Sri Brahmachaitanya pravachan -Sept.4

Be Prideless to Achieve Devotion

Vritti or impulse is only a reaction to the impact of the external world on us; It may be pleasure, pain, pride, desire, avarice, etc. It is the real spiritual task to keep this vritti steady. Diversion of vritti towards God amounts to devotion. Devotion to God results in the vanishing of sensuous attraction. Devotion is quite natural. Every one wants it, because devotion means fondness, and everyone is fond of something or other. However, devotion is not possible without becoming prideless, and you cannot attain God without devotion. No one except God Himself can give His love. The devotee and God are not separate. Therefore, just as God is omnipresent, the devotee is also present everywhere. The devotee gets merged into God, and therefore, like God, sees nothing but bliss everywhere. It is the essence of the spiritual path to realize and practise the feeling, 'I do no exist, You (God) alone exist' or 'I am He (God)'; and the only means to achieve this is maintaining continuous awareness of God.
There is only one way available at present to realize God, and that is to remain in His name. Just as the Ganga remains sacred in spite of a number of rivulets and currents pouring their flows into its waters, our prapancha also, howsoever dirty it may be, could stand clean and pure, if we keep constant remembrance of God. There is no alternative to nama-smarana. To renounce all that leads to forgetting God is vairagya, and to follow only such things which help in remembering God is viveka. Rama is really steelhearted in the matter of duties, but at the same time, He is equally tender-hearted towards his devotees. He abandoned Seeta for the sake of duty, while He protected Bharata due to His love for devotees.
Out of my advice to you, whatever you may practise, that alone will come to your help. All of you should practise nama-smarana; there is no other path of your welfare. If there is anything which is naturally available to you, which is devoid of any upadhi, and which does not depend on anyone, it is nama. Rama will certainly bless him who takes it with a pure mind and heart.



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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan -Sept.3

Living in Nama Transcends Death

If a child falls sick the parents pray to God to spare his life; they vow that the child will be dedicated to God if it survives. This means that they will withdraw their feeling of possession or ownership over their child. How does it matter then, if the child dies today? It is only for their own happiness that the parents want the child to survive the illness.
How unwise it is to ask for avoidance of the ultimately inevitable death, instead of praying for deliverance from the entire cycle of births and deaths! If death is a certainty for everyone, why should we not aspire that it should be auspicious? Death which is not followed by rebirth is the most auspicious death. In fact, to forget one's real 'self', is equivalent to death. You should not therefore lose any opportunity to attain our objective while our mind, which is constantly fluctuating, is steady.
We are tormented by conflicting desires. Therefore it is necessary to kill the desire itself by constant utterance of nama. To remain in nama is to kill desire, which amounts to transcending death. The real way to avoid death is to belong to God. There is no fear of death when one realizes God, who is the destroyer of death. A realized soul is never afraid of death. To be merely alive is no life at all. One must have some objective or purpose in life, and that objective should be to remain in constant awareness of God. It should be considered a very fortunate day when one leaves this body while chanting nama.
In fact, we daily die and are reborn. If we sleep and do not wake up again, it is certainly death. Therefore, go to bed while chanting nama, so that you will wake up in His remembrance. However, to remember nama at bed time, you must have previous practice of it during working hours. Similarly, how can one remember nama at the time of death, unless one has been in the habit of constantly chanting it? Let us therefore, start the practice of nama-smarana right from today, this moment.
When Sant Tukaram says, 'I have seen my death with my own eyes, it implies the experience of complete destruction of desire.



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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan - Sept.2

Living in Nama Transcends Death

If a child falls sick the parents pray to God to spare his life; they vow that the child will be dedicated to God if it survives. This means that they will withdraw their feeling of possession or ownership over their child. How does it matter then, if the child dies today? It is only for their own happiness that the parents want the child to survive the illness.
How unwise it is to ask for avoidance of the ultimately inevitable death, instead of praying for deliverance from the entire cycle of births and deaths! If death is a certainty for everyone, why should we not aspire that it should be auspicious? Death which is not followed by rebirth is the most auspicious death. In fact, to forget one's real 'self', is equivalent to death. You should not therefore lose any opportunity to attain our objective while our mind, which is constantly fluctuating, is steady.
We are tormented by conflicting desires. Therefore it is necessary to kill the desire itself by constant utterance of nama. To remain in nama is to kill desire, which amounts to transcending death. The real way to avoid death is to belong to God. There is no fear of death when one realizes God, who is the destroyer of death. A realized soul is never afraid of death. To be merely alive is no life at all. One must have some objective or purpose in life, and that objective should be to remain in constant awareness of God. It should be considered a very fortunate day when one leaves this body while chanting nama.
In fact, we daily die and are reborn. If we sleep and do not wake up again, it is certainly death. Therefore, go to bed while chanting nama, so that you will wake up in His remembrance. However, to remember nama at bed time, you must have previous practice of it during working hours. Similarly, how can one remember nama at the time of death, unless one has been in the habit of constantly chanting it? Let us therefore, start the practice of nama-smarana right from today, this moment.
When Sant Tukaram says, 'I have seen my death with my own eyes, it implies the experience of complete destruction of desire.

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Sept.1.

Our 'Knowledge' is Based on 'Body-Am-I' Feeling

Common people feel that sense-perceived phenomena can be instantly experienced, while divine or spiritual experience is purely a matter of inference and faith. I agree with them so far. I am not surprised that they do not abandon worldly life. I only feel sorry that they indulge in it heart and soul, under the illusion that it is imperishable, everlasting, despite evidence to the contrary. I don't mind their rejection of divine bliss as a sheer hypothesis, provided they accept the everyday experience that sensual pleasures are only transitory. Eventually it will lead to the conviction that divine bliss alone is permanent. It is immanent in us, and does not have to be acquired from elsewhere.
Modern civilization has catered amply to the pleasures and conveniences of the senses and the body in general, but the end-result has only been unhappiness. Imagine for a moment that plenty of means of pleasures of the senses lie to entice a man, but one cannot afford them financially, or enjoy them for want of physical capacity; the absence of capacity to avail of them will only lead to disappointment and unhappiness. After all, every individual cannot command all sense-pleasures, and so, after all the struggle of life, the net result is a sense of disappointment, unhappiness. Happiness and sorrow never really existed, they are only illusory creations of our imagination. Whatever is agreeable to the moment's fancy of the mind is pleasure, and whatever is otherwise is sorrow. Both these are the product of the illusion that the body is the be-all and the end-all, and so long as we live in that conviction, so long will all experience be necessarily polluted by illusion. That all creation, though pervaded by pure bliss, appears sorrowful is the result of illusion, which clouds our inner perception. The world, after all, is made up of so many individuals, each struggling for pleasure; how can a single person, in such a situation, get all pleasures for himself?
One cannot have guarantee of life. It can terminate abruptly, unexpectedly. Therefore, waste not even a moment, spend it in the constant awareness of God. To forget Him owing to a calamity or because of all-round happiness, is an equal loss.

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Sri Brahmahaitanya Pravachan - Aug.31

"I Inhabit the Home where Contentment Reigns"

Whenever I meet a person what I particularly observe is, how far he is happy. Perhaps you, too, do the same, only the criteria differ. Your test is his wealth, learning public esteem, and suchlike. People prefer the rich, I prefer the poor; people honour the learned and the scholar, while my preference is for the simple unlettered. My preference is poles asunder from the worldly man's. That is why I enjoy contentment which other people lack. I searched deep to find wherein contentment can reside, and found it only in God. So I like to live in the house which is replete with contentment. Being contentment in and out, I find it difficult to live with one who calls himself mine but is discontented. All that I expect of you is that you should live in contentment, as I do.
To this day, I have meticulously observed one vow: I never hurt anyone's heart or feelings. This I could do because I have never lapsed into forgetting nama. After all, I am a destitute by worldly standards : I have neither scholarship, nor art, nor wealth. And yet people seem to want me, find support in me; and this is solely because I love everyone selflessly, guilelessly, whole-heartedly.
I know fully well the way of the world, and therefore, I have never worried about what people say or feel about me; I have only taken pains to see what I should say to each person in his own interest. That you people come repeatedly to hear me speak may be due to one of three reasons. First, I may not have been clear and precise enough; second, you may not have understood me correctly; and third, you may be forgetting what I say.
I expect you to talk with me with the same open-heartedness that you would have with a member of your family. In any case, I always say to a person what I feel will be wholesome for him. I feel sure that he will profit if he follows my advice; by 'profit', however, I do not mean an apparent improvement in his worldly life, but something conducive to contentedness in the circumstances as they exist.
It is my mission in life to create in the listener's mind a relish for nama. Whoever comes to meet me, I ensure that he will take to nama sooner or later.

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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan - Aug.30

Lasting Contentment is Nowhere but in Rama

Everyone devotedly engrosses himself with worldly matters, but nobody ever obtains contentment. He experiences a mixture of happiness and unhappiness. One sometimes feels disgusted with worldly matters, but we cannot shake them off. Handling coins tarnishes the hands, but that is not the fault of money. So, excessive regard for money leads to worry and misery. Too much regard for worldly esteem has a similar effect. One should follow the course of the world and behave as occasion demands, but all the while maintain calm contentedness at heart. In practical life, do as you would be done by. We must preserve our respective relationship with everyone. Be practical in your behaviour, but take care that you hurt nobody's feelings.
Choose your associates carefully, without being carried away by mere honeyed talk. Avoid associating with smooth-tongued persons who, however, harbour evil intents at heart. To everyone give the respect he deserves; keep young ones contented, humble yourself before elders. Be noble of heart and submissive, agreeable, in behaviour. Talk not insultingly to anyone, but rather, agreeably to all. Beware of indolence, for it may well render merit ineffective.
Dependence is undoubtedly rankling, but remember everyone has it in one form or another. However, be not under obligation for sheer indolence. On the other hand, do not overrate and overtax your physical capacity. Do not worry unnecessarily about what has been or what will be; act as may be appropriate to circumstances, without being a victim of indolence.
In financial matters, accept what you earn today, and try to earn more in future. You can't get anything for nothing, so work hard in your job. Save something from your earning, instead of spending all. If you are in debt, pay it back, in instalments if necessary, and beware of contracting fresh debts. Be loyal to your employer, obedient in his service.
Be cautious in worldly transactions, and direct your effort properly. Follow the path of truth. Act with care so that nobody is put to loss on your account, even unwittingly. Remember in your heart of hearts that you belong to God. Lasting contentment is to be had in Rama, nowhere else. Therefore be in contentment with circumstances as you find them, with nama as your constant companion. Never expect that you can achieve self-interest without proper effort.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan-Aug.29

Religion: Blending of Morality and Spiritualism

Let us try to simplify this mystifying jargon about unity and duality. It is from a single elemental entity that these diverse forms which we see and sense have emanated. Duality appears real because we have lost sight of the fundamental unity that pervades the diverse-looking creation. This is an obvious illusion which pundits call maya. Living ever in the awareness of the fundamental unity, the true Reality, is to overcome this illusion. Illusion is the product of imagination, and can only be dispelled by correcting the imagination, by living in the company of those who are ever aware of the single Reality, God.
How can we belong to God? By giving up what made us part company with Him: maya. After all, maya is the handmaid, the creature, of God; so submit unreservedly to God, so that you will not get into the clutches of maya. Maya works through desire and doubt; these fail in assailing one who is ceaselessly in nama-smarana.
Nama, God's name, is changeless, but His forms are changeful. Form does not mean only the visible shape, it includes all that the mind and imagination can envisage. Nama has no equivalent, it is immaculate, unique. What is perfect is satisfying, that is, it gives peace, which means lack of upsets and disturbances. That philosophy, that religion, alone is acceptable which definitely yields contentment. Religion is true blending of right behaviour or morality and spiritualism.
Man's desire for more and more physical comfort leads to devising more and more amenities. Experience shows that this is an insatiable search that never yields contentment; on the contrary, it whets the desire for yet more amenities, a dissatisfaction in life, and destroys peace of mind. Knowledge which can only secure employment must be imperfect. It can only provide means of sustenance; the study and knowledge which bring peace and contentment are quite a different thing; so what is popularly known as 'education' need not be given paramount or undue importance.
Looking at the misery prevailing in this world, one may well doubt whether happiness, contentment, joy, can ever be found. The doubt, however, is baseless, for, on festive occassions we do assume, for the time being, utter freedom for worry. The only thing to do is to continue the worry-free attitude for all time.

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 28th Aug.

Maya Obscures Eternal Joy

That which makes things look what they are not, is maya. Maya is perishable; it is and it is not. The pleasure derived from sensual enjoyment is not lasting. It is common experience that sensual pleasures ultimately turn into suffering of one kind or another. Maya pushes us into the lure of sensual pleasure. To make one uneasy, dissatisfied, with the existing situation is the modus operandi of maya, and money is the main weapon. It is the business of maya to lure man away from God. Maya derives its power from God Himself; but when it debars us from understanding Him, it works as a deterrent; whereas when we realize its true nature and feel amused by it, it appears as His sportiveness. It becomes ineffective and disappears, for a person who dedicates himself, unifies himself with God. The wonder is that while realizing the mischief of maya, we play voluntarily into its hands.
The way of the world is to deny God, or to connive at Him; let us avoid being carried away by it. One who submits himself to the current runs many kinds of risks; he may be dashed against a rock, be caught in a whirlpool, or be carried on and on, away from the destination. We have to fall into the stream, but, instead of drifting along with the current, we should brave it and swim to safety; this requires maintenance of constant awareness of God. A haunted person feels unceasingly the presence of the ghost; we should similarly ceaselessly feel the reassuring company of God as our sheet anchor. Improper thoughts may sneak into the mind despite the wakeful watch by the conscience; it is our duty to repel them by refusing to follow their lead. Thus discouraged and unsupported, they will ultimately give up their nefarious attempts.
The many relatives and friends and things that I am familiar with – these I call 'mine'; only, I hesitate to call God my own. This is the effect of maya.
A pleader pleads a cause in a court of law as if the case were his own; however, he views the case only objectively, with a subjective detachment from the final judgement. We should similarly look upon prapancha as a task and a duty, and be unmoved by the sweet or bitter fruits thereof. Won or lost as the case may be, the advocate gets the fee agreed upon; so, too, in prapancha we get only the destined result.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 27th Aug.

True Happiness is Independent of Cause

There is evidently a joy in being alive. How, then, is it that we suffer misery? The reason is that we become oblivious to the true objective of human life. We want things in order to make us happy, but instead of remaining the means they become the goal in life. All things in the world are perishable, impermanent, and therefore illusory. The gladness they bring is consequently, fleeting, momentary.
That everyone desires joyfulness is a clear indication that unification with God is a universal need; for God is the fountainhead and the storehouse of joy. We have contracted a habit of extracting joy from something; that is to say, keeping our joy dependent on something or other. Every person hankers for joy; but we seek to get it through the medium of prapancha, that is, through a medium fraught with misery. We should therefore learn to extract joy which exists by itself, not because of something else. Joy which comes because of something must necessarily be short-lived, because that something is itself short-lived.
In order to acquire supreme, causeless beatitude, one should practise to sit quiet, silent, actionless, for a while. This kind of purposelessness is really a very high achievement, far superior to being active. It is, indeed, far more difficult than action; for it signifies total unison with the Cosmic Spirit, complete annihilation of the pride of doership.
If you keenly yearn to be happy, then learn to be happy under all circumstances. If a desired thing does come about, you may feel contented, but not rapturous. Conversely, suppose there is someone who delights in vexing us; our reaction should not be one of annoyance; our joy should continue unbroken. To be doing our duty happily, unexpectantly, in the awareness of God, is the hall-mark of a fruitful human life.
Trust not people who try to dislodge your faith in nama. Listen not to sterile philosophy. Every repetition of nama is a reminder of God; so consider nama as the be-all and end-all of life. The omnipotence of nama will become apparent only to those who repeat it ceaselessly. Pilgrimages to holy places or to saints are not for acquiring material ends, but for acquiring undisturbable satisfaction, and nama-smarana is the infallible means to it.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 26th Aug.

True Happiness is Independent of Cause

There is evidently a joy in being alive. How, then, is it that we suffer misery? The reason is that we become oblivious to the true objective of human life. We want things in order to make us happy, but instead of remaining the means they become the goal in life. All things in the world are perishable, impermanent, and therefore illusory. The gladness they bring is consequently, fleeting, momentary.
That everyone desires joyfulness is a clear indication that unification with God is a universal need; for God is the fountainhead and the storehouse of joy. We have contracted a habit of extracting joy from something; that is to say, keeping our joy dependent on something or other. Every person hankers for joy; but we seek to get it through the medium of prapancha, that is, through a medium fraught with misery. We should therefore learn to extract joy which exists by itself, not because of something else. Joy which comes because of something must necessarily be short-lived, because that something is itself short-lived.
In order to acquire supreme, causeless beatitude, one should practise to sit quiet, silent, actionless, for a while. This kind of purposelessness is really a very high achievement, far superior to being active. It is, indeed, far more difficult than action; for it signifies total unison with the Cosmic Spirit, complete annihilation of the pride of doership.
If you keenly yearn to be happy, then learn to be happy under all circumstances. If a desired thing does come about, you may feel contented, but not rapturous. Conversely, suppose there is someone who delights in vexing us; our reaction should not be one of annoyance; our joy should continue unbroken. To be doing our duty happily, unexpectantly, in the awareness of God, is the hall-mark of a fruitful human life.
Trust not people who try to dislodge your faith in nama. Listen not to sterile philosophy. Every repetition of nama is a reminder of God; so consider nama as the be-all and end-all of life. The omnipotence of nama will become apparent only to those who repeat it ceaselessly. Pilgrimages to holy places or to saints are not for acquiring material ends, but for acquiring undisturbable satisfaction, and nama-smarana is the infallible means to it.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan -25 Aug.

The Purpose of Human Life is to Attain God

A dream appears an undoubtable reality while it lasts. So, too, this illusory world seems an unquestionable fact so long as God is not realized. Actually, that which stands the test of time, that is, what is eternal, can alone be called the truth. We can go towards that truth even if we only realize that we have missed the way. We cannot experience true contentment because our mind clamours for sensory interest; and where contentment is not realized we can conclude that we are following the wrong path. The large black ant sticks so tenaciously to a lump of sugar, that even if pulled off, it will not let go of the piece, no matter if it snaps at the head and neck. Equally tenaciously do we stick to sensual pleasures and aspirations. Those who learn from experience and sagacious thought give up all hankering for satisfaction of the senses; and it is such people who realize the futility of the pleasures of the senses.
What is the basic cause of our discontent? It can be traced to the desire to have something, be something, different from what is today. A thing can never be found in a place where it is not, no matter how assiduously you search for it. Real contentment rests only with God.
The fact is that our mind is completely preoccupied with circumstances, and cannot, therefore, remain steady at all, and that is what upsets its contentment. Dissatisfaction with the existing leads him to doing something, which invariably lands him into trouble. It is best, therefore, to learn to be happy in what is, rather than hanker after what is not.
Man generally becomes contented when he succeeds in accomplishing the mission undertaken. That one does not find contentment dearly indicates that one's objective has been misunderstood, mistaken. That our strenuous effort does not yield satisfaction evidently shows that the objective of sense pleasures is wrong, that true contentment is to be found in God, that to attain Him will alone yield contentment. The mind, therefore, should be firmly fastened to Him; it should think of Him; the sadhaka should keep in nama-smarana, talk only of His noble qualities and deeds. Let no other thought enter the mind. The desire to unite with God is the objective of human life.

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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 24th Aug.

Joy and Contentment Always Accompany Saints

Saints sometimes feign ignorance although in reality they are omniscient. Saints, indeed, are difficult to make out from their external appearance or behaviour. They can be known only by one who is completely dedicated to God or one who lives in the prescribed sadhana. A saint can be recognized by one who has completely vacated his mind of all earthly desires and interests, and who has become totally blind to defects in others. A saint is like the flower of the green champaka; its haunting scent spreads far and wide, but the flower remains hidden in the green foliage of the parent bush. Similarly, felicity and contentment are unmistakably found where there is a saint, but he defies discovery because he lives outwardly like a common man.
We prattle glibly about philosophical matters while the saint silently lives philosophy. Saints stay unmoved even in trying circumstances. They are free of all doubt about God, while our minds are constantly shrouded in doubt. It is therefore that they live in changeless contentment while we grope in discontent. To remove this doubt we must alter our mental frame.
True companionship with a saint is only realized when we learn to like what he likes. The pride of doership is the basic cause of the limitations that the individual soul experiences; to get free of that pride is the real way to belong to the sadguru.
A sadhaka is an aspirant; he is likely sometimes to be right, sometimes to go wrong; whereas a siddha is always right. The mortification of the senses is only a means, not the end; the real aim is to have a constant awareness of God.
Persons habituated to, interested in physical action, should first give up that interest by practicing to sit inactive in meditation, and acquire constant awareness of God. Failure in acquiring this awareness should not discourage or dissuade a person, but rather prompt him to fresh effort. In academic examinations, a failure naturally urges another attempt, but we often give up the spiritual quest if we do not succeed the first time. This is obviously unreasonable. God is truly like a father to us, just, but uncompromising; the saints, however, are like the mother, ever ready to condone, to pardon waywardness. The saints educate us by telling us about God. It behoves us to listen to them, to follow their advice.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 23rd Aug.

Reading : Need and Limits

The 'educated' man reads the scriptures, puranas, and saints' writings with great relish, and also narrates them enthusiastically to others. And yet he does not endear himself to God, because he merely talks about them, never acts up to them. Saints' works should be read as carefully as letters from near and dear ones, treasuring every word, and with a view to carrying out what is expressed in them; for the author writes in order that propositions expressed therein should be practiced. If it is a translation or a commentary, the writer will, knowingly or unknowingly, construe the original text according to his own view or interpretation; so the reader should always keep the original text in sight; to read the original text oneself is always the best. The text is like the mother's milk, while a translation is like the feed from a wet nurse.
With many, reading becomes a passion; much of it is not only futile but confusing. Indiscriminate reading particularly of newspapers is futile. Only he should read who clearly understands and digests what he reads. Others should read only with moderation.
What one reads should be absorbed thoroughly by contemplation. Reading is only profitable if accompanied by practice; the true meaning then becomes clear, and the sadhaka makes real progress. The reading of the basic philosophical books like the Upanishads, the Bhagavadgeeta, and such others, understanding their purport, is essential for a clear notion of the logical basis of our upasana. The Bhagavadgeeta, indeed, can be considered the basis, the mother of treatises on philosophy. It correlates and coordinates worldly life and spiritual life, performance of duty and renunciation. We should bear this in mind when studying it. Philosophy is of no use unless put into practice. Anything that is accepted or proved as wholesome must be acted upon in practical life.
Suppose we are walking by the highway to go to a certain place. We meet a knowledgeable person who points out a foot path or a cart-track which is a much shorter route. We take that path and reach the destination much sooner. Similarly, if on the spiritual path we are obstructed or halted by an unknown defect, or by a recalcitrant mind, a book like the Bhagavadgeeta often offers a useful corrective. We thereby become aware of the defect; and this is the first step in the process of reformation.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 22th Aug..

