Spiritualizing our relationships – Hindi

[Congregation program at Kharagpur, India]

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Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Does that answer your question? Thank you very much. Apatheism means not caring I don’t care if there is God or not Because I want to live in this world You religious people say, what is there in other world? God is like this, like that You debate about this in this world So I don’t have to give any mercy in this So this is called apatheism Apatheism means not caring So don’t care about religion, don’t care about God In a way, they don’t even think if there is God or not So such people who have increased, you can call them atheists They are increasing, the main reason for this One main reason is the behaviour of atheists If the representative of God, the religious people They don’t behave better than others Then what happens? People go away from religion So God says in the Bhagavad Gita That our desires are influenced by our Sangha Sangha means our attachment to our desires Sangha means our association The Sangh that we live in, our desires do not change according to that Sangh. If we come in the Sangh of Devotees, our desire for Bhakti increases.
If we come in the Sangh of Physicists, our desire for Physicism increases. Our desires are not linear. They do not come in a single line.
Our desires are often triangular. Triangular means triangular. Now what is the meaning of triangular desire? Suppose there is Prasad in this lecture.
There is Prasad, there is no need to believe. There is definitely Prasad. But suppose there is a very tasty thing in Prasad.
There is Rasgulla or Gulab Jamun. So we hear, there is Rasgulla or Gulab Jamun. We see, I want to eat this.
So here we see that thing and we want to eat it. But if there is a food that we have not even heard of. When I went to Australia, there were some devotees there.
There was something called Baklava. I did not know what Baklava was. I asked them, what is Baklava? They said, I do not know.
So if we see a food that we do not know what it is. And we see that it looks good. It does not look bad.
But if we see someone who knows Baklava. He says, give me Baklava. And he takes it.
He starts eating with great pleasure. Give me too, I want to eat too. So what happens here is that seeing that thing, the desire does not arise.
Seeing someone else eating that thing, the desire arises. So our desire does not go in a straight line. Seeing that thing, the desire does not arise.
It arises anyway. But some desires do not arise just like that. What? Seeing someone else doing that thing, the desire arises.
That is why if we see advertisements. In advertisements, there is always some celebrity endorsement. Now a new cell phone has come.
So there are so many new cell phones. Just by looking at the cell phone, how attractive it is going to be. But if we see a famous cricketer or a famous movie star.
He is with that advertisement. And he says, I use this phone. It is a very good phone.
Really? He is endorsing this phone. I want it too. Many times, these celebrity endorsements, those cricketers, they earn money from cricket.
More than that, they earn money from endorsements. Because the product that they endorse, the advertisement they do, people know that people will buy it after seeing its assets. The reason I am saying this is because our desires do not arise just by looking at things.
Our desires do not arise just by looking at things. Our desires do arise just by looking at things. But our desires do arise just by looking at the people who buy that thing.
And this element is very important in Bhakti. In Bhakti, what is there in materialistic things? There is food, there is some attractive painting, there is a movie. So what happens? Our desires arise just by looking at it.
Because our consciousness is materialistic. But as far as spiritual things are concerned, desires do not arise so easily. And suppose, Bhagavad Gita.
So, Bhagavad Gita, many people, Prabhupada has written Bhagavad Gita Yatharoop. In English, it is written as it is. So many people, In India, people say Bhagavad Gita.
Yes, Bhagavad Gita. It is a very ancient text. It is a very religious text.
It is a very great text. Many people buy Bhagavad Gita like this. They buy Bhagavad Gita as it is.
And keep Bhagavad Gita as it is in their house. They do not read it. Why? In Western countries, it is even more important.
Because they do not understand. I have a friend in Australia. When he distributes Bhagavad Gita, people say, you want to read Bhagavad Gita from the 2nd chapter.
Why not from the 1st chapter? He says, in the 1st chapter, there are so many names. Dhritarashtra, Dhrishtadyumna, Duryodhana. We know these names very easily.
We have heard them since childhood. But in Western countries, we do not know how to pronounce these names. So, what happens? They get scared when they see it.
And they do not read the book. So, he says, no matter how many books we distribute, very few people read those books and attain knowledge. Something or the other happens.
But what happens in most cases? After attaining the book, if they come in the company of devotees, and if they see them in the company of devotees, they say, this devotee is giving so much knowledge from Bhagavad Gita. He is so interested in Bhagavad Gita. He is getting so much joy from Bhagavad Gita.
Then, desire arises. He says, what is there in Bhagavad Gita? I also want to read it. So, in a simple line, our spiritual desire does not arise.
Just by seeing Bhagavad Gita, I want to read Bhagavad Gita. Very few people will have this desire. But, if we see a devotee, Bhagavad Gita is here, I am here, someone is here.
If we see a devotee who is very interested in Bhagavad Gita, with the knowledge of Bhagavad Gita, not only his life is changing, but his life is also changing because of Bhagavad Gita. So, by seeing Bhagavad Gita, we get results. And then, through that, when we have the desire to read Bhagavad Gita, then that desire remains stable.
How do we progress in spiritual life? By coming in front of devotees. Many people go for pilgrimage. They will go to Nalanda, to Harishkesh, to Haridwar.
It is very good to go for pilgrimage. But, if we go for pilgrimage with devotees, then we get to know the importance of pilgrimage. And then, the way we see the pilgrimage site, it changes.
No, if we go with devotees, then it becomes just tourism. Religious tourism. People go for religious sightseeing, but we go for religious sightseeing.
But, when we go with devotees, then it is not religious tourism, it is a spiritual, transformational experience. It changes our life from a spiritual point of view. So, by going with devotees, many people change.
In our life also, most of us were born in India. In India, we already knew about Krishna, Ram. But, this was just a part of our cultural landscape.
We knew about this in our life. But, we did not know much more than this. But, when we go with devotees, when we see that devotees do bhakti with humility, then we get inspired by that.
Through that, we feel that we have to do this. And then, we get inspired. So, the more we are united, the more our consciousness moves in that direction.
Now, in India, cricket, people are crazy for cricket. In America, if you ask people about cricket, the first thing that comes to their mind is cricket means an insect. In English, cricket is an insect.
So, cricket is also a sport. So, people there are crazy about baseball. In Canada, there is ice hockey.
People are crazy about that. So, in different places, everyone wants to play sports. But, they are not interested in sports.
They are crazy about Sangha. They will know what kind of Sangha it is according to the Sangha. I was in the University of America.
A devotee was telling me that when football matches are played there, everything gets shut down. India has sports, but India is a more sports loving nation and less a sports playing nation. Indians watch a lot of sports and play very less.
But in America, when students take admission, in India, which sport, which… Hare Krishna. When we take admission, in colleges or universities, when we take admission, what do we see? We see how they are going to get a job, how is the campus placement, we see that. But in America, in many places, some universities are famous because their football team is very famous, their baseball team is very famous.
And students, to go to the baseball or football team, they have to take admission in that university. So when there is a baseball or football match there, the whole university closes down. So he was telling me that no one in India knows about baseball.
Very few people play baseball in India. But he was saying that Indian students, when they go to America from India to do their Masters, then they don’t know about baseball. But if we want to bring them in devotion, we have to bring them in the first 6 months.
If they don’t come in the first 6 months, then baseball, soccer, ice hockey, whatever games there are, they get stuck in such games that they don’t even have time. So the game they didn’t know about 6 months ago, now they go crazy for that game. Why? Because of the Sangha.
Sangha Sanjay Vekam. So our Sangha is very important for us. How do we work? So now, we come in the Sangha of devotees.
And the Sangha of devotees doesn’t mean just coming in a community. The Sangha of devotees means that Sangha through which our spiritual desires increase. In Bhagavad Gita, when God gave the message of Gita, in the end, what did Arjun say to God? Arjun didn’t say that God, you gave a very good message.
Arjun said, In the 18th and 27th Shloka, he said, I will do what you said. Which means, God’s wish was accepted by Arjun. So the essence of association is the transformation of desire.
What is the essence of Sangha? It is the transformation of desires. To the extent that desires are being transformed, to that extent, we have actually come in the Sangha. So, when we come in the Sangha of devotees, there are different types of devotees.
And some of the Sangha of devotees give us a lot of inspiration. Some of the Sangha of devotees don’t give us that much inspiration. Some of the Sangha of devotees can take away our inspiration.
So we have to see in the Sangha of devotees, what type of Sangha do I accept? After coming in this devotion, is my spiritual development not complete? The Sangha of devotees is like a spiritual stock exchange. If someone goes to a stock exchange, they have some money. And they want to invest this money and increase it further.
And for this, we can use some brokers, some agents. For example, put money in this, don’t put money in this. And then, we can increase our money through that.
So now, who is responsible for increasing the money? Is it the broker’s responsibility or the one who is putting the money? In a way, both are responsible. But ultimately, the loss that is going to be gained, is the money that the investor invests. So, if a person comes to a stock exchange like that, what is his purpose? He wants to increase his money.
Similarly, the Sangha of devotees, which is a spiritual organisation, is like a stock exchange of spiritual devotion. So here, we all have some religious feelings, some devotion, some desire for devotion. So we come here with that.
And here, if we worship God, listen to satsang, do some service, do some sadhana, what happens through this? Our stock of devotion increases. Our stock of devotion increases What does the stock of devotion increase mean? It means that our attraction towards God increases. And the more our attraction towards God increases, the more, whatever happens in the material world, through that, we don’t get distracted.
We don’t get distracted. God says that if you are in my consciousness, then whatever problems you face in this world, you can get rid of them. Our mind is distracted by two main things.
One is desire, and the other is fear. One is desire, I want this, I have to do this, I have to get that, I have to do this, I have to buy this, I have to write this. This is desire.
And the other is fear. This will go wrong, this will go wrong, this will go wrong, how will I do this, what will I do? So, desire and fear, these two things, desire and fear, our mind is very distracted by them. And the more we are in devotion, the more our attraction to God decreases.
How does it decrease? Because our desire, whatever we want, we want this, we want to see this, we want to buy this, we want to get that, we have more desire, because we feel that we will get happiness from these things. That is why I have to do this. But the more we are in devotion, the more we are attracted to devotion, then we feel that there is divine happiness in devotion.
Kulshekhar Maharaj says, Sukh Taram Aparam Najaatu Jaane, Hari Charan Smarana Amrutey Natulyam. He says, Sukh Taram Aparam Najaatu Jaane, I don’t know any other happiness other than this. Other than this, Hari Charan Smarana Amrutey Natulyam.
Remembrance of Lord Hari’s feet, this is my greatest happiness. I don’t want anything else other than this. And before he becomes a saint, he was a great king.
King means, all the pleasures we imagine, all those pleasures were in abundance with him. Then he says, I don’t have any other happiness other than this. Real happiness is in the service of Lord.
So, Sukh Taram Aparam Najaatu Jaane. So, our desires, it is not that all desires will go away, but desires will not distract us that much. Because desires will come, then we will think, is it necessary to do this? If it is not necessary, then we will put it aside.
And like that, fear also comes, but when we do bhakti, our faith in God increases. If this goes wrong, what will happen? If that goes wrong, what will happen? If that goes wrong, what will happen? Like that, when fear comes, Bhajabhure Mana Shri Nandanandana, Abhaya Charan Bindare. So, as much as our faith in God increases, then what happens? Our fear decreases.
How does this fear decrease? In reality, if we look at our life, then in every situation, some things are under our control, some things are not under our control. So, the things that are not under our control, we are afraid of them. For example, if the market is down, what will happen if I lose my job? So, I am afraid of this.
So, the things that are not under our control, what can we do about it? We think that I will increase my control. I will increase my savings. If I have a lot of money in the bank, then whatever happens later, there will be no problem.
Okay. But how much money can we increase? We can increase our ability to control in a way, but still, we can never control so much that we control everything. For example, if I earn a lot of money, I get security from it.
Okay. I get security from it, but there is no ultimate security from it. There is a little security, but then I worry about money.
How can I take care of money? I worry about that too. So, no matter how much money we have, no matter how many contacts we have, no matter how much power we have, no matter how much intelligence we have, there are some things in our life that are not in our control. And the things that are not in our control, they scare us.
This will happen. That will happen. That will happen.
So, in physical consciousness, we see only these two things. Either this thing is in my control or this thing is not in my control. But when we come to spiritual consciousness, we understand that things that are not in my control are not out of control.
They are in Krishna’s control. The things that are not in my control, it does not mean that they are out of control. They are in God’s control.
And God takes care of them. So, when this feeling arises, then what happens? Even if the situation of fear comes in our life, we will not be so scared of it. Because what is there? There is faith in God.
What does faith in God mean? It means that God is omnipotent. There can be bad things in this world. And sometimes bad things happen.
Now, some people keep Gita in their homes. And in Gita, it is written that whatever happened was good. Whatever is happening is good.
Whatever is going to happen will also be good. Now, I have recited Gita hundreds of times. I have read it dozens of times.
There is not a single shloka which says that whatever happened was good. Whatever is happening is good. When Draupadi’s Vastra is recited, no one says that whatever happened was good.
Now, when Ganesha’s voice is recited, they say that whatever happened was good. The essence of Bhagavad Gita is not about what is happening. It is about what we are doing.
What is my dharma? What is my duty? There can be bad things in this world. But God has the expertise that He can be better than bad things. Bad things can happen, but Krishna can bring good even out of the bad.
So, it is not that there are no bad things. There are bad things in this world. We all know the story of Akshaya Patra.
When Pandavas were in exile, Durvasa told them, You came to my palace. You gave me a chance to serve you. Please go to Pandavas.
Durvasa was making a conspiracy. He was showing one thing from outside and another from inside. He said, You gave me a chance to serve Pandavas.
Please go to Pandavas. But before you go, go in the afternoon. They must have taken their food.
Then they will be able to serve you easily. He knew that Pandavas have Akshaya Patra. And that Akshaya Patra is such that when Draupadi will eat food, he will not give her anything.
So, he wanted to trap Pandavas. So, when he went to Pandavas, Draupadi went to Pandavas. Nidhishthira welcomed her with respect.
But she was suspicious from inside. What should I do? Durvasa said, I will take a bath and come back. Then I will eat food.
So, he left. Pandavas were looking for Nidhishthira and Draupadi. What should I do? Nidhishthira was the king.
But Draupadi was the queen of the house. Draupadi asked Nidhishthira, Nidhishthira said, Intelligence means to know what to do when you don’t know what to do. When we don’t know what to do, then what should we do? If we know what to do, then it is intelligence.
What does it mean? If we don’t know what to do, then how do we know? When we don’t know what to do, then what should we do? Nidhishthira said, Oh God, I am your servant. How can I serve you? Please give me your blessings. Help me.
Draupadi did the same. Draupadi said, Krishna, help me. Krishna came there miraculously.
When Krishna came there, what happened? When he came there, what did Krishna say to him? Draupadi, I am very hungry. Please give me something to eat. Oh God.
Draupadi got even more confused. First she was not able to serve a Brahmin, now she is not able to serve Krishna. Sometimes it may seem that when we serve God, our problems have increased.
It is not happening in reality, but sometimes it may seem like that. Then Draupadi thought, Oh God, what has happened? I told you that I don’t have anything to eat. Krishna said, I am very hungry.
I don’t have anything. Please give me something to eat. Then what happened there? When he went there, there was a small piece of a branch.
There was a little food there. Then, God took it. As soon as he took it, what happened? Not only he was satisfied, all the sages were also satisfied.
In Bhagavad Gita, God says that they are the power of all living beings. aham vaishvanarobhutva praninam dehamanshita pranapanasamantah pachamyanam chaturvidham In Bhagavad Gita chapter 15, verse 14, God says that I am the power of all living beings. So, what happens is that the hunger we feel, it is due to the power of our digestive power.
How much digestive power do we have? Some people eat a little. If they eat a little more, then their stomach gets spoiled or their weight increases. Some people keep their tongue like a conveyor belt.
They put everything there. But everything is digested. Because the digestive power of different people is different.
So, in the stomach of Bhagavan, all the sages, it is in the form of digestive power. So, what did they do? They satisfied everyone from within. Their hunger was gone.
And they started pushing. So, in this way, Bhagavan saved them all. He saved the Pandavas.
And here, the purpose of telling this story is that now, the Pandavas were afraid. They were enemies. In the war, they were not so afraid of the enemy.
But if a Brahmin committed a crime, they would be very afraid. Girdhari Bhagwan ki Jai! Shruti Bhagwan ki Jai! Shrinath Dundas Bhagwan ki Jai! So, they were very afraid that when Bhagavan committed a crime against a Brahmin, they would be in great difficulty. So, when they were afraid, what did they do? In the situation of fear, there was something in their control and there was nothing in their control.
Now, to produce food was not in their control. It was not in their control at that time. But what did they do? They took the blessings of Bhagavan.
And when they took the blessings of Bhagavan, then what happened to them? Then, whatever was not in their control, Bhagavan changed it. They did not have the ability to produce food. But Bhagavan, through a small piece of food, made everyone happy.
So, here, if we can ask, where did that piece of food come from? So, Draupadi, who was an asusanskrit grahari, and Akshaya Patra, was not an ordinary vessel. If we have silver plates or gold plates in our house, if we use them, then we wash them properly. We do not keep fake food in them.
So, Akshaya Patra was so important for them, that it was more important than gold and silver. So, how did that food get saved? In Mahabharata, there is no description But suppose, it got saved by mistake. But what did Bhagavan do? He used it very skilfully.
So, whatever was not in our control, suppose, Draupadi had a maid servant, or a servant to help her, it was her mistake. But, even if it was a mistake, Krishna can bring good even out of our mistakes. Even if it was our mistake, Bhagavan can bring good out of it.
So, if we want to go beyond fear, then, what should we do? Whatever is in our control, we should use it. Whatever is not in our control, we should focus on Bhagavan. When we do this kind of work, then, through this, our mind gets stable.
And, this feeling, we bring it to others. I was saying, how to make our relations spiritual. So, first of all, what does it mean to do spiritual practise with Bhagavan? It means to do bhakti with bhaktas.
Along with that, when we do bhakti with others, we want them to do bhakti with us. So, we have to understand that every person has his own will. And, that will, that freedom, we cannot control it.
At the end of Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan Arjuna says, यतेच्ति था पुरू At the end of Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan Arjuna says, अभी आपकी जो इच्छा हैं, वैसे आप कारे करना हैं। So, we can control anyone. What can we do? We can show others the way. To walk on that path or not, it depends on that person.
Suppose, a person is driving a car. And, that car is not moving. So, if he has a friend, he will say, आम पीछे से गाड़ी को धखेलते हैं। आप अंदर से गाड़ी चालू करो, हम बाहर से गाड़ी धखेलते हैं। तो फिर गाड़ी चाल हो जाएंगे। But, suppose, people are pushing the car from outside, and the driver is sleeping inside.
If the driver is sleeping, people will say, हम क्यों धखेलें। अगर उसके उपर से, अगर बाहर से लोग धखेल रहे हैं गाड़ी को, और अंदर से आदमी ब्रेक दबा रहा है, तो फिर बाहर के लोग बोलें, हम क्यों धखेलें। अगर गाड़ी को चलाना है, तो अंदर से भी प्रयास होना चाहिए, बाहर से भी प्रयास होना चाहिए। उसी तरह से, अगर हमें किसी को भक्ति में प्रेवित करना है, तो हमारा जो शरीर है, वह एक गाड़ी के समान है। गाड़ी के अंदर आत्मा बैठा हुआ है। तो अगर हम किसी को बोलते हैं, आप गीता पढ़ो, आप ये करो, आप वो करो। तो वो क्या कर रहे हैं, हम गाड़ी के बाहर से धकेल रहे हैं। अभी सबको थोड़ा बहुत पुछ लगता है। सबको थोड़ी बहुत प्रेना देनी पढ़ती है। पर अगर अंदर से भुरेंग दबा के बैठे हैं, अंदर से सो गए हो, तो हम धकेल रहे हैं, धकेल रहे हैं, धकेल रहे हैं, कुछ होने का रानी उससे। तो इसलिए हमें देखना है, कि जब हमें किसी और को भकती में लाना है, तो सिर्फ बोलना जरूर, पर हमें देखना है, कि उनमें कितनी इच्छा है, या उनमें इच्छा जागरुत कैसे किजा सकते हैं। और यह इच्छा जागरुत करना, यह वास्तव में एक कला है। किसी में भी इच्छा जागरुत करना है, वह आसानी से नहीं आती है। मैं 20-25 साल पहले भकती में आया था, तो तभी मैंने एक वरिष सन्वारिष्ट सन्यासी से पुछा, कि महाराज मैं मेरे माता-पिता को परचार कैसे करता हूँ। तो उनने बताया, कि तुमें छोड़कर बाकि किसी को भी उनको परचार करने तो आई, तुम परचार मात करोंगे। क्यों क्या है? खासकत के भारत-संस्तुति में, माता-पिता बड़े होते हैं, हम चोटे होते हैं, तो वो हम से संदेशना उनको इतना आसांग नहीं होता है। अगर उनके मनो-बुत्ति के, उनके उग्रे के भकतों होते हैं, यहां से मैं कैसे उनकर लाज़ करता हूँ? और जिस परसती में हैं, मैं वहाँ से धीले-धीले उनको उपर लाएगे। तो हम देखेगे, कि वे सारे धीले-धीले भकतों में आ सकते हैं। अगर हम कहते हैं, मैं ऐसा हूँ कि मैं ऐसे करना हूँ। तो जब हम जोर देते हैं, तो क्या होता है? वहाँ जो संबन्द है, उसमें थोड़ा टेंशन आया होता है। स्ट्रेट आया होता है संबन्द में। कि उनको लगता है, तो बहुत ज़बर्दस्टी करते हैं, तो प्रभुपा जी भी ऐसे ही प्राप्त करते हैं। जब अमेरिका में गए थे, तो उन्होंने एक गीत दिखा, मार्कीलियर भगवत था है। और प्रभुपा जी तो महा भागवत शुरूत भगवत है, पर वो उनका यह भाव लिया है, मेरे बचन से मैं सबको मक्तवान कुछ हुआ। वो देख रहे हैं, उनका भाव यह था कि उनका भाव था कि भगवान आप सबके उदे में हुआ, अगर आपकी इच्छा होगी, तो आप मेरे बचनों को ऐसे शुरूत करोगे, We are not the transformers, we are the transmitters. We do not transform anyone. We become a path through which God can transform.
So, as long as we think that I am going to transform, I made him a devotee, I made him a devotee, I made him a devotee, I will make him a devotee. So, in reality, when we have emotions, sometimes we think that someone will come to us in devotion. But it is possible that he will come to us in devotion, and our ego is increasing, and we are going away from devotion.
Devotion is very subtle. Sometimes it happens that we bring someone to us in devotion, and he comes to us in devotion with great force. I take God as an example.
And our ego is increasing. See, I have brought so many people to me in devotion. So, what is happening, because of that ego, we are going away from devotion.
That is why we have to see, whatever is our relationship, we want to bring everyone to us in devotion. So, what do we have to do instead? We have to make ourselves stable in our relationship with God. And when we become stable, we will see that this person has changed.
He is a pure person, and he is becoming good. I was giving a lecture in a university. A student asked me, how can I make my friends devotees? I told him that you are studying very well.
Then he said, no, by studying I will get good marks. Is there any guarantee that they will become devotees? Yes, he said, by studying well, there is no guarantee that people will become devotees. But if you study badly, there is a guarantee that you will not become a devotee.
What happens is that people look at our work. If people see that you are in devotion, you have stopped studying, you have become irresponsible, you don’t care about anything. I don’t want to do this.
So, when we do our work in devotion, we are actually changed by devotion. People will see that this person has become like this. Earlier he was very angry, now he has become less angry.
Earlier he was very sad, now he is very happy. This person has become more mature. When people see such changes, then I feel, how can I change? I have to change my life.
So, this is why we have to change people through our work. When we are just an indicator that I am not going to change anyone, how can I connect this person with God? If we have that feeling, then we become an indicator. And when God will understand correctly, then we change them.
So, I will end with one incident. When I went to America for the first time, 4 years ago, I went to a university. I was giving a lecture there.
Regulating our mental diet. What are we eating to our mind? We have to understand that. There was a vegetarian cooking society.
