What now… after Deepawali? 5 Steps to keep the lights on

What a great festival Deepawali is – festival of lights, celebration, and much more. Hopefully everyone had a chance to celebrate in the traditional ways.

WHAT NOW?  – What  happens now, with our lives … does the celebration stop, do the lights go out?  In the material sense we may not celebrate as much now, we may not light many lamps but….

do we need to stop celebrating who we truly are,  our chaitnnaya swarup, our connection to Satchidananda Parmatma?

We light up lamps and turn all the lights in our homes on Deepawali day.  The darkness of night is hardly noticed with these lights.

How about the darkness our mind – does that go away with exterior lighting?  Not a chance, only “Parmaatma Sri Ram, Param-Satya Prakaash Roop ..” [The Supreme Soul,  Sri Ram, is the matchless radiant and non-dual apotheosis (divine elevation) of Absolute Truth], as stated in Amritvani, can do that.

Can we know Him easily?  According to Saint-souls (Sant Mahatmas), for a vast majority of people it is not easy, rather it is extremely difficult.

5 STEPS TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AND GROWING SPIRITUALLY:

The following steps we need to take for our spiritual growth and to continue celebrating our connection to Sri Ram.   (The following 5 steps are based on/adapted from Maharajji’s pravachan: Deepawali Ke Shubh Awsar Par):

1. Pray to Sri Ram that with the glory and power of His Name, may our inner darkness may be removed.
2. May our material possessions not prevent us from our spiritual progress.
3. Take a pledge that one day at a time, we will not not speak ill of anyone, not think negative about anyone, and do no physical harm to anyone.
4. To do the step #3 above we will need the blessings of our Gurujans.
5. Lead a simple and pure life.

Let us all continue to celebrate the essence of Deepawali every day.   May Lord Ram and our Gurujans lead our path.

How to move forward in our devotion to God

We must keep on moving forward in our devotion to God inspite of our weakness, our sins, and our repeated mistakes.

Q.  How to do that?  The question comes to our mind, how to do that when we have so many weaknesses and we keep on making same mistakes over and over.

A.  According to our beloved Pujya Maharajji is to ask Lord Ram to forgive all our sins until now (Kshma Karo mere Ram Raghunath, Ab Tak ke Saare Apraadh – dhun sung by him in USA Open Satsang).  He adds in his pravachan elsewhere: Another way is to again and again go sit at the feet of loving devotees (Sant Mahatmas – our Gurujans are definitely them) and lose yourself in their devotion and love of God.  We are surely to come back with a positive difference and move forward in our devotion and in our life with Guru Kripa.

Listen to audio

A saadhak who has a Satguru in life is very fortunate

According to Sant Mahatmas:

To be born as a human being is a blessing which is very difficult to obtain.  Much more difficult is to have God’s blessing and to start a journey as a saadhak (devotee).  And it is extremely, extremely, extremely difficult to have a Satguru in life.

So my beloved brothers and sisters, we the saadhaks are most fortunate to have a loving Sadguru in our lives.  We are not able to live our daily lives as shown by Maharajji in Sadhana Satsang and as in Pravachan Piyush by Swamiji Maharaj.  It helps to cry in front of Ma (Divine Mother – Lord Ma) and talk to God about our weaknesses and ask for mercy and grace (kripa).

Each one of us need to wake up to the fact that, “Main shaktimayi atma hoon” (I am a powerful soul), powerful to walk on the path as shown in Sadhna Satsang and discourses given delivered by our Gurujans.  No matter how many times we get off the path we simply need to get back on it and know that our Gurujans and Shree Ram are always with us,  helping, and protecting us.

Dhanya Huva Main Satguru Paake (dhun) – watch video clip

uva Main Satguru Paake

Rome Rome Shree Ram Pukare – Happy Mahatma Gandhiji’s and PremJi Maharaj’s Birthday

Mahatma Gandhiji and PremJi Maharaj not only share the same birthday (October 2nd) – both of them were devotees of Lord Ram.  So many of Sant Mahatmas like them must have bhavana, attitude and feelings such as ” Rome Rome Shree Ram Pukare ..,” that most of us can’t even imagine.

Hum par bhi aisi kripa karo mere Ram.  Hamara rome rome bhi Shree Ram Pukare ..aisi kripa karo mere Ram.  (Bless me Lord Ram so that every atom of my being calls for Shree Ram.. yearns for Shree Ram).

Our Gurujans tell us that for this to happen we must do our practice consistently and also attend Satsangs (where Sant Mahatmas  and true devotees are present).  We need to and must go again and again and learn from Sant Mahatmas how they lead a life of selfless service, express love and devotion to God, and impart knowledge in spiritual discourses, etc.

According to Shree Swamiji Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhiji used to recite Sthitpragya Ke Lakshan (Shreemad Bhagvad Gita – second chapter) with heart at both times of his daily prayers.

We can learn from the lives of Mahatma Gandhiji and our Gurujans by following their advice and may be one day with Ram Kripa we will also be blessed with similar bhavana and bhakti.

May the following dhun sung by Maharajji evoke similar devotional feelings in us.

VIDEO CLIP – Rome Rome Shree Ram Pukare

Rama Rama Ratate Ratate – Dhun and Lesson

It was really moving to hear Pujya Maharajji sing the dhun:

Rama Rama Ratate Ratate Beeti Ri Umariya,

Rama Rama Ratate Ratate Beeti Ri Umariya.

Rama Rama Ratate Ratate Beeti Ri Umariya,

Hey Raghunandan Aa Bhi Jayo Shabri Ki Jhumparia.

Pujya Maharajji reminded us that as Ma Shabri we must learn to have patience.

First of all we will be very lucky if we can cultivate our feelings/Bhavana for Lord Ram as Ma Shabri had in her heart.   Second, if we can truly say that our life has been in constant rememberance (Simran) of Lord Ram.  Third, it will be great if we can have patience and faith of Ma Shabri.

VIDEO CLIP OF RAMA RAMA RATATE RATATE

How to surrender to God

According to Pujya Maharajji:

(The following is only an understanding of this sadhak, who needs more and more of this practice.  Corrections and comments are welcome.)

According to Pujya Maharajji, everyone says to surrender to God, but they do not tell us how to do it.  He shows us the way:   Paramatma (Supreme Soul) Sri Ram … This  body, wealth, intellect, and mind .. they are all yours,  all the actions done with mind, body, speech, and sense organs (due to lust, greed, anger, jealousy, etc.) , teri vastu hai  – yours (English?)… Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram.

Shree Swamiji Maharaj clarifies about God and how to surrender to God in Amritvani:

SARVA SHAKTIMATE PARMAATMANE SRI RAMAAYA NAMAHA (Amritvani can be downloaded from http://www.shreeramsharnam.org/) –

I bow before Sri Ram, who is vested with all powers!

I bow before the source and reservoir of all powers!

I bow and seek shelter with the Supreme Soul, Sri Ram!

I dedicate and surrender myself unto Him!

‘Parmaatmaa’: The Supreme soul.

Kartavya Buddhi – Right actions using our intellect

Shree Swamiji Maharaj and our Gurujans remind us that we (Sadhaks) are to take actions with Kartavya Buddhi or using our intellect and doing our duties. Sometimes we do not feel like taking care of our health, do exercise, do spiritual practice of reciting amritvani, jap, or dhyan, etc.

While we may not feel like it or feel lazy we must take care of our physical, mental, and spiritual health. That is our duty. It seems as if our loving Gurujans, saint-souls have come here on earth again and again us and shown us the way. Our Gurujans have done “Marg Darshan” in every Sadhana Satsang.

Now it is up to us to seek Shree Rams’ blessings and the blessings of Swamiji Maharaj to do our duty while immersed in Ram Naam.

There is a beautiful dhun sung by Pujya Dr. Vishwa Mitter Ji Maharaj in the open Sadhana Satsang in USA in May, 2009 which goes as follows:

Baba meri raksha karna .. Baba meri raksha karna.

Baba meri banh pakarna … Baba meri banh pakarna.

Baba mujhe bhakti dena … Baba mujhe bhakti dena.

Baba mujhe darshan dena … Baba mujhe darshan dena.

(Baba protect me ….. Baba hold my arm …. Baba give me devotion …. Baba give me darshan – vision and blessing)

Divine Mother

Recently Pujya Maharajji  mentioned (in USA Open Satsang) that we don’t get close to God or Divine Mother because .. “Shayad Hamne Dusri Ma Kar Lee Hai” (Maybe we have adapted another Mother).

A few days after I heard It seems as if Maharajji was saying that we  bow, and say namaskar to Maya … “Dusri Ma”  but not to Divine Mother , at least not with all of our being.  Our mind and intellect are still in the world and want the world, more than God.

Shree Swamiji Maharaj also says in Amritvani:

Sarva Shaktimate Parmaatmane Sri Ramaaya Namaha. (I bow before Sri Ram who is vested with all powers … source and reservoir of all powers… seek shelter with the Supreme Soul … dedicate and surreder myself unto Him!)

