Teachings of Swami Brahmananda Lecture 05

Invocation

ॐ जननीं शारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुं, पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः.

oṃ jananīṃ śāradāṃ devīṃ rāmakṛṣṇaṃ jagadguruṃ, pādapadme tayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuḥ.

Introduction

So, regarding yesterday night's talk, are there any questions? Otherwise we can proceed on. Your left hand is not functioning. Alright.

Faith: The Coloured Glass

One of the subjects related with yesterday's talk is called faith. You know, whether we have faith in the scriptures, faith in the guru, faith in God, faith in other people—they all fall under the same category. And faith is like a coloured glass. So you cannot have different types of faith with different subject matters. Do you follow what I am talking about? You cannot say, "I have this kind of faith with other human beings, but I have faith with guru. In guru I have faith in God, I have faith in scriptures."

Faith as the Most Important Qualification

One of the most important qualifications for spiritual progress is called faith. And this is so wonderful. Ṭhākur says: one who has attained faith has reached perfection.

Naciketā—it was described—he did not have faith; faith possessed him. Naciketā—what did I say? He did not possess faith; faith possessed Naciketā. What is the difference between these two? You possess faith, and faith possesses you. What is the difference? We put it in a better way: you are under the control of somebody, and someone is under your control. So who is the master? One who is the controller—he is the master.

Faith Possessing You

So if we are controlling faith, do you see the implication? Sometimes you say, "Be near me." Sometimes you say, "Get the hell out of here; I am tired of you." But if the faith possesses you, you are absolutely like a slave. Somebody catches hold of your śikhā and then takes you whatever way you want to do. That is what happened to Naciketā. And that is why Yamadharma says, "You have achieved everything."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used to praise Girīśa Chandra Ghosha: "He has achieved everything." Why do you think Ṭhākur had given him—taken his responsibility? Because he had faith that "I trust Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa 150%." That is the most important part.

Faith Is One and Indivisible

What is the first point we have to understand? That we should be possessed like a madman by faith. What is the second point? You cannot have different types of faith depending upon the different people. It is the same faith. You direct like a torchlight. You go to the toilet, it will illuminate the toilet. You go to the shrine, it will illuminate the shrine. You go outside your home, it will illuminate. It is the same.

What people usually do is they divide this faith. Towards the worldly objects, I have one kind of faith. Towards God, I have another type of faith. But if we observe what happens in their lives, they do not have faith really in either the world or in God. So what does that imply? If any person says, "I have 100% faith in God," he cannot but have the same faith towards another human being also. That is why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said, "I trust everybody. If somebody betrays, that is his problem, not my problem." So this is the goal we are trying to achieve.

What Is Faith?

What is faith? What does that mean? That means something is real. I have not experienced it, but I have 100% faith that it is real. If it is real, then here also play. If I think something is real, then my behaviour will be one way. If I doubt, then my behaviour will be doubtful behaviour. And if I do not believe at all, then I will not react towards it. Simple.

So that is faith in spirituality or faith in everything? Faith is a faculty through which we perceive anything. If you direct faith towards the world, it becomes world. Now what is it that we have? We believe this world is real. This is what we claim, is it not? And for this you do not need to have faith really, because this is a fact of experience. With regard to God, then we need to have faith that it is real. But with regard to the world, we are already there. For 24 hours we are going only through this phase of reality.

Faith in the World

Now what happens? Do you really believe that this world is real? Think again and again and again. You see, here is a person. He is real, is it not? And he lies to you. When you come to know he lies to you, after that, do you accept his words? That means—what are you saying to me? "He is a liar. I do not trust him," is it not? So what are you telling to me about him? He is not real. He is fake. If I do not trust him, you see the cycle here it goes: I do not trust him because he betrayed me. And that means, so far as I am concerned, this particular object is not real.

The Insurance Example

So okay, simple example will be: why do you pay insurance? Because you do not trust things to go on as they are, is it not? Some accident may happen. Some emergency may come. Who is going to save me? But is anybody going to save you? If it is your fate, you know.

There was one of our devotees' husband, and he had a sick problem. What is it? Prostate cancer. And then he was frightened: "I am going to die." Then he went to the doctor: "Am I going to die?" He said, "You know, the nature of prostate cancer is such—far before it could mature and kill you, you will far before that die because of some other reason." Prostate cancer, you know, it is a killer. But it is a slow killer. Meanwhile, a man can go—actually it happened: he had some other sickness and he died. Yes, some people, you know. Have you asked him, "Are you glad to die or do you want to live?" No, he left the house and stayed in an apartment. No, no, the point is, there are certain types of diseases where we are too glad to kick out the body rather than be happy. That is not the point we are discussing here. We are discussing about faith.

Spiritual Practice as Practising Faith

Because, what is spiritual practice? It is practising faith. Practising faith: "I believe that God exists. I believe what the scriptures are telling me is the truth. I believe in my Guru," etc. But we hear so many stories, you know, that the disciples really—there are varieties of disciples, including Prasādi Hāvā devotees. No, no, everything to do with prasāda. Once we come to know the prasāda is good, that day our devotion to God will be far better.

The Prasādi Hāvā Story

See, one Guru somehow procured one disciple. And he thought, "Now I can live in style. The disciple will fan me, he will cook for me, and all those things." So, South India, it was very hot. And the Guru had a big fan. Before he got this disciple, he had to fan himself. So, this day he called, he said, "Hey, come here and fan me." He stood at a long distance with folded hands. He said, "You know, I am so lowly, so unfit to come near you." He was not coming anywhere near me. So, the Guru had no option but to fan himself. Immediately the disciple came running and stood very near. Guru asked, "What is this?" He said, "Prasādi Hāvā!" So, the Guru has to fan. He wanted to show the hāvā. Because he needed air, and the Guru also needed air. But he did.

Service to the Guru

Yes. So, our service to the Guru indicates what type of faith we have. Many times we can neglect also the Guru. Example: Swami Rāmakṛṣṇānanda. Who was his Guru? After his passing away, he was there in Madras. One night he could not sleep. He said, "If I am suffering, Guru Mahārāj is suffering. How can I let him suffer like that?" He went whole night and he fanned.

And Swami Akhaṇḍānanda—it is a most marvellous incident. They were all lying. And, you know, they were so poor, they did not have individual mosquito nets, nor any room. In a hall they used to sleep. So, huge mosquito net they procured and everybody used to enter there. So, one night Swami Akhaṇḍānanda got up. He felt almost his life was coming to an end because of the ukka—what do you call it? Humidity. Saltiness. So, he took a big fan and then started fanning. All the other brother disciples were sleeping. And because of this breeze, he could see how they were—you know, otherwise restlessness will be there. They were moving from side to side. And they were sleeping. And he said, "Whole night, and I felt such a tremendous strength in serving the people."

