Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan- March.31.

Reform Yourself, the World Improves to that Extent

We consider ourselves to be the sole doer of everything, and grieve if eventually we come by misery. What is the ground for boasting 'I have done it' when I cannot be sure of the result beforehand? Even to say that 'I dedicate every action to God' nurtures pride. There are many persons of God-fearing conduct, but they too, are not free from the pride of doership. Really speaking, we cannot become spiritual merely by doing even noble deeds; to realize that one is not the true doer is the key to success in spiritualism. A man lands himself into pleasure and pain by vainly assuming doership. We should rise above both of these by ascribing doership to God, to whom it belongs in reality.
It is quite often presumed that a prisoner who feels happy in the confines of his cell must be really happy. Are we not like that prisoner if we think there is nothing beyond the body, and seek pleasure in sense-objects? But just as the prisoner will no longer feel pleasure in his cell once he breathes the free air outside, one who has tasted the supreme bliss that is God, will attach no value to sense-pleasures.! Perhaps today we cannot purge the mind of sense-pleasures, but it does not mean that we cannot turn it to God at all. We should coax the mind just as we pat a shy horse. We should tactfully bridle the mind when it tries to deviate from the correct path. Nama-smarana, to which we are today disinclined, should be forced on the mind, and thereby the mind should be weaned from the sense-pleasures which it cherishes today.
We manage to surmount difficulties in worldly life; why, then, should we be afraid of impediments we come across in spiritual life? If discerning thought cannot make us happy in the present circumstances, we can never hope to be happy.
Can one succeed in the spiritual quest merely by retiring to mountains and caves? Were it so, even monkeys could have achieved it. The lower animals are unable to restrain their passions; but man can discriminate between good and bad; this is a special gift of God to mankind.
Do not bother to reform the world; that is a task for great souls. Reform yourself, and the world is reformed to that extent.
* * * * *

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-31

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-march31

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.30

God Resides where Harmony Reigns

Of the four 'orders' or stages of human life (ashramas), that of the householder or family man is the best. The institution of marriage aims at the preservation of social and personal morals and religious practices. God resides in the home where peace and harmony reign. A man is judged by his deeds, just as confectionery can be judged by its pleasant smell. Always behave so as not to harm anybody or his interest. Never be downhearted; courage will lead to success sooner or later. Exert yourself, try to make up the deficiencies in your family life. If illness comes, do not be frightened; spare no effort in arranging for proper treatment, but never yield to anxiety.
See that you keep your kith and kin happy and contented, but do not play into anybody's hands. Bear in your heart love for all. Do not let anything make your mind dispirited. Contentment in the home decreases as individual selfishness grows. All in the family will be happy if everyone is considerate to others.
Husband and wife should love each other and live happily, contentedly, in the contemplation of Rama. Give no cause for worry or pain to each other. If anybody in the family errs or goes astray, punishment is necessary, but it should not be of a kind and degree that would debar repentance and correction; rather, everybody should treat the errant person in such a way that he would feel induced to improve himself.
Keep your conduct pure and above reproach; be faithful to your wife. Seek not another woman, even if doing so costs you your life. Do not fall into vice of any kind; always avoid low or undesirable company. Do nothing unworthy. A weak point or deficiency of the family should not be divulged to outsiders. Do not impair your prestige. Do not betray others, nor rejoice in their suffering, nor be overmuch worried over your own. Never mention an obligation you may have done to another person.
Take proper care of your children. Never be depressed in family life. Give your love to all. Selflessness is the source of true happiness. Children should obey the parents, keep good company, attend to their studies, and keep in nama-smarana. There is no truth higher or purer than nama; it will definitely lead you to realization of Rama.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-30

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March30

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.29

Look on Worldly Life as a Mere Spectator

To recognize the reality is spiritualism; worldly life takes the unreal as real. What we perceive may not necessarily be real; and yet it may not be entirely unreal, non-existent. The Ultimate Reality has all the qualities that we attribute to it, and some more; in this sense, it can be called nirguna. Also, whatever attributes we apply to it are a matter of imagination, and it is therefore beyond all attributes; in this sense, too, it is nirguna. The structure of the universe is on the same pattern as the human body. Both possess the 'five sheaths', the pancha koshas, with the only difference that in the body they are in manifest form while, in the universe, they are latent.
Brahman, the Ultimate Reality, being single, felt bored with its solitariness, and so assumed the myriad forms which constitute the universe. Man inherited this trait from his creator, this liking for creating diversity. However, God remained aloof from his creation, and so stands as a spectator, and is untouched by pleasure and pain, whereas man got himself involved and entangled, and therefore suffers pain. One who can manage to keep aloof, mentally detached, will never suffer pain or sorrow. The spiritual quest is an attempt to disentangle oneself from all this mess. If one wishes that worldly activities should not give rise to sorrow, one should learn to live as a mere objective spectator.
We multiply our worldly activities with the aim of deriving pleasure, but as the joy arising out of anything is dependent on that object, it vanishes with the removal of that object. We should strive to find lasting joy.
To be alive is to have the vital force within oneself. This vital force being part and parcel of the Ultimate Reality, is constituted of existence, knowledge, and bliss. Therefore, so long as we live, bliss must be our natural characteristic. This pure bliss we should enjoy. This bliss is positive, while the pseudo-bliss that deep sleep brings is negative in nature.
The firm belief that the divine will is at the root of everything, that God is the real doer, gives the only real contentment. Real happiness lies in action itself rather than in the fruit or expectation thereof. The action of nama–smarana will easily and naturally lead to lasting happiness. One who genuinely feels that he knows nothing but nama, truly knows everything.
* * * * *

