Bhaja Govindam Verse 26 with story and essence

 

Verse 26

Kāmaṁ krodhaṁ lobhaṁ mohaṁ tyaktvā’tmānaṁ paśyati so’ham,

ātmajñāna vihīnā mūḍhāḥ te pacyante narakanigūḍhāḥ.

Having given up lust, anger, greed, and delusion, the seeker sees in the Self, ‘He am I’. They are fools who have no Self-knowledge, and they, as captives in hell, are tortured.

Story based on Verse 26

https://saibalsanskaar.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/in-search-of-a-lost-needle/

 

Essence

Man fails to realise the truth that he is ‘that’. He is divine. The truth about the self is that I am not what I take myself to be today, but so’ham, I am that, I am Brahman. I am a complete being; I am limitless, free, and pure.

We have the inner enemies within us kāmaṁ krodhaṁ lobhaṁ and mohaṁ, (Lust, anger, greed and attachement) which prevent us from seeing this truth. These qualities blind us and delude us into thinking that we are just the body we see.

Kāma, krodha and lobha arise from the ignorance of the Self, which brings about the ego or the sense of individuality. This brings about a sense of insufficiency, which brings desire. When the desire is not fulfilled, it brings about anger. Yet, when the desire is fulfilled, it brings about greed. Desire is thus damaging, whether fulfilled or not. This desire leaves behind either anger or greed in its wake. Both of them result in a disturbance of the mind, so we can never have even a moment of leisure as long as we are under the spell of kāma, krodha or lobha.

Moha is delusion or the state of intoxication when under the spell of kāma, krodha and lobha. It is the stage at which we lose ourselves; we lose our sense of judgment, and discrimination.

Kāma or desire arises because of aviveka or non-discrimination because we do not know that what we are seeking is our own self. Therefore, desire can be handled by educating the mind all the time.

When we make the mind see that happiness does not lie there, and that the happiness is to be discovered only within one’s own Self, the blind chasing after money, power etc. will slowly come to a stop.

Thus, we have to handle the various impulses of the mind by viveka or discrimination.

This truth about the self becomes clear as a result of the teaching of the scriptures. However, the teaching becomes effective only when we have a mind which is receptive. When does the mind become receptive? Only when it overcomes these inner obstacles, kāmaṁ, krodhaṁ, lobhaṁ and mohaṁ.

For students

It is essential to develop the quality of self confidence in children. When the human values are cultivated in the young minds through stories of great people; it will create a positive impact on them. Desire can be controlled by teaching the ceiling on desires ie how to stop wastage of food, money, time etc. They should be taught the value of everything. Lessons on anger management and how anger can blind one’s thoughts can be explained. Sharing and caring should be inculcated so that greed and possessiveness can be controlled.

Once students learn this and make it a habit from young, at a later part of their life it is easy for them to learn about the true purpose, and meaning of life.

Some of the stories which can be shared with children

https://saibalsanskaar.wordpress.com/2016/04/02/contentment-the-99-club/

https://saibalsanskaar.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/what-it-means-to-be-poor/

https://saibalsanskaar.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/the-brick/

Essence adapted from https://advaitavedaanta.wordpress.com

 

 

A dear devotee

Value- Love

Sub value- Yearning for the Lord

One day in the sacred shrine of lord Viswanath at Kasi, all the devotees and temple priests were immersed in singing hymns and reciting chants. All of a sudden, they heard a metallic sound. When they turned their heads in that direction they saw a shining gold plate on the floor of the shrine. It must have fallen through an open space in the center of the hall from the sky leading to the sanctum sanctorum. All of them gathered around in wonder, as the chief temple priest went close to examine it. He found the following words inscribed on it,”This belongs to my dear devotee” and read the inscription loudly. Soon   the temple priests vied with one another to snatch the plate with the feeling, “Who could be a greater devotee than myself. I spend my time, talent and strength only to offer worship to the Lord Viswanath of Kasi.” But the plate changed into an earthen one the moment they touched it one after another.

News spread like wild fire about the golden plate. Several scholars, singers, poets and preachers came and tried their luck but in vain. Days, weeks and months rolled on but the plate remained there without a claimant.

One day, a stranger came to the temple. As he  stood at the entrance,  tears gathered in his eyes when he saw beggars, blind, dumb and lame piteously pleading for alms. He felt ashamed of his inability to relieve them of their hunger and agony. He wanted to pray to the Lord and so stepped into the temple. He saw people gathered round and discussing something. He tried to squeeze himself into the crowd to find out why they were standing there.

He saw a golden plate in the center of that enclosure. He inquired and was told about the episode of the golden plate. He was rather surprised and sad at the attitude of the people and the priests. Instead of praying to the Lord of the Universe and trying to earn His grace, they were eager to possess the golden plate. Observing his nonchalant attitude, the high priest requested him to try his hand. The stranger replied: “Oh Revered one! I do not care for either gold or silver, what I long for is God’s Grace.” The priest’s esteem for that man increased. So he once again requested him, “At least to satisfy us, please try your hand.” The stranger touched the plate without a trace of attachment. Lo! It shone forth with redoubled effulgence.

All the priests gathered round and queried: “Sir, where do you come from? What are your qualifications? What are the branches of learning you have mastered? How many years did you do penance?” The stranger replied calmly: “I don’t belong to any place. I just manage to earn my bread by hard labor. The only sadhana I do is Namasmaran [repeating the name of the Lord]. This has perhaps rendered my heart pure and filled it with love and compassion. It has enabled me to control my mind and the senses. I have not read any book or mastered any science. The only art I know of is chanting the Name Divine. The only act I do is to be kind to the poor.”

Learning

The only qualification to become dear to the Lord is to acquire a compassionate heart and sense control. These two can be acquired through Namasmaran (chanting the name of the Lord) with full faith, love and devotion.

Adapted from Chinnakatha by Sri Sathya Sai baba

Master’s messages-Vol1- 3.1 God is all powerful

God incarnates as human to set example to mankind.

God is Maha Shakti ( Supreme Energy) and Jeeva (individual being) is Maya Shakti (deluding power). God cannot come down without His Mahashakti unimpaired; He has to come with diminished splendour and effulgence so that he can become the object of Bhakti and Dedicated service. He undergoes all trials and tribulations as humans do but leads by setting an example for mankind to follow the righteous path.

Story based on the message

https://saibalsanskaar.wordpress.com/2017/04/06/lord-rama-learning-from-the-avatar/

Based on Sathya Sai Speaks-Vol1- Chapter 3

My tribute to my Balvikas Guru

 

MY DEAREST KRIPA=== AUNTY OF EMPATHY

I met my aunty KRIPA, in 1988,

She looked at me at the start of Balvikas class where I was introduced to her,

She was a mighty galore,

Full of wits and wisdom,

I was a nut-cracker, full of misery wise system.

When i saw her, she saw me,

Yes, there was an immediate karmic connection,

Only she knesw it and i knew it, what was the meet all about it.

She taught me bhajan and vedam,

She taught me stories and poems,

She taught me shlokas and mantras.

She taught me various items,

I gathered all of those messy systems.

It is because of her, that I became a very good HUMANE HUMAN BEING.

She taught me to be sympathetic and empathetic,

She taught me to be not to be worldy in this worldly world.

Days passed by, years passed by ,

In 1993, i was having a death-experience.

Doctors could not diagnose what was wrong in my life.

She passed on her stride in my strife.

She suggested me to be in prayers and do lot of penances.

I did it and my life was back on tracks where it was in gutters before.

It is because of her empathy, i gained god’s sympathy.

I was living, because of this aunty’s craving,

She made me strong, when everything was going wrong.

She let her life grow weary, but made my life deary.

I am a double PG, DBM, because of aunty’s great telepathy.

She passed away in 1995, but she in high -5’s i believe.

She is in some other world, grazing at me, with that same intensity & grandiosity.

She is sai’s world, i am in my world.

But both are enjoying their worldly matters.

She is looking at me, and I am looking at her.

She is giving me her prayers, and I am giving her my joys.

She is sitting at my side, she is taking away my worries.

I am praying for her outpouring of graces on me.

I believe in her saying =

Do not believe on your self, but believe in the divine providence.

Only sai can save you. No one can.

Check yourself, before you wreck yourself.

I have succeeded and super-succeeded in my life,

Because of kripa aunty.

She had the gut to remove the rut.

She gave me the trick of life to launch the attack on pain of strife.

The spark in my life was because of aunty’s marks on my packs.

She gave all the hints to swallow the mints of troubles,

She bore all my crosses, and gave me shortcuts of successes.

It is because of her, i became a daffodil flower.

She taught me –

5 d’s- duty, devotion, discipline, dedication, determination

3 p’s- patience, persistence & perserverance.

I got to learn 4 b’s- breaking barriers and building bridges.

Follow 4 f’s- follow the master, face the devil, fight the game & finish till the end.

I became a Rose- a rose that speaks silently in the language of fragrance because of Kripa aunty.

 

Your loving student

With gratitude

Joseph

 

Master’s messages-Vol 1-2.7-Detachment

 

Renunciation is the highest type of detachment.

 

The highest type of detachment is renunciation. Devotion and surrender will give great courage to face difficulties; such courage is renunciation. The story of Mohajith is an example of this type of renunciation. Such courage can come only by the grace of the Lord and cleansing of mind and cultivation of virtue.

https://premaarpan.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/vairagya-the-story-of-mohajith/

Adapted from Sathya Sai Speaks- Vol 1- Chapter 2

Master’s messages-Vol 1- 2.6-Being judgmental

Never judge anyone. One cannot understand one’s own self properly and we try judging others.

Many of us tend to judge others often by their past actions or their nature as we know, see or understand them. Most of the times we end up being wrong and regret our quick action of judging others. The way a person behaves, responds or reacts is dependent on the situation and nature of the person. We are no one to judge others. This is not only seen in day to day mundane activities but in spirituality as well. We easily judge others by how much they pray, do good or attend satsangs etc and label them as theist and atheist. Always what is seen is not necessarily true. Some seekers may be quietly moving forward in their spiritual journey. All need not act in the same way. There is no particular right or wrong path. Each one may be following his or her own path. Spiritual arrogance is the worst kind of arrogance. The sign of progress in spirituality is when one starts eliminating his/her ego, anger, jealousy, habit of judging others etc

Story based on the above message

https://saibalsanskaar.wordpress.com/2017/03/15/2605/

Based on Sathya Sai Speaks- Vol 1- Chapter 2

Bhaja Govindam- Verse 25 with story and essence

Verse 25

śatrau mitre putre bandhau

mā kuru yatnaṁ vigrahasandhau,

sarvasminnapi paśyātmānaṁ

sarvatrotsṛja bhedājñānam

Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam

Strive not; waste not your energy to fight against or to make friends with your enemy, friend, son, or relative. Seeking the Self everywhere, discard the sense of division, born out of ignorance. Seek Govinda

Story based on Verse 25

https://saibalsanskaar.wordpress.com/2017/06/13/krishna-and-arjuna-on-the-imperishable-soul/

 

Essence

Attachment and ego are the two main reasons in our lives which controls our emotions. It clouds our mind. We are unable to think clearly. We judge people easily and take some as our friends and some as our enemies. We develop certain expectations, certain patterns of thinking to which we hold on and this causes unhappiness. We get deluded and go about the same pattern of life. Hence to wake us up from this slumber, Shankara cautions us not to waste energy in the worldly pursuits and relationships. Once a Master gives us this knowledge to see ‘oneness in all’; we should atleast start working towards this direction. If we just bring about a little awareness in each day of our lives, one day we will be able to understand the purport of this calling.

For students, develop clarity of thought. Refrain judging others. Be focussed in your goals. Work with determination and achieve your goal. Once you follow this path in your education, work life, family life etc, this will become your nature and later you will be able to understand the significance of Shankara’s statements and work towards your spiritual goal as well.