||  Shree Hari   ||

Means to Liberation

मुक्तिका उपाय

continued ......

In this world, whosoever we have a relationship with, mother, father, wife, son, and animals-birds, etc., that relationship is only due to  some give and take.  Therefore,  man should want that he should not develop attachment (moha) - and a sense of mine-ness (mamta) in others, and instead fulfill his own duties,  in other words, serve them,  and to the extent feasible, to give them comfort and happiness.  Here a doubt may arise that if have animosity towards another, then why do we incur a sin from it;  as we are behaving so as a result of what is destined to come to the other person from previous birth.  The clarification for this is that in human body there is predominance of discrimination (vivek).  Therefore,  giving significance to one’s “vivek” (power of discrimination),  we can forgive the one who misbehaves with us, and in return we can behave properly with him* Human  body is not for taking revenge, rather it is for becoming free from the birth and death cycle.   If we continue to engage in give and take for exhausting our debts from previous lives,  then we will never be freed from the birth and death cycle.  The means to put an end to this business of give-and-take in relating with the world is -  without any feelings of selfishness, to do things for the welfare of others.   By doing things for the benefit of others,  the old debts are exhausted and by not desiring anything in return,  new debts are not incurred.   In this manner,  on being freed from debts, man becomes freed from birth and death cycle.  

In every which way, if man worships and is devoted to only God, then all his debts will come to an end.  In other words, he will not be indebted to anyone 

†By the divine glories of the Lord, he is freed from the birth and death cycle and he attains the eternal abode of God.  

 From book in Hindi ‘ Kalyaan Path’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Means to Liberation

मुक्तिका उपाय

continued ......

On understanding Vashisthji’s message,  Som Sharmaji and his wife Sumana became intensely engaged in worship and devotion of God.   While standing, sitting, walking, sleeping, etc.  at all times,  his sight remained focused on God.  Even on encountering many impediments,  he was not shaken, and he did not stray away from his spiritual practices.   In this manner, seeing his perseverance and devotion,  God manifested in front of him.   Receiving a boon from God,  he attained the highest pleasures on this earthly plane,  and was bestowed with a son who was a devotee of God and was very saintly.   

Som Sharma’s son was called Subrat.   From childhood, Subrat was exclusively devoted to God.   Even while playing, his mind remained in meditation of Lord Vishnu.   When mother Sumana used to say to him ‘Son !  you must be hungry, eat something’, he used to say ‘Mother, meditating on God is like nectar, I remain satiated by that alone! ’   When sweets were placed in front of him,  he used to offer it all to God and say ‘Lord,  may you be satiated with this food.’ When he used to get ready to sleep, he would contemplate on God and say ‘I take refuge in Lord Krishna Who is immersed in Yog Nidra’.  In this manner, while eating, wearing clothes, sitting, sleeping too he remained in contemplation and remembrance of God, and continue to offer everything to the Lord.  When he reached his youthful years,  he was not attracted to the sense pleasures of the world,  rather renouncing these pleasures,  became entirely immersed in worship and devotion of God.  Seeing his immense devotion,  Lord Vishnu became pleased with him and appeared before him.  The Lord asked him to ask for a boon,  to which he said ‒‘Shri Krishna ! If you are pleased with me then make my parents physically reach Your eternal abode, and along with me, also take my wife to Your abode.’   The Lord being satisfied with Subrat’s devotion, granted him the highest boon.   Thus, with the influence of the son’s devotion,  Som Sharma and Sumana also attained the Lord’s eternal abode.  

In this story, the exceptional point is that one takes birth in this world only to repay debts or receive payment for debts; because a being “jeev” has taken debts from many people and has given to many people.   This relationship of give and take,  has been going on for many years, and without stopping it,  one cannot be released from the birth and death cycle.   

 From book in Hindi ‘ Kalyaan Path’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Means to Liberation

मुक्तिका उपाय

continued ......

Just as a child is of three kinds, similarly mother, father, wife, son, brother etc. as well as, servant, neighbors, friends and cows, buffalo, horse etc are also of three kinds (enemy, friend and indifferent).  Our relationship with all of them is due to previous debts which are owed and binding.’

‘Beloved One ! The amount of wealth that a man is to get,  he gets that much wealth without any effort, and when the time comes for the wealth to go away,  then as much as he tries to protect it,  it will go away - understanding this, you must stop worrying about money.  In fact,  it is by abiding in dharma (your duty) that  one gets children and wealth.  Only the men who conduct themselves according to Dharma,  attain happiness in this world.   Therefore practice Dharma.  the man who with his mind, speech and body conducts himself according to Dharma,  for him there is nothing in this world which is  scarce.  ’

After saying this,  Sumana elaborated upon the essence of Dharma and described its various limbs. On hearing this Som Sharma asked her a question ‘how did you gain such deep knowledge about all these points ?’ Sumana said ‒ ‘You know that my father was saintly and knew the essence of the scriptures,  whereby even the ascetics used to respect him.  He too would go to various great saints and stay in their holy company.  Being his only daughter, he was very affectionate towards me, and he would take me to the various satsangs.  In this manner, with the influence of the satsang, I too gained knowledge of the essence of Dharma. ’