The Faith of the Direct Disciples

Like this, they had so many experiences. For them, Ṭhākur is a living thing. So many stories you can recollect. When they were burying the bones, etc., of Ṭhākur, and beating that mud—Rāmakṛṣṇa Śiṣyamahārāj, he felt that somebody is beating his own head. That was the faith with which they lived. That is why they were Mahān, so great.

Stories of Faith

So, in spiritual life, we go by faith. What is the faith? What is the first faith that comes? What is that? What Guru says and what the scriptures say is 100%. Rāmakṛṣṇa gives so many stories as illustrations of faith. Vibhīṣaṇa—he tied somebody's shipwrecked man. You know that story. Then Dādā Madhusūdana. That one: the maidservant who was to cross, and then take her, it won't do—taking Hari's name and lifting your cloths at the same time. And the boy who was told by his father that "you see that God is fed."

The Story of the Śiva Bhakta's Daughter

Actually, there is a story among the Śiva Bhaktas. They are called Nāyanmārs—there are 63 Śiva Bhaktas. Among them, one story is prevalent. There was one man who was a great Śiva Bhakta. He used to worship Śiva Liṅga every day. And he had a daughter, about 5-6 years old. Once he had to go out. He called his daughter and said, "My child, you see that God is fed." They used to prepare some naivedya and he used to offer it. She said, "Yes, father." And he went away.

Then the girl went there. And then Liṅga—they addressed Liṅga: "Liṅga, please come and eat. My father told me you have to be fed." But Liṅga was not coming. But she started weeping. And then God could not resist. Lord Śiva came and he ate up the whole thing. Few days passed. The father returned. And that day also, the offering was done by this girl. And then the girl offered. Lord came, ate everything. She brought the empty plate. And the father thought, "What happened to the prasāda?" "Oh, Liṅga had eaten it." "No, you are telling a lie. I cannot believe." So he went and saw there was nothing there. Such a big plate—how can a small girl eat? But still he thought, "It is not possible for God to come and eat. Only the small girl had eaten." And he started beating her.

She said, "No, God had come." "Show me. If God had come, let him come and show himself to me." The girl could not. Really he was beating because he was angry that the food that was meant for Śiva was being eaten by his own daughter. Then she started—small child—she embraced the Śiva Liṅga: "Liṅga, Liṅga, I cannot bear this beating by my father. Please save me." Immediately Lord Śiva appeared: "You have no fear, my child. I am taking you with me. Mother Pārvatī will look after you." And then both disappeared.

Now do you believe this story? Yes, but she died? You can say she disappeared. Bodies can disappear. But what happened to father? He must have regretted that he doubted his own daughter.

Mirabai and Andal

You know, Mirabai disappeared into the Dvārakādhīśa temple. Andal disappeared—Ranganātha temple. Do you think any scientist will believe a human body will go into the shrine room and next morning he or she must have run away somewhere or hiding somewhere? This would be the—do you still believe that somebody can enter into the shrine and disappear? This is where Śāstra-vākyeṣu and Mithyā Avadhāraṇā—at best we do not say they are mithyā; they say these are hyperboles. Arthavāda—praise for increasing our devotion. But actually it can be facts.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Faith

So when Kṣudirām returned from Gayā, Candramaṇī came and told, "I am pregnant. I feel I am pregnant." And he could see that already the child is growing. Nowadays let a wife go there and then say to the absence of the husband that "God has given me." And say, "What is the address of... I want to go after him with a gun." We are in this sceptical age. Whereas Rāmakṛṣṇa believed everything. He was a man of faith. And sometimes of course that leads to—led to funny situations, you know. Once something bit him. He thought a snake had bitten him. So he knew approximately—there were so many holes. So he went to some hole and put his finger there to be bitten because he heard: if a snake bites and then if the same snake bites him again, then the poison will be taken off. So somebody saw and said, "Sir, what are you doing?" He said, "This is what happened." He said, "No, no, it has to bite exactly in the same place." That is an impossible condition. But Rāmakṛṣṇa gives—this impossible conditions can be fulfilled.

The Farmer's Son

That farmer whose son was dying: he says, "It must rain when a particular nakṣatra is in ascendancy, and that rain must fall in a human skull, and then a frog must jump over that skull, and a poisonous snake should be chasing that frog, and exactly at that moment the frog will jump away and the poison will fall into that skull, and with that if medicine is prepared, your son will live." How many people will really believe this kind of impossible conditions are possible? But he gave that story. Why is he telling that story? Because of that śraddhā.

Upaniṣadic Stories of Faith

So Upaniṣads are full of these stories about śraddhā. But Upaniṣad is one. What about Satyakāma Jābāla? He had tremendous faith in his Guru. So without this faith, it is impossible to progress in life.

Faith in the Guru in the Modern Age

Now what should be our faith in our Guru? Because there is one type of tendency. You see in olden days people were full of that kind of faith, but now we are living in the 21st century; it is not possible to have that faith. We have some kind of vague—I mean this kind of idea: okay, a little bit of faith, and that too from a distance, no harm, but that kind of 100% faith—no? First of all, it is impossible, and secondly it is dangerous. The Guru may take advantage of that faith like that. Yes, some incidents also happen like that. So what should be our faith if we want to progress?

Swami Vivekananda's Distinction

This is the problem because Swami Vivekananda pointed this out in two ways. He said if you are learning physics or chemistry, you do not need to worry about who is teaching, so long as the person is knowledgeable and he is teaching and he has teaching skills. Here also Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa makes two categories. A person has knowledge but he has no teaching skill, and there are persons who do not have that much of knowledge but they can teach extraordinarily well. They have what is called a talent to convey the ideas. But it does not matter. Physics, chemistry—whatever be the moral of the person, what he teaches is valid because your purpose is not truth? Your purpose is truth in this world. So that fulfils the purpose. Morality has nothing to do with it.

But whereas if it comes to scriptures, we are relying upon something which is not within the realm of the five sense organs. That is why the character of a person is very important.

Choosing a Guru

But then yesterday night I spoke: before we choose a guru, then we will have to be careful whom we choose. But after we choose the guru, we have no choice given. So will it harm? Suppose the man does not know, or suppose the man knows only a little bit—will it harm us? We are sincere. Always we get what is the right thing for us. The guru is only an instrument. But if we have faith in the guru, then it works better because whatever the guru says, that works both in the psychological field and also spiritual field. Psychologically: "My guru told me, and so I have nothing to fear." Immediately there is a relief. But later on, if the person is really sincere, then either God solves his problem, or he will have sufficient strength to stand that problem and find a solution. But without faith, that is not possible.

Can Guru Give God-Realisation?

He can give anything, but that is not the question we are discussing. The question is, guru can give anything. Brahmanandaji asked: "Can guru give God-realisation?" He says God-realisation is anything he can give. He can show God to you. But the problem is, first of all, do you want to see God? When do you want to see God?

