How
to Derive Benefit from Satsang
(Associating
with the Good)
|
continued.......
At the
time of satsang, we are not subject to change. Become established in the
self, `I am not the one undergoing changes and modifications`. We are not to
take relish in the satsang, rather we are to understand its gist, the
`Essence`, the reality, to retain it, and become engrossed in it. We have to
have an affinity with the self, `Essence`. By having such affinity with the
self, without spiritual practice, without good company and without sacred
books, we will feel ill as ease. Then automatically on your own you will
engage in devotion, adoration and worship of God. Our relationship is with
God. As opposed to immediate, mundane pleasures, one must give more weight to
the affinity with God. As people are generally attracted towards money,
without caring about pleasure or pain, profit or loss, so should we be
attracted towards God. Then like greedy people who hanker after money, we
will develop taste for spiritual practice.
A man
who is engaged in `satsang` should first and the foremost think that who is
mine and who is not mine? Pay attention! It is an exceptional point ! We
should realize that He Who ever lives with us, and with Whom we ever live, is
ours. But He Who cannot always live with us, and with Whom we cannot always
life, is not ours. Now why do we not recognize Him, Who is ours? and why are
we attracted to that which is not ours? We commit a mistake by regarding
the
riches, property, sons, family, honour, praise, etc. as ours. Actually they are
not ours because they don`t accompany us forever, they appear and disappear.
But we have a disinclination for God Who is ours, Mirabai declared, `None
else except God is mine`. We don`t attain God because unlike Mirabai we don`t
exclusively depend on God. We should have an inclination to God because He is
our own. ‘ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति ’
(गीता १८/६१) ।`He
dwells in the hearts of all beings` (Gita 18/61). I declare several times
that God pervades everywhere, every time in all persons, inclinations,
incidents, circumstances, and states. So He is here now in us. As He belongs
to all, He is also ours. So we need not lose heart as far as His attainment
is concerned. But our affinity for the people of this mortal world is only in
order to render service to them. If we are attached to them, we shall have to
suffer because they can`t live with us forever.
Do not relish the joy that you get from satsang (good company). Have an inclination for God Who is the source of this joy. God is the abode of that joy. The body and the world are not ours. If we are bold enough to accept this fact, it will be very beneficial (to be continued)
|