|| Shri Hari ||

Prison -  A School

(A discourse given in the Nagpur Prison)

continued.....

On enjoying worldly pleasures,  the merits are exhausted,  and our nature is spoilt,  and with it, the seeds of sin are sown.   But there is gain and only gain in unfavourable situations and circumstances,  there is no loss at all.   The unfavourable times, sorrows,  difficulties that one faces,  has the capability of destroying old sins, and it alerts one of future sins.   

The king is the mother and father of his subjects.  He wishes for the supreme welfare of his people.   It is for your good that you have been enrolled here (prison),  whereby no flaws remain in your life, and you become free of any faults.   You all must not misunderstand that you have become bound, due to being imprisoned.   Understand this place to be only a school.   Here activity based education and training is provided.   It is not a polluted place.  Lord Krishna took birth over here.  Therefore everyone calls the prison ‘birth place of Lord Krishna’.  Even on incarnating in a prison,  Lord Krishna became so great !  His teachings ‘Srimad Bhagavad Gita’  are revered even by foreigners.   If there is any learned person out there,  he will surely honour and respect the Gita.  

Here (in prison) you can progress immensely.   While living here, you must do good work,  conduct yourself properly.   Have the sentiments of serving everyone,  respect all,  try to make others happy.   Here you might be learning various other work-trade.   With that too,  you can benefit immensely.   With the education, knowledge and training, received here,  you can develop a particular skill,  and earn a livelihood in the future.   I am not familiar with the rules over here,  but I had visited another place on some work.   In Bikaner prison I had seen that there are many great things they make - blankets, bed-spreads,  rugs etc.  Such beautiful things they make,  which are even sent to foreign countries.    When Gangasingh was the king of Bikaner,   once he had visited England.   He has spent a lot of money to purchase a rug.  When he returned back to Bikaner,  he showed  the prison officer the rug and said that ‘See this rug,  see if you can have a similar one made over here.  I brought this rug back from England.’    On seeing the rug,  the officer said,  ‘O’  Providence,   this rug was made by this prison,  on going overseas,  it became very expensive.  See the emblem of our prison here.’     

Working here you may feel that you are in subordination and doing this work;  but if you learn these skills then this art, this knowledge, will make you skillful.   Wherever you go and live,  with this art and talent,  you can do some work.   You all come together, collaborate and tell the various wealthy businessmen, that we know how to do such and such work, then with their help,  you can really make this country progress and flourish.   

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

|| Shri Hari ||

Prison -  A School

(A discourse given in the Nagpur Prison)

Until God Realization does not take place,  all ‘jivas’ (beings) are prisoners.   You all should not think that we are very lowly.   We are all children of God !   Just as you have come to this prison against your will,   you have not come here out of your own independent will,  in the same way,  we have all come to  this world on becoming dependent,  and after coming here, we are experiencing the fruits of our past deeds.  So long as a  man, subject to his ‘karmas’ (actions),  enjoys its fruit,  till then, he remains a prisoner.    

Human birth is the only birth,  in which one can realize the God,  the Supreme Reality.   We can become independent once and for all,  dependence will be wiped out entirely,  and for this itself this human body has been received.   In this, there is two kinds of sense experiences -  pleasure and pain.   Man thinks he has become independent,  while occupied in enjoying pleasures, and while suffering pain,  he thinks he has become dependent.   But this is a misunderstanding.   If we were independent in enjoyment of pleasures, then we would only enjoy pleasures and pleasure all the time,  and not suffer pain.  But this is not in our hands.  He has to undergo both pleasure and pain.   

There is one exceptional point in suffering pain ‒ In enjoyment of pleasures,  our merits are decremented,  but in undergoing pain,  our sins are destroyed !   You have come here to wipe out your sins.   Man is imprisoned due to some sin or the other taking place.   On staying in prison, till his prison time,  the sins are destroyed,  and when sins are wiped out,   he becomes purified.   Therefore,  now,  you, me and all of us should want to be free of pain and sorrows,  not to do any work  that is sinful,  unjust,  wrongful conduct, mis-demeanor and against scriptural injunctions.   You are getting an opportunity to learn this over here,  in the form of work.   