The Preacher's Story

Swamiji used to tell a funny story. A Christian preacher got into an emotional frenzy by his own oratory, and he said, "All those who want to go to heaven, come to the left side of the church." So all the fellows rushed. Remember? Only one fellow was standing at the right. So the preacher was glaring at him and said, "Do not you want to go to heaven?" He said, "Yes, certainly I want to go to heaven." "Why are you not rushing to the left side?" "I thought you are all going right now." You see, he wants to go, but not right now. This is our condition. We may rush to the left. Do you think that suddenly a big staircase falls down? Do you think that first of all? Supposing a Vimāna—we call it, you know—divine Vimāna, Puṣpaka Vimāna or whatever comes down. But the thing is there is a Tibetan Puṣpaka Vimāna. The carrier of that Puṣpaka Vimāna is ferocious Bhūta's face. Okay, enter. Through my mouth.

The 3D Movie Illustration

You know, Back to the Future—Disneyland. One Rākṣasa will be sitting here with an axe. Or you feel that you are passing right under him. So when you are coming near, instinctively you are putting your head like that. Has anyone experienced? Actually the jeep never moves. It only makes movements. It is completely stable there. Static. But these holes—there is a screen there. You forget the whole lot. The fellow is glaring at you with a huge axe. You do not know that actually that is the pathway. Mountain, you know? One small narrow path. He was standing there. So if you put your hand and if he chops, it is even more convenient for him because the head will fall instead of messing the way. It will fall. But, you know, instinctively it moves.

And there is a 3D movie—Honey, Shrink Me or something. You have seen? So there is a huge dog who comes and it is full of wet water. It shakes like that. And when it shakes, the bench on which you are sitting also shakes. And then the sprinkler—water will fall upon you. Feel the effect: that water, that dog is shaking and the water is falling on you. So nicely synchronised.

God Tests Our Faith

Anyway, coming back to our point. Sometimes, you see, God tests our faith. How does He test our faith? You see, if we are not tested, if everything is going on well, how will we know? When is our faith tested? That is called testing. No, no. How do we know we have got true faith, unshakeable faith? That is why God creates special situations which make us—really so many people fail in that. But again and again the test will come. And God also, if we continue our spiritual sādhana, a day will come: "Okay, this is absolutely fine. God will protect me." Otherwise what happens is, "God left me to my own devices. He had abandoned me. Other times He is looking after me. When everything is going on, He is looking after me. And when difficult time comes, He is the first person to abandon us."

The Footsteps Story

That story about one devotee walking through a dangerous forest. Remember, Mithyā? I told this story. You know, there was a devotee and always he used to talk with God. God used to talk with him. How do you know? You know, he always used to say, the footsteps. So one day he had to cross a dangerous forest. So as soon as the man entered, God stopped talking with him and the other footsteps disappeared. The devotee understood God had abandoned me. But he had no option. So somehow he went. As soon as the danger was passed, immediately the other footsteps appeared and God started talking. The devotee got very angry. And then he said, "Where were you when I was in trouble? You disappeared. And now that I am not in danger, you reappeared." And He said, "My child, look at the footsteps behind you. Whose footsteps were they? When there was no danger, then we were both walking. As soon as danger came, I took you up in my hands and it is my footsteps." But how does this God fellow—He should keep on talking and then show Himself and say, "Yes, I am carrying you."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and Swami Vivekananda

Very peculiar, you know. Rāmakṛṣṇa told Swamiji like that. And Swamiji went there. He did not tell him he had to get a letter of authority. He did not give him the address. He did not tell him. Surely Ṭhākur must be knowing that the Parliament of Religions is going to be postponed. Do not start now. Start after two months. He did not tell him anything. Simply come. Even on that day, one day before the Parliament of Religions, he lost all address. He was sleeping in an abandoned coach—small car, full of straw and other things. And he lost his money, his purse, his address—everything he lost. And after that, he started, "Where is the Parliament?" Ṭhākur could have come and said, "Bābā, it is here only. Come." It was very near. But He made him. Okay, we know now. What is the purpose? He had to be introduced to some devotees. Okay, why do not you take and say, "I want you to get introduced to these fellows"—knock at the door and all that. That Chicago cold, you know. And he had to—that staircase—he had to be there and he was meditating. Just imagine now. 1893. It is Pagadi. And then he was sitting. Veṅkaṭa Rāmaṇa. Yeah. And then the Veṅkaṭa Rāmaṇa came in the form of Mrs. Hale. Mrs. Hale.

So, we know, now we know, posthumously, Ṭhākur had a purpose. But at that time, imagine Swami Vivekananda's mind. But he never lost faith in God. He just abandoned himself unto God. And God did everything.

The Parliament of Religions

Drama, you know—Swami Vivekananda, how many times he was asked to speak, but he refused to speak. And the President Burrows said, "Perhaps this man will never speak." It is only—that was the last: either you speak or you will not speak. Then he got up and remembered Mother Sarasvatī and those few words—it changed the whole life. Okay, let us come back to our subject.

Faith is Not Fake

Faith. No. It is all fake. But if you have faith, if you are Swami Vivekananda's wife, you will not be a loser. But it is fake. At that time, this system did not exist. But he did record—during his stay in America, long record, a few minutes. And he got two, three copies. One copy he sent to Maharaja of Mysore. One copy he sent to Khetri Maharaja. And I think one or two other people. But we cannot trace them. Even if we trace them, you know we have Swami Abhedānanda's voice. Beautiful voice, very powerful voice. You heard it? Yes.

The Direct Disciples

So we had a few—I mean, Śivānandaji's video is there. Subodhānandaji is there. Swami Akhaṇḍānandaji is there. And Swami Paramānanda is there. Mahāpuruṣa Mahārāj was walking. That tall person who was holding the umbrella—that was Swami Paramānanda. Very tall person. And even then, how Mahāmāyā plays—Rājā Mahārāj, Mahāpuruṣa Mahārāj, they were so pleased with Swami Paramānanda. And he went and established Ananda Ashrama. And ultimately abandoned Belur Maṭha. He made his own ashrama. Swami Abhedānanda made his own ashrama. Swami Nirmalānanda made his own ashrama. These are all supposed to be such great souls. Yeah. These we do not know. Anyway, let us come back to the subject.

When Do We Progress in Spiritual Life?

So, when do we progress in spiritual life? When we have real faith in our Guru. And that is not easy. That is why, you know, normal reactions will be there. You go to the Guru, you make—he will give some prasāda, and you serve him a little food, a little water—these things—that is all.

When Faith Gets Shaken

When does the real faith get shaken? There are times when the Guru gives good scolding. You know, that Haramohan—he left Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa for six months. Why? Because Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was praising somebody. He was not even scolding; he was praising somebody. This man was sitting in a corner and it hurt deep. You know what is the psychology? Stupid psychology, you know. Supposing, you know, there is a mother with two children and the mother is a devotee and she comes to me with her two children and I issue an innocent statement: "Oh, the younger child is very intelligent." I did not say anything about the elder child. And canker starts in the elder child. Yeah?

Taking Scolding in the Right Light

So, if this Guru really scolds for the good of the disciple, how many disciples are there that are able to take it in good light? What has that got to do? Because if another man uses the same language, will you be able to pause and say, "This person is perhaps telling me for my own good"? Do we take it? We are taught here to give—you know—tit for tat. Not tit. Tits means more than one. Yeah. Tit for tat means if he slaps you, you slap him. Tits means what? No, no—you slap, you kick, you do so many things from the front, in the back, in his presence, behind his presence. We are taught, you know, self-assertion: "What right this fellow has got." But spiritual life does not work like that.

The Class A Disciple

Yeah. But if the disciple is absolutely good—what is called class A disciple—then he need not have all these scoldings and other things. Rāmakṛṣṇa—you know—before he could get any scolding from Totāpurī, he went into Samādhi. The moment Totāpurī said, "You go and meditate. No, I am not—how you cannot meditate?" Because he experienced it once. Yeah, pain. "I cannot remove the Divine Mother from my mind." He brought out one sharp broken glass and forcibly pierced it here. Rāmakṛṣṇa was a superb disciple. He understood: "If I do not do what the Guru says, this is going to be repeated." And Totāpurī said, "Go into Samādhi." Immediately he went into Samādhi. Now the Guru started worrying: "Is this real Samādhi? I have taken 40 years to achieve this, and this man had achieved right away." And he examined because he was a person who could—whether it is a Samādhi or not, he could understand. Only a man who has Samādhi experience, perhaps he can understand by examining certain signs. And he understood. There was absolutely no breath, no heartbeat—as though he was dead. But life was there. He understood.

How Do You Know It Is Nirvikalpa Samādhi?

"How do you know it is not Mūrchā Roga? How do you know it is Nirvikalpa Samādhi?" You have no way of knowing. But they know the signs. They examined. And again, kyā daivī māyā hai? How could this person achieve in one day, one hour, what I have taken 40 years to achieve? But he does not know the background of Ṭhākur. In fact, he himself lost his Brahma-jñāna later on—his Samādhi, inability. Why? He did not lose it really. The Divine Mother wanted to teach him. So, whatever state you are in, that is a Sahaja Samādhi. You know? Ramana Maharshi gave a name: Sahaja Samādhi—natural Samādhi. So, Samādhi means knowledge. Once you have knowledge, then that knowledge will not give you up, whether you are in the waking or dream. Even if you dream, you dream only about your body. You do not say—is it not strange? In the waking state, we decorate ourselves on the model of somebody. "If I dress like this, perhaps I will look like that person." In dream, no expenses are there. All that you need to do is imagination. Why cannot you imagine that you are that person? Very interesting. Because you have not developed realistic, imagining knowledge—you did not develop. Otherwise, you can dream of Ṭhākur, Mā. It is all free. Even if it is a dream, it is wonderful. For a few hours, you are in a different realm. But unfortunately, you know, we are not dreaming that. Why? We did not develop that. How to develop it? So, again and again, imagine Leela Kṣetra. Then one day it will happen. Definitely, it will happen.

If the Guru's Behaviour Is Negative

Okay, what is the point here? If the Guru's—so-called, you know—Guru's behaviour is not a positive behaviour, what should we do? Like Ekalavya is a beautiful example. Even though the Guru himself did not teach him, but he said, "That is not—that is your headache. You do not accept me as your Guru. It is your headache. But I have accepted you as my Guru. I will never abandon you." So, he went with a small image and started practising as though Droṇācārya was teaching him. This is a wonderful story.

The Moral of Ekalavya

What is the moral of this story? If you have that much of faith, there is no need for any person to come and teach you. You yourself will learn as though that person is teaching you.

Satyakāma Jābāla

What is the example? In the Upaniṣads, we get examples. Satyakāma Jābāla—you know, his Guru accepted him. And he was not teaching. He was not teaching. He was teaching to everybody else. He was not teaching. He became sad. So, then what happened? He was doing this cow grazing. So the Guru said, "When all the cattle reach the number thousand, then come back." But he was ready for the teaching. See, Guru-vākya. Just imagine—until all the cattle get to the number of—multiply to the number of one thousand. How many years it must have been taking him, but he will not abandon.

Indra and Virocana

This is one of the—The Guru told Prajāpati, and Indra and Virocana—32 years. Have you thought about it? 32 years. Faith in the Guru. What is the faith? What is the guarantee that the Guru will live another 32 years? Okay, we are young people. We may live. And what type of life? Both of them were kings. Both of them were kings. They had to give up all the kingly dress. It is only when the first teaching came. Of course, they were like hospital, you know. You may go in fancy dress, but as soon as they admit you in the hospital, they will bundle your clothes and they will give you hospital dress. And then when you are discharged, they will give back your original dress. So they brought their dress. How do you know? Now you dress yourself and then look at your reflection. That is how we know they were keeping. Their minds were—their brains were thick. They did not understand: "Oh, we are looking exactly the same." No, you are not looking. Without royal cloth, you look in one way. With royal dress, you look another way. And when you are looking different ways, different situations—that cannot be the Ātman. But they did not understand it. Only Indra understood it later on. Beautiful story.

Faith Proved in Difficulty

Coming back to our story. So, when we are in difficulty, then our faith in God is proved. Most people fail this test. When a guru starts—for example, you know, a guru may not look at the disciple. Guru may be paying more attention to somebody. What would be the other disciple's reaction? You have to answer this question yourself, not to me. What would be your feeling? I think we committed a mistake. The other Swami was better. But until you know—the problem is, the other Swami also may behave exactly the same way. Before, you know, before you become a disciple, He is using all tricks to make you a disciple, talking sweetly. Like Swami Premānanda, you know, used to feed all the young men with special sweets—rasagullas and all that. And they thought, "If we join, then every day this would be our fare." The moment they joined, everything stopped. Finished. Because the purpose was served.

The Special Treatment

Then they discovered, whenever the Swami scolds, then special treatment is. They would go out of their way to commit mistakes. To be found out, maybe—I did not know, my imagination is running right—if he did not by mistake notice their mistakes, they would pull him: "Sir, I made this. Did you notice?" Yes. How many people did not get offended? Swami Brahmananda got offended. One day he was rubbing oil. He threw that bottle and then started running. Remember? Yes. Then he could not step out of the threshold. Yeah. That was another matter. I have drawn a line—you cannot cross that line. He said, "OK, supposing you did not draw that line, you would have lost one disciple, at least temporarily. Rājamauḷi would have gone." So what happened to the faith? Like that so many stories are there.

Even Realised Souls Can Get Offended

And even advanced age—one day Swami Brahmananda scolded Swami Premānanda, Bāhurāmānanda—you know that? Yeah. He started walking towards the gate. How hard they are—supposed to be realised souls—even they could get offended. Swami Vivekananda—how he could scold Swami Brahmananda. So that is why, how fortunate we are that no Swami dares to scold you—it is—you think—it is a good fortune. But it is also one of the greatest misfortunes. Because who will be the loser? You know, even if a non-guru scolds also—that is why suffering and difficult times, somebody criticising us—from one point of view, they are miserable things. But from another point of view, it is a most wonderful thing.

Examining Our Faith

So we have to sit and examine our faith. If my guru behaves like this, what will I do? How do I react? But how do I know how I am going to react? Because you recollect, even in small incidents, how you reacted. So many things are there.

Faith in Guru and Faith in God Are the Same

So, what is the point we raise? Because, if we cannot fix our faith in guru, we cannot also fix our faith in God. It is not possible. Because the same thing happens—even worse happens. Why? Because guru is visible at least. We do not know whether God exists. If He exists, you cannot say guru does not exist. Seeing him in front of you, you might behave as though he does not exist. That is the difference. Yes, many disciples do that. Yes, most disciples do that. Not many—most disciples do that. Let us first see, you see—if guru is there, they make prostration. That is not what guru-disciple relationship is. The guru is there only for a spiritual reason. And as though I am looking after his physical comfort—I am looking after his eating and all those things—but I am not doing japa, dhyāna and other things, what he said. Then that is what is called guru-droha.

Guru-Droha

You know, there are certain types of drohas—mitra-droha: I betray a friend. Rāja-droha: I betray my king. Deśa-drohī—we call it—turning against one's own country. Guru-drohī is there. What is guru-droha? Not that abandoning the guru. You are still with the guru, but you do not do what—you do not live the life guru expects from you. Every guru expects—sincerely—even if the guru himself does not practise spiritual discipline, but he expects the others to follow the spiritual life. This is the truth. But if the other person does not do, then the guru is not really that pleased. He says, "What is this? I have taken so much trouble to give initiation, to talk to them, but they are not really using it." So each one of us have to think.

Same with God

So same thing with God also. If I say I believe in God, and if I do not behave according to how God expects me to behave. You know, Laṭṭu Mahārāj—he was at Banaras. You know Laṭṭu Mahārāj—Swami Adhūtānanda. So one day a householder disciple came to him, and he was complaining: "My children do not obey me; it gives me great pain." Then Laṭṭu Mahārāj consoled him a little and said, "Now you understand—we are all children of God. How much you as a human father are feeling so much of pain, because your children are not behaving properly. How much pain our heavenly Father feels, because we are not behaving according to His expectations."

Holy Mother's Expectation

Do you think that Holy Mother does not expect us to behave properly? So many incidents are there, but we are blind. We are only saying, "Mā, your kṛpā," and all those things—crying, shouting, "Kṛpā!" But we do not do something to deserve her kṛpā. At least, Bābā, kṛpā means what? You do not do anything. She milks the cow, and she heats the milk, she puts curd, then she churns the butter, and she is coming with the butter to your mouth, and you do not want to open your mouth. This is what she is telling. So many incidents. Mā: "Yes, my child, do not you sleep? How can I sleep? They call me Mā, and I give them mantra. And after that?" That was the case at that time. What is the case now? Is it worse or is it better? More number of people, you know. This is the condition.

Faith Transforms Life

So, what is that we are talking about? Faith means what? We have to behave—change our life. Faith changes the life. Faith transforms the life. That is what we have to do. And I also pointed out: faith in Guru and faith in God—they are the same. There is no difference at all. "I have faith in God, but I do not have faith in the Guru." How does it work? Because it is the same faculty.

Faith in Other Human Beings

And what about other human beings? You know, a lot of things are there, connected things. Do you have faith in the law of karma? Yes. No, no—I am not asking the answer. I am asking—question yourself. If you have, suppose somebody misbehaved with you, will you blame that person or will you blame your karma? We have to blame—"that I deserve it." This is again a deep subject, you know.

Nāgamahāśaya and the Cat

Nāgamahāśaya—he was one day lying, poor fellow. A cat jumped upon him and then injured his eye—you know, how sharp the claws—and then ran away. What should be our reaction if it happens to us or what should you expect? Nāgamahāśaya—how do you? "He is a damned cat." Like that. He never uttered—he said, "Ṭhākur is punishing me for some wrong thing I have done." That is Nāgamahāśaya.

Faith in the Scriptures

So, faith in the scriptures means what? There are many things scriptures are telling. One thing that they are telling is God exists. The other thing they are telling is you are responsible for your own karma. If you really believe, can you blame anybody? No. Can you blame Osama Bin Laden? No. Can you blame Hitler? You cannot blame anybody. Even this so-called—you know, whether it is Clinton or whether it is Obama—he is only doing according to our karma. This is the truth. So, he got elected because of our collective karma. So, whatever happens to the country and whatever happens to us individually, it is our karma.

The Question of Hitler

And again, we need to clarify that point. Suppose Hitler—did Hitler kill 10 million Jews, or was it their karma which he killed? Do not say yes because I am talking to you. You will have to think about it in your hearts and come to a conclusion. "But you said Hitler is not—considered by killing those Jews. Who said? Who said that?" The person who were killing—they are the sinner. Hitler is not the sinner. No, no, no. He was—he and other people planned it. So, even though he need not have gone personally with a gun and killed somebody, he was the inspiration behind everybody. Is it not? Now, that is not the point we are discussing. The point is whether he should be blamed for the death of all the people. That is the point. Who should be blamed? Everybody's karma. There also, if you study, what happens—somehow some people escaped. Many people died, but some people escaped. And not only that, some people died while they were being taken or some way not killed by the army or anything. This is individual karma.

Hitler's Role

So, here comes a crucial question. And then, what is the role of Hitler then? In what way should he be considered? Certainly, we eliminated. He was not responsible. Then, what would be his role? If he thinks that "I am just an instrument," then he will escape. But if he thinks "I want them to be killed," but he is not responsible for the killing. But if he thinks "I am responsible," then he will get all the Pāpa-phala—everything he will get. So, faith in the law of karma, faith in God and whatever we have here—that means it is the law of karma that does not preclude us from taking action and doing something really good.

