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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