|| Shri Hari ||
The Nature of 'Bhajan'
(Devotion and Worship)
continued.....
The third type is ‒ Turn everything over to the Lord. In fact everything is already belonging to the Lord, because we have neither brought something with us at the time of birth, nor will we take something with us when we leave; and while staying here as well, we cannot control anything whatsoever as per our wishes, including this body and related things. From this, the point that is clearly understood, is that nothing is ours at all, everything is only God’s and is subservient to only God. Then too the false sense of mine-ness that we have created with these, has to be lifted off.
त्वदीय वस्तु गोविन्द तुभ्यमेव समर्पये ।
Tvadeev vastu govind tubhyameva samarpaye |
The fourth type is ‒ To remain pleased in every dispensation of the Lord. In favorable situations one is naturally pleased, but one does not remain joyful in unfavorable situations. In fact the joy that is experienced in favorable situations, it is not the kind of joy that comes on accepting God’s dispensation. It is due to attachment only. The sentiments are that the things that are favorable to my body, senses, and inner senses and the pleasure derived from it, that is the kind that will lead to attachment.
Removing it through discrimination, thinking ‘God only has ordained this, and this is for my eternal good and I am most fortunate” ‒ the joy that will come by understanding so, will be the same as from having a relationship with God. Then even in unfavorable times, sorrow-filled talks will not take place. In this way, on understanding it to be the Lord’s dispensation, in all states, favorable - unfavorable, remembrance of God will continue to increase; because, that situation has been created by God only, on visibly experiencing this, how can man forget God. When this happens, then it can be understood that in all situations and circumstances we are looking towards God’s ordinance.”
After thinking one can see that in unfavorable situations of the mind, senses, and body’s, there is further gain. By favorable incidents, our banked virtues are exhausted, and in unfavorable situations, the sins are destroyed. Therefore the exhausting of sins is for our supreme good. And the exhausting of virtues is damaging to us. Second point is that in unfavorable situations, man develops and progresses, in favorable situations, progress is stalled. Therefore, however many unfavorable situations God sends our way, that much He is doing our eternal good. When a child gets dirty, and the mother washes and cleans him, then a child does not like the bathing. He cries, screams, but Ma does not concern and care about his wishes, and cleans him up. Similarly, the Lord does not take our advice in destroying our sins. He does not pay attention to our crying and screaming, and goes ahead to cleanse us. And just as a goldsmith, further purifies the gold that he wishes to keep for himself, in the same way, when the Lord, gives more hardships to a devotee, based on his past sins, it should be understood as now God is accepting him and making the devotee His very own, because God is visibly destroying the devotee’s sins. God Himself says ‒
यस्याहमनुगृह्णामि हरिष्ये तद्धनं शनैः ।
करोमि बन्धुविच्छेदं स तु दुःखेन जीवति ॥
‘Whoever I shower grace on, slowly and steadily I take away all his wealth, and I create separation from his relatives and friends, whereby he holds this worldly life as filled with sorrow.’
to be continued......
From book in Hindi "Jeevan ka Kartavya" by Swami Ramsukhdasji