Self-Confidence - The First Step In Spiritual Sadhana

“The essence of all the Vedantic texts 
I am revealing thus in one sentence: 
The Atmic consciousness pervading 
all the living beings and you is one and the same. 
Constantly remember this Truth.” 
(Telugu poem)

Embodiments of Divine Atma! 

The world today is facing manifold problems due to modern civilisation. Life itself has become a string of problems. It is most unfortunate that modern man is unable to enjoy even an iota of peace and happiness and health and long-life that his ancestors were able to enjoy. The world has become smaller due to development of transport and communication facilities. The boundaries between various countries have narrowed down. Today, the problems and difficulties in a particular country are not confined to that country alone. Instead, they are spreading to the whole world like a wild fire and making the world tremble under its impact. The position of man today can be compared to a situation where there is everything that man can wish for in this objective world, but he lacks in mental peace and happiness.

Modern man is under the illusion that peace and happiness are outside and is therefore searching for them in the outside world. Unable to realise the truth that he himself is an embodiment of peace, man is trying to search for peace in the outside turbulent world. As a matter of fact, man is fighting for his rights, forgetting at the same time his duty towards his fellow human beings and the country. The main reason for this state of affairs is, he has lost his self-confidence and seeks solace in acquiring worldly objects. He is forgetting his true nature as a result of developing an outward vision instead of an inner vision. He is ignorant of his own true nature. He has become so blind as not to realise the truth that the outside world is nothing but a reflection of the feelings in his own mind. He is unable to visualise the truth that his own mind is responsible for everything. Without mind, the world does not exist at all! It is therefore necessary to realise the truth that the entire objective world is a creation of one’s own mind.

A thorn pricks the foot and causes pain. It is another thorn that can remove the one that is stuck in the foot and relieve one’s pain. The mind can be compared to a thorn. It is the mind that can efface a person’s sin just as it can pile up one’s sins. Again, it is the mind that is responsible for the birth of the human body as well as consigning it to the earth. It is therefore the duty of every human being to realise the true nature of mind. It is said “Manayeva Manusyanam Karanam Bandha Moksayoh (Mind alone is the cause for either bondage or liberation). One has to realise this truth and try to cleanse one’s mind by removing illusion and cultivating sacred and noble thoughts. This is the foremost duty of a Sadhaka (spiritual aspirant).

Today, man is under the illusion that the whole world is in a state of turmoil, since his own mind is restless. In fact, his own problems are responsible for his restlessness, not the problems of the world. Peace is like a spring which wells up from within; it cannot be obtained from the outside world. A pure mind is like a garland of crystals through which the thread of Divinity runs. If the garland is made of pure crystals, the thread is clearly visible. If it is made of Rudraksas (a kind of beads), the thread is not visible. Therefore, one has to keep his mind always pure and transparent, so that the Divine manifestation can be visualised. Instead of striving to attain such a pure state of mind, we are adding more and more darkness of ignorance to the already dark mind. We are indulging in more and more of sensory pleasures and getting enmeshed in the darkness of ignorance. Finally, we are falling into abysmal depths.

Man today is unable to believe that which is seen by his own eyes. He is so ignorant that he is trying to look through the Westerners’ eyes. He is trying to hear through the Westerners’ ears. He is trying to experience the world through the Westerners’ heart. His life has become so conditioned that he has lost his own individuality. In fact, a real man is he who sees with his own eyes, hears with his own ears and experiences with his own heart. It is only such a person who can be called a human being in the real sense. It is said, "Manasyekam, Vachasyekam Karmanyekam Mahatmanam and Manasyanyat, Vachasyanyat, Karmanyanyat Duratmanam" (those whose thoughts, words and deeds are in perfect harmony are noble souls and those who lack harmony of these are wicked). One’s hunger will be satiated only if he eats for himself. It will not be satiated when someone else eats. One has to take a medicine for himself to cure one’s disease. It is foolish for someone to take a medicine to cure someone else’s disease. Similarly, one has to strive to attain God’s grace to cure one’s Bhavaroga (birth-death cycle which is like a disease). One’s suffering cannot be alleviated by imitating others or following others’ experiences. That is why developing self-confidence has been considered to be the very first step in spiritual sadhana.

Hence, it is only when you take self-confidence as the basis, that you will be entitled to enter into the spiritual field. One who is devoid of self-confidence can never enter the spiritual field however intense his sadhana may be, however well-read he may be and however great the people may be of whose darsana, sparsana and sambhasana he has had. Such a person will be almost an imbecile and can never enter the sacred path of spirituality. Today, people are following ignoramuses and becoming more and more ignorant, just like one blind man following another blind man. When you belch the odour will be of what you have eaten, and not of what others have eaten. In this manner people are losing self-confidence by blindly following and imitating others.

Embodiments of Sacred Atma! You have to consider constant contemplation on God as the path laid down for the people of this sacred country of Bharat. Having been born in this Vedic land of Bharat and having acquired the great name of Bharatiyas, it is a sign of ignorance if you cannot realise the true nature of Bharatiyas. The entire universe is nothing but the reflection of Divinity. The one sun that moves across the sky is reflected as many in several pots containing water. The vessels may be different, but the sun reflecting in the pots containing water is only one. It is only a fool who gets deluded by the reflection of one sun as many in the pots. The body of every human being is like a pot. God as Atma Svarupa who is reflecting in the individual’s body is the same Paramatma (Universal soul). This fact has to be borne in mind by every Sadhaka.

It is only to make people realise this spiritual truth that several holy festivals are being observed in Bharat throughout the year. Every festival is observed with a special significance and conveys deeper inner meaning. Unfortunately, people are not realising the inner meaning of these festivals and spending their time in frivolous and useless activities during these occasions by feasting on sumptuous dishes. The inner meaning of this Navaratri festival is to transcend the three gunas of Satva, Rajas and Tamas which are represented by Maha Durga, Maha Saraswati and Maha Lakshmi and try to experience the real nature of a human being.

One has to strive to realise the transcendental nature of Divinity by controlling the three gunas at least to a certain extent. That is the Sadhana one has to undertake during these nine days of Navaratri festival and thereby attain God’s grace. It is only then that can one experience real mental peace. Through peace, one can attain happiness. The great Poet Saint Tyagaraja has explained this in his famous kirtana "Santamu leka saukhyamu ledu" (without peace, there can be no happiness). Therefore, peace is most essential for a human being. That is his very life-breath.

Peace cannot be attained by developing strength of the physical body or intellect or wealth or progeny. King Dhritharashtra had enough of all these kinds of power, but he never enjoyed peace. Why? He did not have the power of Dharma and Divinity to support him. Therefore, he became a victim of evil-mindedness and bad qualities and ultimately perished.

Embodiments of Love! Darmabala (strength of righteousness) and Daivabala (strength that comes from God) are the two attributes which are most important for the success of a human being in his endeavours. One has to acquire these two qualities and dedicate his life to the service of society. One has to recognise the truth that all are divine and the same Atmic principle permeates every living being. One should not become a victim of evil qualities like hatred, jealousy, pride and ostentation. It is very essential that every individual should dedicate his life gladly and willingly to the service of society. It is customary during the Navaratri festival every year to hoist the Prasanthi flag on the Mandir. What is its significance? It signifies visualising the Sat-chit-ananda svarupa (Embodiment of existence, consciousness, bliss) that is installed in our heart and thereby experience the Atma tattva. It is not just the simple physical act of hoisting the flag on the Mandir. We must try to hoist the flag of Prasanthi in our conscience, which is reigning the Kingdom of our heart.

Embodiments of Divine Atma! Today, the nine day Navaratri festival has commenced in Prasanthi Nilayam. There will be several programmes during these nine days. I wish that all of you should participate in those programmes and cultivate noble qualities and derive Prasanti (Supreme peace). During these nine days, we shall try to get a deeper understanding of the nature of the mind. I conclude My discourse with the hope and blessings that all of you will dedicate your time and energy to understand these concepts which are going to be taught during the next few days.