This prison is a school.   Here you get the education,  that henceforth,  I will not commit such sins.    The pain that one feels from all the dis-pleasures in world such as from illness, suffering great financial loss,  being insulted,  receiving criticism, that pain is for teaching, that sometime or the other we have sinned,  and this pain is the fruit of those sinful acts.  Therefore,  henceforth we will not commit any sin ‒  one must learn this lesson.   On suffering the consequences of past sinful deeds,  the sins are destroyed.  With the annihilation of sins,  one becomes pure, free of any blemishes.   

When the favorable situations come,  when money comes,  it is a payback for our virtuous deeds.   The unfavorable situations that come,   when man suffers financial losses,  someone dies,  when he falls sick ‒ it is all a fruit of sins.   Man goes to heaven, and enjoys the pleasures of his virtuous deeds.   With the enjoyment of pleasures,  the merits are decremented,  and once again he falls down to the  ‘mrutyulok’  (the abode of death - world).   ‒   

‘क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति ।’ (गीता ९ । २१)  

Ksine punye martyalokam visanti  (Gita 9/21)  

Meaning:   Their merit is exhausted,  they return to the mortal world.

 

Sins are destroyed through experiencing adversities, and merits are destroyed through gratification of pleasures .  

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

|| Shri Hari ||

Real Happiness

continued.....

Often times,  people are of the belief that one has to make a lot of effort  to realize that ‘tattva’ (Reality, Divinity);   one has to go and live in the forest,   do austerities,  undergo lot of difficulties,  then somewhere they can attain that ‘tattva’.  Such a presumption persists out there.   I too was of the same presumption.  But really speaking it is not so.   This work is easier than all the other worldly work that is out there.   It is not even that a householder cannot realize that ‘tattva’.   It is not so that an educated-learned man can attain this and an uneducated cannot;  a very strong man,  a man with great forbearance,  a highly tolerant person,  only can realize this,  and others cannot.  The sentiments behind this is that,  we all are entirely entitled to  realize that ‘tattva’ (Reality).   Let the pursuit,  let the aim be only one,  that we want to realize that ‘tattva’.  It is for realizing that ‘tattva’,  that we have received all the materials.   It is an exceptional rule in God’s kingdom that ‒ if there is a need, then all the appropriate means and tools will be made available.  Just as a man gets tired after speaking a lot,  and thereafter he becomes silent,  and after becoming silent,  in due time he once again gets the energy to speak.   While walking for a while,  one gets tired,  then after resting for sometime,  he once again gets the energy to walk.   Getting tired after  working all day,  when one sleeps at night,   then in the morning once again there is renewed energy.   It means that whatever work a man does,  on getting tired from that work,  without any effort,   free of any exertion,  he gets renewed energy and ability.   This is everyone’s experience.   You tell me,  on doing work,  all day,  when you get tired,  then what work do you do at night,  by which you are able to get energy in the morning once again ?   Simply by quietly laying down, you get the energy in the morning.  The deeper the sleep,  that much more energy you will acquire.   That power, that energy comes from God.   But with a little power,  do not become contented.  Do not become trapped in it,   then immense power can be realized.   That exceptional power,  that ‘Paramatma-tattva’ (Supreme Reality) can be realized by you,  we and everyone.   That ‘tattva’ that was available in ancient times,  has become ever more cut-price than before.   In Satya,  Treta and Dwapar yug (the three other eras),  people’s life spans were longer,   the intellect used to be very sharp,   abilities were far greater,  this attainment was difficult for them.   Just as for a older person,  it is difficult to get all kinds of favorable facilities;  but a child can easily get all kinds of facilities.  Even if the mother-father do not get food in a timely manner,  then too, they make the appropriate arrangements for the child;  because he is helpless.  In the same way,  the extent to which we are helpless,  that much help and abilities we get from God.  Not only that,  we get more facilities and benefits than our capabilities.   Just as,  the smaller the child,   the more amenities, privileges, concessions etc.  he will get.    

Let our want, inner yearning, longing,  hunger, thirst be powerful and vehemently awakened.  But this will be awakened ,  when spiritually, we are not contented with what we have received.   Because we can never be satisfied with perishable things.   If we rise above the perishable,  and awaken the intense yearning to realize the ‘avinashi-tattva’  (imperishable reality),  then, it will be realized.  