Reading : Need and Limits

The 'educated' man reads the scriptures, puranas, and saints' writings with great relish, and also narrates them enthusiastically to others. And yet he does not endear himself to God, because he merely talks about them, never acts up to them. Saints' works should be read as carefully as letters from near and dear ones, treasuring every word, and with a view to carrying out what is expressed in them; for the author writes in order that propositions expressed therein should be practiced. If it is a translation or a commentary, the writer will, knowingly or unknowingly, construe the original text according to his own view or interpretation; so the reader should always keep the original text in sight; to read the original text oneself is always the best. The text is like the mother's milk, while a translation is like the feed from a wet nurse.
With many, reading becomes a passion; much of it is not only futile but confusing. Indiscriminate reading particularly of newspapers is futile. Only he should read who clearly understands and digests what he reads. Others should read only with moderation.
What one reads should be absorbed thoroughly by contemplation. Reading is only profitable if accompanied by practice; the true meaning then becomes clear, and the sadhaka makes real progress. The reading of the basic philosophical books like the Upanishads, the Bhagavadgeeta, and such others, understanding their purport, is essential for a clear notion of the logical basis of our upasana. The Bhagavadgeeta, indeed, can be considered the basis, the mother of treatises on philosophy. It correlates and coordinates worldly life and spiritual life, performance of duty and renunciation. We should bear this in mind when studying it. Philosophy is of no use unless put into practice. Anything that is accepted or proved as wholesome must be acted upon in practical life.
Suppose we are walking by the highway to go to a certain place. We meet a knowledgeable person who points out a foot path or a cart-track which is a much shorter route. We take that path and reach the destination much sooner. Similarly, if on the spiritual path we are obstructed or halted by an unknown defect, or by a recalcitrant mind, a book like the Bhagavadgeeta often offers a useful corrective. We thereby become aware of the defect; and this is the first step in the process of reformation.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 21 Aug.

Happiness Lies within Us
Happiness rises from within ourselves; it cannot come from the world around. Attempts to extract it from outside of ourselves is therefore doomed to failure. The world is what you make of it; it depends on how you look on it. The electric lights in the house are operated by switches. If the source of electricity develops a fault, no manipulation of the switches will operate the lights unless and until the fault at the source is set right. Similarly, it is no use seeking happiness from things and persons unless you yourself adopt a cheerful, generous attitude to the world. The water of the oceans is brinish in taste all over. So, too, the people in the world are similar all over. Therefore, our happiness is a mathematical function of our own attitude, not of other persons or things.
The sole way, therefore, is to adapt our attitude to the world. God has gifted man with the unique faculty of discrimination. Making full use of this faculty, we should adopt good things and disregard unwholesome things and thoughts. It may not be easy for many to do whatever is good. The royal road to happiness, therefore, is to use the faculty of discrimination and accordingly, do things, as far as possible, which are wholesome, and avoid those that are otherwise, and to think of God all the while. To expect happiness from other persons or worldly things is fundamentally unreasonable. On the one hand, we do not toe the line with the world because it is sinuous and unpredictable; nor, on the other, do we determinedly walk in the way of God; how, then, can we expect happiness? So look for it within yourself, and not where it lies not.
The Lord, recounting His various manifestations in the world, cites the mind as one of them. Therefore we cannot reorient the mind without the assistance of God. So attach yourself fast to God, and rest contented. Keep the mind ceaselessly fixed on God, and contentment will automatically follow. Worldly opulence and grandeur never bring true contentment, because everyone lacks one thing or another and that he feels, is something that is necessary to complete his happiness. Remember that God gives enough to everyone to fill his needs; and it is for us to feel contentment with whatever comes.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 20th August

A Slave to Sensual Pleasures

The body is the abode of all unhappiness, and a body in pain or illness is the climax of suffering. Body and pain are, indeed, inseparable, as are sugar and its whiteness. Even an able-bodied person cannot forget pain as a possibility. Just as the body has a shadow, equally unavoidable is the presence or possibility of illness. Even divine incarnations like Rama and Krishna had ultimately to discard the body. One cannot guarantee the well-being of one's own body; and yet people lament over the death of a person. The threat of illness always makes one uneasy. The body has to bear pain itself; there is no proxy, nor can one take over another's pain as proxy.
Whatever one has done so far has been in the interest of prapancha, that is, the body and matters related to it, or, in other words, sensual interests. Worldly authority of one kind or another, children, wealth, worldly action, popular acclaim – these are but different forms of sensual selfishness, and they invariably lead to sorrow. Every effort made so far has aimed at one earthly gain or another, imagining that it would bring one type of pleasure or another, but they are all illusory.
We should always remember that people are selfish by nature; not only they are basically not grateful for favours done, but quite likely to snarl if, on an occasion, we do not oblige them. Attachment to prapancha is no less perilous than clasping fire to the bosom. Naturally, therefore, all the trouble we have taken so far has failed to produce the happiness we strove for. However deep we probe into worldly activities, we shall never discover the pure, lasting happiness that we look for. Failure, sorrow, can be the only outcome.
Therefore we never come across nor hear of a person who has achieved lasting bliss through any worldly means. It is common experience that one has to adopt a servile attitude to one from whom we expect something; and one who becomes servile to sensual pleasures naturally loses true happiness. We get the fruit of the plant that we assiduously water and manure. Worldly life and sensuous pleasures are what we strive for; how can this yield contentment? A bitter fruit will not taste sweet however much you roll it in sugar; so, too, sensuous pleasures can never yield lasting happiness.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 19th August

Do You Feel a Desperate Need for God?

A certain man started on a journey, well-equipped with the things he expected to need. Being a habitual betel leaf and tobacco chewer, he carried those accessories, too. After a while the train started, he took out the tobacco kit and proceeded to making ready the chew when, to his chagrin, he discovered that the lime box had been left out. He repeatedly searched his baggage but failed to find it. His longing for the chew whetted, he was almost beside himself; when he heard the sound of anything dropping on the floor, he thought it was the lime box. When anyone made as if to speak, he imagined that it was to ask if he wanted lime. How desperate one feels when one desires a certain thing with real longing!
Do we want God with the same degree of desperation? There are a hundred things about which we know the minutest detail – the wife and children and other things animate and inanimate; have we ever felt equally keen about the gods we worship every day? In this state of affairs, how can we expect love for God to arise in ourselves?
If we are really keen for the love of God, we must give up our great regard for worldly things and affairs. Not that we should disregard them and neglect practical needs and duties, but the keen attraction that we feel today for sensual pleasures and conveniences should be applied instead to God. There should arise a burning need for God, who should be a sine qua non for living.
Constant or frequent association leads to love, and love leads to yearning. This is a matter of common experience. For instance, we meet a congenial co-passenger in a journey; we sit with him, talk with him, perhaps share the meal with him. When his station arrives and he prepares to get off the train, we feel sorry to have to part, we express regret for briefness of the companionship. Far much more love will ensue if we keep constant company of nama. So maintain constant repetition of nama, and entrench yourself in the conviction that you are nobody, that it is God who is the doer in all happenings. Even what happens through you is prompted by Rama. He will surely rush to your succour if you earnestly call on Him to do so.


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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 18th August

Surrender to Rama as the Sole Support

That life in the world needs thinking of God as the basis, is amply evident. If one only looks to one's own experience, one will have to agree that all the grandeur and prosperity of today can only be attributed to Rama's grace. We should therefore always remember that everything that happens is by His direction and will, that we should feel neither pride nor regret of doership of anything. If a feeling of pride does crop up, recollect Rama, and He will see that, that feeling is overcome. Pride of doership rears its head in times of 'success' or pleasing happenings, while, in times of undesired happenings, 'fate' comes in handy for blame. So take care that the feeling of pride is completely destroyed. The Lord cannot be propitiated so long as there is the smallest vestige of pride of doership. So think of Rama at all times, in all actions.
He is ever happy who attributes all doership to Rama; while one who takes doership on himself is paving the way to misery sooner or later. So let us ascribe everything to Rama and enjoy contentedness. Surrender utterly to Him, and thus freed, go through life with a light heart. Ask Him for nothing but love for nama-smarana.
Rest contented in the conviction that whatever happens is by God's will. Be not disgusted with unpleasant happenings, nor elated with pleasant ones. This will gradually wear out the desire for or against anything, and efface all feeling of self-importance. So, I exhort you, put implicit faith in Rama. In utmost humility, vow to be happy in whatever circumstances He places you. He is ever eager ,to help us, but we, in self- pride, think it below dignity to ask His help. He can most certainly grant anything you can possibly ask for; but I would caution you to ask for nothing that may go against your ultimate good.
Ramadasa Swami acquired the appellation 'Samartha' because he became an unreservedly devoted servant of Rama. One who ceases looking up to worldly esteem and dedicates himself to the service of Rama will easily rule over the world. Old persons should dedicate themselves to upasana, while younger people should make it a point never to miss doing their duty, and keep constant awareness of God; this is the surest, the sole means of becoming contented.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 17th August.

Firm Faith is a Powerful Force

If we keep firm faith in God while doing our duty conscientiously, we need never have any occasion for pain, sorrow, or regret. This firm faith has helped so many people and seen them through trying circumstances.
The greatest advantage of saguna-bhakti is that the approach being through love, our emotions experience an upsurge when we bow at the feet of Rama. At such moments we should earnestly pray to Him, saying, "O Rama, I now have no ally, no support, but You; so now call me Yours. Doubtless I am the home of drawbacks and defects, but pray do not discard me on that count, for, unworthy as I may be, I approach You with utter surrender."
We must possess the patience, the tolerance, that can only come from firm faith in God. Such a person will ever be trusted by the whole world. People will even set God aside and adore such a person. Worldly life led in firm faith in God is bound to be replete with happiness. Grieve not about what happened yesterday, nor worry about what may come tomorrow; live joyfully, unconcernedly, in the present, doing your duty; whenever you can withdraw your mind from the humdrum of life do so, and devote yourself to nama-smarana, eschewing idle talk.
For one who is immersed in love for God no advice or precept is necessary. Nowhere in the puranas is a mention of Lord Krishna having delivered to the gopis any philosophical discourse. There was never a need, for the gopis were steeped in the love of the Lord. Such love can be obtained only by nama-smarana. So, I say, live in nama and enjoy contentment and bliss in life. Take my word for it, God will shower His grace on you.
The activities we indulge in pursuit of worldly pleasures only yield mixed happiness and pain. Progeny, wealth, prosperity of various kinds, respect in the world, acquisition of material knowledge – these and such other things can never yield unalloyed, permanent bliss and contentment. The twin-sided coin of pleasure and pain will be our invariable lot. One who lives in ceaseless nama-smarana, one who is unaware of anything else, is ever supported by God. He alone can be called a true theist who is entrenched in the firm conviction that God is the real doer.

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Sri Brahmachaitany Pravachan 16th August

Nama Alone Can Lead to True Contentment

Man commits an error or sin, and implores God for pardon. It is evidently futile to expect such pardon if the sin is persisted in. Pardon is almost taken for granted; if the significance of the word pardon is properly understood the word would not be used so lightly. It is plainly an attempt to cheat God, who, however, sees everything, including our innermost thoughts. God is so great, indeed, that He cannot be encompassed by our logical argument nor our puny intellect. He can only be propitiated by utter submission; and I would exhort you to adopt such submission. Contentment is entirely independent of external circumstances. Reading the scriptures, committing book after book to memory, listening to learned discourses, none of these can give contentment unless put into practice. Nama is a necessary complement. So, completely surrender yourself to God, and repeat His name with love and persistence. A moneyless pilgrim of Pandharpur was trudging wearily on the way to that place when a motor car drew up. Seated inside was an obviously rich man, with liveried servants. The party, it seemed, was also bound to the same place. The poor pilgrim thought to himself, 'Here I am, devout and sincere, making my way with difficulty, while this man, grown rich with his dishonest dealings, rides in a luxurious car! How unjust of you, O Lord!' Just then the car door opened, and out came the 'rich' man, supporting himself with great difficulty, leaning on two of his servants because he was lame. Then it occurred to the poor pilgrim that it was better by far to be poor and to have two sound legs to trudge on, rather than be rich and lame and drive in a car. Generally we fancy that a man who has something that we lack must be happier than ourselves. This is evidently a fallacious fancy, for the other man may be having a handicap unimagined by us. And if the other man thinks that he is happy with his possession, he may well be under a delusion, like a drunken fellow. To be contented with the prevailing situation is the only way to loosen the grip of the attractions of the world. Let us therefore accept whatever situation it pleases God to keep us in; this will definitely hold the upsurge of both pleasure and pain in check. * * * * *

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 15th August

A Contented Mind Signifies Divine Grace

Our body is made of the five primal elements. We should realize which of these is my true self, the true 'I'. It is clear that 'I' is not, unlike these elements, perishable. The real 'I' comes from the eternal Cosmic Soul, and therefore this 'I' tries to return to the original Reality, to recover the eternal existence, together with its unfailing state of happiness. When we feel devoid of this happiness, we can conclude that there is something wrong somewhere. God created man with a seed of His own potential in him, in order to perfect an imperfect and unhappy world. This could be done if We know what detracts from the innate happiness. When we know that a certain road is infested by highwaymen, we travel with a certain preparedness. One who is a true devotee is undaunted by obstacles; he does not mind trouble, for he works for God. An actor may play the part of a king in a drama, but cannot, in his heart of hearts, forget that he is a hireling. Similarly, we should play our part in the world with full awareness of our true position. We, however, fall a prey to the illusion that material things are lasting, and, getting ensnared into attachment for them, attach unjustified importance to self-pride. Also, we imagine that happiness lies in something that we do not possess, and therefore pine for what is not. We crave for evanescent sensual pleasures, and are pained when we discover their shallowness. He is truly wise who realizes the intrinsic value of things. Pundits and scholars talk about paramartha in bombastic terms and scare the common man into feeling that paramartha is a thing beyond his reach. This feeling is obviously fallacious. Paramartha is, indeed, essential, even indispensable, for every human being. It encompasses all branches of knowledge, just as the many rooms in a house are covered by a single roof. The shastras prescribe rules to be observed, the object being to discipline the mind and body. Add nama to this, and forge a link which puts you directly in touch with God. Remember that man is born, not for perishable worldly objectives but for nothing less than the attainment of the Eternal Reality, and its attribute of pure, permanent bliss, and lasting and unperturbable contentment. To live in nama- smarana is the easiest way to realize that condition. * * * * *

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 14th August

Eternal Bliss Resides Only in God

Every human being is struggling for happiness; there is no exception to this. Why is it, then, that nobody achieves it? The simple reason is that the search is being conducted where happiness cannot exist. It exists only in God. One must first ardently yearn for Him, and that yearning only comes from nama-smarana. We should rivet the mind to the attainment of God, leaving the body to float on the current of destiny. As destiny directs, the body and the course of worldly affairs may meet with happiness or unhappiness; they may have a smooth course, or meet with troubled waters and appear about to sink. The mind will be unshaken in its state of happiness and peace, if it is fixed on God.
I know you people are righteous-minded, and practise nama-smarana, and I feel sorry that you do not succeed in having genuine, firm love for nama. Everyone should introspect to discover what is it that precludes such love? Can you ascribe it to circumstances?
It appears that man sets store more by material means and things that are supposed to conduce to happiness rather than by happiness itself. Material things being perishable, the pleasure they yield is also short­lived. True happiness should be independent of things and cause. So we should pray God for permanent happiness, not for material things.
A railway station was famous for excellent fruits. A passenger alighted to buy some, and started haggling about the price. No thinking man will continue to haggle beyond the halting time of the train. Similarly, we may run after material things but not let the more valuable, permanent, spiritual gains be missed. Resolve to maintain anusandhana at all costs. To do this is to go counter to the way of the common world. It is an art to do prapancha efficiently and yet maintain anusandhana. The true devotee is an adept in this art; therefore he lives immersed in God, and finds true joy in the world. Let us, too, leave the bodily pleasures and pains to destiny, and try to do nama-smarana with persistence and sincerity. This will bring a balanced mind, with the help of which one may easily wade through the mire of worldly life and still be unscathed.


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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 13th August.

Bodily Pleasures and Pain, and Spiritual Joy

You should, in your own interest, try to help others whenever you can. It will be fallacious to argue that you had rather leave them to suffer whatever God has ordained for them. That you cannot go contrary to His will is always fully true, but your attempt to help him is beneficial for your own self, because to that extent it wears down your 'body-am-I' feeling. What you do may or may not avail to the person concerned, according to God's will, but it will definitely count as your service to God. Suppose I ask you to nurse a sick person, you will do it very willingly, probably even enthusiastically, in obedience to your guru's behest. Why should you not take in the same light the illness or other troubles which God sends for you yourself? The difficulty is that you do not have the conviction that whatever He does is bound to prove good for you. Is it not highly improper to ask Him to remove the troubles that He has Himself sent to you? Also, since prarabdha cannot be by-passed, is it not wise to square the account right now rather than wish it to be merely deferred? Again, bodily pain and mental suffering being distinct from each other, the former should not detract from the mental or spiritual joy. Only he can live in peace who lives in God, that is, in nama-smarana. Therefore, one who wants contentment and joy should remain in ceaseless nama-smarana and anusandhana, that is, awareness of God. What is anusandhana, in essence? It simply means relating all your actions and thoughts to God; sleeping, sitting, rising, doing nama-smarana, reading, talking in earnest or joking, everything, in fact, including even breathing; this will bring you closer to God. One whom I have accepted as mine, I may help even in his prapancha, but certainly not to the extent that prapancha will engross his interest and strangle his ardor for paramartha. If I don't fulfill all his expectations, he may complain, may whine and whimper, even his faith in me may be shaken, but he will survive it all, and eventually come back to nama. The seed of nama-smarana is bound to sprout and flourish sooner or later. Awareness of God nullifies the snares of maya. Where there is maya, self-pride, God will not be found. * * * * * AUGUST 13

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 12th August

Peace of Mind Comes only by Nama-smarana

An unperturbable peace of mind is the prime sign of a saint. Peace is disturbed not by external circumstances but by internal instability on account of selfishness. There can be no peace where there is duality, a feeling of being different from God. A feeling of one-ness with God gives real peace of mind; this is the very foundation of all spiritual quest.
Wealth and popular acclaim are both transitory, and the sense of security and pleasure they may give are equally short-lived. Two things destroy peace of mind: regrets over the past, and anxiety about the future. When we firmly realize the futility of either, knowing that both are as God dispenses them, then there remains no reason for losing peace and contentment.
Another necessary thing to obtain stability of mind is good, virtuous conduct. In its absence, there can be no peace; remorse will kill it. If we remember always that God is omniscient, that he is a witness not only to every act but also to every thought, there will be no possibility of an improper action. Virtuous, dutiful action is the very foundation of spiritual progress.
There was once a sadhu who was completely attuned to God, immersed in Him. A kindly passer-by found him sitting, with the blazing sun fiercely beating on him in the face. He picked the sadhu up and put him under a tree in a neighbouring farm. In a short while people started coming there to see the sadhu and the throng hindered the ploughing work of the farmer, so he picked up the sadhu and placed him in the shade elsewhere. The sadhu was, all the while, utterly unperturbed, being fully occupied in contemplation. So what is required for peace is not quiet circumstances but freedom of mind from anxiety, uncomplaining acceptance of God's will, and absence of doership.
Kings have fought; won or lost, ruled and died, and passed into oblivion; but the names of saints not only live on but endure on the lips of everyone, because the saints were embodiments of peace. How can such peace be acquired? By nothing but ceaseless remembrance of the Lord, by unquestioning faith that everything that happens is by His will. Peace disturbed by the crossing of our desire or expectation will soon be restored if we immediately resort to nama-smarana.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan 11th Aug.

         Contentment is Found Only in God 
What appeals to our sense of logic and also tallies with our experience, can be accepted as the truth, disregarding opposing thought or advice. For this we must be sure that our logical faculty is reliable and experience broad-based. In today's world we find that thoughts and intellect can be easily swayed; to maintain them against persuasion or opposition is by no means easy. Even right-minded persons may have their opinions challenged, modified, reversed. I do not ask you to accept a statement merely because it appears in the scriptures, nor because I make it. But I put it to you, consider your own experience, and decide whether you wish for real contentment; and you will arrive at the conclusion that such real contentment is not to be found anywhere but in God, the Supreme Being. If so, determine that you will stick to this conviction, come what may. I shall narrate to you a true incident illustrating what firm determination can achieve. In a certain town there lived a man of about sixty, who employed his bright brain in deriding others, by putting disconcerting questions. Once a visiting sadhu was delivering a highly interesting address on devotion, and the audience was listening with rapt attention, when this man suddenly rose and put an utterly irrelevant question: 'Sir,' he said, 'instead of talking about futile theoretical things like God and devotion, tell me about a matter of close concern; when will this country achieve political independence?' The sadhu calmly replied, 'We'll talk about it later, but tell me, now you are pretty advanced in age, and there is no knowing when death may pounce on you; have you ever thought of achieving independence from the thousand and one bonds that will have to be severed, and the bodily ailments you may have to face, when death finally closes His clutches on you?' This counter-question not only silenced him, but set him thinking. He called on the sadhu later and said, 'I had never thought about those crucial points before; but now tell me what I ought to do.' The sadhu said,' Eschew talking for two years, and engage yourself in ceaseless nama-smarana.' He followed the injuction resolutely, and when, after two years he met the sadhu again, he said with tears in his eyes, "Sir, intense nama-smarana has given me thorough contentment, and now I need nothing more". * * * * *

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Aug 10

What is Paramartha in Essence

Everyone who is solicitous about his own interest, I exhort you to listen to what I say. I feel true attachment for whoever is a devotee of Rama; I regard him as a genuine friend. My sole object in life is to guide everyone to what is in his ultimate interest. Life is meaningless if it does not exist for Rama. Once you dedicate yourself to me, I take it upon myself to look after you, to shoulder your worries and anxieties. You may rest contented. Have no worry about the end, for I undertake to see you successfully through. When I say I have taken you unto me, you should feel easy, disburdened, reassured. Trust in me, God will surely give you the cover of His mercy. My followers can depend on me to be by their side, wherever they may happen to be; I give this assurance confidently, in the name of the Lord. Know that I am present in your joy; do not drive me away by harbouring misery in the mind. One who maintains constant awareness of God, sees Him everywhere, and loves nama dearly, the Lord is with him everywhere, all the time. If you do what I have asked you to do, I guarantee that Rama will take you into the folds of His grace. All palpable things must eventually perish, cease to exist in visible form. My own physical body is also subject to this rule of nature; but my last wish, my parting message is, "Never quit nama while you breathe." Do this, and Rama will undoubtedly shower His grace on you. Remain always contented, free of pleasure, pain, anxiety. I am ever by your side, for I am contentment incarnate. My sole desire, all my effort, is to unite you with Rama. In practice you will have to behave as circumstances demand, but at heart rest in utter surrender to Rama, and be inseparable from nama. This, and this alone, will lead you to contentment. I would exhort you again and again to be detached and discriminating at heart. Be devoted to God, attain to realization of the true nature of the Cosmic Soul, be in ceaseless awareness of it, and be ever attached to nama. I repeatedly assure you that I am ever there to back you up, so never lose courage. * * * * *

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan -Aug.9

Fortunate is He who is ever Contented


A person who has minimum wants is really rich; while one who always wants this, that, and the other, is in reality poor. The spiritual seeker is never a beggar, though his possessions may be few; contentment bespeaks immeasurable riches in the true sense. We treat money as our mainstay; it is, actually, so volatile, so undependable. How can we raise a durable edifice on shaky footings?
The financially rich should always remember that one cannot be truly rich without faith in God, and that contentment of soul is true wealth, true good fortune. The more stable the contentment, the more fortunate the person. Contentment cannot be given by one person to another, it has to be cultivated by each one himself. When one eschews all anxiety, one automatically gets peace of mind, contentment, and bliss.
The splendour obtained by the possession of mere money is only apparent, like the plumpness of a diabetic. True contentment can only come from complete trust in God. It cannot exist in a royal palace, nor may it be found in every hovel. The disease of dissatisfaction is so universal that it does not even figure in the list of diseases. There has undoubtedly been a tremendous advance in the amenities of life, and yet human life continues to suffer from the pestering of mental dissatisfaction. What is the good of all this, 'advancement' if it cannot make man contented? Peace and steadiness of mind should be the objective of all advancement, and this can only be attained by faith in the Divine. The present way of thinking is only speculative, not based on true experience, and is sterile in imparting contentment to society and the individual.
Every person should yearn to rediscover and recover his true self. Anyone who lives without faith in God is bound to be caught in the maelstrom of pain and so-called pleasure; for, what we term "pleasure" is not genuine happiness but only a small and temporary lessening of pain. From pauper to prince, every person seeks gratification of one desire or another; that is to say, everyone is in want of one thing or another. No one stops to recall that what he has today is something that yesterday he was hankering for to complete his happiness. The only thing that guarantees contentment and genuine happiness is surrender to God and nama-smarana.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Aug.8

Nama Alone can Identify the Form of God

Devotion for God is definitely superior to the dry-as-dust, infertile, pedantic knowledge of God acquired through book-study; for devotion means love of the highest, purest order. Devotion, indeed, is the end, while Karma, Jnyana, and Yoga are the three different approaches. In the Karma approach, the mind pays attention to meticulous performance of procedures, and the sadhaka becomes rigidly orthodox, with scant regard to the essence, namely, God. The advocate of Yoga has to try to control the mind and its tendencies. This produces a vacancy of mind which may be devoid of love for God.
In the approach through knowledge, the emphasis is on the consideration of the subtle distinction between the spiritual and the non-spiritual. Such consideration calls for a keenly intellectual approach which may be beyond the scope of many persons. Besides, maya, the enveloping ignorance, is so potent a force that there is no knowing when a person may unwarily be misled, and become a prey to pride, because he is most likely to be entrenched in his set of opinions and convictions. The person versed in the shastras conceives creation as the activity of maya; that is, as unsubstantial. Since the Elemental Reality is all-pervading, and since creation is part of that Reality, argues the devotee, creation is but the sportive activity of the Elemental Reality. Therefore, he sees it as an expression of its prowess, Its personality, Its irrepressible, ebullient bliss. Creation is basically identical with what it is created from. All the various forms that we see in nature are made of what we may term the Original Element or Reality, just as different earthen pots are made by a potter from the same original clay. We identify them by different names according to their sizes and shapes, such as cups, saucers, jugs and pitchers. Similarly, the same God can be given different appellations according to the forms and deeds viewed by different persons. These eventually become traditional. Whatever the names used the qualities, the forms and the deeds ascribed are the manifestations of the same God. It is the name, that raises the idea of form. The forms may eventually cease to be visible, but the name, that remains for ever. Nama thus transcends space and time. It is therefore truer than apparent forms. To recognize this Ultimate Truth is the purpose of spiritual quest.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Aug.7

Nama Alone can Identify the Form of God

Devotion for God is definitely superior to the dry-as-dust, infertile, pedantic knowledge of God acquired through book-study; for devotion means love of the highest, purest order. Devotion, indeed, is the end, while Karma, Jnyana, and Yoga are the three different approaches. In the Karma approach, the mind pays attention to meticulous performance of procedures, and the sadhaka becomes rigidly orthodox, with scant regard to the essence, namely, God. The advocate of Yoga has to try to control the mind and its tendencies. This produces a vacancy of mind which may be devoid of love for God.
In the approach through knowledge, the emphasis is on the consideration of the subtle distinction between the spiritual and the non-spiritual. Such consideration calls for a keenly intellectual approach which may be beyond the scope of many persons. Besides, maya, the enveloping ignorance, is so potent a force that there is no knowing when a person may unwarily be misled, and become a prey to pride, because he is most likely to be entrenched in his set of opinions and convictions. The person versed in the shastras conceives creation as the activity of maya; that is, as unsubstantial. Since the Elemental Reality is all-pervading, and since creation is part of that Reality, argues the devotee, creation is but the sportive activity of the Elemental Reality. Therefore, he sees it as an expression of its prowess, Its personality, Its irrepressible, ebullient bliss. Creation is basically identical with what it is created from. All the various forms that we see in nature are made of what we may term the Original Element or Reality, just as different earthen pots are made by a potter from the same original clay. We identify them by different names according to their sizes and shapes, such as cups, saucers, jugs and pitchers. Similarly, the same God can be given different appellations according to the forms and deeds viewed by different persons. These eventually become traditional. Whatever the names used the qualities, the forms and the deeds ascribed are the manifestations of the same God. It is the name, that raises the idea of form. The forms may eventually cease to be visible, but the name, that remains for ever. Nama thus transcends space and time. It is therefore truer than apparent forms. To recognize this Ultimate Truth is the purpose of spiritual quest.
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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Aug.6