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-29

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 29

sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.28

Remembrance of God, and Sense of Duty

While talking, everybody employs the terms 'I' and 'mine'. Evidently, he has some duties in respect of both these. 'Mine' has a reference to the body and the things and persons related to it. The duty of the 'I' part is to realize God. The duties of the body comprise conduct with the persons with whom one comes in contact, with due regard to the requirements of religion, the shastras, and morality, according to the relation of the individual. 'Duty' means what it is proper to do, without expectation of any kind of return.
A man must pay equal regard to his duties in respect of both 'I' and 'mine'. It will not do to say, "I will fulfil my duty towards 'I' without regard to the duty towards 'mine'''. Suppose a man is in service. Evidently, he does not do it because the employer would not have found another person to do the job, but because this man wants the wherewithal to provide for himself and his family. Now suppose this man does not utilize his salary for their maintenance; of what use is his service so far as they are concerned? In other words; he is not doing his duty to them. Similarly, if a man devotes himself entirely to his inner self, neglecting his body and dependents, he is failing in that part of his duty. Therefore everyone should keep constant awareness of God and of his worldly duty, too. On the occasion of the birthday, one should introspect to find out what mistakes in this respect have occurred in the past and, avoiding them, steadily improve oneself. The enjoyment of a delectable dinner is heightened by the enchanting aroma of incense; we should similarly be sweet inside and outside; gentle in behaviour and speech, and filled within with the sweet divine name.
Just as a maestro moves apparently freely in a scale of notes, but is inwardly ever aware of the time measure, we should keep our attention riveted on God while attending to worldly matters. As it is God Himself who keeps the time measure, He never errs; and so, one who lives in unbroken remembrance of God will ever be right. The sun only sends his light, but this destroys darkness; similarly, nama creates love of God which, as its side effect, removes the devotee's defects.

* * * * *

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-28

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 28

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.27

Pleasure and Pain Arise from Desire

"In this world we often find the unrighteous happy and prospering, while the righteous frequently meet with failure and sorrow. Why then should I, too, not adopt unrighteous conduct?" This is a question that often besets a common, 'God-fearing' person. If we investigate this matter deeper, we find that the common man is not a true seeker of God at all; he is 'God-fearing' because he has a lurking fear of punishment by God, or of social disapproval, if he deviated from accepted standards. He hopes to keep God' pleased' so that He may not allow snags to arise in his worldly life, or to straighten out those that exist. This is asking the Lord of the Universe to pay attention to the apparent difficulties of an insignificant individual; isn't it as ridiculous as calling in a professional brick-layer to build a doll's house? In worldly life it is our own duty to exercise proper care and caution; if we fail to do so and suffer as a consequence, how can we expect God to step in and set things right?
We pray to God for trifling mundane favours. Even if He were to indulge us, we must be prepared to accept both sides of the coin, including the attendant ill effects or sorrow. Imagine that a 'pious' thief regularly prays to God before embarking on his mission of thieving. He may occasionally succeed; but if he happens to be caught and convicted, shouldn't he accept the punishment, too, as His dispensation or pleasure?
Unless and until we realize what we are in reality, we shall not get peace and contentment, not even if we are at the peak of success and prosperity. We should get to know our real self and the Creator of this universe, for true peace and contentment.
Any conclusion based on an unsubstantial hypothesis, such as the permanence of the body, must also be unsubstantial. To look for happiness in this worldly life is as foolish as hoping to get white paste by rubbing and grinding coal. Our sense of pleasure and pain depends on our mental outlook. In worldly life we get no more and no less than what we are destined to; therefore, both pleasure and pain will vanish if we cease to desire anything different from what it is–that is, merge our desire with that of God.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-27

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 27

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.26

Sensuous Pleasures are neither Real nor Lasting

Howsoever great a man may be in this world, there is always something wanting in his life. We may occasionally come across a person who asserts that his life lacks nothing, but even so he has the anxious desire that the status quo should be undisturbed; which means that he is not really happy. There may also be a person engrossed in sensuous pleasures or pursuits who appears to be carefree. A drunken person may not care whether he is naked or clothed, may even defy or challenge the king, but only so long as he is under intoxication.
Sensuous pleasures depend on transient sensuous objects that may leave us some day; or our senses may become weak; or we may die. And who will enjoy such pleasures if he is conscious of death, which is bound to claim him some day?
That abundance of 'pleasurable' things makes for abundant pleasure is an obvious misconception. Real happiness is that which is everlasting. It can only be found with God, who is Himself eternal. Sensuous pleasure is available to beast as well as to man. What, then, distinguishes man from beast? It is the faculty which enables man to think on the fundamentals of life, such as what he really is, and what the purpose of his life is. In everyday, worldly matters we think of gains and losses; but they pertain to a world which is itself impermanent; how can such thinking lead us to the truth?
We do not try and learn to be contented in the situation in which God has placed us, and crave for 'better' circumstances which, we imagine, will make us happy. Even our devoutness to God and submission to saints is, overtly or covertly, for some worldly objective. Isn't such devotion or submission an attempt to exploit God or a saint for a mundane purpose? Even superstitions we twist and interpret to suit our wish and convenience. For instance, if a cat crosses the path we turn back, interpreting it as God's premonition that our mission will not succeed; but if one wife dies, the husband does not interpret this as God's hint but begins to think of marrying again! In short, to secure worldly pleasures is our aim, and we exert ourselves only for that purpose. Truly, a man who does not introspect on his experiences in worldly life can never become wise.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-26

