A feeling of my very own (apnapan) with God

If you do a job, you will get wages according to your abilities. But if you go home to your mother, will she give you food according to your capabilities? She will give you food whether you work or don't work. In this manner, it is not that by "bhajan" (adoration and worship) a relationship is developed with Bhagwaan, and by not doing "bhajan" there will not be a relationship. If you accept that "mine-ness" , a feeling of my very own (apnapan) with God, that He Naath! I am your child only, then God will think, that however he is, he is mine very own child only, and God will have to take care of you. Therefore, "I am yours only, and only You are mine," this is a very straight-forward path.

The one desiring service will become unhappy. But one who serves remains ever happy, ever joyful. God says that this "jeev" is a part of me alone, but it attracts the body, senses, mind, intellect, that are established in Nature (Prakriti), and assumes them to be his own (Gita 15/7)! O' what business are you getting involved in? Look where you are from, and where you are getting entangled in ! Serve the world. Give happiness to others with your body, mind, wealth, intellect, abilities, rights, etc., but do not consider them to be your own. This feeling of my very own will not last. They are ours only for serving. All the things in this world that we assume to be our own, they alone bind us, and make us dependent. It is a false notion that this entire family is mine, this wealth is mine, but as such they are not! you have accepted them as yours. You have become dependent and subordinate to them. Neither will these stay with you, nor will you stay with them. Therefore with great enthusiasm and eagerness serve them, then the world will also be happy, and God too will be happy. You too remain happy and rejoice at all times. When there is no one available to serve, then the one desiring service will become unhappy. But one who serves remains ever happy, ever joyful.

Changed of "Mine-ness" with God

Changed of "Mine-ness" with God

There was a great loving devotee of God. Day and night, he was immersed in adoration and worship of God. Someone made a long hat for him. Wearing that in a very joyful spirit, he was chanting the Lord's name. He was so deeply immersed in love of God that God Himself came and sat next to him and said – you have worn a very tall hat today! This hat belongs to me, it does not belong to any other. God said – are you being arrogant! He said, I have not begged for it, it is mine. God asked – do you know me? Yes! I know you very well.
God said can you sell this hat? The man said - do you have anything to give me in return, as you are asking to buy from me? You only have the three world, what else do you have to give? God said - So arrogant!!! The man replied, Will it be on loan or what? God said - I will tell the world, you are not a devotee, and the world will stop believing in you. He said, you may most certainly do so, and I too will tell everyone that God is nothing. Your fame has been only due to us, or else who would know about you? Eventually, God accepted His defeat!

We are to only consider God as our very own. We are to serve God, but we are not to take anything from even God. The love that is there in a mother's heart, that much love is not there in the child. Similarly there is immeasurable love in God's heart. He cannot curb his love, his affection, his fondness, and he accepts defeat! "Aur sab so gaye jeet bhagatse haaryo." What an extraordinary point this is! Similarly, become God's. Our relationship is only to serve others. We are not to accept them as our own.

Your daughter changed her sense of "I-ness"as she now accepts herself as the wife of another household. Do you not have even that much capability as your daughter? You were not upset with your daughter when she changed her "I-ness", then the world too will not be upset with you if you change your sense of I-ness to I am God's, as it is the Truth. Meerabai said - "Mere toh Giridhar Gopal, doosero na koyi." No one else is mine, besides Giridhar Gopal and I belong to no one else.

Bhagwaan se Apnapan

Bhagwaan se Apnapan

You cannot benefit as much from charity, virtuous deeds and obliging others; than you can benefit from taking refuge in the Lord. We have an unbreakable-indestructible relationship with Paramatma. This relationship can never be broken. This relationship has been forgotten by the "jeev" (embodied soul), but it is not forgotten by God. Therefore it is the responsibility of the "jeev" to walk the path towards God. However we are, from God's side He is already showering His grace on us. God is the caretaker of everyone. He is engaged in the process of punishing the sinful and purifying all.

