Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-May.14.

Give Up Pursuit of Sense-objects, Public EsteemWhen we attach ourselves to Rama, He undertakes to look after us. It is we ourselves, however, that hinder such attachment, because of our own liking for sense-objects and public esteem. It is a corollary of this liking that we have a dislike for Rama. Do we not disregard and set aside the needs and entreaties of the wife and children in order to attend the office punctually? With what justification, then, can we plead them as an impediment for sadhana?
The saints have been dinning it into our ears that woman and money are the enemies of spiritual advancement. On this one may ask why at all God has created them. The answer is, that, it is the use we make of a thing that commends or condemns it. The match-stick that can light a fire for cooking can also be used to set a house ablaze.
A certain person once said to me, "Domestic life disgusts me and makes me feel I should quit it." I replied, "Do you think quitting home life will create detachment? What you need for it is proper discrimination between good and bad, permanent and impermanent. What will suffice for the present is to give up the sense of ownership and doership."
Righteous acts may prove a hindrance in spiritualism. One may feel ashamed to own an improper act, but of a good one we boast with pride. People often say," The misery I am undergoing is owing to sins committed by me in a previous life; I perform good acts in this life so that I shall have a happier life in my next incarnation. " But does this not imply desiring for a re-incarnation instead of for absolute liberation from the almost endless cycle of births and deaths? A bad act may possibly lead to repentance and make one turn to God; but there is no knowing what downfall the pride of a good deed may lead a man to.
How can a bitter gourd yield a sweet taste? Likewise, how can sensual pleasure make life sweet and happy? It is begging the question to say that you will take up devotion when love for God will arise. For mere fleeting pleasures we toil and drudge; but we do not care to repeat the nama sincerely, and yet complain in despair that we still do not feel love for God!

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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-May.14

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-May14

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan- May.13

Endeavour to Improve Yourself
To do nothing, not to feel that you are doing something or have something to do is real spiritualism. It has become a habit with us to be doing something physically and mentally. To sit inactively is difficult; to keep the mind inactive is more difficult; and to keep the mind detached, while keeping the body busy in action, is most difficult of all. Really speaking, the mind seeks equanimity, but it can only be acquired by dint of strenuous effort. Mental equilibrium is upset by one of three causes; a happening contrary to one's desire; recollection of the past; and anxiety for the future. As for the first of these, when we consider that everyone in the world wants things to shape after his heart, how can we expect that they take place only after our heart? Things are bound to go against our desires. So, to preserve our mental composure, we should train ourselves to efface all desire, not wish for a particular thing to happen, give up greed and expectation, and ascribe everything to Rama. Such ascription is equivalent to living in constant awareness of God.
How deep our ego has percolated into our thought! How casually we connive at even obvious facts when it suits us to do so! When a man's son goes astray, he blames some other person for enticing or misleading him; he does not want to blame his own son. If a man's son gets spoilt under his own nose, we can imagine the tremendous influence of association. How, then, can we explain why we remain unaffected by the company of the saintly? The plain, obvious reason is that we do not at all attempt to improve ourselves; Not that we do not understand what is good for us, but we lack the urge to improve ourselves. Therefore, born as we are in desire, we also die in desire. The only dependable means to extricate ourselves from the clutches of desire, is to repair to the Lord in utter surrender. Pray to Rama that now you have no other recourse but Him, that you will be content to live as He pleases to keep you, and that you desire nothing but love for Him; and ever maintain His name on your lips. Be sure that He will not fail to shower his bountiful grace on you.


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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-May 13

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-May 13

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-May.12.

Maintain Mental Equilibrium
Humility is a quality that manifests itself mainly through physical action. While trying for self-betterment or advancement, due regard should be paid to the merit or worthiness of others. Hypocrisy resides primarily in the mind. It should be employed only for a good purpose such as covering one's own nobility or greatness of heart. Ahimsa, or abstinence from mental or physical violence to others, is a quality that pertains to both the mind and body. It should be judged by the motive that prompts the action. Speech should be controlled so as not to hurt another's heart, and in action one should avoid causing bodily injury. To allude to or lay bare another's fault or shortcoming is meanness of mind. Hankering after popular esteem ruins a single life, but hypocrisy and violence ruin several lives. Hatred leads to violence, so we should never harbour a grudge or hatred in our heart. All passions are inimical to the attainment of God, but of them, enmity and hatred are the worst. Selfishness generates hatred; nama is the most potent antidote to selfishness.
The human tongue has a twofold function: speaking, and eating. We should employ the tongue to tell the truth and to talk gently, pleasantly, neither harshly, nor to teach others, nor to brag. Regarding the other function, namely, eating, the tongue should be used with great restraint. We should purify the heart, and attempt to practise the good qualities which the saints' behaviour exhibits.
Where pride or vaingloriousness threatens to attack, it should immediately be countered by nama-smarana. An evil thought or tendency should be immediately opposed by remembrance of nama. The Cosmic Spirit was no less immanent in the demon Hiranyakashyapu than in any other creation, but it was hidden to himself owing to his swagger, like a field with an overgrown hedge. The Lord had therefore to manifest Himself in a very unlikely place, the wooden post which he kicked to spite Him. So we should hold pride severely in its limit. Be proud that you belong to Rama, so that you do nothing unbecoming. Prahlad did not say that he would like to see God, but he insisted that he would not give up the nama. We, too, should similarly adhere steadfastly to the nama.
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