
but you are wasting it in vain pursuits and unsacred feelings. Sanctify the
time given to you by serving society. Through service alone can one get rid of
worries, ego, pomp and show and other evil qualities. The Vedas say, Chittasya
Shuddhaye Karmah (the objective of actions is to purify the mind). Service alone
is to purify the mind. Today people waste a lot of time, wealth and energy in
performing activities which do not foster purity of the mind. That is why they
are unable to experience peace of mind. The peace that one gets out of worldly
activities comes and goes like a passing cloud. One should aspire for the true
and eternal peace, which originates from the heart.
Though
the Pandavas were subjected to many hardships, Dharmaraja always remained
peaceful. When Droupadi was being humiliated by the Kauravas, Bhima became
furious and tried to attack Dussasana with his mace. It was Dharmaraja who pacified
Bhima saying, those who adhere to dharma will ultimately emerge victorious. Not
all can attain the level of peace that Dharmaraja attained. It is possible only
for a few. Where there is peace, there you find Divine power, grace and fame.
The Kauravas were many in number, whereas the Pandavas were only five. But the
fame of the Pandavas remained permanent in society. Dharmaraja was liked by one
and all.
Speak Sweetly And Softly
Today
unrest and violence have gripped the world as Sathya and dharma have declined
in the hearts of people. All that you find outside is nothing but the
reflection, reaction and resound of your inner feelings. Human life is highly
sacred, most precious and divine. Do not fritter away this life by indulging in
unsacred activities. It has to be lived in the proper way by exercising control
over the ten indriyas (senses).
Speak
sweetly and softly. You cannot always oblige, but you can speak always
obligingly. Pray for the wellbeing of all. Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu (May
the
whole
world be happy!). Sanctify your senses by serving all. If you exercise control
over your senses, you can achieve anything in life. If God is not pleased with
you, you will be looked down upon by everyone in the world. You may think that
you have given away
ten
bags of rice in charity and distributed clothes to five hundred people. Such
accounts are to be submitted to the Income Tax Department and not to God. God
is not interested in quantity, He sees the feeling behind your acts. So,
whatever may be the act of charity you undertake, do it with the spirit of love
and sacrifice.
What Is Your Dharma?
What
is the teaching of the Bhagavadgita? Some people say that the path of
action is the main teaching of the Bhagavadgita. Some others point to
the path of wisdom as the main teaching of the Bhagavadgita .But none of
these are correct. What is the first sloka in the Gita?
Dharmakshetre
Kurukshetre Samaveta Yuyutsava, Mamaka Pandavaschiva Kimakurvata Sanjaya?
And
the last sloka reads as follows: Yatra Yogeshwara Krishno, Yatra Partho Dhanurdhara,
Tatra Srivijayo Bhutir Dhruva Neetirmathirmama.
When
you join the last word of the last verse and the first word of the first
verse, it becomes Mama dharma, meaning ‘my dharma’. This is what
the Gita teaches. What is your dharma? Your dharma is to lead the life
of a human being. Remain yourself that you are a human being, not an animal.
Having been born as a human being, you should cultivate human values. Do not
behave like an animal. Adhere to truth and righteousness.
The
entire creation is based on truth. Where there is truth, there you find plenty
and prosperity. Human life is not meant to enjoy physical comforts and worldly
pleasures, which are momentary. It is meant to set an ideal to the rest of the
world. Having lived all these years, what is the ideal that you have set? What
is it that you have achieved? Put a question to yourself. The answer is a big
zero. You might have done a few good deeds in life, but they pale in comparison
to the number of bad deeds you might have performed. That is not the quality of
a human being. Cultivate good thoughts, speak good words and perform good
deeds. That is true humanness. The names of ancient sages and seers are
remembered even today because of the good deeds they performed. Do unto others
what you would like others to do unto you.
Do
not indiscriminately follow the mind, for the mind is like a mad monkey. Follow
the conscience, i.e., the principle of the atma. Love is the undercurrent
of all this. So, lead a life suffused with love.
Students
might have heard the story of Abou Ben Adhem who always offered sarva bhuta
daya pushpam (compassion on all beings) to the Lord. Everyday he used to go
round the streets to serve the destitute and the handicapped and return home
late in the night. One night when he returned home, he found in his bedroom an
angel writing something. When he asked her as to what she was writing, she
replied that she was making a list of those who loved God. She replied in the
negative when he asked her if his name was there in that list. The following
night, when he returned home, he again found the angel writing something. He
queried, “Mother, what is it that you are writing now?” She said, “Son, I am
writing the names of those who are dear to God.” He again wanted to know if his
name figured in the list. She replied that his name was on the top of this
list. The sum and substance of this story is that God is pleased when you serve
your fellow-human-beings. The scriptures have prescribed nine paths of
devotion, namely, sravanam (listening to the Lord’s stories), kirthanam
(singing His glories), vishnusmaranam (remembrance of the Lord’s
name), pada sevanam (service to the Lord’s Lotus Feet), archanam (worship),vandanam
(salutation), dasyam (servitude),
sneham
(friendship), atmanivedanam
(offering oneself to the Lord) i.e., complete self-surrender. But the path of
service is the greatest of all. Neither by penance nor by pilgrimages Nor by
going through the sacred texts Can one cross the ocean of worldly life; One can
redeem one’s life only through service. (Sanskrit Verse).
Abou
Ben Adhem became the recipient of God’s love because he spent all his time in
the service of his fellowmen. God loves all, for He is the embodiment of love.
But He will give Himself to those who show compassion to all beings.
-From
Swami’s Krishna Janmashtami Discourse, 22-08-2000, Prasanthi Nilayam
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