Lord says - "Sanmukh hoi jeev mohi jabhi; Janam koti agh naasahin tab hi || " (Manas, Sunder. 44/2)

From our side we do not consider God as ours, but from God's side He considers us always as His own. He not only accepts us, he also knows it. A child calls his mother his own, but occasionally when she does not listen to him, he becomes stubborn and says- I will not be your child. Maa laughs and says - I know you are mine. The child thinks that the mother needs him, and the mother is gratified by him, therefore he says - I will not be your child, I will not come in your lap. But by not being a child, who will be at a loss? What loss will the mother face? The mother has been living without the child for years, but the child's sustenance will be difficult without the mother. The child is on the other hand doing the mother a favor. Similarly we too can do God a favor.

The embodied soul "Jeev" has distanced himself from God, therefore the responsibility lies on the "jeev" (being) now to turn towards God. The moment he turns towards God, his raft will cross the ocean easily. Therefore let us take refuge of the Lord's Lotus Feet, and change our sense of "I-ness" - "I am God's" Just like sisters and mothers change their sense of I-ness, that I am no longer of this house, I belong to where my hand has been given in marriage.

From "Saadhan, Sudha,Sindhu " in by SwamiRamsukhdasji

What Is God’s Work?

What Is God’s Work?

Once a proud but benevolent king sent for his prime minister and said, “All of us have some definite work or assignment to perform. A king rules, a soldier fights, a trader trades, a teacher teaches and a preacher preaches, though as individuals they do other things also. Then what is the primary function of the Creator? Can you answer my question?”
The minister was puzzled. No one knew, and no book ever explained what God’s work was. After some thought, he said, “I, too, have often wondered about this like you. But my duty here is to advise and assist you on worldly affairs. This involves spiritual matters and the right person to answer you is our bishop.”
When the king repeated his question to the bishop, the bishop asked for a week’s time to reply. At the end of the week, the bishop was sitting under a tree on the outskirts of the town, thinking whether to face the king’s wrath the next morning, or to run away from the kingdom.
A shepherd boy who was passing by enquired about the cause for his worry. The bishop brushed him aside, saying he was deeply worried about a spiritual matter. The boy was quite insistent, and so the bishop related his trouble, without any hope of solution or solace from the boy.
“My dear master,” said the boy, “is that all that worries you so much? Please go in peace to the king. Tell him that the shepherd boy knows the answer.”
The surprised bishop begged the boy to give him the answer, but the boy preferred to meet the king in person. So the bishop went home, and the next morning he was at the court when the king eagerly asked for a reply.
“My dear king!” said the bishop, “i need not have taken so much time or trouble to give you a reply. However, i would request you to call for my shepherd boy who will give you a satisfactory answer.”
The surprised king immediately sent for the boy, who promptly presented himself before the king. His appearance was repulsive to everyone, but the court awaited his words with interest.
“You, shepherd boy,” said the king, “do you know the answer to my question which even learned scholars are not aware of ?”
The boy paused for a while and said, “My dear sir, before i answer your query, may i request that proper protocol is observed. You are a student, as far as this question is concerned, since you want to learn. I am a master as i am to give you the knowledge. Normally the master occupies a higher seat than the student.” After some hesitation the king slowly came down from his throne and let the boy sit on it. So eager was he to know the answer!
But the boy, after ascending the throne, was calmly enjoying the new-found dignity and did not speak for a while. Impatient, the king shouted at the boy, “You fellow! Where is my answer? What is God’s work?” The boy calmly replied, “Here’s the answer, to push down the haughty and to push up the humble – that is God’s work!”
This is one of the 1,50,000 stories found in the ancient puranas, which have relevance even in modern times

Such a compassionate and merciful God, will he not take care of us?

If we want spiritual progress then we must have faith that God has come to our aid,  He is helping us, and will definitely continue to do so.   At present also He is supporting us and in the future too wherever there is a need, there He will most certainly and without doubt come to our aid.  This is because naturally He is eternally compassionate.  Just as He protects His devotees,  in the very same manner he protects and nourishes all other beings as well.  Those men who live their lives not in accordance to God,  them too He gives food, water, air etc.  Those evil men who live completely opposite to the Lord's principles, who entirely oppose the scriptures,  they criticize God, them too God provides the necessities for living.   God provides the necessities for living even to snakes, lions, and all insects and little creatures as well.   Such a compassionate and merciful God,  will he not take care of us?   

Ayamuttamoyamadhamo jaatyaa roopena sampadaa vayasaa |

Shlaadhyoshlaadhyo veth na vetti bhagavaannugrahaavasare ||

Antahsvabhaavoktaa tatontraatma mahaamedh |

Khadirashvaampak iva vaa pravarsham kim vichaarayati  ||  (Prabodhsudhaakar 252/253)

"While gracing someone God does not think whether the person is superior or inferior in terms of a particular race, form, wealthy, age? Whether he is praise- worthy or contemptible? This indweller within, in His vastness (like a huge cloud) understands our inner sentiments.  Does a cloud while pouring the rains, think whether this is an acacia catechu plant or a sweet fragrant flowering plant (champa)?"

Therefore we must have faith in God that whatever may be our needs, God will provide.   Now through Gita, Ramayan and other scriptures, through satsang (spiritual associations) whatever points we are getting, those too we are receiving only due to His grace. 

In essence that foremost grace is of the Lord only,  but it appears to be coming from various other mediums,  just as it appears that we are getting water from a tap.  But on deeper thinking, the water comes into the tap from a pipe,  and it comes from a tank into the pipe, and it comes from a river or a well into the tank,  and from the rains the  rivers get their water,  and the water in the ocean is born of fire (evaporation), and fire comes from air, and air is born of space and space is the energy, the power that manifests from God.  The point is that the essence of everything is God.  By which this entire creation has manifested.   

Whatever we are receiving, it is all coming from God alone.  He is not seeing towards our capabilities before giving,  rather without any cause or motive in a disinterested spirit with His grace He is giving us.  Just as mother while providing for her child does not see towards his capabilities,  strength, intellect, knowledge,  qualities, etc,  rather being a mother she takes care of him.  Similarly God is the mother and father of everyone.  It is not that He will grace us due to some cause.  He naturally is out of sentiments of good-heartedness and friendship,  graces us and provides for us.  Every person should have faith in such a God's grace.   The more that one has trust in God,  that much His grace will be fructified, it will be experienced,  by which you will attain peace,  you will be free of worries and free of fear. 

    

From "Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti" in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji

Positive thinking guards the body against disease

Positive thinking guards the body against disease

 Spirituality and optimistic thinking have a definite bearing on our health and on our body’s healing faculties. Being positive strengthens the immune system, changes our metabolic and endocrinal system and fights diseases. Prevention is better than cure no one can dispute that and spirituality and positive thinking guards the body against disease. What is Spirituality? Spirituality is a firm belief in God and in qualities such as positive thinking, love and compassion. A spiritual person can detach himself from the environment and focus on God or the Universal Consciousness. Spirituality can be defined as an inner path that enables a person to discover the essence of their being, or the deepest values and meanings by which people live. Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayers and contemplation, are intended to develop an individual’s inner life. When this is developed, people appear to have better physical, mental and social health. A spiritual person has lower anxiety levels or psychological problems too. He is also more optimistic, hopeful, happy and social. A believer in God and spirituality always thinks positively. Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita that whatever happens is for the best and one should accept that what happened and will happen too is for the best. Such thinking is suffused with positive energy, so important for self-healing. Good health doesn’t mean just absence of disease, but also implies complete physical, mental and social well-being. From negative to positive Positive thinking is an attitude that anticipates success and favourable outcomes in all situations. The thought process begins in your brain and the brain starts changing negative thoughts to positive. Research has also proven that spiritual thoughts and positive thinking helps people fight chronic diseases. Lord Krishna in the Gita focuses on actions without desire of results. Positive thinking people say that so long as they do their job well and with 100% commitment, the result will automatically be good. Such an attitude saves one from depression and stress, which, in turn, causes a host of problems for the body.

The Lord sees the intentions and motivations of a person

Many people say that  -  "When you repeat the Divine Name of the Lord then is your mind  remaining engaged or not? They say - if the mind is not engaged then you have no gains in this.  The people who say such things are naïve.    They are making a mistake.  They do not really know;  because they have never quite recited the Name of the Lord and seen for themselves.   Has such a thing ever been possible that first the mind should be engaged and then we will do "japa"  (divine name repetition)?   Or will it ever be possible?   Is there such likelihood?  It is not possible that first the mind will be engaged and then we will do "Ram Ram" i.e. repeat the divine name of the Lord.   The mind will become engaged while repeating the Lord's name,  by His grace. "Hari se laagaa raho bhai,  teri bigadi baat ban jaayi Ramjise laagaa raho bhai."  Therefore one must take refuge of the Divine Name.  Initially start with "Ram Ram"  with the mouth and tongue, and do not be concerned about the mind.   "Do not be concerned"  - this does not means that don't engage the mind.  It means that whether our mind gets engaged or not,  do not be fearful that our Japa is not taking place.   It is not so!  Japa is definitely happening,  simply keep continuing.   We have heard - 

 

"Mala to karamein phire,  jeebh phire mukh maahim | 

Manavaan to chahun disi phire,  yeh to sumiran naahin ||

 

Where is it written that worship and devotion of the Lord will not happen?   It is written "sumiran naahi".  If the mind continues to dwell in worldly matters, then how can "sumiran" prayer of the Lord be taking ?   Yes!   Prayer and remembrance of the Lord takes place through the mind,  but where does it say that "this is not japa"?    Japa has taken place.   If repetition of the Lord's name is taking place merely by the tongue and mouth, then "japa"  has taken place. 

 

A saint was saying that establish a relationship with Paramatma in whatever and whichever way.  Whether it be through knowledge or through the mind-intellect. Then what to speak of that!!!  And if not, then simply by the mouth and tongue – simply by calling out the Lord's name "Ram"  establish a relationship, then all will be alright.   "anicchayaa hi sansprushtho dahatyeva hi paavakah"  -  If you touch the fire even without the mind realizing, then too it will inevitably burn, similarly,  any which way, you must take the name of the Lord- 

Bhai kubhaaya anakh aalasahun | 

Naam japat mangal disi dasahun ||  (Manas,  Bala.   28/1) 

 

One must not take the wrong meaning of this that we can take the name of the Lord with even bad sentiments and we do not even need to engage the mind in the Lord.  Make the effort to absorb the mind in the Lord,  remain careful and alert,  connect the mind with the Lord,  think of the Lord,  but if it does not happen, then do not fear at all.   What I am trying to say is that do not think that if the mind was unable to engage in the Lord then our Japa has been useless and a waste.  If the mind does not engage right now,  do not be concerned;  because when your intent and direction is to engage the mind, then surely it will be engaged. 

One thing is that we do not engage the mind and another is that the mind does not get engaged.    There is a big difference between these two states.   In outwardly appearance it seems to be the same, because in both these states the mind is not engaged.   While the situation is the same; but though being the same, there is a big difference.  He who does not even try to engage the mind,  his intent and aim is also not to engage the mind.   He has no thoughts of engaging the mind.   The other person wants to engage the mind in the Lord,  but the mind does not do so.  The Lord sees to the inner feelings of everyone's heart –

 

Rahati na prabhu chit chuk kiye ki

Karata surati saya baar hiyeki ||  (Manas,  Bala.  29/5) 

 

Lord sees what is in his heart, that he wants to engage the mind but the mind is not engaging.   Then O'  King!  there will be great merit to this.  There will be much affect and influence on the Lord.  The Lord sees the intentions and motivations of a person.  We must make an effort to engage the mind, but if it does not happen then do not be afraid, and continue to take the Divine Name of the Lord.  

Ram !  Ram !! Ram  !!! 

From "Manas mein Naam Vandana" in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji