||  Shri Hari  ||

Prison -  A School

(A discourse given in the Nagpur Prison)

                                continued.....

The time that goes by without worshipping and remembering God,  is all wasted and worthless time.    Therefore,  one should beware,  and remain alert  at all times that our time does not get wasted away !  The work that has to be done,  the duties that have to be performed,   do them with great enthusiasm,  and the moment you are freed up from that work,   do Naam Japa,   Kirtan,   Gita recitation,   or reading of various spiritual books.   

(2) Second point is very easy for you;  and that is ‒  lead your life with simplicity,   your personal expenses should be minimum.    Let your habits be such that you eat basic food,  wear modest clothes,  and live in a modest house.  On cultivating such habits,  when the time arises,  you can even consume great food,   wear very nice clothes,  live in a magnificent house,  and at other times,   have the most ordinary meals, wear most ordinary clothes and live in a very basic house.  You have received this opportunity,  in which you can personally reduce your spending,  and practice to live this life in a very simple and modest way.

On leaving this place too,  do not live a life of luxury and relaxation.   Maintain simplicity in life.   By having such a nature,  you will be able to live very comfortably anywhere.    All the great saints and great souls, have spent their lives wearing very ordinary clothes,  using minimal and simple beddings, residing in ordinary houses, and eating very simple meals.  Those of you who have money,   do charity,  engage in virtuous causes,   spend on the family,  on those who do not have any protection,  on those who are those invalids,  on the poor and suffering ones.   Reduce your personal expenses.   

(3) Third point,  in whatever work you do,  in that increase your skill,  proficiency,  cleverness,  prudence.   When you learn this skill,  it will remain with you forever.   It has been said that if Brahmaji gets angry with his mode of transport the ‘hans’  (swan),   and tells him to go away,   then without doubt he will be released,  but the skill of separating milk from water, is retained by him forever,   even Brahmaji cannot take it away from him.      Wherever he goes,  that knowledge will remain with him.   Therefore,  in every work,  go on increasing your proficiency,  workmanship,  prudence,   and knowledge.

(4) Fourth point ‒  Never take what rightfully belongs to someone else.    Stealing and robbing is very far fetched, we must be extremely careful on this subject, that other’s entitlements do not come to us,  If you eat the food from your real earnings,  then the ‘antahkaran’ (mind-intellect) will become pure,  and if you eat food from earnings that are stolen,  cheating-manipulation,  then the inner-senses will become extremely impure.  

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

|| Shri Hari ||

Prison -  A School

(A discourse given in the Nagpur Prison)

continued.....

We have six ‘darshan shastras’.  Patanjali Yogdarshan is one of them.  It is said in it  ‘हेय दुःखमनागतम्’ (२ । १६) ‒  The pain and sorrow that has not come yet,  but there is a possibility of it coming,  that sorrow can be renounced.   In other words we can be saved from that sorrow !   What can be done about the pain and sorrow that we have already suffered ?    The pain that we are experiencing right now,  on enduring it,  it will come to an end.   This human body has been received to be save from such suffering.   In this human body,  if we remain vigilant,  if we conduct ourselves properly,  and live reputably within limits,  then moving forward,  there will not be any sorrow.    Your current position is very good to be saved from the pain and suffering that is coming your way.   Now it is very essential that you be exceptionally careful.   Those who live outside in householder life,  and consider themselves to be free,  for them too, it is very essential to be extremely careful.  Without being careful, negligence, laziness,  various ‘tamo gunas’ (modes of inertia) and related tendencies will not go away.   Violence, negligence,  laziness,   uselessly wasting away time is a very wrong.      Therefore,  it is a sensible thing for you to put all your time in the best work.  

For every person,  whether a ‘sadhu’  or a householder,  whether a brother,  or a sister,  whether educated or not,  I continue to say these four points,  time and again.  Put these points to use,  then it will be very beneficial,   life will be purified.   These four points are like this ‒

(1) First and the foremost, is the issue of ‘Time’.  Whatever time we have,  that time should be put to use in the best of best work.   Do not waste any time.   The time that goes away in playing cards, games,  cinema,  dramas,  sports (hockey,  cricket and various other games),  is being wasted away.    Neither do you attain God from those activities,  nor do you get any worldly gains from it.   Yes,  there are certain sports,  that excercize the body, make it healthy;  but  mostly it is futile waste of time.   By watching movies the eyes also get spoilt,   money is wasted,  time is ruined,   and character also becomes bad.  Life is ruined in such playing-entertainment etc.  

