|| Shri Hari ||

Taking Refuge in Gita

continued....

As long as man thinks that “I can do,”  as long as he has pride, reliance on his own strength, intellect, abilities etc.,  till then, he cannot fully surrender to God.   When he no longer relies on his own power, very quickly he takes refuge in God.  Therefore it has been said -  

Jab lagi gaj bal apne bartyo, nek saryo nahin kaam |  

Nirbal havai bal Ram pukaaryo,  aaye aadhe naam ||  

Sune ri maine nirbal ke bal Ram |  

Therefore an aspirant should apply his full strength, intellect,  abilities,  but even on applying all his power, if the work does not get accomplished, then the pride of his own strength and power will go away.    Until he does not apply his full strength in worship and adoration (Bhajan), till then, there is pride of his own strength.   As long as pride of his own strength remains, till then “sharanagati”  refuge in God is not fully accomplished.   

The Lord tells Arjuna -  

“nimmittmaatram bhava savyasaachin”
(Gita 11/33)  

‘O’  Savyasaachi !  you become a mere instrument”   

The reason he called Arjuna “Savyasaachi”  is because Arjuna was ambidextrous as he could shoot the arrow equally well with both hands.   He could shoot an arrow while running in any direction.  By calling Arjuna ambidextrous,  let us say the Lord is telling him that from your side, let there be no shortcoming in your effort,  but let there be no reliance on your own effort.  

When the Lord stopped the prayers to Lord Indra,  and started the prayer of Giriraj Govardhan, then out of anger Indra induced violent thundering and pouring rains over Vraj.   The Lord,  lifted the Giriraj (mountain) by the tip of the little(fifth) finger nail of his left hand and he said to all the cowherd boys that all should lift up their sticks and support the mountain.  All of them used their full strength by placing their sticks under the Giriraj. A thought entered the cowherd boy’s minds, that it is due to their support that the mountain is holding up.   Surely it is not because of “Lala’s”  (Lord’s) little finger!  The moment this thought came into their mind,  the Lord gently lowered his finger,  to remove their pride.  Thereafter, the cowherd boys began to scream -  Oh ! lord, we will die !  The Lord said,  lift up the mountain, apply your full  strength, but surely with the stick the entire mountain could not be lifted ! The point is that an aspirant must apply his full strength in spiritual pursuits,  but not think that I will attain salvation due to my own efforts -  One should not place reliance on their own efforts, rather place reliance only on God, that salvation will be due to God’s grace only.  Having faith in God’s grace is “sharanagati”  (taking refuge in God).  Therefore God says -  take refuge in Me,  I will release you from all your sins,  do not worry.  

    (continued....)

 

From book in hindi “Jit Dekhu Titi Tu” by Swami Ramsukhdasji