The Mind is the Performer of Action-Part 4

(Part 4 – Synopsis of a lecture given by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on November 17, 2009, in Bhatinda, India)

It matters not what name and form of God you use. Call out to Him with whatever name you prefer, whether that is in Hindi, Urdu, English, Punjabi or any other language. But this should be done with love. It should be done with as much feeling as a drowning man calls out to his beloved or a dying father says, “Bring my daughter here so I may see her for the last time!”

Many people offer food to God before eating. Some sprinkle water over their food, some don’t. Their eyes are closed. Some fold their hands. This becomes an even bigger ritual when done in temples. But has there ever been a temple priest, holy man or anyone else, who opened his eyes and looked at the food after it was offered to God and asked, “What did God eat? Oh, He didn’t eat anything?” Has anyone ever felt bad as a result and cried because nothing was eaten? “He didn’t eat a single thing! How great a sinner I am!”

If anyone in your family were not to eat your food, you would feel bad. You would say,”Alright, he left without eating so I’m not eating either.” But if God doesn’t eat anything you offer Him, you don’t give it a second thought. Why is this? Because it is our faith that God won’t eat what is offered to Him. Then why do we put on this act of offering Him food? “My father did it, and they also do it in the temple, so I do it, too.”

So there is only reason for this – we never understood that we have to practice devotion with the mind. We practice devotion with the senses instead. We waste so much time doing this. You do devotion for two or four hours. Ask yourself how many tears you shed during that time to attain God. We don’t shed tears at this time, but we always do for the world.

You ask someone, “Why are you crying?” “My daughter left to go to her mother-in-laws place.” “Yes, but you yourself looked for the husband and gave her away in marriage and you’re crying about this? You yourself made her leave the house!” “Yes, that’s true, but I don’t like it.” This is due to your mental attachment. It is this kind of attachment that you must have for God.

Kamihin nari piyari jimi lobhihin priya jimi dama.
“Your love for God should as intense as the desire of a lustful man for a woman or a greedy man for money.”

You should have such love for God that you can’t live without Him. Then He will listen to you. In this love, we do not ask him for the world. The more worldly wealth, prosperity, status, and so on that you receive, the less close you feel to God. He remains far away. Due to pride, it is impossible for those who have wealth, physical beauty and strength or great fame to bow their heads before God. It is said in the Bible that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of God.

So do not ask God for the world. Whatever was due to come to you as a result of your previous life’s actions will come to you without your asking. It is seen in the world that an illiterate villager becomes a billionaire and a businessman who works his whole life dies bankrupt. If you gave charity in your previous birth, you will receive wealth in this birth. If you didn’t do this, no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to collect money. You will feel tremendous tension. As soon as money comes, it will go. Everyone must undergo the consequences of their actions.

This is why it won’t work to call the temple priest to say a special prayer so your sick child won’t die. Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna and the nephew of Shri Krishna. Ved Vyas ji himself conducted his marriage ceremony. He had the association of these three supreme powers, but he was killed on the battlefield of Kurukshetra and his wife Uttara became a widow. The one whose time has come must leave this world. Even great Saints must leave this world.

Jagadguru Shankaracharya left at the age of thirty-two. If someone were to say to him,”You must have defeated death by now. Stay and benefit this world by your presence.” No, he will stay for the number days that were ordained for him to be on this earth by the spiritual government. Not even a God realised Saint opposes these orders. Then how could an ordinary sinful soul expect that by calling a priest to utter a few prayers that his child won’t die? But this is what we do. When we encounter difficulties we pray, “Oh, God, help me!” When the difficulties are over, we forget about God.

So the mind alone is the cause of the problems we see in the world. If the mind is purified, then everyone will become virtuous. There would even be no need for governments. If devotion were practiced correctly, then society would reach that stage that you have read about in the age of Satyuga where people never put a lock on their doors. But if we don’t bring God into the mind, if instead our minds are full of the world and worldly thoughts, if we have made the decision that happiness is in the world, then the result will be that corruption we see will be multiplied thousands of times. Therefore, attach your mind to God.

© Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat and Bhakti Bliss, 2009
Reproduced with courtesy from www.bhaktibliss.wordpress.com