||  Shree Hari   ||

Prayer and Refuge

प्रार्थना और शरणागति

continued.......

It has come in Ramcharitmanas ‒

मसकहि करइ बिरंचि प्रभु अजहि मसक ते हीन ।

                                                                     (उत्तर॰ १२२ ख)

जो चेतन कहँ जड़ करइ जड़हि करइ चैतन्य ।

                                                                      (उत्तर॰ १११ ख)

तृन ते कुलिस कुलिस तृन करई ।

                                                            (लंका॰ ३५ । ४)

It means that God is entirely capable of making the impossible,  possible and in making the possible, impossible   ‒‘कर्तुमकर्तुमन्यथाकर्तुं समर्थ: ।’   God has no incapability, none whatsoever.   He is perfect in every way.   There is nothing at all lacking in God, on any subject,  whether it be strength, intellect, knowledge, abilities, etc.  In the same way,  if we establish an affinity with the almighty,  perfect,  all capable God,  then all His powers will come in us.   Just as when there is a connection with the electric wiring, then not only does the fan operate,  the electric stove comes on,  ice also forms,   the light also turns on.  With the one single power, various mutual and opposing work can take place.     In the same way,  that one single power is at work, in the creation, sustenance and destruction of this world.   Through prayer, when a devotee becomes inclined to such an Almighty God, then what can be lacking in such a devotee?   There is no possibility of anything lacking whatsoever.   God says ‒

                          यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम् ।

                          स सर्वविद्भजति  मां    सर्वभावेन भारत ॥

                                                                  (गीता १५ । १९)

yo maamevamasammoodho jaanaati purusottamam

sa saravidbhajati maam sarvabhaavena bhaarata (Gita 15:19)

‘Arjuna ! the wise man who thus realizes Me as the Supreme Person - knowing all,  he constantly worships Me (the all-pervading Lord) with his whole being.’

He who understands God to be the supreme Personality,  the Highest Person (Purushottam),  is "sarvavid" the knower of all.    By knowing many things in this world, man does not become ‘sarvavid’  (knower of all).   He who has an unflinching faith that God’s powers are immeasurable,  boundless, limitless, infinite, unfathomable -  he is in every which way worshiping God only.    His sight does not go towards anyone else besides God.  He does not have any dependency of anyone besides God, and no one is worth any thing for him,  and there is no expectation from anyone.  From all angles and directions he feels a sense of hopelessness.  Once and for all the thought that I can accomplish this with my own strength goes ways from his heart.  In such a state,  true refuge takes place,  genuine prayer takes place.   God says -  

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य     मामेकं    शरणं    व्रज ।

अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥

                                                                            (गीता १८ । ६६)

Sarvadharmaan parityajya maamekam sharanam vraj |

Aham tvaa sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa suchah ||  (Gita 18/66)

“Give up dependence on all duties and surrender completely to Me.   Seek refuge in Me alone.  I shall liberate you from all sins,  grieve not.”

Therefore not depending in the least bit on your own strength, intellect, knowledge, etc.  and not having any pride of these,  our work is only to exclusively take refuge in God, and it is God's work to once and for all liberate us from all sins.    The reason being that we have only become disinclined to God,  God has never become distant from us.  If we take refuge in God with exclusive feelings, then with God’s powers, very quickly and very easily we can attain salvation.   Therefore,  God gives reassurance, that by taking refuge in Me,  I will liberate you from all sins, sorrow, bondages, then why do you worry ?   

Narayan ! Narayan !! Narayan !!!

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Prayer and Refuge

प्रार्थना और शरणागति

continued.......

An aspirant  should want to experience a sense of powerlessness, and then become totally dependent on God.  An aspirant becomes entirely God’s,  such that  ‘O’ Lord,  there is no one else besides You that is my support.  There is no other power.’  Being so,  become free of all worries, then immediately the work will be completed.   Whereas, with the power of one’s own strength,   it may take many years and still the work would not be completed.   From this,  one exceptional point is that one must apply their total strength,  but dependence should be on only God.  Therefore Gita says ‒

जरामरणमोक्षाय       मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये ।

ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम् ॥

                                                                                   (७ । २१)

‘Jaraamaran mokshaaya maamaashritya yatanti ye |

Te Bhrama tadviduha krtsnamdhyaatman karma chaakhilam ||

(Gita 7/ 29)

‘They who have taken refuge in Me, who strive for deliverance from old age and death, know Brahma (the Absolute), the whole Adhyaatma (the totality of Jeevas or embodied souls),  and the entire field of Karma (action).’  (Gita 7/29)  

