Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

Benefit from Firm Determination

 

There is a saying - " If one does not have to go to a particular village, why ask

for the directions to go there? " If we have a firm determination/ the fortitude

that - " We will not do, according to our wishes " then that act that we wish to

do, cannot take place. Just like when we firmly make up our mind, " I will not

watch a movie at all or I will not take anything that is addictive, then that

decisive " No " means " No! " From today onwards, I do not want to drink tea, than

there is no tea drinking thereafter at all. That desire is over. From now

onwards I will not lie, then why will there be lies that are spoken? Lies simply

cannot come out of your mouth. Similarly, with acquiring good qualities and good

conduct and renouncing bad qualities and conduct, if there is a firm resolve,

the sentiments can develop very quickly and soon with virtually no effort it

becomes part of your conduct.

 

For this there is one very useful point, we must firmly keep the resolves and

promises we make to ourselves. In other words, in all relations whatever

decisions we arrive at, follow through with that only. By doing so your thoughts

become solid and the resolve is firm. In the same way, if you say something,

then endeavor to do that only. We must make every effort to follow through after

making an assertion. Even if we have to die, we will follow through. In small

tasks if we attempt to develop a nature that remains firm and determinate, then

our nature will improve. When our nature improves, when best of thoughts come to

mind, they will be supported. This nurturing sentiments and the practice of

follow through are very easy and very good.

 

When people enter the armed forces, they have their names enlisted and they feel

they are " Army " men. On having these sentiments their mind automatically is

seeking ways to find out what an army man should do. Having such quest, they are

given the appropriate knowledge, which they absorb and retain within themselves.

Similarly a detached person becomes an ascetic for doing his spiritual

practices. When he accepts that I am a sadhu there after he thinks of " what are

all the things that an ascetic (sadhu) must do? This question comes to his mind

on its own. After that if he is told that a sadhu should conduct himself like

this, he should talk like that, he gets up like that, he behaves like that, he

relates with others like that, then he is able to grasp these talks, because

within he understands (has accepted) that " I am a Sadhu " , therefore I have to

walk the path like sadhus do. In this way you consider yourself to be a sadhak,

that worships, contemplates, meditates and does spiritual practices. Wherever it

comes in the lectures, scriptures, that it is beneficial for a sadhak to do a

certain thing, such as - a sadhak should not be hasty, a sadhak should not

unnecessarily waste time, at all times he must be engaged in remembrance,

contemplating on God, he must give up evil company, he must have association of

truth / holy company and engage in study of the scriptures etc. whatever duties

are prescribed the sadhak will make extra-ordinary effort on his own to bring

these into him as he considers himself to be a sadhak. Whatever is essential for

an aspirant, it will come in him, and will be supported. But he who does not

consider himself to be a sadhak, whatever he may listen to in satsang, or in

lectures, or reads in scriptures, these will not penetrate the heart and will

not stay in him, and there will not be a very strong affinity with those things

that were heard.

 

There are many brothers and sisters that engage in spiritual disciplines, they

do divine name recitation, read scriptures etc. the regularly to so, however

with such regularity they understand that this is only something to be done for

an hour or two. For the rest of the time they understand themselves to be

householders. They think we have to do such and such work; we belong to a

particular household, race, class, caste, etc. We have to complete the Gita

reading; worship of God; chant divine name for the next hour or two. The basic

sentiment and mind-set is to check that task off your list of to-dos. For such

people there isn't significant spiritual progress or improvement. They do not

look at this satsang perceiving it as being of great value (graahiya - drhsti).

There is a big difference between ordinary view and one that has great value. We

listen to satsang to convince, console, cajole our mind. We do not take it in

and hold on to it. Satsang has to be seen with an eye that sees it as worthy of

acceptance and the sentiments should be such that we want to henceforth only do

remembrance and contemplation of the Lord, uninterruptedly. Whatever work we are

going to undertake, that too is only God's work and done for God only. If all

work is done with this view, by having a relation with God, then there can be

immense benefit.