I was giving a lecture there. Then an American boy came. He told me that he was planning to commit suicide before the lecture.
He was in a relationship with a girl. But the girl rejected him. Because of that, I was so disappointed that I told him that I was going to commit suicide.
But, when I was leaving, I saw a poster. And some voice told me to listen to the programme. I told him that I don’t want to commit suicide, but my mind is telling me to do so.
He understood very well that our mind is our enemy. So, what is the mind? How to understand the mind? Or, you should do bhakti. You should read Bhagavad Gita.
You should try to understand the message of Bhagavad Gita. So, I told him. Every year, when I go to America, I meet that boy.
So, I started doing bhakti. Last time, I went to America in September-October, 2017. I met that boy again.
He told me that he came back to the same situation. I was in a good relationship with him for a year. But, he broke up with me.
As soon as he broke up with me, I was very sad. So, I went to my room. I closed the window and the door.
He was very good at kirtan. He picked up his violin and started singing Hare Krishna Mantra. I was singing continuously for 6 hours.
I felt Krishna’s presence. The situation which would have been the most depressing in my life, it became the most enriching. The same situation which was giving me a lot of relief.
But, now I have come closer to God. I have become enriched spiritually. I have become more powerful.
I have become more powerful. So, what has happened? In order to establish a relationship with God, if we give Him facilities, when the situation comes, God will give inspiration from within. His intellect will awaken.
And, He will bless us. And, His wave will become very strong. So, in whose life? So, in whose life, when will such a situation come? We can control it.
God will give us facilities. We have to keep the door open for people. That this is the path of devotion.
That’s why we do this. We give intellect. We try to give spiritual knowledge.
But, sometimes those people, sometimes they will come inside the door, sometimes they will come after some time. But, when people don’t do devotion, sometimes we get so angry. You are in Maya.
You are a fool. You are like this. You are like that.
What do we do by saying like this? We open the door, you come inside. But, if they don’t come inside, we close the door in their mouth. You are in Maya.
You are a fool. When we say like this, they will never come. What do we have to do? We have to keep the door open.
We have to keep it open. What does it mean to keep it open? We give them the knowledge of devotion. If they don’t accept, we don’t spoil their relationship.
That’s a good thing. Whenever you want, you can come. And, we end the interaction on a positive note.
With a positive feeling, we end the interaction on a positive note. So, what will happen? People don’t become devotees because of our propaganda. People don’t become devotees because of our propaganda.
We are just a medium. There is a God in their heart. And, there is a situation in their life.
And, there is a state of mind in their heart. So, God works in such a way that sometimes we feel that I gave one discourse. I gave one book.
He became a devotee. So, I made him a devotee. But, it doesn’t happen like this.
What happens? It was God’s plan that when we gave him a discourse, when we called him to the temple, he was ready at that time. He was ready at that time. But, sometimes he can’t be ready at that time.
So, what we have to do is we have to give him a way and then we have to open the door. Whenever you want, you can come. So, when people see that yes, we have become devotees, then they want to change themselves.
And, that is when change happens. So, we are not transformers. We are transmitters.
So, we are not transformers. But, we are meant to be transformed. Instead of changing others, we have to see how much I am changing through devotion.
The more we change, seeing that, seeing our life, we will also change. And, we will also receive God’s blessings. In this way, when we make God the centre and connect with God, the more our connection with God will improve, our followers, by getting inspired, will also get enlightened and receive God’s blessings.
So, in conclusion, today I discussed how we can make our desires spiritual. First of all, many times it happens that God is here, we are here, and people are here. So, many times, if devotees, if they are very egoistic or judgemental, then people stay away from God because of that.
So, as I told you, in America, there is a lot of pink wall. But, it is not like that they have to stay away from God. When I saw that, I felt that people keep fighting among themselves.
They keep saying, I am right, you are wrong. So, I feel that I don’t care about it. That is why apathism increases.
People don’t care about it. So, those who don’t care about devotion, about God, then how does spiritual awakening happen in them? I will tell you how. Our desires don’t go in a line, they go in a triangle.
We don’t get awakened by seeing something, but we get awakened by seeing other people receiving that thing. If there is a new food item, someone else is enjoying it, I also want to eat it. If there is a new phone, some celebrity endorses it, I also want to get it.
Similarly, our spiritual desires don’t look attractive when we see Bhagavad Gita. Just by seeing it, we feel that we want to read Bhagavad Gita. But, if we are a devotee who finds the knowledge of Bhagavad Gita very attractive, then we feel like I want to do this, I want to read Bhagavad Gita.
So, the more we come in the company of devotees, the more our spiritual desires get awakened. So, the more we move forward in the company of Bhagavad Gita. So, if we want to bring others in Bhakti, first of all, we have to improve our relationship with Bhagavad Gita.
And, there are two things that weaken our relationship with Bhagavad Gita. Desire and fear. The more we engage in Bhakti, the more we realise that the bliss of Bhakti is so divine and the fear is so weak that we feel that the things that are not under our control are under the control of Bhagavan.
Even if some bad things happen, Bhagavan is better than those bad things. So, through that faith, we get rid of fear. For example, when Pandavas did not have food, Bhagavan came up with this plan.
So, Bhagavad Gita helps us to get rid of fear. So, Desire and fear are two things that weaken our relationship with Bhagavad Gita. Then, we become calm, tolerant, and mature.
So, seeing this, other people also change. So, when we want to bring others in Bhakti, Bhagavan tells us that we should not disturb other people’s mind. So, how do we bring them in Bhakti? We do not force others, but we inspire others so that they can come.
If a car is not moving, we can push it from outside. But if it is braking from inside, we cannot do anything. Sometimes, people are not ready.
So, what happens when we push them? We only spoil their relationship. So, what should we do? If they are not ready, we should keep the door open. When they need Bhagavad Gita, they will come.
That’s it. So, when we depend on Bhagavad Gita, that I am not going to change, I am just a reason, Bhagavan is going to change me. I gave an example in America.
First, there was a situation of suicide. He got the knowledge of Bhagavad Gita. Second time, the same situation came.
But this time, the situation did not change. And instead of suicide, he turned towards self-realisation by blessing Bhagavan. So, Bhagavan is always working in our lives, in other people’s lives.
So, we try to change ourselves and inspire others. And Bhagavan will bring a change in their lives. Thank you very much.
Hare Krishna. You say, I will repeat. He is asking, how did you come to Bhakti? I can answer that.
Is there any question related to today’s topic? How did I come to Bhakti? In reality, I have not yet come to Bhakti. I came with the devotees. One day, I will come to Bhakti.
About 25 years ago, when I was studying engineering, there were many reasons. But the main reason was that when I was in engineering, I was interested in social service. So, I was in a social service movement.
And since childhood, I was interested in education, the power of education. I was interested in education. So, I was studying in Pune Government Engineering College.
There was a chawl behind it. So, I used to give free tuitions to students. English, Maths, History, etc.
Then I saw that the students, most of them were good students, but they had a big problem at home. So, their father used to drink more than me. He used to drink alcohol.
There was violence at home. And then I started thinking that how much their life will change if they don’t have this knowledge. And then our organisation decided that we will also try to do alcohol de-addiction.
So that we can help people to quit alcohol and alcoholism. So, I had a friend who used to go to a village nearby. And at that time, it was a small village.
So, after some time, everyone there stopped drinking alcohol. So, we were very happy. It was very interesting.
But one day, I came back from there, from the chawl. And that friend came back from that village. And he said, he was very upset.
I said, what happened? He said, last week, there were local panchayat elections. And there was a political party candidate. He wanted to vote.
So, he filled three trucks and brought free alcohol for all the villagers. And not only his father, his children also drank alcohol. Then, I started thinking that in reality, if we want to bring some change in the society, then it is not just enough to show people the right way.
They also have to be empowered to choose the right way. So, it is not just about showing the right path. They should also have the ability to choose the right path.
So, can we get this ability from material knowledge? When I was studying in this college, there was a student who was a university topper and at that time, in the history of our college, he got the highest salary. But, that student was a chain smoker. And he was very intelligent.
When I used to talk to him, he used to say, if I don’t smoke, my brain doesn’t work. So, he used to smoke. I used to think, you are smoking, your health is deteriorating, you are so intelligent that you solve engineering problems in minutes.
But, you don’t understand how dangerous smoking is. I didn’t understand this. But, he got a job in a good company.
But, within 6 months, he was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. He was so advanced, that he died. And then, I felt that he was illiterate.
Because of this, he was in a bad habit. But, here, he is very well educated. He is a topper.
But, he is not free from such habits. So, how is real education? When I was thinking, he is my friend, he gave me Bhagavad Gita. I already knew about Bhagavad Gita.
But, I was in search of it. So, I started reading it. When I started reading it, I used to get angry since childhood.
But, when I started reading Bhagavad Gita, when I started chanting, my anger reduced. I had a friend, he used to live in my hostel. But, he was in a bad habit.
He used to smoke, he used to drink. So, when I told him about bhakti, he started doing bhakti. Within a week, he left everything.
Then, I felt that he is special, he has some power. After that, when I completed engineering, I got a job in a software company. I had a chance to go to America.
So, I had to work in a software company. So, one day, I had a thought that if I don’t write a software programme, hundreds of people will come for this job and they will get this job. But, in today’s society, the knowledge of Bhagavad Gita is a transformational knowledge.
There are so many people to give it. So, there are not many people. There are very few people.
So, I thought that the contribution of the society by spreading the knowledge of Bhagavad Gita, I can do more. So, this happened 20 years ago. Since then, I am trying to do this in a different way.
With your blessings, one day, I will come in bhakti. Thank you. Thank you.
One more question. Yes, please. So, when we try to bring our children in bhakti, do we have to become a transformer there or a transmitter here? How can we encourage them to come in bhakti? The dynamics of every relationship are different.
