Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

Meaning of Taking Refuge in God

 

He who has no education, no wealth, no support, no qualities, no

knowledge of Vedas and Scriptures, he who the world has understood

to be a sinner and have given up on them, such beings , who have

taken refuge in God, they become saints, and become free. He whose

Soul is pure and whose qualities are known by the entire Universe,

who is of the Yadu dynasty, to That Shree Krishna Bhagwaan, I bow

with deep reverence.

 

Verse

 

" Sarva dharmaan parityajya maamekum sharanam vraja

Aham tvaa sarvapaapebhyo, mokshayishyaami maa suchaha. " (Gita

18:66)

 

Leave dependencies of all Dharmaa, take refuge in Me alone. I will

release you from all your sins, grieve not. " (Gita 18:66)

 

Comments - " Sarva dharmaan parityajya maamekum sharanam vraja " -

Bhagwaan says that all dependencies on Dharma, all decisions

regarding Dharma, leave these, in other words, what one should do

and what one should not do - leave these and only come to My

refuge.

 

Let the Self take refuge in Bhagwaan - this is the essence of all

spiritual practices. In this a devotee who has surrendered to God,

has nothing remaining to be done for himself; just like a chaste

wife, has no work remaining to be done for herself. She takes care

of her body and it's essential care also due to her relationship

with her husband, for him alone. The house, the family, the things,

the son and daughter, and even her so called body also she does not

consider it to be her's, rather she considers it to be her

hsuband's. The point is that the chaste wife, the manner in which

she becomes of her husband and in the husband's last name, she

blends hers, and stays at her husband's house, in the same manner, a

devotee who has taken refuge in Bhagwaan, he take the body related

titles, caste, name etc, surrender all these at the feet of the Lord

and become free of all worries, fearless, free of all despair, and

free of all doubts.

 

According to the Gita, here the word Dharma is one of " doing one's

duties. This is because from Gita 18:21 to 18:44, duties pertaining

to one's nature are discussed. The in Gita 18:37 also there is

discussion about one's duty and in the middle too there is talks of

swa-dharma has come, and from this it becomes evident that the Self

itself is the subject of duties.

 

Now the question arises that by the verse " sarvadharmaan parityajya "

should Dharma, in other words, should duties be given up in essence?

The answer to that is, that to give up dharma from the essence, is

neither alright according to the Gita nor is it alright with respect

to the current situation. Because on listening to this point from

Bhagwaan, Arjuna did not give up his essential duties, rather he

said " Thy will be done " (Gita 18:73). After saying this, he

accepted doing his duties, following the instructions of Bhagwaan.

Not only did he accept, but according to His kshatriya dharma, he

also engaged in fighting. Therefore dharma rather duties are not to

be given up, rather how can God talk about giving up one's duties?

He has clearly stated in Gita 18:6 that yagna, charity and

austerities and all the duties of a particular stage in life are

never to be given up, rather they are definitely to be done.