Truth sometimes is very bitter. Untruth may seem sweeter and convenient. But we should never fall in to that because; it is like a terrible sweet that will bring you a great illness. Even Ganga cannot purify you then. Though she may have powers to cleanse one’s sins but not a person who lies.
Ganga receives all types of waters, from sewers, effluents of factories and Good Rivers as tributaries. But still we go and bath in it with the great spiritual feeling of getting cleansed.
Like wise, you should not check who comes to Ashrama. Bad people are here to become good. Where can they go to become good if the society spurns them away? Because of our previous life’s good deeds, we are with a Guru. We have to cling to him or her and become good. You have to devise methods to become good. To become good, you should not wait. Each day is a good day to become a good person. But don’t fall in to the pit of ego thinking that you have become a good person. Becoming a good person requires sacrifices and efforts. You may face dead walls. But don’t get disheartened. I am here today to show you the path. Understanding the Guru Tattva is very difficult. Saint Kabeer has eloquently expressed it in his works. He said that describing a Guru’s glory is impossible. Human life is a treacherous journey. The end is confirmed. Death is also a type of growth. The road has to end somewhere. But the end is the house of God. Death is like a snake shedding its skin. It heralds a new birth and growth. It may be painful. It may be difficult. Even bad habits are very difficult to rid.
THE MONITOR SHREIKS LOUDLY. . Swamiji is startled.
I have a defective right ear. Even American doctors could not do anything. The sound system engineer seems to be decided on getting my left ear also.
This shrieking of the sound system seems to have jolted you all from the slumber. So, when spiritual questions arise, come to me and speak. Don’t get disheartened that Swamiji is not available or that you are a poor person and that Swamiji will not see you. Don’t even think so. Negative thinking leads to negative results. Even an apple becomes prohibitively expensive if you think that it is unattainable.
If something bad happens to you, forget it and continue with life. Is a small portion of apple becomes rotten you should not throw it away. You should just cut and remove the rotten portion and eat the rest of it. (Swamiji throws an apple at Swami Manasa who catches it and agrees with Swamiji’s statements). Since he got an apple, he immediately agreed with me. (The audience laughs). My advice is
• Leave tension
• Lead life with simple yet moral principles.
• Lead life with simple yet moral principles.
This is what is stated in Ramayana, the story of Seetha and Rama. Our body is the great forest. Manas and Buddhi are Rama and Seetha. The Pingala Naadi is the Sarayu River. Dasha Ratha are the ten Indriyas. (Five Jnanendriyas and five Karmendriyas). The six terrible demons of Ravana, Kumbhakarna etc are the Arishadvargas. (Six internal enemies). Pretension is Shurpanakha. Your life is full of Ramayana. With inhalation, when our breath feeds our life force, Rama and Seetha merge together. Hence we should not waste our breaths. That is why I suggest that you all learn Pranayama techniques in our Kriya Yoga program. When Prana is controlled with breathing technique, Seetha and Rama merge together. Ramayana is not a drama or a great story.
Ramayana answers so many spiritual questions. Some one asked me if it was Dharmic on the part of Lord Rama to abandon pregnant Seetha in the forest? Is it correct?
During Vana Vaasa (banishment to forest) period, Seetha had a desire to live among the seers and saints in their Ashramas and sire children there. Where as in the post coronation period, the possibility of such life was not possible. So, the end result was fulfillment of her desire. Though it may sound Adharmic, it is still correct. The daughter of Agni, the fire God, the original Seetha left with the Agni Pareeksha episode. That is why the evil Ravana could not touch her without her consent in spite of her in his control. He was sure that he would burn to death.
Rama too never claimed divinity. He always said that he was the son of Dasharatha. After the Agni Pareeksha, the original Seetha left the scene. An emperor should not see Twins children when they are born. It was divine that caused to send Seetha to the forest because she had twins in her womb. Rama knew it and sent her to the forest so that his subjects would not be emperor less, should Seetha give birth to twins in the Royal house hold.
If you study Ramayana several times, you will get better and better insights in its divine truths. Though more doubts may arise, further studies will answer those doubts. Because Ramayana is such a great epic that it can answer its own doubts. Unfortunately many people today don’t study Ramayana. They pay a Pundit to come home and read it for them. They pay him handsomely and honor him. But the merit goes to the Pundit and the person did not learn anything from Ramayana. It is happening in Mumbai. I wonder if it is happening here in Delhi too. (Someone answers that it is so here too). It is unfortunate. Grand mothers used to teach Ramayana ideals to their grand children. But present day children are after television serials or soap operas instead of Ramayana or such moral epics. What to do?
Therefore I urge you all to attend the Ramayana discourse this evening.
Jaya Guru Datta