Also in the end of Amritvani we read and hear:

… Ramaaya Namaha, Sri Ramaaya Namaha.

So let us not do Maya Namaah, instead follow our Gurujans and do Sri Ramaaya Namah.

(Let us not get caught up in Maya but as our Gurujans teach us to bow and seek shelter in Lord Ma, Divine Mother, Supreme Soul Sri Ram only then with the Grace of our Gurujans and Sri Ram we can be liberated).

Power of Ram Naam and blessings of our Gurujans

Through the grace of our Pujya Gurudev we have been blessed with Ram Naam.  While we read in Amritvani that Parmaatma Sri Ram is all powerful .. omnipotent. We are connected to the source and reservoir of all powers through Ram Naam.

Then why do we have a weak mind?  Why are we not able to use our intellect to take care of our responsibilites and do benevolent actions?

Is it because we do not have total faith in God or do we not yet totally believe what our Gurujans have said? … or is it something else?

Regardless of whether we know the answers to these questions or not, we can at least pay close attention to what Maharajji says,”We have Ram in us but it is lying dormant”  – so  we must wake up this power in us by Jap, Simran, and Dhyan. And with the strength we gain from our practice we can follow the path shown to us with renewed determination and resolve.

Maharajji explains (in USA Open Satsang) that in Amritvani it is mentioned:

Ram-Ram Bhaj Kar Sri Ram

Kariye Nitya Hee Uttam Kaam

(and not …. Kariye Nitya Hee Uttam Kaam,  Ram-Ram Bhaj Kar Sri Ram)

So as he is guiding us, let us keep Ram Naam in the forefront and do the benevolent actions and take care of our duties and responsibilities and be ready to recieve maximum benefit of Ram Kripa.

Once again Maharajji says be patient and never lose hope.

Jai Jai Ram

Spiritual Path according to Saint-Souls

There are several spiritual paths for people of various mind-sets, cultures, and spiritual traditions.  Saint-souls or Sant Mahatmas tell us that any and all true spiritual paths lead to an individual soul uniting with Supreme soul or experiencing the truth about Supreme soul, God, or One Source who is vested with all powers.  Some of these wise teachers may say that we realize the truth about ourselves, get enlightenment, or have Darshan of God in His true form.

Most spiritual traditions agree that one of the goal of spiritual practice is for us to become a better person or a better human being.  A better human being in thoughts, speech, and deeds.

Each human being has strengths and weaknesses.  Each human being has past karma, genes, and DNA that binds us to think and act in a certain way, especially if we are not shown the true path.

A true path can be shown only by Sadguru who has learned to walk on the true path with the grace of Guru and God.

According to Saint-souls from almost all traditions of present and past era, it is God’s grace that inspires us to think about God, reach out to God, to pray and have a yearning to walk on a true spiritual path.  When the student is ready the teacher appears as the saying goes … it is again with God’s grace we come in contact with the right guru for us.

Now that we have come in contact with our guru we need to make a commitment to practice according to the instructions given by guru or walk on the  path of practice, as shown to us.  Sure, most of us being humans, are not  going to  keep our total commitments due to one reason or another.  If we just keep aware of what we are thinking, saying, and doing we know whether we are walking on the path or we are off the path.

By attending satsang or keeping in contact with our guru in person or by remembering the instructions, or how our guru talks, walks, and interacts with others can be highly beneficial to us and it can be a reminder about how to keep our behaviors as close as possible as per guru’s guidance.

What more can we ask for … our Gurujans have shown us again and again with patience, love, and as role models the path we need to walk on for our own good and the good of our families, and for the good of  all human beings.

To be a better human being, to do better, is our responsibility … to follow the examples of others who have walked on this path is wisdom.

To err is human… to forgive is divine.  Divine are the saint-souls who forgive us again and again and show their love to us and all mankind.  Let us also act in a divine way … let us forgive ourselves for our mistakes (God and guru has) and let us all renew our commitment to walk on the path shown to us by our loving Gurujans.  Let us do our jap, recite Amritvani daily, study Swamiji Maharaj’s Ramayan (Valmiki version), and follow any other personal instructions given by our guru.

Saint-souls remind us is to do our practice with Nishkam-Bhav… and they assure us that good fruit of this practice is beyond our imagination :

Taarak Mantra Ram hai – jiska sufal apaar,

Is mantra ke jap se – nishchay bane nistaar.

(From Amritvani – booklet available at any Shreeramsharnam – please visit shreeramsharnam.org for centers and treasure of spiritual wisdom)

Jai Jai Ram