An aspirant endeavors,  but not depending on his endeavors and efforts,  depends on only God.   Just as God lifts the entire Govardhan mountain with the tip of the nail of His tiny left hand finger and says to the cowherd boys, each of you lift your poles and apply your strength.  All placed their poles,  but the moment the thought came to their minds, that it is due to us, the cowherd boys placing the poles, that the mountain is being upheld,  and the moment such sentiments arose in their minds,   God released His tiny finger slightly, to remove their pride, and thereafter, all of them screamed, oh father,  we are dying !  dying !    The message and meaning conveyed by God is that you must apply your full strength,  but do not depend on your own power and strength.   Let there be total eagerness and promptness in putting the effort,  but let there not be any pride of one’s power and strength.    Thus,  God says to Arjuna ‒

निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन् (गीता ११ । ३३)

‘O’  Arjuna ! Be you only an instrument’

The meaning of being only an instrument is that apply your total strength,  but do not have even the slightest bit of faith and reliance in your own strength.   Being an instrument,  does not mean, doing a little bit of work.  Arjuna was ambidextrous and could shoot the arrow with both hands.  He was equally skilled at shooting his target with left hand, as he was with the right hand.   Therefore Arjuna’s name was ‘सव्यसाची’ ‘Savyasaachi’.   God by calling Arjuna ‘savyasaachi’  convey the message to him that,    you apply your full strength,  but do not have the thought in your mind that this work will get done by your strength, by your knowledge.  Whatever will happen,  will happen by My grace, my powers.   Therefore when prayers are done by taking refuge in God’s grace, then God’s extra-ordinary, and boundless power, works immediately.  

continued......

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Prayer and Refuge

प्रार्थना और शरणागति

continued.......

When there is  support of something or the other,  whether it be one’s strength, abilities, position, knowledge, intellect, caste, stage in life, organization etc,  till then, neither genuine prayer will take place,  nor, true surrendering takes place.  The reason being, that when there is support of one’s strength, abilities, etc.,  egoism,  a sense of I-ness continues to persist.   As long as there is egoism (sense of I-ness), till then, genuine prayer and true refuge does not take place.   Without real prayer and genuine refuge in God, the work will not get done.   

When one experiences complete lack of strength, then real prayer and real refuge takes place  ‒‘सुने री मैंने निरबल के बल राम ।’  Powerless does not mean that our body becomes weak,  it does not mean that there is no strength,  it does not mean that the body becomes ill and feeble.  The meaning of powerless is to feel a sense of hopelessness with one’s own strength, to have no dependence whatsoever on one’s own strength,  to have no reliance or pride.   To feel a sense of hopelessness, with the power of the intellect, mind, wealth, body, brawn, knowledge, etc.   and to feel intense hope in realizing God,  then, prayer will instantly be frutified.    As long as there is hope of one’s own strength,  and one feels hopeless about realizing God, till then, prayer will not come of any use.   

There is no work that is impossible,  that cannot become possible by God’s prayers,  the reason being that God’s strength is infinite, without any limits, it is immeasurable.  God’s strength, cannot be described in words.  The extent to which we understand it to be infinite, limitless, immeasurable,  it is far more extra-ordinarily limitless, immeasurable and infinite, than even that.   The words infinite, without any boundaries and immeasurable are “saapeksh”  (with the aid of an instrument),  in other words,  compared to limits,  it is limitless, compared to boundaries, it is boundless, compared to a definitive end, it is endless (infinite),  but God is “nirpeksh”  (without the aid of an instrument).  His prayers and refuge, takes place by being helpless ‒

                         जब लगि गज बल अपनो बरत्यो, नेक सरयो नहिं काम ।

                          निरबल ह्वै  बलराम   पुकारयो,    आये   आधे   नाम ॥

Besides the one God, let there be no dependence and reliance on anyone else ‒

एक भरोसो  एक  बल    एक आस बिस्वास ।

एक राम घन स्याम हित चातक तुलसीदास ॥

When there is not even the slightest bit of reliance on strength, intellect, abilities, class, stage in life, etc., and one experiences that I cannot attain God by my strength, intellect, abilities etc,  I cannot get rid of my sorrow on my own, then God’s strength and power comes to use.  

continued......

