|| Shri Hari ||

Secret of Freedom

Listener -   Sir,  you had observed that God wills the good and well-being of all ?   

Swamiji -  Yes,  God does wish that,  but He is not coercive;  He does not force His wish upon anyone.  Great ones do not compel people.  And God is the Lord of the great ones,  how and why shall He compel at all !   

As I say, as I do,  others also should likewise do - this tendency is among animals too.  Good people do not have this attitude.  When you insist upon the good people and persuade them,  then alone they become great and accept Guru-ship.  They do not have this tendency that ‘I should be the Guru of all’ This is no good at all.  It is a thing of a very low order.  Lord Shri Ram while instructing His subjects very candidly said that if I tell you to do anything which is improper,  you should abandon fear and refuse to let me do that thing.

Jaum aneeti kachu bhaasaum bhaai

tau mohi barajahu bhaya bisaraai  

(Manasa,  Uttara.  43/3)  

If I tell you anything that is against the Law,  O’  Brother !  Abandon fear and refuse to follow the improper !!  

It implies therefore ,  ‘not to do as I bid you to do’,  but to do as you yourself deem right and proper,  God compels none,  never !  

If you need to undergo a surgical operation in a hospital,  then you will have to give a written undertaking that if you die, it is at your own risk;  only then you will be operated upon.  If you want work to be done by anyone, then you will have to give him total authority to do your work.   It is in your hand to give authority;  it is not in your hand to get authority.  Thus God does not usurp anybody’s right.  The Lord drives the horses of Arjuna and obeys his commands.  Arjuna orders Bhagavan Krishna to take his chariot and place it  in between the two armies -  

senayorubhayormadhye ratham sthaapaya me’cyuta  (Gita 1/21).  

The Lord quietly obeys and takes the chariot between the two armies  -  

‘senayorubhayormadhye sthaapayitvaa rathottamam (Gita 1/24);  

But He does not take him under His shelter rather tells him to seek refuge -  

‘maamekam sharanam vraja (Gita 18/66).  

It is not God’s job to make someone take His shelter.  

God gives freedom to all.  He is liberal who gives freedom to all, and does not exercise his right over any.  He who exercises his right over others is a lowly man.  But nowadays an opposite mentality has grown that if they exercise their right or authority over others,  they are big and great men.   They become great when others obey their biddings.   In reality,  you become a slave if others obey you;   you won’t be great  !   He who obeys the command becomes the Master and he who is obeyed becomes a slave.  He who does not want anyone to work as his slave or to work under his thumb aur auspices,  or has even no desire that someone should act at his behest -  if someone obeys even his word,  or acts in consonance with his inclination,  then too he will have to be a slave.   A devotee who works and lives according to God’s mandates,  becomes the crest-jewel of the Lord.  The Lord says -  

bhagata mere mukuta mani   

or

aham bhaktaparaadheenah (Srimad Bhagavata 9/4/63)  

I am the slave of my devotees.

to be continued......

From book 'Be Good'  by Swami Ramsukhdasji from Gita Press, Gorakhpur