So, if we have a friend, in that relationship, our control, our responsibility, our capability is not as much as our family members, especially our children. So, when the children are young, then their ability to control, their intelligence, their ability to control is very less. What we say, they mostly do.
So, in childhood, if we give them the sanskars in bhakti, then through that, they become familiar with bhakti. But when they become young, especially in teens, they start looking for themselves. Looking for themselves does not mean in a spiritual way, but in a practical way.
For example, when they are young, then their identity is that who are you? Yes, I am their son, I am their daughter. Their identity is that they are their parents. When they become young, they will have a degree, they will have a job, then their identity becomes clear.
I work in this company, I have this business, I have this degree. But in childhood, in their teenage years, when they are around 10-20 years old, at that time, they are looking for their identity. Now, they have grown up so much, they are not satisfied with their identity that they are their parents’ son.
Can I touch them with my own ability? So, in that situation, many times, they get influenced by the company they come in. Because in today’s society, there is a lot of materialism. So, sometimes, materialism will influence them.
So, when they are young, less than 10 years old, we can control them a lot. Don’t do like this, don’t do like that. It is necessary to tell us.
But when they grow up, then we cannot control them. We cannot give them knowledge. And after that, we have to choose them.
So, now, every generation has its own situation, has its own mental state. So, among us, those who come in bhakti, because we know a little bit of Sanskrit, but when we come in bhakti, we get to know tattva-gyana. After knowing tattva-gyana, we get to know that this is the purpose of life, and to achieve this, we have to do this, we have to do that.
So, the rules, our first introduction is to the philosophy and then to the regulations that you do this, you have to accept the path of bhakti. But sometimes, those who are born in the path of bhakti, in the family, their bhakti is known by the regulations. Don’t do this, don’t do that, don’t do this, don’t do that.
So, sometimes, they don’t know the tattva-gyana systematically. So, that’s why, according to their age group, they should be given such an association that the tattva-gyana is very, very less. We think that since childhood, these children are coming to the temple, they know all the philosophies.
But when I do programmes for teenagers, sometimes I find that they don’t know the basic philosophies. What happens is that when they are coming to the temple since childhood, they don’t understand the philosophy. And when they become teenagers, their intellect starts working and then different kinds of questions come.
So, it is very important to make an association of their age group. There, and someone who understands them, someone who can guide them, who can save them. So, if they get that association, the peer pressure due to which they get into physical trouble, if they get a good circle in the community of bhaktas, then that peer pressure, they say that I have to do this because my parents are telling me to do this.
They go beyond that. Yes, I like this. This is my intellectual circle.
I understand this. This is why I accept it. So, we have to facilitate the transition from there accepting it because the parents tell it to there accepting it because it makes sense to them.
Because it is good, I understand it. So, to make that change, to facilitate that change, it is very important for us to create it. So, if that doesn’t happen, then sometimes the physical bhaktas also leave.
And even if they leave, we have to keep this feeling that our love should not be conditional to their practise of bhakti. So, do bhakti. I am your mother, but naturally, we expect you to do bhakti and I will be happy if you do bhakti.
But if you don’t do bhakti, then we will break the relationship. We have a duty as parents and we have to do it. And sometimes, they also have to go through some experiences through which they understand.
There is an American, a British thinker who said that when I was 15 years old, my father was a fool. Now, I am 25 years old and I am surprised that my father has learned so much in the last 10 years. Now, my father has not learned in the last 10 years, but when the child went from 15 to 25 years old, he became a fool himself.
So, sometimes, they also have to go through some experiences. I know a bhakta, a girl, they all became a bhakta but their son did not become a bhakta. So, he used to go to different places.
When I used to travel, he used to ask me to come with him. So, he was not interested in bhakti, he was interested in travelling. But because of this, he came.
And when he came with me, he saw that there are students people are doing bhakti there, and there are people who are better than me in bhakti. So, he got inspired. After that, he went to a music concert.
He was a very famous material musician. So, he spent a lot of money and he went there. And when he was sitting in the concert, suddenly, when the concert started, he felt this is just noise.
What is this? This is just nonsense. So, he said, when I go to the temple, the kirtan of the temple is so sweet there, it is sweeter than this. So, when he experienced this, he changed.
No one had advertised for him. He was a saint at that time. If I had told him not to go to the concert, he would have gone against the bhaktas.
But he went there. Bhagwan was there. Bhagwan gave him all the blessings.
That is why sometimes, we give them the sanskar of bhakti. We try to give them the facilities of bhakti. But sometimes, they have to go with their own experiences.
And when they experience that they are doing something wrong, then we feel sad. But sometimes, we have to give them the facilities. If we are ready for bhakti, if we are ready to love them, and give them the facilities, then sometimes, they will choose it immediately, and sometimes, they will choose it later.
The same bhakta, after that time, who came and left the music concert, now, he is in such a bhakti that he does a very good kirtan and has become a public figure. And now, he has become more serious than his own mother. So, giving them sanskar, and giving them patience, through these three things, we can help them in bhakti.
Thank you very much. Shri Raghupati ji.