Prof Anil Kumar & Swami ...Swami is sadhana a must in everyday life?

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Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Is sadhana a must in everyday life? Is it compulsory?Bhagavan: Yes, it is very necessary that you should do it everyday. Don't you wash and scrub utensils everyday to keep them clean? Until you become steady, develop unwavering faith and total surrender, it is most necessary to do sadhana everyday.You see that the paddy fields are watered everyday. Otherwise, the crops dry up and die. But tall trees like eucalyptus, banyan, neem and so on, do not need to be watered everyday. Why? The reason is simple. Their roots go very deep, up to the groundwater level; and draw nourishment for the entire tree. It appears surprising that small tender plants need water everyday while huge trees do not. Roots of small plants go a few inches deep and cannot draw water, from the depths. But trees have roots

that spread and go deep to draw, ground water. Similarly, until the roots of your faith go deep into the ground of your heart, you have to do sadhana everyday. Your faith today is like the root of a small plant that has not yet gone deep into your heart and so you should do sadhana everyday.Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! Much emphasis is laid on sadhana, spiritual practice. But we find it tough to do any sadhana. What is the solution? Bhagavan: For achieving or attaining anything in life one needs to do sadhana or practice. Walking, talking, reading, eating, writing, everything in life you learn by practice. How does a child walk? It is clearly by practice only. Singers practice a lot! Driving a motorcar for that matter has to be practised. You have the steering at one place, the brake at one point, the clutch

elsewhere and so on. Yet, you will be able to drive a car by practice only.. So also, one has to do sadhana in the spiritual field.

 

 

 

 

 

Prof. Anil Kumar: Swami! What is the role of a Guru on the spiritual path?Bhagavan: One should have total faith in the Guru. Suppose you wish to go to a city on a picnic. You do not know anything about that city, as you have never been there before. What you do is to take the help of a guide to go round the city. You do not question the guide at any point since you are totally new to the place.. So also, a Guru who has vast knowledge and experience has to be scrupulously followed. He should not be questioned, doubted, or disobeyed on any grounds.You also find signboards at crossroads indicating directions to different places. This is your common experience. To reach the place of your choice, you must follow the directions in the signboard and reach the destination. You don't expect the

signboard to carry you or lift you to that place. You have to go along the way as directed in the signboard. A Guru similarly shows the spiritual path, teaches you the techniques to be followed, and explains in detail all that you need on the spiritual path. You have to work for it and achieve it all by yourself. No one can do that on your behalf.'Guru', is a two letter word in Telugu 'Gu' and 'ru'. The word has two meanings. 'Gu' is darkness (ignorance), 'ru' is the light (wisdom) that dispels this darkness. The second meaning is 'gu' stands for gunatita, one beyond attributes and 'ru' for rupavarjita formless. So, Guru is one who teaches you about divinity which is both attributeless and formless.

A true Guru wishes the best for his disciples. He tells them what is hita, good and not ista, that which is liked. A true disciple follows the master implicitly.Ram ChuganiKobe, Japan