Sri Brsahmachaithanya Pravachan-April.7

We Fail to Achieve Real Self-interest

Neither reading nor listening, however profuse, is really useful unless translated into action. An abstract thing will not yield satisfaction unless put into actual practice. The saints have told us so much, all to no purpose because we do not ponder over their preaching. They have with one voice affirmed that this human body is transient. And yet we continue to be attached to it; isn't this truly strange? If we do not believe in the saints' words, we should at least see what our own experience teaches us. The mundane-minded believe that all pleasure pertains to the body and the senses; but what does experience show? It is common knowledge that the young and the old, the pauper and the prince, everyone is struggling constantly to obtain happiness and peace of mind. We grow from childhood to youth, acquire education, find a job, earn money, marry and have a family; in other words, we strive for and usually get almost everything which we thought would make for happy contentedness; have we succeeded in the goal? It is true that leading family and, worldly life does need a certain degree of attachment to the body; but that does not mean that the entire life should be devoted to toiling for sensuous pleasures alone. This is not true self-interest; it is only catering to what, in reality, we are not for; what good can it bring to our Real Self when the body dies?
Those who only talk glibly but never act accordingly, come to ruin. It is necessary to abstain from talking so long as we feel we must talk. We should distinguish between liberty and licence. 'Liberty' has a sanctity, while 'licence' is ugly and profane. Strictly speaking, man has liberty only in respect of spiritual progress. In all other matters and those concerning the body, he is under various obligations and constraints; for instance, he has duties as a father, a husband, a son, etc. However, his supreme duty as a human is to attain Godhead. While attending to their respective duties most diligently at home or in their spheres of work, people should devote all the rest of their time to meditating on nama. In business, it is the net profit that we look for; similarly, the net profit of human life is the degree to which our attention is turned to God.

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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-April-7

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-April 7

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan.April.6

Saints are the Visible Embodiments of God

One who cannot conduct his worldly life properly will neither do well by way of spiritual life. One should resolve not to let the mind be ruffled by worldly events, and carry out the resolution with faith in the sadguru. Practise the sadhana assiduously, and get to know who you are in reality. When you realise that God is the only Reality, then only you will realise who you are. Do not abandon saguna even when you understand nirguna. To have a liking for the name of Rama is the greatest of good fortunes. Speech is the result of inspiration in the heart; if, then, we utter the name of Rama, He must be present in our heart.
Implicit obedience to my guru was my sole sadhana; what else, then, can I ask you to do? Association with a saint puts us on the right path. Saints do not cure us of disease, but they dislodge from the mind all fear of it. Saints are the visible embodiments of God. It is their mission in life to direct the minds of thousands towards God. It is impossible that a saint will advocate anything that contravenes the teaching of the vedas and the shastras.
Our feelings of pity are aroused on seeing an offspring of rich parents begging in the street. The saints similarly feel unhappy to see us forget our heritage and grieve, despite the rare good fortune of being born as a human, after the great cycle of rebirth in myriads of lower species. It is a very serious loss for the soul not to be able to attain God even in this unique human life. We should, therefore, manage to remain in the company of saints with the utmost perseverance, and earn their grace. Let us follow unquestioningly the path chalked out by them; then there is no fear of stumbling, falling, or failing. We get ourselves involved head over heels in mundane matters, so that we fail even to notice the rousing call of the saints. Let us keep at least within earshot of that call. Let us put our faith in the teaching of the saints; this will create in us love for God which, in turn, will reduce our attachment to worldly pleasures. Thus, if we maintain association with saints it will eventually lead us to our ultimate good.



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Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Marathi-April-6

Sri Maharaj's Pravachan in Kannada-April 6

Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-April.5.

Effect of Association with Saints

A pedlar vending medicinal herbs and roots carries a peculiar bolus which can absorb poison or toxins when placed over the spot of a venomous sting or a festering wound. When washed, the special property of the bolus is restored. In the same way, our sins are drained away in the company of a saint, while the saint himself remains pure and holy as before. Association with a holy man can, perhaps, be secured, but it is very difficult to maintain it. Generally, we seek the company of what we like; and because we are impure at heart we seek the company of sensuous persons. Sense-objects may not be harmful in themselves, but it is the company of sensuous persons that is debasing. Company affects us for evil or for good. A saint is a person who does not help us in the gratification of worldly pleasures but, on the contrary, weans us away from them. A saint is one who kindles love for God in our hearts. We should have an earnest longing to meet such a saint. Sense-pleasures are very enticing; but when we feel that we should free ourselves from their clutches we should resort to the company of the devout. When evil thoughts beset the mind, take recourse to nama.
Those who see everything as the manifestation of God, and the universe as His pleasurable amusement, alone find true and lasting joy. That is why the saints always talk of God. Saint Tukaram used only to utter the name of the Lord, 'Vitthal', 'Vitthal', but its sweetness far surpassed that of the best of our music.
Saints feel deep and sincere compassion for us; we cannot even gauge its depth; because our mind is steeped in sense- pleasures, we take their advice lightly, though it is in our interest. When we are ill we take the prescribed medicine even if it is unpleasant to taste and smell; then why should we not attend to the benevolent advice of the saints as an antidote to miseries of worldly life? Even the apparently harsh words of a saint do not hurt, because he is constantly in communion with God.
Absolute fearlessness is the chief mark of a saint; there is no cause for fear when one feels that he himself pervades the universe.


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