Narayan ! Narayan !! Narayan !!!

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

|| Shri Hari ||

Real Happiness

continued.....

When the aim is determinate and fixed,  it is then only these spiritual talks will be understood.   Therefore,  complete gain will be when we will become engaged and turn towards our supreme good.   For this,  first and the foremost one must have faith that there is such a gain, which every man can attain.   The attainment of that can be possible in this life-time itself,  this is the absolute truth.   Because as many Rishis-Munis,  great souls,  ascetics,  renunciates,  liberated souls, and devotees of God that have come about,  they have all attained this immense gain.  When all of mankind can realize that Divinity,  then why can’t we too not realize it ?  If you fix your aim to realize That Divinity,  then I will share with you other points.   Then you will surely understand those points,  and will move forward.  In this there is no doubt.   

You must not think that I am a householder,  I am bound in family life,  how will I realize that ‘tattva’  (Divinity) etc.   It is my belief,  that you are not so incapable,  you are not so undeserving,  you are not unentitled,  that you cannot realize that ‘tattva’ (Divinity).    All beings can realize that ‘tattva’.  I have come across such transcendental measures from saints,  by which all of mankind can attain their supreme good, they can be emancipated.   In this there is no doubt.  Only you have to turn towards it, become inclined towards it, have your sight on it, that there is such ‘tattva’  (Divinity).   

You are stalled by little pleasure, by little gains ‒ that is the mistake.  Because with partial gains,  you cannot be completed satiated,  and you  continue to experience pain,  and the thought of entirely rising above the mundane does not stay firm.   Getting trapped in a little greed,  one becomes strayed from their path,  this is the mistake.   Correct this mistake.  If the hunger for the immense gain is awakened,  then it is so intense, that without its fulfillment,  one is restless,  thereafter, its realization is possible.  But as long as the aim, the goal  is not decided,  till then even on telling, one will not grasp it very well.  It will also not appeal to you,  without any form of doubting, because,  really speaking you are not inclined toward it,  then how will it appeal to you ?  

Undoubtedly, all of you know these talks,  that man is not satisfied with whatever situation-circumstance that he has received,  and he also does not feel fulfillment in it.   He does not feel sufficiency with, the amount of money - wealth that he has received,  rather there remains a desire that may he receive more and more.   Man is not entirely satisfied, with the amount of honor, respect, reverence,  greatness he has received,  the extent of good health (free of disease) that he has received,   there remains an ongoing desire that ‘may he get more and more’.    In this manner,  all continue to experience a shortage of something or the other.  When there is some shortage (something lacking), then there is such a thing out there to fulfill that shortage.   Everyone can attain, and many have attained such a state, where there is no shortage whatsoever.    Then why will we not attain such a state ?   We too can realize that ‘tattva’.    This is the truth.   Only let the us have a determinate thought that how should we attain that ‘tattva’ ?  Let us simply have an intense, single-pointed  intent that how can I attain that ‘tattva’ ?

continued....

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

|| Shri Hari ||

Real Happiness

continued.....

God says  ‒

पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् ।   (पातञ्जलयोगदर्शन १ । २६)

`puruesamopi guruh kalenaanavachchhedat' (Patanjala yoga darsana -1/26)

Meaning :   God is the preceptor of all those who were born previously, because He is not hindered by time.