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Prayer and Refuge

प्रार्थना और शरणागति

To pray to God and to take refuge in Him -  these two points are the kind to give immediate fulfillment. When some difficulty arises,  when some sorrow comes, when there is some vexation, when there is some distress,  then, call out “He Naath !  O’  Lord!’.  With sentiments of helplessness,  pray to Him,  then there will be immediate benefits.    Just as Gajendra,  Draupadi,  Uttaraa etc.  remembered God at the time of difficulties, then they were immediately protected.   The reason being that,  when our strength is of no use whatsoever,  when our intellect becomes stifled,  at that time,  by taking refuge in God,  God’s grace begins to work.   When Gajendra was unable to escape from the clutches of the crocodile,  and when he became dejected and felt a sense of hopelessness with his own strength and with his friends and relatives,  then he turned towards God and too His shelter,  and God released him from the clutches of the crocodile.  At the time when Draupadi was being dis-robed, when all hope of help from all directions faded, no one whatsoever heard her prayers,  then she called out to the Lord, and God came to her rescue and protected her.   At the time when the weapon was released by Ashvatthama to destroy the womb of Uttara, she took complete refuge in the Lord,  and called out to Him, and God protected her womb and her child.   When Arjuna could not decide between duty and non-duty, and become dejected with his intellect, then he took refuge in God, and God share with him the Gita for the benediction of the world, and thus destroyed his delusion.    Whatever work takes place by God’s grace, it does not ever take place by one’s own strength - intellect etc.   However, as long as one does not apply one's total strength, till then, genuine prayer from within does not come about.   The reason being, that on applying one's full strength, when one experiences a sense of helplessness and powerless, then faith in one’s own power and strength goes away, and when faith in one’s own power goes away,  genuine prayer takes place.

  

बुद्धिर्विकुण्ठिता नाथ समाप्ता मम युक्तय: ।

Our intellect becomes frustrated,  when all our efforts, strategies and tactics fail,  at such a time,  genuine prayer takes place,  or else, when any trace of our power and its pride remains,  false prayer takes place.   With false prayers,  the work will not get done.   Those who say that we have prayed,  but nothing happened,  then in fact,  genuine prayer did not take place by them !   Prayers are not done,  rather they come from within, in other words, it takes place on its own.   If a genuine prayer takes place from within, then immediately and instantly the work will be completed.

continued......

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Love, Lover and Beloved

प्रेम, प्रेमी तथा प्रेमास्पद

( continued........ )

A lover always feels a lack of love within himself.   Just as a rich man always feels a shortage of money.   As the wealth increases,  so does the shortage and feeling of lack of it increases *  Similarly a lover always sees a shortage, lack of love in himself.   Therefore love has been called as every moment, ever increasing.   If a lover did not feel something lacking in his love,  then how would love increase?   To not accept completeness, and to always believe in something lacking in one’s love,  is itself ‘nitya viraha’  ‘frequent separation’.    ‘Frequent separation’ and ‘frequent union’ both are frequent and eternal.    Therefore neither does the longing for the lover ever get fulfilled,  nor is there ever separation from the beloved.    In frequent separation,  the love increases and in frequent union,  spirit and energy flows in the love, sentience comes into the love, extra-ordinary and exceptional qualities come in the love.   Both frequent separation and frequent union are the forms of that one love.   

अरबरात    मिलिबेको   निसिदिन,

मिलेइ रहत  मनु   कबहुँ मिलै ना ॥

‘भगवतरसिक’      रसिक  की बातें,

रसिक बिना कोउ समुझि सकै ना ॥

Giving the example of frequent separation from and frequent union with the beloved,  Goswami Tulasidasji Maharaj  elaborates on the condition of mother Kaushalya ‒

         माई री ! मोहि कोउ न समुझावै ।

         राम-गवन साँचो किधौं सपनो, मन परतीति न आवै  ॥१॥

         लगेइ रहत मेरे नैननि आगे, राम लखन अस सीता ।

           तदपि न मिटत दाह या उरको, बिधि जो भयो बिपरीता ॥२॥

         दुख न रहै रघुपतिहि बिलोकत, तनु न रहै बिनु देखे ।

           करत न प्रान पयान, सुनहु सखि ! अरुझि परी यहि लेखे  ॥३॥

         कौसल्या के बिरह-बचन सुनि रोइ उठीं सब रानी ।

        तुलसिदास रघुबीर-बिरहकी पीर न जाति बखानी     ॥४॥

                                                            (गीतावली, अयोध्या॰ ५३)

This frequent separation and frequent union is also bestowed only by God,  out of His grace.

_______________

         * In fact  ‘जिमि प्रतिलाभ लोभ अधिकाई’‒ this tendency of every moment, ever increasing is also for love of God only, but man engaged it in worldly sense pleasures ad hoarding.   Jeev (embodied soul) was attracted to the imperishable God only,  but he applied this attraction to the perishable world.     The attraction is the same only,  but out of bad company, and out of taking pleasure in sense enjoyment, the direction of that attraction changed its course.   Worldly attraction (attachment or desires) takes one towards the wife, whereas attraction for God (love) takes one towards spiritual progress.  Worldly attraction becomes feeble,  and changes into sorrow,  unreal,  but attraction for God, merges into every moment, ever increasing bliss.

नारायण !     नारायण !!     नारायण !!!

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Love, Lover and Beloved

प्रेम, प्रेमी तथा प्रेमास्पद

( continued........ )

4. Frequent Separation and Frequent Union

I am God’s and God is mine -  in this manner,  there is no spiritual discipline, there is no worship, as the intimacy and sense of belonging to God.   With this intimacy there is great bliss and even God experiences joy.  God bestows His everything to His intimate ones.   God gives His infinite love (relish) to them.   But he who out of dependency,  filled with sorrow due to the bondage of birth and death,  desires to be freed from it, to such a one, God bestows liberation,  but He, Himself remains hidden from such an aspirant.    When a liberated soul,  does not become satisfied with the uninterrupted relish of liberation,  then the hunger for infinite relish is awakened.   The reason being that on becoming liberated,  the desire for perishable relish is wiped out, but the hunger for infinite relish never goes away.   Therefore, it has come in the Brahmasutra  ‒

मुक्तोपसृप्यव्यपदेशात् । (१ । ३ । २)

‘That God, an embodiment of Love,  has been shown to be attainable by a liberated soul.’   Therefore one name of God is also ‘आत्मारामगणाकर्षी’ 'Aatmaraamganaakarshi'.

Infinite relish is not in enlightenment,  rather it is in love.   This hunger for the never ending relish is man’s real and final hunger and the attainment of love is man’s real and ultimate gain.   There is finiteness, or a limit to liberation*,  but this love has no borders, no limits.   For the attainment of this love,  one does not need to know how is God,  rather one only needs to accept that God is mine.   God is mine - this intimacy gives joy to both the devotee and God. It gives infinite relish.    Because on gaining knowledge of anything, only the ignorance is removed, one does not get anything.   But ‘the thing is mine’ - in this manner on developing as sense of mine-ness for the thing, there is a special relish that one gets.  The point is that the relish that is there in the attraction for things,  that relish is not in the knowledge of that thing.  Attraction towards worldly objects is for one’s own pleasure, but attraction in God is for giving Him pleasure ‒‘तत्सुखे सुखित्वम् ’ ‘tatsukhe sukhitvam’.   Therefore worldly attraction comes to an end,  but there is no end to the attraction in God,  it is eternal.  Desire for sense pleasures come to an end and one can gain fulfillment of liberation and the quest to know,  but there is no end to the longing for love, nor is there fulfillment,  rather it increases every moment  ‒‘प्रतिक्षणवर्धमानम्’ (नारदभक्तिसूत्र ५४)  ‘Pratikshanvardhamaan’ (Narad Bhaktisutra 54).

  (शेष आगेके ब्लॉगमें)    

‒‘भगवान्‌ और उनकी भक्ति’ पुस्तकसे

___________________

   * यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानव: ।

      आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥ (गीता ३ । १७)

‘yastvaatmaratireva syaadaatmatrptashcha maanavah

aatmanyeva cha santushthastasya kaarayam na vidyate’  (Gita 3/17)  

          ‘He, however, who takes delight in the Self alone and is gratified with the Self, and is contented in the Self, has no duty.’ (Gita 3/17)

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

Love, Lover and Beloved

प्रेम, प्रेमी तथा प्रेमास्पद

( continued........ )

सुनु   बायस   तैं    सहज   सयाना ।

काहे   न   मागसि   अस  बरदाना ॥

सब सुख   खानि  भगति  तैं  मागी ।

नहिं जय कोउ  तोहि सम बड़भागी ॥

जो मुनि  कोटि  जतन  नहिं  लहहीं ।

जे  जप  जोग   अनल   तन   दहहीं ॥

 रीझेउँ    देखि       तोरि     चतुराई ।

मागेहु  भगति   मोहि   अति  भाई ॥

                                                                (मानस, उत्तर॰ ८५ । १‒३)

It means that from His own side, God does not give devotion, but if someone only desires devotion, then He gladly and with great pleasure gives His devotion.   The reason being that with devotion, both God and His devotee gets much joy and pleasure.  Therefore God gives His devotion, to those who desire devotion,  and Himself becomes the servant of His devotees  ‒

Mein toh hun Bhagatan ko das, Bhagat mere Mukutmani

मैं तो हूँ भगतनको दास, भगत मेरे मुकुटमणि

I am the servant of My devotees, and My devotees are the jewel in My crown. 

God says to Durvasaaji ‒

अहं भक्तपराधीनो ह्यस्वतन्त्र इव द्विज ।

साधुभिर्ग्रस्तहृदयो   भक्तैर्भक्तजनप्रियः ॥

                                                                    (श्रीमद्भा॰ ९ । ४ । ६३)

‘Oh twice born ! I am entirely dependent on my devotees,  I am not at all independent.   My devotees are very dear to Me.   They have totally entitlement over My heart.’ 

मयि    निर्बद्धहृदयाः      साधव:   समदर्शना: ।

वशीकुर्वन्ति मां भक्त्या सत्स्त्रियः सत्पतिं यथा ॥     

(श्रीमद्भा॰ ९ । ४ । ६६)

‘Just as a devout wife,  brings her good husband under her sway, through her chasteness,  similarly,  an ascetic with equanimity, binds My heart with his love and devotion’.

 

God does not come under anyone’s sway with any spiritual practice,  but through devotion,  he comes under one’s sway.  Therefore God says ‒

न साधयति मां योगो       न सांख्य धर्म उद्धव ।

न स्वाध्यायस्तपस्त्यागो यथा भक्तिर्ममोर्जिता ॥

                                                                (श्रीमद्भा॰ ११ । १४ । २०)

‘Oh Uddhav ! Yoga,  Sankhya (knowledge),  Dharma (righteousness),  study of scriptures (swaadhyaaya),  austerities (tapa) and renunciation (tyaag) too, are not as capable of bringing Me under their sway, as  My exclusive devotion.’

 

By being dependent, a being on becoming independent becomes joyful,  but on becoming eternally free, God becomes pleased only in becoming dependent !   The reason being that independence is a rarity for man, and dependence is a rarity for God! 

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Love, Lover and Beloved

प्रेम, प्रेमी तथा प्रेमास्पद

( continued........ )

It is with the capabilities given by God that Man becomes a “karmayogi” (practicing the yoga of action).  It is with the knowledge given by God that he becomes a man of knowledge (jnaani) and it is with the love given by God, that man becomes a loving devotee.   Whatever exceptional qualities, extra-ordinariness one sees in men, it is entirely given to man by God only.  Even after giving everything, God does not reveal Himself -  because such is His Nature.

If we are to ask anything from God, then let it be Love only.  If we are to get anything from God, then let it be Love only.  Except for Love, man should want nothing else.  To relish and experience this Love,  God takes the form of a man, and out of His own will, He appears in this world, and acts out His various divine plays,  giving His ultimate discourse, straight  from His heart, which is the best of all (the highest secret of all) ‒ Sharanagati (taking refuge in the Lord)[1].

God has not created man for His enjoyment, nor for engaging man in worldly pleasures, nor for ruling over Him.  Rather He has done this, so that man loves Him,  and He loves man,  and man calls Him his very own,  and God calls man His very own;  and man looks towards God,  and God looks towards man ! It means that God does not make man his servant “das” (dependent), rather He makes man like Himself, and respects man like Himself.   Therefore God hesitates to give His devotion, because in devotion,  man becomes God’s servant.  It has therefore come in Srimad Bhagawat  ‒

मुक्तिं ददाति कर्हिचित्स्म न भक्तियोगम् ।

                                         (श्रीमद्भा॰ ५ । ६ । १८)

‘At times, God gives liberation,  but He spontaneously does not give the yoga of devotion’

When Lord Shri Ram said to Kaakbhushundi that take whatever boon you desire whether it be the knowledge of various super-natural powers, or detachment, or liberation etc.  At that time Kaakbhushundi gave some thought that God has mentioned about giving everything, but He has not said anything at all about giving His devotion ‒

सुनि प्रभु बचन अधिक अनुरागेउँ ।

मन अनुमान     करन तब लागेउँ ॥

प्रभु कह देन       सकल सुख सही ।

भगति   आपनी    देन   न   कही ॥

भगति  हीन  गुन   सब  सुख ऐसे ।

लवन  बिना    बहु   बिंजन  जैसे ॥

                                  (मानस, उत्तर॰ ८४ । २-३)

Therefore Kaakbhushundi did not ask for anything else, and instead only asked for the boon of devotion.   To this God was very pleased and using the words ‘evamastu’ he said ‒  

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[1] सर्वधर्मान्यरित्यज्य    मामेकं  शरणं  व्रज     ।

   अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥ (गीता १८ । ६६)

‘सम्पूर्ण धर्मोंका आश्रय छोड़कर तू केवल मेरी शरणमें आ जा । मैं तुझे सम्पूर्ण पापोंसे मुक्त कर दूँगा, तू चिन्ता मत कर ।’   

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji