Contemplation On God Is The True Dharma

"Sarveshu kaleshu Mamanusmara” 

The Gita has declared that those who con-stantly contemplate on God are most dear to Him. But, today it is only the old people who are entering into the spiritual field. People enjoy the worldly pleasures over much and get bored of them. They, therefore, enter into the spiritual field. These people run after the objects in this world, after wealth, after wife and children thinking that there is peace and happiness in them, and when they are disappointed and receive a blow somewhere sometime, they coolly return to the spiritual field. However, they are, in a way better than those who do not at all think of God at any point of their life. At least, these people do it in the old age. 

There is no specific time or age for contemplation on God. That is why, the Gitacharya has given us the most important lead when He said “Sarveshu Kaleshu.” He has exhorted us to treat happiness and sorrow, losses and gains, heat and cold, profit and loss, praise and scorn, everything with equanimity. The Gita has identified certain qualities of a true devotee. It is difficult to ascertain whether all these qualities are existing in a devotee. All these qualities, however, are included in two most important ones, namely, abhyasa and vairagya (practice and non-attachment). Abhyasa is the product of a combination of the three kinds of Tapas, namely, shareerika, vachika and manasika. Vairagya means to identify the impurity in an object and discard it; to perform the duties ordained on one and to remain simply as a witness, without entertaining a desire for the fruit of one’s own actions. If man can observe these two sadhanas, there is no necessity for any other sadhanas. 

Sadhana Must Begin At An Early Age 

These qualities can be developed only in the childhood and youth stages. It is possible to undertake these sadhanas only when the senses are powerful, when there is strength in the body and when you enjoy good health, sharp intellect and memory in plenty. In the old age, all kinds of weaknesses set in, the senses lose their power, memory and health fail and people lose their interest in life and no encouragement from any quarter is possible. In such a situation, it is very difficult to undertake any sadhana. If that is the case, is there no salvation for old people? You need not get disheartened. Even such people may get opportunities now and then. However, for children and youth, this is a sure possibility, according to the Gitacharya. This is a guarantee given by Him. A small example. Suppose you gave an order in advance and purchased the tickets for meals in a hotel. You are bound to get the meal, whenever you go to the hotel, irrespective of the time schedule. This is a guarantee. On the other hand, if you go to a hotel for food without placing an order and without purchasing a meals ticket, you may or may not get the food at that odd hour. This is purely a chance, but not a guarantee. Similarly, if people undertake these sadhanas and contemplate on God right from their childhood, they are sure to get its fruit in their old age. Contrary to this, if they waste their entire childhood and youth without undertaking any sadhanas or contemplating on God, enjoy mean and trivial carnal pleasures, and ultimately scramble for God in the old age, God will not be available so easily for such people. 

You cook a variety of dishes, spread them on a beautiful tender banana leaf, offer them to the demons as naivedya (offering), then partake of that food and enjoy it. After partaking of it you even tear off the leaf and then try to offer the impure balance to God. There is no point in doing such sacrilegious acts. The body of the youth is like a pure and tender banana leaf. The five perceptions of shabda (sound), sparsha (touch), rupa (form), rasa (taste) and gandha (smell) are like the variety of dishes. You offer these sweet dishes to the demons first, then you enjoy and, finally, the leaf in which you partook of the food which is no longer of any use to you, is being offered to God. People today are just offering the remainder (bhukta shesham) to God. What a great sacrilege! Therefore, childhood and youth are the most important stages in human life for contemplation on God, said Gitacharya. As long as the object we crave for is in our hands, we do not recognise its value. It is only when we loose it, we realise the value of that object. When your vision in the eyes is normal and perfect, you do not know its value. When you lose your vision and become blind, you will come to realise the value of your eyes. Similar is the case with your health. When you are strong and able to withstand any strain, you will not be able to realise the importance of your good health. When all your energy is sapped, you will realise the limitations of the body and feel very sorry for having wasted such a valuable gift of God in useless and trivial sensual pursuits. Your health in the earlier period helped you like a friend in need. All the energies you had utilised in seeking carnal pleasures before, have now become your enemies. The youth today are unable to distinguish between friends and foes, even though they have the capacity to do so: 

Who is a friend? who is an enemy? 
Who is the teacher? who is the taught? 
Who is a poet? Who is an Actor?
Do you have the intelligence to know it? 
If you know it, is there a scope for doubt? 
If you don’t have brains 
Anything wrong in calling you a Monkey?

Such type of analysis will always help you to tread the right path. Today, man is taking God’s name for the upkeep of his body. He is not utilising his body as an instrument for attaining divinity. When his body is afflicted with some disease or when it has become weak, then he prays “Oh God! give me good health, give me strength to bear this suffering”; thus, he is making use of God for the sake of his body; but, he is not worried “Oh! my body is now healthy and strong, how can I use this body in the service of the Lord?.” He is wasting his time, thinking that there is still time in the distant future for God’s service. Some other people think why should they worry about God and such other things even from this young age when they can comfortably devote time for spirituality after they retire from service. They also think that they can think of God after enjoying the worldly pleasures. When you are not able to contemplate on God while all your physical, mental and spiritual faculties are in perfect condition, how can you do it after all these energies dwindle? 

Unable to move, vision blurred, face full of wrinkles, 
Hair turned grey, even children heckle you as an old wreck, 
You respond with angry grimace, Oh! Dancing Doll! 
Look at the fun of this puppet body 

Thus, you are depressed and suffer with great mental and physical agony. How can then you contemplate on God? You have turned blind; Your legs do not move; and hands refuse to function. How then can you undertake any service? 

When the servants of Yama put the noose around your neck 
And drag you saying ‘Come! come!’ 
when the relatives hasten to shift your body 
outside saying there is no use keeping inside’ 
when the wife and children wail over your last moments 
will it be possible for you to chant God’s Name? 

Therefore, you have to lay a firm foundation for your spiritual life and security in the old age, even while you are young. Even taking for granted that you will undertake spiritual sadhana after retirement, will you do it when time comes? No, No! While in service, you are plunged headlong in official duties or business activities. After retirement, you waste your time in going to recreational clubs or in gossiping. One housewife questioned her businessmanhusband, “My dear Sir! I have never seen you spending your time in contemplating on God even for a day. At least, in this old age, please devote some time for it.” Then, the businessman replied: “What! I don’t have time even to die. How then can I do _namasmarana_”? Will death spare a man, who thinks that he has no time even to die? Time and tide wait for nobody. You must make efforts to properly utilise your time and within your constraints. The enemy death and the army of diseases are invading the kingdom of body. In such a situation, human beings are dying like dogs and foxes, none to care for them. But those who have earned the grace of God cannot be vanquished by any army or enemy. Therefore, you have to earn the grace of God even while in youth stage. With such grace, you can defeat the enemies and difficulties surrounding you. 

Life Is A Long Journey 

You must firmly believe the fact that life is a long journey. Travel by bus, train or aeroplane is limited to a specified time. But, life is a long journey. This fact must be borne in mind always. Those who forget this truth, do not keep themselves ready for the journey. They indulge themselves in wordly pleasures and thus do not get ready to face the difficulties and losses in this long journey. They do not take enough safety measures for facing any eventualities in the journey of life. 

All of you know about the goods wagons transported by rail. Even at the time of manufacturing those wagons, their life span is fixed. When they are sent to any station, their date of return is indicated on the wagons. These wagons have to be returned to the place of origin before the due date, after serving their purpose. Similarly, God has indicated the date of return on this box wagon called “_Deha_” (human body). Nobody is keeping that date in mind. Man is not recognising the truth that he will not be able to know when this body would merge in Eternity. If you want to have true peace and happiness, you must make efforts to earn the grace of God in the youth stage itself.

Childhood and youth are the most important stages in human life. Unable to understand the value of human life, we are selling this precious Gem for useless charcoal pieces. In this gold vessel studded with diamonds, emeralds, gems and jades, we are trying to cook the paste of gingily seeds. We are using sandal wood sticks as firewood underneath the vessel. The vessel is valuable; the firewood is invaluable; but the material that is being cooked is trivial. We are selling our most valuable body and sacred thoughts for momentary and trivial pleasures. It is like tilling the land with a gold plough and planting cactus plants. ‘Your hridayakshetra (the field of your heart) is a sacred field, since it belongs to God’ – “_Kshetragnyam Chapi Mam Viddhi_” declared the Gitacharya. He is the kshetra (field) as well as the kshetragnya (the knower of the field). Having realised the truth that these two are the property of God, you will plough the land with the golden plough of good qualities and make it fertile with manures and fertilisers. Ultimately what type of crop is grown in such a field? You are growing the crop of sensual pleasures. Whoever has recognised the value of this kshetra (human body) and the plough (good qualities) can never misuse them. 

Always Fix Your Aim On God 

Make your life meaningful by engaging yourself in activities that help others (paropakara); by travelling the road to divinity; by reflecting divinity in your nature; and ultimately by merging in divinity. Then only the human life deserves to be called as Divine Life. “Jantunam Narajanma Durlabham,” it is said. It means, the human birth is a rare gift of God. Why it is so great and difficult to get? What is its speciality? Whatever happiness and pleasures are enjoyed by the birds and beasts and animals, are also enjoyed by Man. If so, what is the greatness in human life? Man, while enjoying all the pleasures like the animals, birds and beasts, should do so in a unique manner that is beyond the reach of these beings. Man today is exposed to so much of unhappiness and unrest; because he has thrown to winds the mana (honour) and abhimana (self-respect); he does not distinguish the transient and the eternal; he does not have the power to discriminate between atma and anatma. He lost his intellectual power as well. The youth must be prepared to propagate the nature and qualities of shareerika, vachika and manasika Tapas by their firm determination and their own practice. It is not possible to develop satwic quality unless you remove the rajasic and tamasic qualities from your mind. 

Anything can be filled in a Mind 
Which contains nothing; 
Will it be possible to keep it vacant 
When it is filled with all sorts of things? 
Unless it is kept vacant 
Can good things be filled in? 

Therefore, first and foremost you must keep your mind free from all sorts of bad thoughts. Then only, it is possible to fill it with good thoughts and good intentions. Man today is crying for meaningless things. He is spending a meaningless life. There is no purpose or direction to his life. As a result, he is restless and unhappy. Therefore, he must, first try to remove this unhappiness and dharmaglani (the decline in the practice of dharma). What is Dharma? Contemplation on God is the true Dharma (righteous conduct). Constantly contemplating on God, if the duties that are ordained on you are performed, there can be nothing wrong in it. You may look after your wife and children; you may continue your employment; you may perform the duties ordained on you. But, your aim must always be fixed on God. This should never be changed. If you deviate from this aim, you will be in trouble. Therefore, always fix your aim on God. That is the goal of your life. 

You must always speak the truth – this is the maxim. But, some people have some doubts about its practicability. Sometimes, a necessity can arise for desisting from speaking the truth. In such circumstances, you don’t speak untruth. Adopt a method by which you need neither speak the truth nor the untruth. The principle here is “_Sathyam Bruyat Priyam Bruyat Na Bruyat Sathyam Apriyam_” Just because it is the truth you should not speak an unpalatable truth. Just because it is palatable, you should not speak an untruth. In such a confusing situation, you can adopt a tactic by which you need neither speak the truth nor untruth. But, you should never speak untruth for fear of creating a dangerous situation by speaking the truth. Sometimes, you have to conduct yourself very carefully and with alertness. You must also bear in mind the necessity of not hurting others by your words. It is said that “man is a Blessed Soul, who neither hurts nor gets hurt.” You must always speak that truth which neither hurts others nor you. 

A small example. There was once a housewife, who used to regularly go for puranic sessions and hear the stories told by the Pauranic (a person who discourses on mythological stories) very attentively. One day, she heard the Pauranic explaining the Ramayana. He emphasized the fact that the husband was God, refuge, goal and everything for the wife and it was the duty of the wife to make the husband happy at all times and in all circumstances. This advice made a deep impression on her mind. She returned ome with a firm determination that from then on, she should serve her husband diligently. In the meanwhile, her husband returned home from his office. The wife went with a tumbler full of water to welcome him. She made him seated on a chair and poured the water in the tumbler on his shoes, removed them somehow and again washed his feet. She took a hand fan and fanned him. Thus, she went on doing all sorts of odd services. The husband was unable to understand her strange behaviour and decided to get her examined by a Doctor. The husband did not know that she was regularly attending the puranic sessions and that her behaviour now was the result of that. The Doctor came and conducted many tests on her. But, he could not make out anything. He thought that she was suffering from hysteria and if she had taken rest for 2 or 3 days she would be alright. He therefore gave some sleeping tablets and left the house. After that the husband had his meal and went to his office, advising his wife to take rest. 

On the second day also, the housewife went to listen to the Purana, after her husband left for his office. On that day, the Pauranic explained about vairagya saying “who is related to whom? Who is the mother, who is the child? Who is the husband? Who is the wife? Mata Nasti (no mother) Pita Nasti (no father) Nasti Bandhu sahodarah (no brothers and sisters, no relatives); Bharta Nasti (no husband); Artham Nasti (no wealth) Tasmat Jagrata Jagrata (therefore, be careful). He also said God is the only Truth. Immediately after the Purana session, she came home, went into the puja room and started contemplating on the Pauranic’s teachings. In the meanwhile, the husband came home, anxious to know her condition. He knocked at the door and informed her of his coming home early from the office. The wife replied from the puja room Mata Nasti, Pita Nasti, Nasti Bandhu Sahodarah; Artham Nasti, Griham Nasti, Patirnasti.” In her reply, she added one more to the list of non-existent things, namely, griham (house). When his wife replied thus, the husband got panicky that she was suffering from a severe mental disorder and hence called for a psychiatrist to examine her. The psychiatrist came and made a thorough enquiry of her daily routine and the places she would visit. He confirmed for himself that her present condition was due to her attending the puranic sessions. He, therefore advised the husband to prevent her from going to the purana by keeping her in the house itself and to ask somebody to watch her movements. Thus, when she was confined to the house for 2 or 3 days and did not go to purana, the situation came to normal. The sudden outburst of vairagya subsided. She became perfectly normal by the time the husband came home in the evening on the third day. Both the husband and wife were happily spending their days thereafter. 

After one week, the wife went to the puranic session again. On that particular day, the Pauranic was explaining a concept in Bhagavad Gita, namely. “Anudwegakaram Vakyam Sathyam Priyahitam Cha Yat.” He explained that the truth we speak must be pleasant as well as beneficial to others. It should not be emotional. Such a truth is most important. One should always speak that truth, emphasized the Pauranic. She heard that discourse very attentively and was much impressed by it. When she came, her husband informed her that they should go to attend a marriage of his friend. She dressed herself with fine clothes and jewellery and both of them went to attend the marriage. The marriage function was going on in full swing in the pandal. One of the important traditions in the marriage was to take the mangala sutra to all the elders attending the marriage and get their blessings for the couple, by touching the sutra. The purohit who was conducting the marriage ceremony was known to this husband and wife also. He, therefore, brought the mangala sutra in front of her and asked her to touch it. He also enquired her casually, whether everybody in her house was Okay. While touching the mangala sutra she replied, “Yes Sir, everybody is Okay, but my aunt died last week.” Then a lady sitting next to her chided her, “What is all this?” Why should you speak about such inauspicious things while touching this auspicious mangala Sutra?” This lady did not detract from her words and further questioned “You want me to say a lie for the sake of this mangala sutra?” While saying thus, she touched the sutra. Then, a clever lady sitting next to her counselled her saying “Oh mother! you must speak the truth, keeping in view the time and occasion. You should not make use of your words as you please.” Several people like this housewife misunderstand and misinterpret the teachings of elders and wise men. Whatever we speak, must be in conformity with the time and occasion. Truth is a path to help us reach our Eternal Abode. This fact must always be kept in mind. We should never indulge in dogmatic argumentation. 

Triputi 

A tongue that is not tainted by untruth, a mind that is not polluted by impure thoughts and a body that is not tainted by violence – these three put together is called “_Triputi_” (the Triad or Trinity). This is the trimurti tatwa. When you sanctify these three, you will have the Sakshatkara of God (God realisation). Because Swami advised you to speak the truth, you should not unnecessarily interfere in every issue and misuse truth. You must have control over your speech. When you do not like somebody, it is common to say all sorts of things against him in the name of truth and put him in difficulties. You must also implement another advice given namely, “_Adweshta sarvabhutanam_’ (do not hate anybody). When you cultivate love, there is no scope for hate or jealousy. The thoughts of a person who has cultivated love will be pure and sweet. That is why I told you that the anger of a person with satwic qualities will be momentary. It just comes and goes. Such a person is considered to be uttama (most ideal or noble), according to Gita. The anger of a person treading the middle path madhyama will remain for two “_ghadiyas_” (one hour). An adhama’s (a person at the lowest level) anger persists for a day. An adhamadhama’s (lowest of the lowly) anger will remain throughout his life. The Gita has explained this concept from another angle. An uttama’s anger is like a writing on the water. As you write, it gets erased. It will go away then and there. A madhyama’s anger is like a writing on the sand. As you begin to write, it is swept away by the wind. An adhama’s anger is like a writing engraved on a granite stone. It remains for a very long time. An adhamadhama’s anger is like a writing on an iron bar. Unless you melt the iron, it won’t go. For melting the iron, you must put it in the fire, meaning it requires samskara (refinement). It is only when he undergoes intense refinement (gadha samskara), his anger will subside. The Bhagavad Gita has given several such beautiful examples taken from our daily life. We cannot put into practice all those examples. However, we have to take certain examples which are applicable to us in our daily life and try to put them into practice and lead a happy life.