The time that we have received is limited,  it is not unlimited.  Just as in a mechanical watch,  the number of rounds that it is wound,   that much the watch will tick away.   The moment the spring is fully unwound,  the watch will stop working.   In the same way, our internal clock in the form of life-breaths is ticking away.   The moment the life breaths are over,  one has to die.   Beyond that point no one can live.   It is not in one’s hand, that with one’s strength,  entitlement,  abilities,  knowledge one will be able to continue to stay alive.  Those life-breaths if they are used in useless work,  in committing sin,  in addictions and vices,  then this is great foolishness !

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

|| Shri Hari ||

Prison -  A School

(A discourse given in the Nagpur Prison)

continued.....

This meter is placed from the neck to the head.    As we see,  hear,  taste,  touch, smell,  it is all recorded in the meter.   When a thought arises in the mind to harm someone,  then that too is recorded in the meter.   Those who are watchmen in  the prison,  have a device around their neck.   Anytime they fall asleep,  it gets recorded in the device,   and accordingly appropriate arrangements will be made for punishment and reward.  They will not ask that how much and what was done ?  There is no need to ask these things at all.  They themselves can see everything that was recorded.  Here in order to get someone to tell the truth,  they have to be first made unconscious,  and in that unconscious state,  they reveal  the truth from the impressions that are left on their mind.  But, there is this wonderful device within,  in which there is no need to talk !  The inner feelings and sentiments can be known on their own;  and accordingly the favorable and unfavorable situations come in one’s life.  

The favorable situations are not as beneficial as the unfavorable situations.  Enjoyment of pleasures appears good,  but the result is not so good.   Pleasures enjoyed,  exhaust your virtues bank,  and one’s habit are ruined,  whereby,  the desire to enjoy pleasures once again arises.   The desire to enjoy pleasures, is the root of sins.   Arjun asked,  Maharaj,  this man does not wish to commit sins, then too,  who is it that forcefully makes him commit sins ?   (Gita 3/36) .  God said,  the cause of sins is desire for pleasure and hoarding.   The more sense enjoyments that a man indulges in, the desire for these pleasures will increase.    That desire itself will make him commit sins.   By indulging and enjoying sense pleasures, the previous virtues are destroyed,  and with the desire for enjoying sense pleasures,   the seed of sins are sown,  by which he becomes a sinner.   Therefore,  there is no benefit in enjoyment of pleasures.   But there is significant benefit in suffering pain -  on one hand, the old sins are wiped out,   and on another,  from the sense enjoyments it is revealed that we have done these things for pleasures,  due to which we have to suffer pain.   Therefore,  on having such sentiments, that henceforth we will not commit any sins ‒  man is purified.

It has been seen that when some person becomes very ill, then on coming out of that illness,  his mind-intellect are purified.  This can be recognized,  by putting forth some talks pertaining to God,  stories of devotees of God in front of him,  and on listening to these,  he has an outpouring of emotions,  he begins to cry.  He finds the tales of God very dear.   Now,  what is the reason behind this ?  The suffering during the illness,  cleansed the inner-senses,  and purified him.   Love of God manifests in his mind-intellect etc.  that are purified  !    Therefore you all too will become pure from undergoing this prison term.   While staying here,  let your feelings, sentiments and intentions be good.   The outcome of this,  is very great for you.   You are more fortunate compared to those who enjoy pleasures and roam around in freedom.     

 

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

|| Shri Hari ||

Prison -  A School

(A discourse given in the Nagpur Prison)

continued.....

You are not even required to speak a lot.   Your officers, have to command,  therefore they are required to speak;  but you are not required to speak much of anything.   Therefore you can do Naam Japa in an exceptional manner.  Every few minutes,   call out ‘ O’  Lord !   Let me never forget you;   O’  Lord ! May I develop Love for your Lotus Feet !’ ‒ in this manner,  continue to pray to the Lord,  and do ‘Naam Japa’.   

Be a well-wisher of all, from the heart.   Do not wish bad of anyone.   Do not even wish ill of even the one who had filed a lawsuit against you,  and got you imprisoned;   because he has done so, to cleanse you off your sins.   If you are purified,  then you will not need to take birth time and again,  nor will you need to go to prison.    Staying in a mother’s womb is a very heavy duty prison.   A ‘jiva’  encounters a lot of difficult over there,  he suffers a lot;  but time and again he has to go back there, due to sins.   Therefore,  if the ‘kaaran’  (instrument of action) is destroyed, then the ‘kaarya’ (action) will be wiped out on its own   ‒‘मूलाभावे कुतः शाखा ।’   When the root itself is cut off,  then how will the branches come ?   Therefore,  one should never engage in sins,  injustice,  bad conduct,  etc.   neither should one steal, rob,  or harm anyone.    He who causes pain to others with mind, body, and speech, will have to suffer -  this is the truth.   