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 26

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.25

Live Worldly Life Solely as a Matter of Duty

A confirmed smoker once fell ill and went to a doctor. "I will faithfully follow your prescription," he said, "on condition that I will not be asked to give up smoking." The doctor was very tactful; he agreed, but prescribed that a certain pill should be held in the mouth when smoking. The pill counteracted the harmful effects of tobacco. We can similarly counteract the baneful effects of worldly life if we banish from the mind the notion that this kind of life will give us true happiness. Thereby, our attachment to it will gradually diminish, and we shall continue with worldly life, but purely as a matter of duty.
Persons leading a worldly life have a peculiar nature; they dislike being told the truth. As a matter of fact, people happen to meet each other in life as a family or friends and foes, simply coming together for a limited time and purpose, like co-passengers in a railway train. A family is made up of a number of persons; each of them has a 'self' which he wants to please; how, then, can any single one of them obtain happiness according to his own ideas?
Go about your life with the firm conviction that true contentment is with God alone. In business the motive is to earn profit; if there is no profit, the business is not worthwhile. Contentment is the profit we seek from worldly life; if this profit is not obtained, where is the sense in devoting oneself to such life?
If asked- to pin-point the cause of his lack of contentment, no one will be able to do so. This means, conversely, that contentment really does not depend on any external cause or condition. And yet, we find that we are not happy with what we have; on the other hand, even if we get what we want, we do not realise happiness. Everyone knows fully well, from his own experience, that worldly life does not, cannot, yield contentment and joy; and yet, people do not behave as they ought to; city dwellers out of pride, village folk out of ignorance.
We must consider how we can obtain divine love and contentment while still participating in worldly life. Love for the body will automatically shrink and so, as a consequence, will love for all that is related to it, if we live in the divine name.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-25

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 25

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.24

Worldly Life is a Means to Attain God

Real contentment can only be found with God, and can be attained only by love for God. This love should, really speaking, be natural, inborn, like that between mother and child. The main object of human life should be to attain God. God created this universe and was very happy when He created the human being who, He thought, had ability to love and realize Him. Why, then, does a human being not have innate love for God? Man is always striving for joy; why should this not result in engendering love for God?
It seems we make a mistake about the goal we are seeking to achieve. The goal must be to reach a state of everlasting joy. If we have failed in achieving it with all our endeavours and struggle, is it not obvious that we have been pursuing a wrong goal?
We have to admit that we have a craving for worldly life; we expect that the various things which go to make it up will contribute to happiness, and therefore we direct all our effort and struggle to obtaining them. This struggle, truly speaking, is not for those things in themselves, but for the pleasure we expect them to yield. The notion that those things will give us satisfaction, should be dispelled from our mind. Today we expect worldly life to give us satisfaction; we must rid our mind of this speculative concept. Until we do that we cannot become true devotees and obtain lasting contentment.
The Lord assures us that He will give lasting contentment if we cease looking for it from worldly life. As we are at present, we cannot renounce worldly life. The saints have shown us the way to belong to God without actually renouncing worldly life; and it is that way that we must follow. We should, they tell us, withdraw the attachment of the mind from worldly life and apply it to God, just as we transfer money from one of our pockets to another; and that will eventually give us lasting contentment.
It is the sense of 'I' and 'mine' that is the root cause of all unhappiness. This sense, this deep-seated conviction, can only be uprooted by dedicating oneself entirely, unreservedly, to Rama. Stick to nama as the sole means of attaining to Him.

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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-24

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 24

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-23

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March 23.

We must Feel a Dire Need for God in Worldly Life

Every person wants to be happy, to live in the grace of God, to have love for the divine name. Why, then, do we not experience these? Why do we not come across anyone who is happy and contented in life? We all think we lead a righteous life, worship God, say our prayers, and yet we do not experience perfect, ideal contentment. The real cause is that we do not feel a real, urgent need for God, we never feel from the bottom of the heart that we cannot do without Him, that His presence is indispensable, is a prime necessity, for real contentment. We feel that our primary needs are money, wife, children, property, service or business, and also God as one among them. We do not feel earnestly that, whatever may be the circumstances of life, God is the first essential thing for us. We labour for worldly things in the firm hope that it is these that will make us happy. Has this hope been realised? Retire into deep solitude, ponder deeply, and honestly assess how much real happiness you have achieved from all the effort you have put in. You will inevitably come to the conclusion that it has been of no avail. The marvel is that we admit this failure, and yet do not feel like getting free from it.
We must therefore first disabuse our mind of the notion that worldly life can ever lead to permanent, unalloyed happiness. Once we come to this conviction after mature thinking, we shall feel the need for God; we shall then make a determined effort to reach Him, despite all circumstances. We shall realize that we must cultivate deep, devoted love for Him; and it is this that is our real need.
There are three ways to cultivate love for God: living in the company of the godly; the cultivation of noble thoughts; and ceaseless repetition of the divine name; of these we may practise anyone that suits us.
If we keep a lamp in the doorway, it lights both sides. So too, nama-smarana lights both pathways: the one to good worldly life, and the other leading to God. If we want a lamp to keep burning, we must constantly add oil to it; similarly, constant nama-smarana will maintain constant awareness of God.