On hearing this, Som Sharma asked about the means to have a son born to him.   Sumana said to him  ‘you go to the great contemplative one,  Vashishthji, and pray to him.  By his grace, you can get a boy bestowed with many good qualities.’  On his wife’s saying, Som Sharma went to Vashishthji.  He asked Vashishthji “due to what sins, am I suffering from lack of a son and wealth.?’  Vashishthji said  ‒‘In the past life  you were a very greedy man, and had animosity towards other people.  You never visited holy places, never did and worship of gods, never did any charity, nor did you do any auspicious work.   On shraadh” day, you used to leave the house.  Money and wealth was everything for you.  Leaving Dharma,  you had taken the support of only money.  Day and night you remained engrossed in worries about money.  Even on acquiring million-trillion gold coins, then too your craving for more,  your greed does not decrease, rather it keeps on increasing.   The amount of money that you earned in your life-time, you have entombed it in the earth.  Wife and son were let out of knowing it’s whereabouts, but you neither gave them the money, nor did you tell them where it was hoarded.    Due to greed for money, you even gave up his affection.  Due to such actions in the past,  in this birth you are poor and without a  child.   Yes,   one time you came to our home as a guest and you served a devotee of Vishnu and a Brahmin saint with much pleasure.   You and your wife kept the Ekadashi fast along with them, and also worshipped Lord Vishnu.  Therefore you have received birth as a Brahmin.  ‘O’ Brahmin ! An excellent wife, son, lineage (family), kingdom, happiness liberation etc. which are rarities can be attained by the grace of Lord Vishnu.   Therefore take refuge in Lord Vishnu, and worship Him only.’  

 From book in Hindi ‘ Kalyaan Path’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Means to Liberation

मुक्तिका उपाय

Puranas are the Indian (Bharatiya) culture’s priceless gems.   The Puranas,  are filled with various straight-forward, easy, wonderful and exceptional stories for the upliftment of mankind.  The purpose of these stories is to become free of likes (raag) and dislikes (dvesh),  to fulfill our duty and to realize God only.  In the Padma Puranas there is one such story.  

In the pilgrimage place of Amarkanthak, there lived a Brahmin named Som Sharma.  His wife’s name was Sumana.  She was very pure and devout.  She had no children, and they were quite poor.   Due to not having any children and money,  Som Sharma was very unhappy.  One day,  on seeing the husband extremely worried, Sumana said to him ‘The love of my life ! please leave all worries;  because there is no sorrow greater than worries.  One should never worry about wife, son and money.    One is born in this world mainly for repaying some debts, or getting reimbursed from debtors.  Mother, father, wife, son, brother, friend, servant etc. born on earth and acquired by us,  they are all bound by their debts.   Not only man, but even animals-birds are also bound by debts and acquired for that purpose’

‘In this world there are three kind of sons -  an enemy, a friend and one who is indifferent (disinterested spirit).   With respect to relationship of an enemy,  there are two kinds of sons.   The first one is the kind in which,  if someone in previous life has taken a debt from a person (creditor),  but did not repay it,  then in the next birth, the creditor comes as his son.  Secondly,  if in the previous birth, when one has kept a deposit with another,  but when the time came to return the deposit,  the man safe-keeping the deposit, did not return it, and instead peculated it, then in the next birth the depositor is born as the son of the one who peculated the money.    Both these types of sons have a relationship of animosity from the very beginning with their mother and father, and they behave like an enemy with the parents.   When they grow up, they uselessly destroy the mother and father’s wealth.  When they get married, they say to the mother-father, that this land, house, and everything belongs to them,  who are you all to stop me from taking it ? In this manner, they give trouble to mother and father in various different ways.   When mother and father die, on the anniversary of their death, they do not even do any offering of libations of water to the gratify the spirits (tarpan)  of the mother and father The children that are friendly by nature, are from childhood benevolent and well-wishers of the parents.   They always keeps the mother and father gratified, and in a friendly manner, with much sweetness in speech,  work towards making the parents happy.  After the death of the mother and father they observes all the religious rites, (shraadh-tarpan),  visits holy places,  give charity etc.    The son who is indifferent in nature,  remains ever indifferent.   He neither takes anything from them, nor gives anything to them.   He is neither indignant, nor contented; neither gives pleasure, nor gives pain to the parents.  * ।  

* If some person serves a saint with intense devotion and perseverence.  At the last moment if the saint remembers that disciple, then he takes birth in the house of the disciple in the form of a son, and remains dis-spirited.   

 From book in Hindi ‘ Kalyaan Path’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Purity in Diet

आहार-शुद्धि

continued......