As is the seed,  so is the tree,  and with that tree,  so will come the same seed.   In the same way, he who causes pain to others,  he will have to suffer.    By causing pain to others whether one gets pleasures,  by snatching away someone’s wealth, by beating others whether one becomes rich at present, whether on becomes pleased right now,  but in the end,  one will have to suffer, you cannot escape it.   There is a lot of justice in the Lord’s kingdom,  there is fairness.  Here,  by lying, cheating too,  a man can escape punishment,  but in God’s kingdom, you cannot be saved.   there you will not be able to get false witnesses,  and you will not get defense lawyers either.   There you will have to bear punishment according to the sins that are committed.   

All of you, pay some attention.   Just as a fan runs,  a light bulb lights up,   a speaker amplifies the sound -  all this is taking place due to electricity.   When the representative of the electric company comes to your house,  he does not ask you how much electricity you all have used up,  how did you do so,  when did you do so ?  The meter is installed,  and simply by looking at the meter,  he determines your bill and invoices you for the number of units of electricity consumed.   That is the amount you owe him.  In the same way,  we all have a meter within us.   

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

|| Shri Hari ||

Prison -  A School

(A discourse given in the Nagpur Prison)

continued.....

While living here,  learn how to conduct yourself properly.   Learn to obey other’s instructions -  this is a way to develop and improve.   you pay attention.   Subjected to the influences of evil men,  one suffers;  but he who is influenced by good men,  becomes independent and gains happiness.  Those that have become highly learned,   were living under the guidance of highly scholarly men,  from a very young age.   All those that have become saints-great souls,  they were serving their Gurus,  and remaining subservient,  they became great souls.   At a very young age, great men of a very high caliber,  accepted staying away from their family.   Brothers,   subordination under  gentlemen and well-wishers,   is the kind to give self-sufficiency.   But those who come under the sway of the mind and senses,  they remain ever dependent.   Time and again they have to go to hell and suffer many hardships.   Therefore,  keeping the mind and senses under control,  one should become engaged in good work.   Coming under the sway of the pleasures of the senses and mind,  appears as freedom right now,  but further down the road,  it will lead to dependence and subordination -  this is also dependence in independence.   Gentlemen are independent even in dependence.  

Learn good conduct,   good qualities,  good sentiments and feelings.   Make your life ever pure.  This is a divine opportunity, for becoming pure;  because this place is not for becoming sinful,  rather it is for becoming pure.    

There is much glories of the Divine Name.   Eknathji,  Tukaramji etc  and all those who have become great saints-great men,   they have sung many glories of ‘Naam Japa’  (repeating the Divine Name of the Lord).   You all do that ‘Naam Japa’ and in doing so,  you are not dependent on anyone.   While doing work-business too you continue to repeat the Divine Name of the Lord.   Whether you say -  Ram,  Krishna,  Govind,  Vasudeva etc.  or Vithala-Vithala.   Whatever name of God appears dear to you,  repeat that Divine Name.   

The Names of God may be different,  but there is no difference in the outcome.   The Name that you are most inclined towards and interested in,  do japa of that Name.  There will be much gains in doing so.   Do Naam Japa attentively engaging your mind.  If the mind does not engage,  then too, get into such a habit,  that while doing work-business,  Naam Japa continues to take place.   

Saints have said ‒

हाथ काम मुख राम है,   हिरदै साँची प्रीत ।

दरिया गिरस्ती साध की, याही उत्तम रीत ॥

In this manner,  while living here,  repeat the Divine Name of the Lord,  then you too will become a saint.   Many great men had also suffered imprisonment for the independence of the country; but they had done so for ‘dharma’   (righteousness),  nor for sinful acts.   The editor of ‘Kalyaan’,  Shri Hanumanprasad Poddar too had stayed in jail, as a prisoner for civil rights.     While staying there,  he dispensed medicines and continued to do ‘bhajan-smaran’ (worship and remembrance of God).   He read approximately 2,000 books in the prison,  and practiced ‘naam japa’  (repeating the Divine Name of the Lord).  He used to do ‘Naam Japa’  using his fingers,  and for keeping a count,  he would make a line with a stick on the prison wall.   In this manner,  he did a lot of ‘Naam Japa’.  Therefore there is an excellent opportunity over here for ‘Naam Japa’.   

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

|| 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