Reaction to Suffering

And then, if somebody does something to you, then what do you need to say? If it is your karma—if you strongly believe—what should be your reaction to that person through whom you got this suffering? These are the questions, you know, that will immediately come. If you are really practising these things, immediately—so what should be my response to this person? Because apparently he is the instrument in migrating me to this trouble. What shall I do? These are deep questions. We never get these problems because we say it is all scriptures, and when I read it from Vedanta Society, absolutely wonderful subject for discussion. But when it comes to—we have to encounter sooner or later all these problems. Nobody can escape scot-free.

Blaming Parents

So whether it is the other person, whether it is our own parents—you know how many people blame the parents? "You have not brought up us." Some so-called—I heard that "You have not given birth to us properly." I think that is what Maran said. He also had a shock there. Yeah. "You should have given birth in a proper way"—you know, going to a hospital and under a proper—and then using some medical methods so that painless birth. And these are so many things. You do not—I also do not. I never went into this. When the baby is coming through the birth canal, some people have a very painful experience. Some babies have a very painful experience. Now it seems this affects them psychologically. So let—some psychologists. I do not believe in it. So later on somehow they say, "Oh, because the problem is they do not believe in past birth. So this is the traumatic experience and the baby develops a peculiar opinion about life."

Near-Death Experiences

Not only that, there are so many things out there. Sometimes if you—I do not know how far it is. Near-death experiences. So what is that? They are entered into a dark canal and at the end of the tunnel they see a small light. So either the midwife or the doctor is holding it out. And the first thing that greets them is a human being with a light and takes in the light path. Most of the Western near-death experiences are exactly like that. Are they describing their birth experiences, or are they experiencing near-death experiences? God knows. Hindus do not have this kind of near-death experiences. Hindus never had. Because they do not have—their brains have not been washed with this kind of descriptions of birth, etc. Some of them had. I went. There is no question of dark canal. All those light is coming at the end of the tunnel. Slowly it is growing. You know, like a train enters into a dark tunnel. And then slowly, when it is nearing the other end, then slowly the light is coming. These are the descriptions you get. Hindus never have this. Straight and suddenly they landed themselves in heaven. And like that. So these near-death experiences also depend on what kind of conditioning these people had gone through earlier in time. All these things have become big subjects now. Anybody can write very nicely and authenticate it—guaranteed to be a millionaire. Many books like that. And our Indians are also going, "Oh, we did not know." What should you know? All your Hindu tales and all these things—it is full of these rebirths, going to heaven, coming back, going to hell and coming back. If you believe Arjuna, he went also to the Pātāla and married one Nāga Kanyā. What happens when the Nāga Kanyā embraces him? They spoil him. You know, they are very happy. Yeah, all those things.

Faith Proved in Daily Reactions

Okay. So faith is very important. Faith is proved only in our day-to-day reactions. So if you believe in God, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, then you will have to believe—whatever is happening in your life is happening because of what? Because of—my own karma. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's will is there when He is observing. How can something go wrong? So all these things—if something is going wrong, then how should you take it? There is a lesson to be learned.

Swami Vivekananda and the Fakir

I remember so many connected things, you know. Swamiji was cursed by the fakir and he went and complained to Holy Mother. And what was Holy Mother's reply? It is the same. See, Swamiji—the language he was using: "Your old man. Your old man is a useless fellow. He did not do anything to himself." Then sweetly Holy Mother smiled and said, "Bābā, it is also Ṭhākur's power only. He misused it." And Swamiji had to go through horrendous experience including what is called—because somebody wanted to finish Swamiji off. Poison. They gave him poison. Oh my God. Then Ṭhākur came and told him, "Do not drink that." He could have told him earlier that you are going to be poisoned. As though He did not know. At that time he looked into the cup. I can pull Ṭhākur's leg. He said, "Why did He save Swami Vivekananda? Not because of His love for Swami Vivekananda. He said, suddenly, who is going to preach My name in this country? I have worked so hard to make this man. If he is slipping away, then how much time I have to work very hard to get another man. So better I save him a little bit." So how did Swami Vivekananda tell? What a hell he had gone through. What a hell Holy Mother had to go through—both during the life of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and after he passed away also. It was not an easy life. Only towards the end people came to respect her and took care of her. Even then, endless relatives problems and devotees also problems and all that. So how did they take?

The Test of Faith

So whatever happens in our life, how should we take? Especially when some unpleasant experiences happen, how should we take in our life? That proves the faith. Otherwise simply by mouth I am saying, "I have faith," and then when the actual event happens, then I become frustrated. You know, these are again wrong responses. Getting angry, getting frustrated, getting depressed—all these are what is called an ordinary man might go through those problems. How can we go through?

Question: Can Guru and God Be Equal?

Okay Padma, what was your question?

"Can Guru and God be same or equal in disciples?"

They are absolutely equal with one distinction. The Guru is right in front of me if he is alive. So I need to respect his body and also his health and his moods, etc. But whereas God—He does not have a body or anything. So they are both to be looked in the same light. But I have to pay special attention to God because there is a body. Otherwise my Guru is God, so he does not require any Naivedya. Or even worse, bring the Naivedya and keep it at a distance from him. After ten minutes take it—"Vidhi prasāda." He is God after all. Why does he require all those things? These Prabuddhas—so many of these Prabuddhas are there.

Nārāyaṇa Guru's Story

Nārāyaṇa Guru's story I told. You remember? Wonderful story. By the way, Swami Vivekananda met Nārāyaṇa Guru and he learned some secrets of Yoga from him. Especially this Mudrā. Why are these two, when they unite, what is so important? Not from spiritual point of view but from what is called Ayurveda point of view. He said some nerves, subtle nerves, when they unite here and that does a lot of good to the body. Some nerve current, you know? All these Chinese have got Yin Yang and all those things. So something like that. Something.

What Is the Significance of Jñānamudrā?

Do you know what is the significance of this? Jñānamudrā. What is the symbolism? You see, we discussed last class. Do you remember? What do you remember? I do not remember. This is called Chin Mudrā, Jñānamudrā. No, no, any saint. Chin Mudrā. So, here you see, five fingers. So this is—called—is equated—symbolises Paramātman. This symbolises Jīvātman. This Jīvātman is Jāgrat, Svapna, Suṣupti or Sthūla-Śarīra, Svapna-Śarīra is always united before enlightenment. After enlightenment, the Jīva says, "I am not this body" and united with this. These three remain separated. This is called Jñānamudrā. This is the symbolism.

The Answer

So the answer to your question: they have to be looked upon exactly in the same light. Later on, everybody has to be looked in the same light. Everything is God. The whole universe is nothing but God. But so long as the Guru is alive and so long as we have not reached God, we consider God the pathway for us so that we can reach God. Once we reach God, there is no difference between God and Guru and me. Until that time, we must have tremendous faith, at least in one Guru. That is most important.

Staying at the Level of Guru

Today, determined—I will not raise my hands. You are processing all that I am talking. Some of us stay at the level of Guru, Guru himself—without even going through what he is saying, the path to God. Before we stay away at the level of Gurus, thinking that Guru himself is God, we are refusing to imbibe what he is saying and going beyond, towards God. Do you think that is called considering Guru as God? What you are saying is, if God comes and says, "You do this," I accept you as God, but I am not going to do anything you tell me to. That is what you are telling, is it not? This is what I am saying. My point is, you cannot consider your Guru as God and not do what he asks you to do. It is impossible.

The Certificate Syndrome

If you consider him, somehow I required some certificate that I am an initiated disciple. Now that I got the certificate—like Indian government employees—until they get the job, you are the most obedient servant. Once the job is got, Lal Zandā. You see, this is the psychology. The moment you consider that what this person asks me to do is for my good, then you yourself will do it. There is no need to force. But if you think, "Just because my Guru told me, I do not want to do it, but I have no option and I will have to do"—that means you have not really that much faith in the Guru.

Faith Means He Is God

That is why we raised the subject of faith. Faith means what? That he is God. He is God. And whatever he does, whatever he speaks, whatever he commands me to do is for my good. People—we all are accustomed to do, you know—you obey the green light and red light. Why? No, no, we know this is for our good. If we obey, our life will be safe. Is it not? Suppose you come to know that obeying these rules is not really safe. Will you obey? Then you will be looking here and there and all that. In India, that is what happens. It is dangerous to obey this, you know. The red light has come. If you stop there, this fellow from behind will come and then see that you go through that red light. That story was there—very interesting. Even if you know, it is a very interesting story.

The Taxi Story

See, one fellow—he is a taxi driver—and one tourist went from West—you know, in the West everybody obeys this. Like that, whatever—green light, red light—everything. And suddenly a green light came and this fellow put sudden brakes. Red light was passing through. Green lights on this side. And then this passenger was astounded: "You are passing through red lights and here is green light. Why?" He said, "Sir, do you see the taxi which just zoomed? My brother is passing that way. That was a red light for him." That was a red light for him. Anyway, now things are getting better in Bangalore and other places. Absolutely. The moment if somebody does—I do not know about Calcutta. Anyway, things are becoming better. The government, sir. Yes. It lost the hand raising. But Bombay is also absolutely—Bombay traffic—absolutely. Right. Okay. Slowly. Very disciplined, sir. People are understanding. Previously they did not have so many cars. Now, their life is—especially in this small Tata car. Tata. In addition to that there is Yamaha also, sir. Yamaha. Yamaha means what? Yamaha motorcycle. Yama, Yama. Yamaha. Okay.

Faith in Worldly Things

What was that? Be clear. I am not clear. Yes. Absolutely. You know, according to Vedānta philosophy, we all have faith. You see, anybody who abandons faith—I think he will be a suicider. Only sometimes we have faith in worldly things. We all have faith in worldly things. "If I get more money, I will be a better person." This is absolutely deep within ourselves everywhere. Is it not? More than anything else. Security is associated with more money. Then I can have better treatment, I can have better house, etc. That is there.

Transferring Faith

Only factor is—transfer this faith from worldly objects to God. And that has to be channelled through the guru, through other devotees, etc. No, no. Faith... There is no person who lacks faith. Especially, when we think, you know, at least I have faith in myself. I cannot believe that I do not have faith in myself. It is so, but it is not 100%. It may not be even 20%. It may be 2%, 5%. Faith is there. I would not really say even 2%, you know, when we say this kind of calculations. We have faith in so many things. Our faith is divided into a little faith in parents, a little faith in brothers and sisters, a little faith in friends, office, work, and hospitals, doctors, and all those things. What we need is—gather all this faith and direct it towards God.

Faith in Not Believing

It is impossible—if anybody says, "I do not have any faith," he has faith in his not having faith. That is the truth. If anybody says, "I do not believe in God," he believes in not believing in God. That is the simple. No man can be without faith.

Eric Fromm's Insight

That is why Eric Fromm—the superb psychologist—so he said that this devotion to religion or devotion to God, which was in the past, is now taking new forms. Nationalism, what is called pride in a person being—"I am an American," etc. So it is taking some social forms. That is all. It is shifting its shape, which is not really good, because it is only running round in circles within the world. Whereas faith in God is something which transcends the world. That is the truth.

Question: Do We Have One Guru Across All Births?

What was it, Sukumār?

"Maharaj, you mentioned about one guru last night. Do you have one guru across all the births?"

Yes. So in my previous birth, you were my guru? Yes. In Janma Janmāntara—not only that, I will go so far as to say there are no different gurus for other people. There is only one guru. He comes in different forms. Do you understand? God alone is the guru. But God comes in different forms. So when you put this question, you have not abandoned your individual—the idea of individuality. So next birth, this individuality will vanish. Some other body will come. So the so-called guru's body also will be different. But that which is flowing inside through any guru—that is exactly the same. Like light, you know, there may be 100 bulbs—5 watts, 10 watts, with different colours, you know, Christmas. But it would be wrong to think that different electric lights are lighting up different types of bulbs. It is the same.

Many Gurus in Many Lives

No, that is not possible. Many, many lives—you have guru in different forms. In fact, you know, the same guru—not only we are relating to the spiritual field—a person might teach you how to sing better, a person might teach you how to cook better, a person might teach you how to behave better. They are all knowledge, you know. That is the beautiful idea—Hindu idea of Sarasvatī. Everybody bows down to Sarasvatī. But Sarasvatī is not related only to what is called spiritual knowledge. Any knowledge—whether it is scientific knowledge or poetical knowledge or cooking knowledge, geography, for a small child—2 plus 2—or for Einstein—it is all different manifestations of the same knowledge.

The Chāndogya Upaniṣad Example

"Is it in the same light that you mentioned in Chāndogya Upaniṣad that Gāndhāra Puruṣa—actually a different person acts as a guru and helps us to move forward?" You can relate it in that way. You know, do you remember the example? Yes. There was a person—it does not matter—Gāndhāra Puruṣa or anybody—he has been brought to a new place, has been bound, and then he was helpless, left helpless. Somebody comes, opens his eyes, and gives some directions: "So you go in this direction, you slowly move." And then this person goes a few miles, meets another person, and says, "Am I in the right direction?" "Yes, yes, you are in the right direction." And after some time, another man says, "No, you have to go in that road, not in this way." Like that, soon after some time, he will reach the goal. This is what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa also gives that illustration. Jagannātha. Somebody is... Yeah.

Why One Guru in One Life

So the idea is, what we want to have one guru in one life. Otherwise what happens? The teachings are different. So one person may sincerely teach a different path. For example, if you go to a Tāntrika guru, he will teach you Tantra. If you go to what is called some—what is called fanatical Advaitins—he will say, "This is the only way." Even now there are so many such Prabuddhas are there. If you go to a bhakta like Hare Kṛṣṇa, and he will take you only—"Bhakti is the only..." All of them can be wrong. They all can be helpful. What is right? Every path is right. But whether it is right for you at that particular stage, only your sincerity can guide you there.

Guru Is Knowledge

So this question itself is—many gurus. Guru is only one. What is the guru? Knowledge. Knowledge is the only one. So if knowledge is one, how many knowledges are there? That is our problem. The chemistry—if you know chemistry, you cannot teach geography. You cannot teach zoology. That is perfectly fine in that—at that level. But we are not talking about the manifestations of knowledge. We are talking about the Mūla—Mūla Vidyā. Not Mūla Avidyā—Mūla Vidyā. Mūla Vidyā. That is Sarasvatī. If a scholar prays, she will give scholarship. If money is prayed for, then she will give money knowledge. Do you know what is money knowledge? Hmm? To write investment schemes? That is also one. There are many. Perhaps suddenly you will write WhatsApp application. Instantaneously, you become a billionaire. How many billions they bought it? It is a simple application. Somehow that creativity flowed. Who flowed? Mother Sarasvatī flowed. Yeah, you see how wonderful it is. That hot mail—an Indian. Indian, not—chop. Indian. Indian chop. He wrote that hot mail and Microsoft bought it for millions of dollars. Yeah, like that you know. So many. I am really surprised how many creative ideas a person can have. If the right idea comes, what happens? After seeing that application, everybody feels, "What a fool I am. I could have written this application. It is so simple." Like that. It is simple. Absolutely true. But you know that Bill Gates—he was an ordinary person. He was working for IBM, I think for a small amount of money. He used to drink tea and eat chips. And with that, he wrote this DOS programme and it took off. Then he emitted—actually he got it from Apple. Now he has surpassed. Now Apple is following Microsoft. Still it is not telling. Okay.

Final Reflection

Any other question? You have to think. Whatever we discussed yesterday and today—very, very important. About Guru, about faith—you will have to think and rethink and say, "How am I applying it in my day-to-day?" Simply saying "Guru Brahmā, Guru Viṣṇu"—it will not do.

Obedience to the Guru

Obedience to the Guru's story. Yeah. You know that. If I mention, then you will understand. There was a Guru—somehow he procured one disciple. He thought, "My life will be very easy from now onwards." Next morning, he told, "Go and beg food and bring." He said, "Guruji, previous day, to impress the disciple, he told, 'You know, at all times, you know, think of God. Do not allow your mind to go here and there.' And he applied it against the Guru now: 'I am sitting for doing japam. You only told me not to move here.'" And the Guru himself had to go and beg food. "Hey, I have brought food. Now you gather some firewood." Same reply. "Then you cook." It is the same reply. Then Guru himself had to cook and he had to call. And he called, "Come and eat." Immediately he jumped up and then he caught hold in a South Indian way of doing it. You do not know? Oh, this is like that. They have to—Introduction. Introduction to Guru is like this? "I am the—I belong to such and such a Gotra. I am Svaṃnātha Śarmoham Viśvanātha Gotraḥ Āpastamba Sūtraḥ Kāuṇḍinyāḥ—I am the great-grandson of somebody." And then he will make praṇāms. Like that he made praṇāms and then he said, "I have done Mahāpāpa disobeying my Guru three times. Fourth time I am not going to disobey."

Are We Really Obeying?

You see, we have to be careful. Are we really obeying? This is not a story. Of course, if the Guru says, we might even cook first class food and feed him. That is not the main. This you do for anybody. You do it for your mother, your father, your friends, everybody—no distinction. But what they really—Guru—transformation of character. And the funniest thing I found is—if we become better, who benefits? You know, who will have more joy? Yeah. If parents, teacher tells you "study hard"—who gets the benefit? The student. You know, his whole life will be lighted up. "Oh, my teacher inspired me to study hard. Otherwise, I do not know what I would have done. I am really grateful for him." So, whenever Guru tells something, it is all for the good of the disciple. But we think—"Since you told me, I will make sure that I will not do it." Perverted fellows.

Is It Your Will or Ṭhākur's Will?

All right. Sometimes we think we are surrounded by Ṭhākur's will. Yeah. "How do you know that it is not your will and it is Ṭhākur's will? How do you know? How do you differentiate between them?" There is no need to differentiate. If you have got that faith and then if you are doing what He asked you to do. That is why we discussed especially in other retreats. So, Śaraṇāgati has got six characteristics. Śaraṇāgati—if those six conditions are not fulfilled, you cannot call it Śaraṇāgati. I mean, I am not talking. We are perfect in it. Start. At least. And before doing anything, let us think and say, "Am I really doing it?" Even one percent—one percent you do, one percent we get benefit.

The End Will Always Be Right

Okay. If we really are trying our best to practise these six qualifications, it does not really matter. You do not even need to think, "Is it your will or Ṭhākur's will?" The end will always be absolutely right. After all, we are not really bothered which path you are going through. We want to reach the destination, and you are reaching the destination. This is very important question, you know—"How do I know whether it is Ṭhākur's will or my will?" It does not matter whether it is your will or what—is your purpose? You want to go towards God, is it not? If that purpose is served, then it is Ṭhākur's will.

The Small Illustration

Small illustration, you know. Suppose you want to go towards God, and such a situation where you will have to take your own decision. It does not seem that anybody is guiding you, and you have to take your—and as a result, somebody thinks you messed up something either in the work or somewhere else, and they are up and they are blaming you, and they may take you off the job, and so many difficulties may come. Our problem is we are not judging whether it is taking us to the goal. We are judging about the result. So our thinking should change now and say it is not what happens ultimately—where am I going. But we are judging God only through certain actions that are taking place. "This is convenient, this is happy, and this is not happy"—like that. That is our problem.

The Example of Kṣudirām

See, Kṣudirām—such a great man, such a good man—you will not get in this world. He lost all his property. And did he surrender himself to God before that? And as a result of surrendering to God, what happened? Who won? The Zamindar won, and all his property is lost. That is why The Great Master had to be studied, not read. What was the reaction of Kṣudirām after that event happened? He did not lose faith. He is faith in Raghuvīr. Previously, he was thinking that I am not 100% certain. Now he says whatever Raghuvīr does, it is His will. He gave, He has taken away. I will depend totally upon Him. The truth is he never recovered what he lost. He got one small piece of land; he had to abandon his village. He had to come to Kāmārthapur. His friend, out of compassion, gave him a small plot of land and he did all those things. So physical difficulties did not diminish. In fact, they increased. Where he is having 30 bighas of land and where he is having one bigha of land. But was he nearer to God or further away from God? That is called true self-surrender. He accepted God's will and said, "This must be good for me. No doubt about it." That is why God is born in his family.

Alright. Let us close now. Om Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ.