A Spiritual Exercise in the Context of Upcoming Guru Purnima!

[Guest guest]

Jaya Guru Datta

 

Sri Swamiji once said that Sri Swamiji's chief mission for this Avatara

is imparting Chitta Suddhi (cleaning the mind; making it pure) for human

beings. To understand how important Chitta Suddhi is and what place it

occupies in our life and its journey, please read the following two

references:

 

1. SwamijiSays:

 

"Instead of searching somewhere (outside) for light, try to kindle the

light that is in your heart. If your MIND IS PURE, you can do it. You

say, 'I am a householder; I have wife and children; I have duty to

perform'. Ok, agreed. But do your duty and simultaneously do some

saadhana. Search in your heart for what you have been searching

everywhere. When you have found this, peace automatically comes."

 

2. In Yoga Vaashista Hrudayam (Thatva Jnana conversation between

Vashista and Rama), Vashista tells Rama:

 

"Once the Arishadvargas are conquered, leading to Chitta Suddhi,

acquiring jnana and then liberation (Moksha) is so easy, that piercing

a needle through the thin leaf of a sapling is much harder in

comparison."

 

(Arishadvargas are: Kama - Lust, Krodha - Anger, Lobha - Greed, Moha -

Delusion, Mada - Pride, Matsarya - Envy)

 

The above references narrate the place of Chitta Suddhi. Everything is

IN GETTING THE MIND RIGHT! Everything else just follows with minimal

effort!!

 

Starting today, we have 21 days till the upcoming Guru Purnima. During

these 21 SACRED days, let us try and practice the following, as an

attempt to purifying our minds (Chitta Suddhi)!

 

Pujya Sadguru Deva blessed us all, this morning, with the following

guidelines:

 

1. FIRST ITEM: Let us pick one vice, or one bad quality/habit that we

have and work on it, or watch it consciously:

It could be, for example, ANGER. As per scriptures, there will never

be a valid reason for any anger situation. So, we can never say, 'okay.

I am justified in getting angry in this situation'. With kids, when

disciplining, etc., (and in some other situations), you may need to

DISPLAY/PRETEND anger to get the kid to listen to you. This is

different from 'actually getting angry' (refer to Sri Swamiji's Life

History book).

Or it could be, in general, JEALOUSY. Watch it every time as it

enters your mind, and observe/analyze why it had to come, ...and by

that mere act itself, become conscious of it so that it does not repeat

itself that easily the next day.

Or it could be, plain and simple, THINKING BAD ABOUT ANYBODY: Anytime

you "think bad" about ANYBODY, observe it and question it, to see if

there is any need AT ALL to do so! Doing what we can, per our duty,

and rest shutting up is Golden, isn't it? Silence is Amrutha! If

(controlling) "thinking bad about anybody anybody" is too overwhelming,

trim the objective to Datta Family. Anytime you think bad about any

Datta family member, question it and curb it right there. Since Parama

Pujya Sadguru Deva loves every one of us, to think bad about any member

is to hurt Him only (as everyone is dear to Him)!

You may pick any one of the above, or all of them, or something else

that you think benefits you most (based on your situation and

personality).

 

2. SECOND ITEM (SatSaastram): Let us pick one good scripture/book, and

read it during these 21 days. As many pages as we can! Even the

busiest person can find time to read at least ONE PAGE per day! Who

knows what Sri Swamiji has, from which page to whom! To name a few

books are Sri Swamiji's Life History, Datta Darshanam, Yoga Vaashistam,

Neeti Mala, etc. There are so many publications from our Ashram, from

the Lotus Feet of our Guru Deva! Any scripture of our choice and

taste!

3. THIRD ITEM (Seva): Let us pick one Seva item (physical service) for

these 21 days and do it with humility and servitude. If you are part

of a Satsang group, think of doing something good to the group. When

we think sincerely, Sri Swamiji will definitely have ideas for us. If

you are not part of a local Satsang group, help a nearby center, or

help a local service organization!

 

Let all of us participate in this divine opportunity - organizers and

coordinators, children and adults, young and old....all alike! ALL of

us are learning children only, at our Master, Pujya Sadguru Deva's

Lotus Feet!

 

While we practice, let us be aware of our original intention (Chitta

Suddhi) for practicing these, so that we do not over-focus on the

"Method/Process" and lose sight of the very Sukshma (subtle reason)

behind doing all this!

May Sri Guru Deva bless us all, with right mind to think right, and

strength to perform right!

Sri Guru Datta

 

Japa Yagna Coordinator

New Jersey