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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March23

Sri Brahmachaithanya ಪ್ರವಚನ-ಮಾರ್ಚ್.22

Ever Remembering God Makes Prapancha Proper

Narada once asked Lord Krishna ,'Where can you be found with certainty?' 'O Narada,' He replied, 'I may not be found in Vaikuntha, my traditional residence, nor even with beloved Rukmini, but, most positively, with my devotee.' Where else, indeed, can God be found but with the devotees? For they live in Him. And who gave Him divinity but devotees? If there are no devotees there can be no God. The omnipresence of God can only be realized by those who have faith in Him. There is no God for the atheist, the disbeliever. If he is asked, 'Who or what in this world is yours?', he will answer, 'Why, my brothers, sisters, wife, children, relatives, all this that I see and feel, all things required for my life – all these are mine'. But, then, will it be correct to accept the existence of all these and yet deny their very Maker, to accept the creation and deny the Creator? First believe in God from whom this universe has sprung, and open the doors of your heart to Him; you will find that He is by you all the time. We must make God our own through faith and feeling. You need never fear anything if you carry Rama ,about with you in your heart. The disbeliever will, of course, ridicule the idea, and we should just disregard him.
Some people say that the worldly life of one who takes to devotion of God becomes vitiated thereby. But how can life be led properly if one ignores its very Creator? It is utterly inconceivable; on the other hand, those who live in the unbroken remembrance of God will find their worldly lives to be well-ordered. It is true that giving up worldly life is neither indispensable nor necessarily conducive to spiritual life. What must be given up is attachment to worldly life. The story of Jada Bharata is well-known, how he quit normal life and retired into solitude in a forest, and how, even there, he conceived attachment for an orphaned foal of a deer. Attachment has the same effect, be it for a deer or for anything else. You cannot earnestly devote yourself to God so long as you remain attached to one worldly thing or another. So practise diligently to free yourself of all attachment, and have the firm faith that Rama is ever with you.


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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-22

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 22

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.21.

Greed Remains ever Unsatiated

There are two kinds of diseases that harass man. One is, utter lack of appetite. No amount of medication produces desire to eat. What use would it be to place a sumptuous meal of choice delicacies before him? He would only plead lack of appetite and decline the offer. In the other disease, the patient's hunger is never satiated, no matter how much he eats. Exactly similar is our condition; only, we are afflicted not with one but both these diseases. There is a grand festival of spiritual exercises going on about us, worship, prayers, hymns, but we have neither love nor interest therein. We have no appetite for them. On the other hand, God has endowed us with so many material gifts, wife and children, vocation, property, that contribute to worldly happiness; but our avarice is insatiable, we want yet something more. How far, how long, is this to go on?
It may be true that we observe the moral and social codes of behaviour. But this is only under inhibitions or fear of social reproach or stigma; this cannot be called intrinsic improvement. Such good conduct may be only superficial, unless it leads to an improvement in human life as a whole. What we see in the world today is a plethora of amenities, conveniences, and gadgets, which, however, have not added an iota of contentment to human life. All this is really useless unless man's greed is lessened and there is longing for God. Popular 'religious' acts such as pilgrimages, worships, singing of hymns, etc., may only remind us of spiritual life but may not purify the heart; and without such real betterment, progress towards God is unthinkable.
There is no measure to decide how much a man needs to have in this world; whereas, one who is determined to feel contented will be happy with whatever he has. Life lived with proper understanding can certainly expedite spiritual realization without necessitating renouncement of worldly life. We may not have love for God today; it will be generated in due course by persisting in devotion to saguna and nama-smarana. This repetition of nama may be insincere or even forced in the beginning, but persistence will create love for it in due course and will lead to yearning for God. It is essential to feel that 'I am no longer my old self; I now belong to God'.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-21

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March.21

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-20

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.20.

'I' and 'Mine' – the Cause of Unhappiness

Rid yourself of all fear, in the firm belief that Rama protects all. He will surely stand by you if you deliver yourself up completely to His care; that wipes out all cause of worry. Considering Rama as the true and only giver, eschew all fear and anxiety. Never cease striving, harbour no fear, and never let Rama be out of your mind, whatever may befall. Assign all doership and ownership of your life to Rama, by surrendering yourself completely to Him in your heart of hearts; where, then, is the cause for anxiety and anguish?
Misery and sorrow spring basically from identifying one's self with the body. So far we have been doing everything with egoism, which is the root cause of sorrow. Despite our outward claims that we have abandoned all ego, the feeling persists deep in the bottom of the heart, and that is the seed of misery. Obstinacy and insistency, are symbols of inner pride of doership, and this is the cause of unhappiness. Any feeling of unhappiness in life is a sure sign of the existence of ego. There can be no sense of contentedness so long as your effort springs out of the feeling of 'I' and 'mine'. Selfishness is an expression of 'I-am-the-body' conviction, and leads to misery and ruin. Every effort made so far has only fed and strengthened the 'I-am-the-body' conviction, the source of pain and sorrow. One who entertains that conviction will never find happiness anywhere. It only leads to attachment to interests other than Rama or God. Never yield to this egoism which totally destroys peace of mind; for, sorrow reigns where ego resides. Elation at merit and fear of sin also arise from this sense of ego.
One who loses himself in passions and desire is in for great misery. Clinging to them destroys one's higher interest. The flow of 'desire' is endless, like that of a river. Desire is mitigated by neither indulgence nor suppression. We consider ourselves to be the body, and so cannot endure pain even for a moment.
I have no control over anything or any person that I call 'mine'; how, then, can I expect the world to conform to my will? We can perhaps gift away all things, but there still lurks the sense of doership and self-esteem, which is precisely what keeps us away from realization of God.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 20

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March19

Love all People Selflessly

Love is a fundamental instinct common to all beings, including man. Indeed, life devoid of love will be unendurable. On the other hand, pure love can conquer the whole world. The giving of love involves no effort, costs no money. And yet, we do not find love universal; pure, selfless love, in fact, is rarely to be found in human dealings. The reason lies in differences between individual likes, dislikes and nature, and in mutual relationships inherited from past births.
It is understandable that people take kindly to persons of agreeable nature and similar ways of thinking and living. Dissimilarity in these respects may, correspondingly, cause apathy; but the antipathy or hatred which people often feel is unjustifiable. It should be borne in mind that the reason for which we entertain hatred may similarly suffice for the other person to hate us. The adage 'Many men, many minds' should never be lost sight of. People are bound to have divergent views and different likes and dislikes. We should always make an allowance for variety in these respects, and treat people with the same tolerance that we expect from them, and not hate them. Rather, we should try to see what common and agreeable factors we can find in others, and therewith establish mutual concord and love. Make a beginning with your own family, gradually extending the circle of love to include other relatives, friends, and acquaintances, and ultimately to embrace in it all humanity. This feeling of love should be pure, devoid of all selfishness and guile. It should become a part of our nature, and should be reflected in all our actions, speech, and even look. At home, there should be mutual regard and loving consideration. Mutual relations in a family should be of love, not of awe. We should suggest but never insist. Never say 'this shall be done,' 'this shall not be done'. What happens should be accepted gracefully, as His will.
We should cultivate a natural love for God, like what exists between mother and child. We would then be able to view the world and all happenings with a sense of detachment, amusement, admiration. Love for the Lord and His creation is the very soul of spirituality; we should constantly pray to Him for the gift of such love, and live in ceaseless awareness of divine love and dispensation.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-19

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 19

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.18

Keep Incessant Awareness of God in Prapancha

What, in the ultimate analysis, is the aim of the lifelong struggle of any human being? Happiness, as everyone will agree. But can anyone come forward and honestly affirm that he has found permanent, unalloyed happiness? Everyone puts forward one cause or another for the deficiency in his happiness; it is want of enough money, or lack of good health, or loss of a dear one, and so on and so forth. There is always want of fulfilment of this desire or that, which deprives one of happiness. And the fun of it is that this 'desire' is endless. Running after 'desire' is elusive, like running after a mirage. Who has ever caught up with a mirage and quenched his thirst? So, too, whoever had all his wishes granted, and desired nothing thereafter, were it even the preservation of what he had? How at all can we expect perfect, imperishable happiness in a world which is itself perishable and ever-changing?
Let me show you a simple way to be happy even in such a world. Simply learn to believe that this prapancha is not yours but belongs to the Lord. Easy as this may seem in words, it is very difficult indeed to put into practice, unless you earn God's grace; and the way to earn it is, completely surrendering to Him. His grace will come upon you in a torrent; only you should not obstruct it with 'I-am-the-body' feeling. With the exclusion of every other thought, feeling, or desire, deliver yourself completely to His will and dispensation. The Lord's grace is ever-flowing, ever-shining; it is we that overcloud it with doubt. Say to Him, "O Lord, I am utterly yours, and yours alone. This prapancha which I call mine is yours. I am ignorant of the path of devotion. Do guide me; I shall implicitly follow you." Pray to Him in all earnestness, and live happily, contentedly, in whatever circumstances He places you.
You come to me with much expense, inconvenience, and trouble; what pains me is that you go back empty-handed. I would rather like that you return with love for the Lord, which I freely give you and which you cannot obtain in the practical world.


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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-18

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March.18

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.17

Anxiety Keeps us Away from God

The Lord resides in sattwaguna, so we should strive to acquire it. If we want that He may come to us, we should not only do our duty diligently, but perform every act in a spirit of dedication. Be practical, and put in proper effort in worldly matters, but simultaneously see that you pay due attention to God, as much, at least, as you pay to worldly matters. We realize the degree of our dependence on others when we are ill, and it brings home to us the narrow limits of our personal capacities and efficiency.
We would find no cause for worrying about our affairs and condition if we only looked at those whose circumstances are worse than those of our own. One person worries about the recovery of his lendings and deposits, while another is worried about his owings to others, and yet another feels troubled in respect of his children. And the fun is that in all this maelstrom of anxiety, no one worries in the least about the betterment of his real self, his inner self! It is our thoughts of the past and the fear of the future that keep God away from us. Apprehensive about tomorrow, we deprive ourselves of the pleasure that we have today; isn't this really strange? The one unfailing remedy for this is instantly to give up worrying, and to devote the time saved to nama-smarana.
One person once came to me, complaining that his son was a happy-go-lucky chap, absolutely oblivious of all worry or thought about the future. 'How will he fare when he grows older?' he asked. I said, "Your worry is apparently justified; but, if I may ask you, you have yourself worried about things all your life; what have you gained by it beyond physical and mental trouble, and beyond forgetting God? Why do you now ask your son to do the same? I would certainly urge him to do his duty diligently but live happily; but I for one would also urge him not to worry."
How can one say that you are a true believer in God, so long as you worry about your prapancha? He alone can really be free of anxiety who lives in the faith that whatever is, is good and sufficient. He alone can get free from worry who surrenders himself to God's will.


