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by
Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL
No. 59
January 2006
MANAH,
MANTRAH, MAUNATVAM- PART
II Some
discussions on mind, mantra and silence of mind
"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"
QUESTION 1 FROM FROM SREE
Whatever I do it turns out negative. No happiness in what so ever I do.
ANSWER: In everybody’s life there comes a time when one feels, everything going wrong and one is overwhelmed with frustration. When things appear to be going wrong, the natural tendency for a human being is to ascribe the blame to someone other than himself. And what better excuse can we find other than ‘God’ whom we have learnt to believe as the ultimate controller of everything- the supreme niyanta?
There lies the fallacy of a deluded mind. A mind which has taken leave of his own reasoning power – even if temporarily – completely stops reasoning out the situation and search out corrective measures. He then sinks deeper.
But a sthitaprajna- one whose intellect is firmly established and steady- sits down to analyse.
Any sincere analysis, invariably brings out a home truth, that in course of actions leading to the present situation, it is he who at one stage failed to act wisely.
God does not pre-specify any outcome. He only sets out the rules of cause and effect. He also gives the human beings, an invaluable gift of a tool called ‘viveka’ or discerning power.
He also stands by to extend a helping hand only if man sincerely seeks His help.
By that discerning power, backed up by reasoning, one can choose the right path.
How does one choose the right path? Here ‘spirituality’ provides the answer.
A spiritual approach to life, demands an unconditional trust on a superior power, which is by definition benevolent, and continuously looks far ahead for every one’s ultimate good. This is not an attitude of resignation as on the surface it might appear. An attitude of this kind, has a powerful psychological influence on the mind. No one wants to be miserable. No one wants to be a loser. The mind revolts against it. A drowning person instinctively starts swimming towards the shore.
Sooner or later miseries and failures come to an end. Life always alternates between happy times and unhappy times, failures and success. Chakravat parivartante. In the midst of unhappiness, the sthitaprajna knows that happiness is round the corner.
Reflect on your own life. Has it always been painted in one colour? Yet through many ups and downs, you have still survived. Why? Because there are better things awaiting you. That benevolent supreme power has no intentions of keeping you in misery. On the other hand, it is constantly supporting you to let you regain your positive attitude so that your discerning power will grow sharper, your trust and your bond with Him will grow stronger.
If you lose your trust you have no where else to turn to. Keep the trust. Re examine all your actions and see the wheel turn.
QUESTION 2 FROM A R SHANMUGAM
Sir; I believe in God. Keeping my belief I move along in life as life presents itself to me. But too often feelings like dissatisfaction, purposelessness overwhelm me. Is there some other practical way to look at life?
ANSWER: If you have sustained belief in God and the divine ways that guide life, you have already taken the most important step. Life as we have said is a laboratory where an imperfect being is being transformed into a state of perfection. How can such a process be always pleasant? It is not an easy task by any means.
A good practical way is to constantly test your actions- every action that you undertake- against the parameters that we find in the sayings of Manu, which we have dealt earlier. Please go through the two articles WHAT IS RIGHTEOUS LIVING? -PART 1 and Part 2 in the December 2000 and January 2001 issues of AHWAN, for detailed understanding.
There are ten parameters with which every action in life is to be tested. They are Dhrti meaning steady understanding in the face of opposites, developing a balanced attitude towards all opposites, Kshyama – or forgiveness in most difficult situations, Dama or restraint on impulsive actions, Asteyam or not coveting what is not rightfully yours, saucam meaning purity of body and mind, Indriya nigraha meaning not letting our sense organs run astray, Akrodhah or absence of anger, Dhi or using the discerning power of your intellect, vidya or constant pursuit of higher knowledge, and satya which is always standing by the truth.
An ever-conscious practice of these ten parameters applying them to every action of life, even if in small doses, takes us nearer to perfection, to God. Any action that does not confirm to these parameters is a wasted action.
QUESTION 3 FROM EMAIL OF SRI RAVI MATHEW
On Gurus performing miracles, Guru as a saviour
ANSWER:No miracle – including curing of diseases, achieving unbelievables etc - ever happen unless the recipient himself is seized with unshakable faith. All true Gurus including Jesus and many others simply rekindle that faith. If faith is there, one can experience miracles (minor or major depending on one’s intensity of faith) in one’s own life. Just reflecting on the events of past will reveal this in every single man’s life. If faith is not there Guru alone can do precious little.
Only one who is behind all miracles and who is capable of performing miracles, is God Himself, and He performs miracles all the time, every moment. Simply look around you. There is miracle in everything and in every happening, all around us. We fail to see this, all because of weak faith and our ignorance of the divine principles that govern the creation.
If one has committed mistakes (there are no sins, only mistakes committed) he alone must atone for it so as to learn the lesson for his own good. Every atonement brings in higher understanding and knowledge for betterment. No spiritual Guru can take away your mistakes and do atonement for you. He simply facilitates your rising to higher understanding and knowledge through your time of atonement and suffering.
If you are comfortable with someone assisting you to evolve into a higher being, and makes you to be in peace with yourself, then he is your best Guru at that time. That is the way the divine scheme works for all of us. There is nothing wrong in that.
When you are ready for a Guru, it is the Lord who brings both Guru and the disciple together. Jesus came when the world needed him, so did Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Mahavira, Mohammed, Nanak. That is true for all saints since the beginning of the creation of mankind.
QUESTION 4 FROM SRI SACHIN RASAL
I work in very noisy place. Is it possible to do meditation here?
ANSWER: A noisy place is certainly not very conducive to meditation. It requires a lot of mental strength – which comes after intensive yoga practice – to be able to shut out the distractions whenever and wherever you may be.
Having said that, one must recognize that most of us make the conditions around us a very convenient excuse for not attempting to practice yoga sadhana. In the 24 hours of the day, one is never always amidst noise. It is also not impossible to withdraw for some time into a secluded and peaceful place if one wishes to. The amritabela ( time normally between 4AM and 6 AM) is recognized as a time of quietness fit for meditation. One can engage in meditation sitting on his bed. Some are known even to meditate in their toilets. When there is a will man finds a way. Everything depends upon your determination and faith as well as love. When a person is in love, does he or she gets distracted to think about his or beloved? The question is ‘am I in love with God?’. I recommend you to go through the articles “On Meditation” in the July/ Aug/ Sept/Oct/Nov 2001 issues of AHWAN. This question has also been addressed in some of the readers questions as well as other articles in AHWAN. Please go through the old articles..
QUESTION 5 FROM SRI ENDERAN A/L SUNDRAM
Why KALIYUGA is very bad?
ANSWER: No Yuga is either bad or good. It is the conduct of the people that is responsible for this perception. In all yugas there are righteous people as well as demonic ones. My own nature as well as my own level of consciousness and understanding, determines whether the yuga in which I exist is bearable or unbearable. Even the Kaliyuga provides enough opportunities for the individual soul to lift itself and attain a state of higher being and thereby a higher degree of happiness. Why blame the Yuga?
QUESTION 6 FROM SRI CHAMAN KATARIA
Sir, The other day when you came to our school you told us that if you are good, you will always make others good. My best friend is always doing bad things, bullying others, breaking up their games, quarrelling and all that. I do not like his behaviour and tell him so. But he does not listen. But he still is my best friend and we like each other. Why can not I make him good??
ANSWER: My dear, who said that you are not making him good? Think of it this way. You know what is bad but he does not know what is good. Why has God made two of you with opposite thinking, best friends to each other? Any body else could also have been his best pal. But God knows what is best for both of you and made you buddies. What would have happened if another bad boy would have been his best friend? Two of them joining hands with no one restraining, would have created great havoc. But in God’s wisdom it had to be you. Without either of you knowing, your influence is slowly working on him and you too. When one is bad, he may for a short period feel happy, but this happiness does not last. But if one does a good deed the happiness lasts very long. Goodness is stronger. Its power eventually defeats badness. Some day soon this friend of yours will understand your good influence. He will realize that even if he did bad things, you never abandoned him. He will change for better. When you will see him change, your own faith and conviction about goodness will become strengthened. You will also become a still better person. When such a thing will happen, God will smile because His purpose would have been served. God bless you both.