Just as the behavior of various creatures have an affect on the objects, in the same way, the sight of animals also has an effect.  If the sight of an evil person or a hungry dog falls on the food,  then that food becomes impure.   Now how is that meal to become pure ?  If the dog's sight falls on the food,  then seeing so,  you must become pleased that God has come !  Therefore,  first and the foremost, you must give a little food to the , dog and after they it has eaten, the remaining pure food should be eaten thereafter then the fault of eyeing the food will be wiped out, and that food will become divine.   Secondly,  when people do not let the calf  first drink the mother cow’s milk to his satisfaction,  and instead take away all the milk for themselves,  that milk is not sacred,  because the calf has rights over that milk.   Once the calf is able to fill his stomach with the mother’s milk,  thereafter,  whatever milk comes out,  even if it is very little,  then too it is very divine.     

The feelings of the person serving food and the one eating the food, both have an affect on the food being served;  just as ‒(1) Compared to the one eating, the one feeding if he is pleased,  then that food is believed to be of that high caliber.  (2) the one feeding is very happy and feeding with great pleasure, but the one eating is of the feeling that “he was able to get a meal for free”;  I was able to save so much money,  if he has such selfish thoughts and feelings, then that meal is of average caliber (3) The one feeding is of the sentiment, that he has shown up at the door, now I will have to incur an expense and prepare food and feed this guy.  etc and the one eating also has selfish motive, then that meal if of a low caliber.  

Gita has clarified its principles on this subject ‒‘सर्वभूतहिते रताः’ ‘sarvabhootah hiteh rataah (Gita 5 । 25, 12/4) It means that he who has a greater feeling of seeing to the welfare of all beings, his things, his deeds etc. will all become divine.   

Narayan ! Narayan !! Narayan !!!

 From book in Hindi ‘ Aahaar Shuddhi’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

Purity in Diet

आहार-शुद्धि

continued......

Before meals,  both hands, feet and mouth -  all these five should be washed with clean, pure water.   Then facing the east or the north,  sit on a clean seating,  recite the “shloka”  over all food items -    

‘पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्या प्रयच्छति ।

तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥’ (गीता ९ । २६)

Patram, Pushpam, phalam,  toyamâ,   yo me bhaktyaa prayacchyati |

Tadaham bhaktyuhyutamashnaami prayataatmamanah ||  (Gita 9/26)  

Whosoever, offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water, I accept these devout offering of a devotee with love. (Gita 9/26)  

‒ After,reading this verse,  offer the food to God.  After offering the food, take some water in your right hand repeating the following ‘shloka’ -

‘ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।

ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्य ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥’ (गीता ४ । २४)

"Brahmaarpanam brahma havirbrahmaagnau brahmanaa hutam

brahmaiva tena gantavyam brahmakarmasamaadhinaa."  (Guta 4:24)

" The act of offering is God, the oblation is God. It is offered by God, into the Fire of God. God is verily to be attained by him who is absorbed in God in the act of such sacrifice (yagna) " (Gita 4:24).

‒ After reciting this verse, take in a sip of the water,  and place the first morsel into your mouth after saying the Lord’s Name.  While chewing every morsel of food, repeat the mantra in the mind two times ‘Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare.  Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.”  ‒ or repeat the Name of your “Ishth” while chewing and swallowing.   In this mantra,  there are 16 names in total,  and on repeating twice, it will total to 32.  Also in our mouth there are 32 teeth.  Therefore  (with every Divine Name chewing 32 times,  the meal becomes digestable, and healthy.  With very little food, one feels satisfied, and it makes good digestable juices.  Alongside the meal also becomes a worship (bhajan) of God.    

While eating,  if with every morsel one repeats the name of the Lord, then one will be absolved of any mistakes, deficiencies and offenses pertaining to the food.   

Those who are envious, fearful and angry or greedy, and are diseased and suffering due to poverty and have hatred,  the food they eat,  does not digest properly.  In other words,  they develop indigestion or dyspepsia.  

Therefore man should want that while eating,  he must keep the mind silent and joyful.   He must not let desires, anger, greed, attachment etc.  enter the mind.  If they come sometimes, then one must not eat at that time;  because the condition of the mind has an affect on the food, and the inner senses become accordingly.   I have also heard that in the army, the army people used to release a dog after a calf.  Seeing the dog chase the calf, the cow becomes filled with rage,  thereafter her (cow’s) milk is fed to the army men,  after which the men become filled with rage and have the fighting spirit.   

In the same way, milk has an affect on all beings.  One time for experimentation,  some horses were made to drink cow’s milk and some were made to drink buffalo milk.   On the way while travelling,  there was a river.  The horses that drank the buffalo milk, went and began to wade in the water.  But those horses that drank the cow’s milk,  briskly crossed the river and reached the other bank.  In the same way, if a bull and a buffalo is made to fight, then the buffalo can beat the bull;  but if both are made to cart, then the buffalo will start to stick is tongue out in the heated sun, whereas the bull will keep on going.   The reason being that the buffalo milk does not have sattvic strength,  whereas the milk of a cow has sattvic strength.    

(to be continued) 

 From book in Hindi ‘ Aahaar Shuddhi’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji