|| Shri Hari ||

Prison -  A School

(A discourse given in the Nagpur Prison)

continued.....

This meter is placed from the neck to the head.    As we see,  hear,  taste,  touch, smell,  it is all recorded in the meter.   When a thought arises in the mind to harm someone,  then that too is recorded in the meter.   Those who are watchmen in  the prison,  have a device around their neck.   Anytime they fall asleep,  it gets recorded in the device,   and accordingly appropriate arrangements will be made for punishment and reward.  They will not ask that how much and what was done ?  There is no need to ask these things at all.  They themselves can see everything that was recorded.  Here in order to get someone to tell the truth,  they have to be first made unconscious,  and in that unconscious state,  they reveal  the truth from the impressions that are left on their mind.  But, there is this wonderful device within,  in which there is no need to talk !  The inner feelings and sentiments can be known on their own;  and accordingly the favorable and unfavorable situations come in one’s life.  

The favorable situations are not as beneficial as the unfavorable situations.  Enjoyment of pleasures appears good,  but the result is not so good.   Pleasures enjoyed,  exhaust your virtues bank,  and one’s habit are ruined,  whereby,  the desire to enjoy pleasures once again arises.   The desire to enjoy pleasures, is the root of sins.   Arjun asked,  Maharaj,  this man does not wish to commit sins, then too,  who is it that forcefully makes him commit sins ?   (Gita 3/36) .  God said,  the cause of sins is desire for pleasure and hoarding.   The more sense enjoyments that a man indulges in, the desire for these pleasures will increase.    That desire itself will make him commit sins.   By indulging and enjoying sense pleasures, the previous virtues are destroyed,  and with the desire for enjoying sense pleasures,   the seed of sins are sown,  by which he becomes a sinner.   Therefore,  there is no benefit in enjoyment of pleasures.   But there is significant benefit in suffering pain -  on one hand, the old sins are wiped out,   and on another,  from the sense enjoyments it is revealed that we have done these things for pleasures,  due to which we have to suffer pain.   Therefore,  on having such sentiments, that henceforth we will not commit any sins ‒  man is purified.

It has been seen that when some person becomes very ill, then on coming out of that illness,  his mind-intellect are purified.  This can be recognized,  by putting forth some talks pertaining to God,  stories of devotees of God in front of him,  and on listening to these,  he has an outpouring of emotions,  he begins to cry.  He finds the tales of God very dear.   Now,  what is the reason behind this ?  The suffering during the illness,  cleansed the inner-senses,  and purified him.   Love of God manifests in his mind-intellect etc.  that are purified  !    Therefore you all too will become pure from undergoing this prison term.   While staying here,  let your feelings, sentiments and intentions be good.   The outcome of this,  is very great for you.   You are more fortunate compared to those who enjoy pleasures and roam around in freedom.     

 

‒From the book in Hindi ‘Vaastavik Sukh ’  by Swami Ramsukhdasji