Satsang Deserve it and you will have it

Deserve it and you will have it

By Dr. G.R. Vijayakumar

So long as your physical activities are not truly dedicated, the outer upasana, or devotion is only a mere show and self-deception. Dedicated upasana means that all your habits of food, drink, sleep and exercise must be absolutely in accordance with the laws of Nature. We break the laws of Nature, if we are slave to sense enjoyments and bad tastes, the punishment of which is sorrow and suffering. How can you concentrate on Upasana or devotion, when you are experiencing trouble and affliction? The man whose bent of mind is according to the Laws of Nature, whose desires are', as if those....of God Himself and whose habits are natural, is in fact enjoying oneness with God and is in practice singing Sivoham (I am Siva) . How can he have any sorrow or suffering? In Mundaka Upanishad (II.4} it has been mentioned that "a man of weak strength cannot attain Atma.." His strength menas physical, mental and spiritual. It is also called "Adhyavasaya" and, in the terminology of Gita it is called "Prajna, Pratisthita".

Spiritual disciplines are many and varied. In the case of subtle disciplines, however, much depends on the capacity of a seeker to understand guidance that comes by indirect methods rather than by explicit, verbal instructions from the guiding Master. One who can grasp Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji's quick, spontaneous reactions to his innermost thoughts and who can give the obedience demanded of him, immediately recognizes the Guru in him. Swamiji brings about a complete inner transformation in such a seeker. He patiently and ceaselessly leads those who place complete reliance on him forward from the narrow individual self to the realisation of the all-pervading Universal Self which is their true being. Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji is thus a Guru whose real mission is to help the seeker turn his mind within and find inner peace and joy through which he can attain Self-realisation.

One fine morning in 1978 or so, I went to meet Swamiji at the Sai Mandir. He was deeply engrossed in reading a letter from a devotee from Madhya Pradesh. The letter indicated that the devotee was in real distress and had sought Swamiji's blessings.

He had written to him:"......I have been reciting 'Vishnu Sahasra Namam' as advised by you. But why do I face problems after problems. Is there no end for this? ......" Swamiji gave me the letter and said: "If a devotee is interested in having the Guru remove whatever obstacles or difficulties come in his path, then he is behaving like a business man. As for as worldly advantages are concerned, they are purely transitory; wealth comes and goes, success comes and goes; it wise to use the precious wealth of Vishnu Sahasra Namam to acquire these petty advantages?"

Exactly at that time, an old lady came and prostrated to Swamiji. She was full of tears and was apologetic to Swamiji. On enquiry, she told me that about a week before, her only son was missing and she had come and told, Swamiji! “As to what is use in the recitation of Vishnu Sahasra Namam and she is full of problems.” Unperturbed, Swamiji had directed her to go back home and most unexpectedly, her son had returned home. She had now come to Swamiji to convey her gratitude for the turn of events.

As the lady left the place, Swamiji told us that one should not pray to the Lord for the removal of small, insignificant difficulties. After all, pleasure and pain are purely transitory. Pain is followed by pleasure and pleasure by pain. Pain did not exist before it came and it will not exist after a while. Similarly pleasure did not exist before it came and will not exist after a while. So why pray to the Lord for things which are only short-lived? It is as stupid as approaching the brim surgeon to help you pull a thorn from your foot when it can be removed with the help of a needle by yourself.

(to be contd…..)

(Source Shri Sai Padananda October 1992)