Q. What is the difference between a regular sankalpa and pratyadesh?

A. Regular sankalpa is a good resolve, it won’t achieve much. The good work done through regular sankalpa will last for five years or ten…may be for two decades and then it will be wiped out. But pratyadesh is a command from God received during meditation. The work done in response to a pratyadesh will last long…for centuries… because it is fostered by God… it is God’s desire. You can have a desire and pray to God for its fulfilment, that’s limited sankalpa. God can have a desire and get you to fulfil it – that is pratyadesh.

CHITTA SHUDDHI & CHITTA JAYA

“Look here, literature is a sublime art and it will lead you to spirituality. Remember well the difference between the two streams of literary method: kalpana shakti and swapna vilas. Kalpana shakti is good, it consists of pure imagination. It will not hinder your mental state. Go for it! The latter, swapna vilas, is fantasy based on one’s own life, or life of others. It will create desires; sustain them artificially. It is a road to perdition…it’s against spirituality. Never indulge in it.”

Q. What does Chitta Shuddhi mean in simple terms?

A. Simple meaning of the term chitta shuddhi is continual remembrance of God. Always having recourse to Naam smaran and occasionally taking up fasts or resorting to light diet. When one fasts while following the necessary restrictions, the senses cannot overpower the mind.

Q. Do you mean to say I should keep quiet even if someone is verbally abusing me?

A. Yes, you must tolerate that. Arguing does not help. No reply is the best reply in provocative situations. Think that everything is Guruji’s blessing. If someone says something bad, it is Guruji’s blessing. Perhaps Guruji wants to lessen your ego.

Q. If someone has done wrong, shouldn’t I protest?

A. The answer is that you must protest if there is scope for remedy, otherwise don’t waste your precious time and words, because you will not benefit from that protest. Silence is the best alternative; if you protest you will only encourage the negativity. Stay quiet. If you don’t give attention, it will go away on its own.

Introversion sometimes has a tonality of pessimism; one feels that the world is a bad place. This is not introversion. Introversion is never negative, it is always positive. An introvert is an antarmukhi.

Q. What should I do when someone insults me?

A. Try to see if there is any fault in you. If you feel you have done something wrong for which you are being insulted, listen to the charge attentively and try to mend your ways. However, if you are being accused unnecessarily, then there is nothing to be sad about, just tolerate it. Think that this has come from some past life and digest it. Digest is not a negative word. It means you have not avoided or shirked, but processed the thing within your being. This tolerance or sahanshilta is a great quality, you must carefully develop it. It is difficult but it can be practiced with some effort.

Q. And what should I do if I cannot manage to stay calm, or develop tolerance, and I become anguished?

A. Then just sing Naam. Everything will be quiet in some time.

Different Laundry

It was very hot afternoon. Disciples’ intent upon diksha sat in the open. Most of them were sweating; they couldn’t even look up because the strong glare of the sun troubled them.

“Is it too hot?” Vitthal Maharaj enquired. “Not really!” they murmured humbly.

“I know it’s very hot. But endure this suffering for a while. The sufferings that body goes through for religious purposes washes away past sins. There’s no telling of which sins you are being liberated from right now. Endure the sun for a while… I will be back here to give you the mantra soon.

Sankramana

“Onion & Garlic should be abandoned by all.” “Seems difficult.” A disciple quipped. “Do it slowly, not instantly. Samkramana… सुर्य के समान चलते रहो, एक न एक दिन सफल हो जाओगे (You must traverse steadily like the sun, you will succeed one day).”

देवता का प्रसाद बाटो, महात्मा का प्रसाद साटो

A disciple wanted to give away some of the fruits Gurudeva gave her. He asked her not to do it. “Listen to this. A great mahatma once said “देवता का प्रसाद बाटो, महात्मा का प्रसाद साटो”. It means you must share among your loved ones the prasad of God, but things which holy men give; you must jealously guard them and keep them to yourself. Once Thakur Omkarnath casually threw a turban cloth from his head at me, I caught it and kept it carefully. That’s what gave me vairaagya ultimately.”

It is all a matter of sentiment; what you believe is made alive. Thakur once said, “Satya Narayana prasad is supposed to be jagrita; it is not to be wasted or thrown away. You must eat the last bit of it.”