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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-17

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March17

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.16

How to Reduce our Attachment for Prapancha
Our present situation is like that of a person who wants to eat his cake and have it too. We aspire to the contentment which God alone has and can give; while, at the same time, we do not want to give up our clinging attachment for prapancha. Our love for either, thus, lacks constancy, whereas genuine love is single-minded, unswerving.
True, abiding happiness can be found with God alone; but it is by no means necessary to give up prapancha; what we need to give up is only our attachment for and entanglement with it. This can be done if we realize the true nature and value of prapancha. We have our own experience to convince us that prapancha, however diligently we do it, cannot bring true happiness; and yet it is almost necessary, unavoidable, to do it. What then, is the degree to which it is necessary to us? No more than the walking stick which an old man or a disabled person carries with him when going out.
In order that our present bonds of attachment to prapancha should weaken and finally be severed, and that, correspondingly, love for God should steadily increase, we should abide by the rules laid down by the shastras, exercising control over our acts, thoughts, and speech. Their observance will gradually wean us away from worldly life. If we ascribe all ownership and doership to Rama, whatever 'profit' or 'loss' ensues will automatically go over to Him, and we shall stand unaffected in prapancha.
Upright, moral behaviour is the very foundation as well in the spiritual quest as in the conduct of worldly affairs. The dictates of the shastras aim at ensuring that one controls passions. Our thoughts should be pure, and untainted by selfishness, hatred, or jealousy. Never wish ill to others. Exercise rigid control over speech. Always speak gently, sweetly. We want to employ the tongue for uttering the sacred name of the Lord; how, then, can we defile that tongue by uttering anything that hurts the heart of another, that is hurting the Lord who resides therein? Let us withdraw our interest from mundane matters and apply it to God.
What I advise you is strictly the same that the saints have been advising for ages. If you believe in it firmly and act accordingly, I assure you that Rama will make you happy.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-16

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March.16

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.15.

The Divine is Nothing but Yourself Minus Upadhi
An exposition of Brahman in words is not possible beyond a certain limit, just as a mere description of the sweetness of sugar cannot give a satisfactory, complete idea of it. However, we may comprehend the truth from a proper understanding of the "non-truth." Similarly, one who correctly understands maya or illusion can be said to have comprehended Brahman or the Reality.
Maya, after all, is nothing but the shadow that obscures Reality and precludes a true view of it. The Reality is ever-existing, never changing or perishable; maya, on the other hand, is anything and everything that comes into existence and eventually perishes. So long as one remains steeped in maya or unreality, there is evidently no possibility of realising Brahman, which is the Truth. Under these circumstances, the impermanent, perishable, illusory maya tempts us away from God that is the unchangeable, imperishable Reality, the home and treasure of bliss. That philosophy alone is worth the name which emancipates us from the illusion, and takes us to the Reality. Since God, or Brahman, is alone true, lasting and blissful, whatever is done for its attainment is true. Realisation that we are basically a part and parcel of the infinite divinity, is true emancipation. This realisation will come only if and when a person strips himself of all upadhi.
Om, the sacred syllable, is the joining link between the Brahman, which is impalpable and the creation, which is palpable. In the spiritual quest, we gradually cast off tangible forms and intellectual concepts until we arrive at this link, Om, which is but another word for nama, since nama and Om are identical.
In the Bhagavadgeeta, Lord Krishna admonishes Arjuna: "If you really possess true knowledge you must calmly and courageously face the situation; if you don't, do not pose as a wise man and indulge in glib talk of truth, morals and duties, do not put forward fallacious arguments and pleas, but listen to and be led by one who really knows." In plain words, this amounts to saying, "Surrender yourself to and be led by the saints."
Compared to the creation, man and his capacities are insignificant, and we are mere pawns in the hands of a Superior Power. So whatever pleasant or unpleasant things happen, should be contentedly accepted as the will of that Superior Power, that is, God.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-15

