The Lover's Life - 2

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"prArthite vA tataH kiM svAtsvAmyabhiprAya

saMzayAt,<br>sarvatra tasya sarvam hi sarva sAmarthyam eva ca"

(2)<br><br>('viveka dhairyAzrayaH nirUpaNam' - Srimad

Vallabhacarya)<br><br>Chapter Two<br><br>What is the use of prayer?<br>Why

request anything from Him?<br>It arises from

doubting<br>of Hari's intentions.<br>Why suspect when<br>He is

everywhere,everything<br>compelling and potent?<br><br>Why ask when it is

already

given? Why hanker, when the greatest riches are at hand?

A prayer for something arises from a doubt that

something will not arise.<br><br>Prayer for this or for

that comes from forgetfulness. It occurs when the

lover overlooks the fact that everything has already

been taken care of.<br><br>What is given is good, what

is not given is also fine. Although it is sometimes

hard to discern at the time of encounter, life for the

lover is always perfect. For her, gain and loss are

always absolutely accurate.<br><br>What is truly needed

is given, directly or indirectly. The lover never

thinks, "I can get it myself."<br>Such a person is like a

dwarf in a ditch who reaches for a lofty fruit. He

tires from the stretch and does not understand that the

reward will cascade down to him at just the right

time.<br><br>The Beloved will never supply what is detrimental to

His lover, to His Bhakta. He knows for He is in all

places, there at all times. The Beloved manifests

everywhere, and even becomes all things. Even knowing some of

this removes all doubts regarding His intentions.

<br><br>The bhakta sees the Beloved's accomplishments

everywhere. This is not a passive acceptance of life. Knowing

the Beloved's will is dynamic, transforming and

compelling for the bhakta. It is her perfect part in the

play of total love, the Beloved Practice.<br><br>To

turn from the love-games to the small self or to try

to manipulate situations with exertion and

pride-filled practice is a fall from love, a slip from His

embrace. Moreover, it is plagued with fear and false

expectations of agreeable results. It lacks His essential

refuge and clings to the impermanent nature of

things.<br><br>Wisdom is to graciously accept whatever the Beloved

gives and feel Hari's acceptance in every situation.

Wisdom is to avoid all forms of spiritual

arrogance.<br><br>These are some of her views of seva, the pleasing

worship of the Beloved with one's mind, body and wealth.

It arises naturally with unconditional refuge. It

connects at the source and illuminates all portions of

life. <br><br>Just as dirty water that enters Ganga

becomes Ganga and is worshipped as such, in the state of

refuge, false identification is sundered. It is merged

into the Higher Self and then everything becomes

perfect like Ganga.<br><br>Everything is the Beloved's.

She is the Beloved's and then the Beloved becomes

hers. When Hari envelopes everything, there is a

transformation.<br><br>(The Lover's Life - Sri Shyama das)<br><br>Jaya Sri

Radhey!