15 December, Harisar Ashram, Kila Raipur: To embrace the just arrived month, Poh, i.e. the occasion of Sankranti, many devotees gathered around seeking their beloved Guru’s blessings. As always, the occasion was addressed was Sadhvi Ji and Swami Ji only to emphasize this time some more on the importance of Guru–mantra and as an aspirant what’s keeping us aback to get to its very ascent.
Glimpse form Sadhvi Ji’s discourse:
Poh, a month with cool breeze as its ally allows an aspirant to enjoy the warmth of Guru-mantra within one’s heart. Guru mantra, being the only answer to all the questions a seeker holding on to faith might have on this journey to one’s ultimate abode, provided one keeps on reciting it like a parrot over and over yet again.
However, absence of sufficient time seems to have become a universal cry. The question is, can we ever get free? Today we are definitely more energetic and active as compared to a state where age and diseases are inevitably in stored in the unforeseen future. However, we, being a big time imprudent continue to cheat ourselves with same excuse.
The moment we experience some physical pain we holler to seek a doctor. Gurbani says, sarab rog ka aukhad naam, i.e. Guru-mantra is a universal medicine to cure all diseases. Only if and when we understand its importance, we’ll recognize it to be our lone real family and a sole true buddy who stays with us capable of osmosing through the cycle of life and death. With a key named faith all the doors leading to pain and sorrows can cease to exist once and for all. And the most beautiful part is that only humans yes, just us are blessed to do this. So why waste this irretrievable time playing with skeletons of clay? Lets rather act passionately because if and only if practicing of Guru-mantra is done today, one can remember it in final moments; clearly a now or never situation.
Another significant point to be noted here is that if someone around us is not feeling well and needs our attention then that person should be our priority. On the contrary, if we neglect due to sheer laziness then we must compensate with either devoting double the span next time we sit to practice or by tightening ourselves on the scale of food.
Summarizing, the bottom line is that we must keep on walking towards our ‘the goal’ without compromising on regular participation in satsangs, service (sewa), and practicing of Guru-mantra (simran).
Glimpse form Swami Ji’s discourse:
Courage and enthusiasm are two basic traits of an aspirant. Now, enthusiasm is what that has brought us here. But, it is accompanied by fear. How? We are too scared to leave our own hem.
These days religion is based on convenience. If some saint responds as, all will be well soon then in our eyes he is virtuous. But if that same saint suggests doing sadhana instead and happens to show our real selves placing a mirror in front, forget coming back we rather start criticizing him. Deep down we do realize that something is not right but we do not want to change and then start pointing out mistakes in the world. At times, we don’t even spare slandering God.
We somehow know what and how every other person should be doing but have got absolutely no clue about what I myself should be doing at the first place. Gurbani proclaims, bhai kripa tab janiye jab dikhan apne dosh i.e. sanctified are those who are blessed with a sight to point out their own faults. It can take time but yes, it can happen. At least let us begin.
No doubts, all of us do see mistakes. A mother, for instance, when points out a mistake it is bedecked by unconditional love. What about us, the grown-ups? We can either share it with that person directly choosing composed demeanor over criticism or making fun, or by sharing it with someone elder at home or even better with Guru saying that I find this person at fault, what approach would you suggest? However, a crucial point that must be noted here is that if we instead share it with any other person then it is we who are at fault, for sure! Next, participation in satsangs is often being immensely emphasized upon. Why, because this mind of ours is overloaded with samskaras accumulated over ages during births taken one after another. Almost every other minute it is engrossed and scattered here and there, and everywhere. It is these satsangas that act as a first major leap guiding us through this grand journey, inspiring us to have a clear vision and thus act towards our absolute goal.
Now, it’s easy to do charity and organize feasts over attending satsangas because our ego-based circumference rather gets empowered. For such men, Gurbani has declared that, mirtak deh sadsang bihuna, i.e. without satsang, we are nothing more than living corpses. We do not want to listen and instead just want others to hear us out. And as long as this I of ours exist, the inward journey is bound to go side tracked.
Our life, and our behavior speaks louder than our words. And therefore, irrespective of any ups and downs that may come, our goal should be crystal clear He being our sole soul mate.