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March.15

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.14

Divert Love for Prapancha towards God
Love is a natural instinct. One does not have to be tutored about loving one's daughter or son. Where there is a liking, fondness follows. But this love is, in the ultimate analysis, also selfish. Were it not so, a person would not complain that his son is self-willed, not obedient. A person complains thus because such behaviour hurts his ego or self-interest. A freshly married youth's father, when asked how his son treated him, replied, "I'll tell you after about six months," during which period he expected to find out how the son's bride tutored him and how he reacted to it. So undependable, unpredictable, is worldly love. How can one depend on this? Therefore, in prapancha one should only think of one's duty, irrespective of the others' response.
Prapancha, indeed, is like a laboratory or a workshop in a school, where its purpose is merely to instruct or give practice, not to turn out a remunerative product. Prapancha should therefore be considered only as a place of instruction, not as the producer of a profitable article, namely, happiness.
If we review our experience, how much achievement can we find for which we can claim sole credit, and how much is attributable to circumstances over which we had little control? Therefore, think not much about the circumstances, only do your duty conscientiously, without letting the mind become overmuch affected by external things. Everything has to await the proper, predestined moment for fruition. It is therefore yours only to do your duty conscientiously, telling yourself that all that happens is by God's will; thereby you will gradually acquire respect and love for God. The fondness which we feel today for prapancha should be diverted to God. Studiously learn to love selflessly everyone in the family, and this will automatically lead to walking on the spiritual path, and create love for God. There is no separate exercise needed for this purpose. That fondness for God will arise if you feel that you cannot do without Him. For this we must ever remain in His company; and to remain in nama-smarana is the easiest way, the only way, to achieve this. The brain may forget what has been read, or seen, or done; but you will never forget the divine name if you decide to hold fast to it.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-14

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March.14

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.13

Our Faith in God should be Firm, Unflinching

A child crying for its mother will not cease crying until it is reunited with her. So, too, the individual soul will find no peace until it is re-united with the Cosmic Soul, or God. Our main care, therefore, should be to see how we shall attain God, and not how we can mend a rickety prapancha. We cannot rid ourselves of worry for prapancha unless we repose firm faith in God. If He is the protector of the universe, are we not ourselves under His protection? Remember always that everything that happens is entirely by His will and in His wisdom; then the difficulties and trials of prapancha will not bother you. Only see that your faith in God is unflinching.
We read in the puranas that one day, in the course of the Kaurava-Pandava war, Bhishma, the patriarch, vowed that he would kill the Pandavas. They, knowing that his vow would never be void and ineffectual, naturally became very anxious. However, Draupadi's faith in Lord Shrikrishna was unshakable. She referred the matter to Him. He said, 'Undoubtedly, Bhishma's vow can never fail. Still, let us try a stratagem.' He led Draupadi to Bhishma's quarters, where at night access was permitted only to women and sannyasins. Himself staying outside, he said to Draupadi, "Bhishma is about to fall asleep; you go in and bow to him in the traditional manner, but taking care to rattle your bangles," the bangles indicating that the one bowing was a woman with the husband living. On her doing so, Bhishma spontaneously responded with the traditional blessing, 'May you and your husband live long.' Then looking at her, he discovered to his dismay that it was Draupadi! He said, "Draupadi, somebody has evidently prompted you to do this!" and coming out, right enough, he discovered the prompter, Lord Krishna Himself. The task had been achieved, thanks to His help.
So have single-minded, unswerving faith in Him. If there is anything that militates against such faith, it is our personal pride, our vanity, our ego. It affects all, high and low, and sometimes becomes so unquenchable that God has to incarnate Himself to annihilate it.
The sovereign remedy to check and destroy this ego is nama-smarana, provided it is done with unswerving, single-minded faith, and with no object but nama itself.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-13

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March.13

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-12

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.12

Never Forget " Rama is the Real Doer"
God is pure bliss itself, bliss neither caused nor affected by anything. If you meditate on His form, visualize Him as with a benign, smiling face. Man looks for joy in everything. A little cool breeze on a hot day pleases him; a shower in the hot season fills him with hope of pleasant relief. In short, he is ever on the lookout for joy, he hungers for joy. Now a hungry man eating food will have joy and the satisfaction from it; but if, instead, he eats poison, he will not have the joy but only death. So, too, a person indulging in sensate pleasures only suffers therefrom. Sumptuous food served to a person with intestinal worms, nourishes not him but the worms; similarly, if we do good deeds not selflessly, but with an ulterior selfish desire, it only fattens the desire instead of bringing us contentment. Therefore, even good acts should be done only as a selfless duty, and then they will not affect us adversely.
Man usually becomes habituated to the practices of the trade, profession, or service that he has followed in life. An advocate, for instance, gets into the habit of arguing and pleading in and out of reason. One who spends a lifetime in service will feel and behave as a servant even in a dream. On the other hand, whatever one does should be done sincerely but detachedly, dispassionately, unaddictedly, purely as matter of duty; otherwise it is bound to become harmful.
After all, it is impossible to remain perfectly still in any single position, without doing anything whatever. To have to do so would be the severest punishment. We are naturally so constituted that we cannot but do something or other, must do one activity or another. Done in forgetfulness or connivance of the fact that Rama is the true doer of everything, all actions affect us adversely, and only lay a foundation for the next birth or incarnation. Therefore, whatever you do should be done in the unshakable conviction that Rama is the real doer and that you are only his tool. We certainly cannot remain inactive, but trouble arises because we look longingly for certain results. If we do things without any expectation of this kind or that, the job is itself its own reward, and gives contentment.