Time (death)  devours everyone,   that is, in due time everything is destroyed.  But That Paramatma (God) is such that He remains eternally as-is.   Man is an ‘ansh’ (fragment) of That Lord only.   But becoming disinclined towards his ‘anshi’  (God),   he has become inclined towards the perishable,  therefore,  time and again he continues to suffer.   Man has a greed for the pleasures of life,  that in howsoever way,   may I gain pleasures,  but  often times, he only gets pain.   He never get total pleasures,  nor total favourableness.   Sometimes pleasure and sometimes pain;   sometimes favourable times,  sometimes unfavorable times;   sometimes honor and sometimes dishonor;  sometimes criticism,  sometimes praise ‒ these two states come and go,  and man continues to be trapped and bound in these only.   One has to realize the real ‘tattva’ (Divinity), and  rise above these two pairs of opposites.   Human body has been received for this purpose only,  and with this human body itself one can realize that ‘tattva’ (Divinity,  Essence).   There is no doubt about it.   Just as where there is hunger,  there is such a thing as food to eat,  as where there is thirst,  there is water to drink,  similarly,  where there is desire to attain that infinite bliss,  then there is such infinite bliss that exists.   If there was not such a thing as infinite bliss, then we would have been satisfied by the amount of pleasure that we have gain;  but we are not satisfied with it.   We are not satisfied with the amount of money we have acquired,  the amount of honor that we have received,  the amount of respect we have attained,  the life-span that we have received.   Rather  ‘may I acquire more,  and more’  ‒ such desire continues to persist.  Hence,  there is such a state,  on attaining which,  there is no desire to acquire anymore.   

Gita says ‒

यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभ   मन्यते नाधिक ततः ।

यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते ॥

                                                        (६ । २२)

Yam labdhvaa chaaparam laabham manyate naadhikam tatah |

Yasmin sthito na dukhen gurunaapi vichaalyate || (Gita 6/22)

Meaning:   Having gained which state he does not reckon any other gain greater than that, and wherein established, he is not shaken even by the greatest affliction. (Gita 6/22).

Also it means that on gaining which there remains no desire for more gains.   Man becomes satiated once and for all.  There remains not even the slightest need for anything whatsoever.  That in which there is no need for food, nor water, nor name-fame,  nor rest-relaxation,  nor sense enjoyments;  such contentment,  such gratification,  such bliss can be realized by us.   This human birth has been attained for the realization of this only.   Until the aim to realize this bliss is not established, till then,  man does not come to his proper senses.

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

|| Shri Hari ||

Real Happiness

As long as man is entangled in pleasures that have a beginning and ending,  till then he does not come to his senses,  he does not become conscious.   Even the thought does not come to his mind,  that for how long, will I get by in this manner !  That which begins, will surely end.   That which comes together,  will surely part ways.   That which comes, will most certainly go away.  That which is born, will surely die.   Now for how long will we stay with them ?  Therefore it is very essential for man, that he attain that bliss,  on attaining which ,  he becomes joyful forever,  he never experiences even the least bit of difficulty.   

We see that from childhood to now,  I am the same one.  The body has changed,  the outlook has changed,  the situations-circumstances have changed,  the place has changed,  time has changed, etc.,  everything has changed,  but I am the same one.   How long can I stay with those that are changing ?   How much longer can I gain pleasures from them ?   Only man has the ability and entitlement to ponder over this point, and only man can understand this point.   Birds and animals do not have the power to understand this point.  The devatas etc.  can understand this,  but they too have not received any such rights,  which human beings have received.  Man can progress significantly;  because human body has been bestowed for God Realization.   Immense bliss can be realized,  everlasting joy can be attained,  where there is nothing lacking ‒ for the attainment of such joy, this human body has been received.   This human body is not for enjoying futile worldly pleasures.   Even bird and animals have received these pleasures.   Wind blows, rain falls,  sun rays beat down hard -  such favorable and unfavorable situations present themselves in front of animals, birds,  trees etc.   They too experience pleasure and pain.   When the fields are dry and suddenly it rains, then the next day if you look at the leaves, they look beautiful,  lush and green;  they too feel pleased.   When there is no rains, the vegetation seems to droop, wither and shrivel; therefore they too experience displeasure.   In this manner,  a little pleasure and a little pain,  is experienced off and on by all the beings.  If we too become happy and sad like them,  then who will attain that supreme bliss.  

There is no doubt that there is supreme bliss.  Just as in this world,  there are many things,  one better than the other.  If there is a scholarly person,   then there can be another scholar even greater than him;  if there is  person with a long life, then someone who has an even longer life can be found;  if there is a strong person, then someone with much greater strength can be found.  Somewhere or the other there will be a limit to someone’s greatness.   There is someone out there who is most scholarly,  who has the longest life (eternal),  who is most powerful of all;  that one is called ‘Ishvar’.  

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