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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 12

ಶ್ರೀ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ಪ್ರವಚನ

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.11

Give Up Ego to Bear the Ups and Downs of Life

Worldly life can never be an obstruction in the pathway to God. In life we have dealings with many persons; the parents, wife, children, siblings, other relatives, friends, and many others. If we want to put them on a proper footing and make the best use of them, we should interweave them with the thread of nama-smarana; this will help us in establishing amicable relations with all, and make prapancha very joyful; at least, it will not, prove troublesome.
The main cause of the upsetting of human relations is an individual's self-pride, his ego. It is by no means the rich alone who fall a prey to this pride; the financially poor and needy, too, are subject to it. We have read in the puranas that when God's incarnation as Narasimha began to tear out the entrails of Hiranyakashyapu, the latter's pride made him reach for his sword, instead of humbling himself to kneel before the Lord. How compelling is man's ego even against his better judgement!
Nor is a man spared by his ego because he is poor or in an humble position. A beggar once stood at the gate of a house to beg alms. When the householder remonstrated with him for coming at an odd hour, the beggar retorted, "Do you think yours is the only house for me to beg at? Don't forget there are a hundred such others!" See how universally this ego operates, how deep-seated it is!
Ego, indeed, is like weeds overrunning a field. We cannot obtain a good harvest without completely uprooting these weeds. Similarly, we cannot hope to attain God without completely ousting the ego. When opening the jackfruit, to get at the pulp, one has first to smear the hands with oil to prevent the viscous sap from sticking to them. Similarly, if we sincerely practise nama-smarana while conducting the tasks and relations of prapancha, neither ego nor desire will be able to entrap us, and we can positively attain God. If we shake off this ego and the pride that pester everybody, we can easily face the ups and downs of life.
After a storm shower has stopped, children make little paper boats to sail on the streamlets of running water, and laugh with fun whether the boats sail or sink; we should similarly take life sportingly; this is easy with the help of nama.
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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-11

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March 11

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.10

Leading a Happy Practical Life

A housewife who, carefully and lovingly, looks after her husband and family, and is contented at heart, may be considered to have done her duty and also her sadhana. Everybody in the home should feel happy, and keep uttering nama. This brings happiness, and there Rama resides. There is no better gain than working to keep each other contented and happy.
Whatever God gives should be treated as His, and we should neither claim it as ours, nor feel selfishly attached to it; this, indeed, is walking on the path to God. What distinguishes the devotee from the others, is to be in worldly life and yet feel the urge to utter Rama-nama. Think every now and then of the great saints; this will help purify the heart. Talk not harshly to anyone, particularly to your spouse; keep everybody contented; this is what the good and the devout would deeply appreciate. Everyone should live for the mutual happiness of everyone else in the family; this can be achieved if everyone holds Rama always at the heart; all the worry then becomes His.
Be cautious and vigilant in worldly life, but without becoming attached to or involved in it. It is a universal rule that one should not spend all the earnings but economise and lay something by against a time of need. Do not, however, become stingy, nor a mammon-worshiper. One who enshrines Rama in his heart will be happy in life; this is my assurance and blessing.
Prapancha always presents one cause or another for worry; that worry will, however, cease and give place to joy if one always holds Rama in his heart. Never give up proper effort; the good and the righteous always tell us that if you do your part, God will not fail to give you what is in your best interest, provided you always remember Him in your heart.
I advise you, in your own interest, do not get absorbed in the palpable, tangible world; remember always that our basic object is to attain Rama; indeed, we should live for Him and Him alone. Pay little heed to the world's respect or disrespect, for both of them strike at the very root of peace and of achievement of God. Keep the mind calm, but discharge your duties as a practical person.

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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-March-10

श्री ब्रह्मचैतन्य महाराज गोंदवलेकर यांची  प्रवचन 

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-March10

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-March.9

Moral Controls are Necessary for Social Stability

At a conference of thieves, some 'practitioners' of the art proposed that people should be robbed without purposely hurting them, as far as possible, while others expressed the opinion that they must 'earn' the loot and must therefore thrash the victims. Be that as it may, all were unanimous about robbing others! That is, however, hardly different from what we people think and do. One section says, 'We must approach prapancha with a pragmatic outlook'; another contradicts this and advocates doing prapancha with adequate discretion; while yet another pleads for a proper degree of self-interest while doing it. None, however, thinks of God as the basis and the goal! All agree that prapancha is indispensable, whether with God alongside or without Him! In other words, everybody takes prapancha as substantive, and God as an accessory of doubtful necessity or utility, or even a superfluity, a figment of imagination, or a superstition, or at best, a dispensable adjunct.
An inebriated drunkard was raving, singing a song all out of tune. Another, equally drunk, came along and hearing the first, upbraided him, 'What a horrid ditty and what awry tunes! Let me show you what and how to sing.' And after a while, the first drunkard similarly scolded the second! Similarly, those steeped in prapancha start making wild, illogical assertions and enter into wrangles, with similar others. Those who clamour against social restrictions cannot be called sane, for no society can subsist without such restrictions.
Except in cases of gross maltreatment, being a subordinate may be no less pleasant than being the boss. Indeed, being a boss often involves trouble, onus, and anxiety which a subordinate may be spared. In worldly dealings we should have only enough shrewdness to save ourselves from being duped by others' cunningness. However, we should not be wily, should not deceive or decoy others.
The majority of the people I came across in life belonged to the ordinary, average type. I found them good to live with and deal with. They are average in all respects; average in their sin and in their virtue, and even in their urge for the quest of God.
One who has enough to maintain himself and his family at a reasonable standard of life and to maintain a moral standard, may consider himself rich enough.
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