God is Unalloyed, Changeless Bliss

Everyone seeks permanent joy, that is God, for God and bliss are inseparable, identical. God is indeed, the source and home of everlasting happiness. Happiness is a sine qua non for the very survival of every being.
What we style as 'joy' today is really only 'hope' of joy, an illusion never realized in practice. If everyone lives for joy, why is it that it is never obtained? Evidently, the goal and the means are at cross purposes. The fact is that we seek joy in the 'pleasure' we get through the medium of the senses. Now such joy can neither last nor be free from accompanying or eventual pain, like the 'kick' one gets from the use of liquor or other narcotic. The joy of all sensual pleasure is severely limited in degree and duration, and invariably accompanied by immediate or eventual pain, misery, disappointment, etc. All palpable things are impermanent, non­satisfying, and consequently, incapable of giving lasting happiness.
We expand, proliferate, and diversify our activities and interests, all for deriving happiness, but fail to achieve the objective. The bliss that is God is, like God Himself, permanent, unchangeable, independent of external cause, limitation, or interference. Consequently, to strive for acquiring mundane things as a means of happiness, is doomed to failure.
A smile or laughter is the outward expression of a joyful spirit. Joy independent of external cause shows the presence of God. Vairagya consists in abstaining from anything that would mar that pure joy, while vivek consists in doing that which will bring about, strengthen, or augment such joy. This pure joy is the mark of a mind which is happy and contented owing to deep pondering on and merging with the Universal Soul. Such pure, unruffled joy invariably stamps the life, talk, and behaviour of one whose love is universal and selfless; such a person delights in giving without even the thought of a return of one kind or another.
Truly speaking, divine bliss is innate in every heart; we have to rediscover it by removing the heavy pall of maya, or attraction of the mundane. Rest secure in the reassuring thought that you are insignificant, nobody, that Rama is all in all, and commit yourself completely to His caring, protecting hands.

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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Aug.5

The 'body-am-I' Feeling is Sheer Illusion

In the practical world, it is important to know who I am and what my duty is. It is equally important, in spiritual life, to know who I really am. If I speak of something as 'mine', the owner 'I' is definitely a different entity. When I talk of 'my' body, evidently the speaker 'I' is distinct from the body. When we say 'I have fever', or 'I am emaciated', we are obviously identifying ourselves with the body, and confusing matters. To identify oneself with the body, losing sight of the true 'I' is an illusion, and this creates experience of 'pleasure' and 'pain'. The fact that I detest 'pain' and welcome 'pleasure' clearly indicates that my original state must be one of joy, permanent joy. The water we bring in a jug from the flowing river must taste like the water from the river, because the two are identical; if it tastes different, we can confidently surmise that the jug must have been unclean. We may extend the analogy and say that, since the individual soul is part of the ever-blissful Cosmic Soul, it must be equally blissful; if it is not, if it experiences misery of any kind, this can only be ascribed to pollution in the form of the 'body-am-I' idea. Therefore the mind must be disabused of that notion. If we desire to stop the growth of a certain tree, it will not do merely to prune the foliage; we must stop watering the roots. The tree of our prapancha has flourished because it has been nourished by playing into the hands of ego, and it is this ego that needs to be eradicated. This can be achieved by discarding the pride of 'doership'. This pride is entirely unjustified, because the true doer is God, not we. True worship consists in cultivating the conviction that God is the true doer, not I. Pleasure and displeasure both vanish when the conviction that God is the doer gets indelibly inscribed on the mind. Such a mind possesses an unmistakable grandeur of contentment, and this, indeed, is the mark of saintliness. It is the attainment of this peaceful, undisturbable contentment that all sadhana aims at. Nama-smarana should be practised with the conviction that all doership rests with God. * * * * *

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Aug.4

Conquering Desire

A person may have a lot of knowledge, but wisdom comes only with experience. A book on philosophy can truly be said to have been read only if its dicta are put into practice. Philosophy that cannot be put into practice is not worth the name. Actual first-hand experience is true realization. One who surrenders himself to God and desires nothing, has the true knowledge even if he is illiterate. One who is after pedantic knowledge only pampers his personal pride. That does not mean, however, that one who is devoid of learning is free from pride; he, too, may have it, but he can be more easily cured of it. If an ignoramus is enjoined to surrender himself to a sadguru, he may obey without protest, without entertaining doubts and reservations.
There are numerous roads leading to Kashi; but if you want to go there you cannot do so without leaving home. Similarly, if you set out to attain God you cannot entertain desire of any kind except attainment of God. To eradicate or 'divinize' desire, one must maintain constant remembrance of God. One must keenly realize that attainment of God is the prime, the sole, aim of human life. Ponder day and night on this aim. You can belong to God if you resolve to belong to nothing else. We experience reverses if the mind surrenders to desire and seeks gratification in sense-pleasures;
It is not really so difficult to conquer desire. A pathologist takes the patient's blood and tests to find out what disease germs have affected it. Similarly we should, by introspection, find out what entices the mind. It is evidently foolish to desire for something that we cannot be sure of obtaining. So seek to conquer desire with proper thinking reinforced by nama. Pride of doership will then automatically vanish.
The flakes of snow as they fall are soft and crumbly; but in course of time they harden and become like rock. So also desire is basically soft and crumbly; with the aid of the 'body-am-I' feeling, it gradually hardens and becomes entrenched, difficult to dislodge.
The aspiration for God cannot be termed desire in the usual sense as it is not harmful in effect. Desire for God is beneficial; it is what remains after repeated sublimation of mundane desire. The only way to achieve this is by keeping God as the goal of life.

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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Aug.3

To Become One with God is to be Ever-happy

The joy in which a real devotee lives defies description in words; indeed, the word 'joy' ceases to signify anything where the very idea of pain or sorrow does not exist. That joy has to be experienced to be believed. The true devotee sees God in all creation, animate and inanimate; that is, sees himself everywhere, like a person standing in a hall of mirrors. In other words, one who is one with God, that is, with all creation, never experiences anything but joy; sorrow or pain can only exist in plurality. A devotee may be an ordinary human to all appearances, but he lives continuously in a state of joy. That is how Saint Tukaram lived, outwardly as a common householder, and Saint Ramadas managed national matters politically; both of them were, at heart, completely detached from the pains and failures of life, raising their followers to their own level.
We common persons have never seen the path of pure joy. If we now want to walk along that path, it is evidently profitable to follow the advice, the guidance, of one who has traversed that path, and who, in fact, basks in that joy; in other words, implicitly follow the sadguru, just as we meekly follow a reliable guide when we meet one along an unfamiliar way. That, evidently, is the easiest and safest thing to do.
A person may eat salt, mistaking it for sugar; he will, nevertheless, get the taste of salt. Similarly, we erroneously imagine that worldly things lead to lasting joy, and invariably land in trouble. We imagine that the more numerous the amenities and belongings, the greater the happiness of life; this is a delusion never realized in practice. True happiness is that which is eternal, undisturbed; it rests only with God, who is Himself eternal. We can become truly happy only if we live in God. Just as one has to eat sugar to obtain a sweet taste, one must repeat nama to realize happiness.
All through life we pursue the mirage of happiness, and it never becomes a reality. We strive for the wherewithals rather than for happiness itself, like spending everything for elaborations of the fencing rather than on the farm itself. We strive to obtain this, that and the other, all of which, in the hour of final exit from the world, we have to leave behind.

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Aug.2

Our Inner Being is Basically Blissful

It is incorrect to say that a thing that we very keenly desire will always fetch satisfaction. The royal road, the surest way, is to annihilate desire itself. So let us try to see how we can get rid of desire altogether. True, lasting joy and contentment can only come if we live for God. They come the moment we determine to treat God as the last, the only resort.
The more the attachment to worldly things, the deeper we sink into the mire of misery. Worldly pleasures come even without asking, only if your luck lies that way; we need neither beg nor pray for them. Once we decide on treating Rama as our sole support, we can shed all dread of worldly attractions. To live in never-failing trust in divine backing takes the sting out of worldly attractions; indeed, if we live in a constant awareness of God, we have full insurance against worldly temptations, for we will automatically be ever on guard against them.
We celebrate a festival with great e' clat, but as a day the festive day is in no way different from other days; the circumstances, dangers and difficulties of the previous day prevail unchanged. And yet, we momentarily connive at them and make the day festive. What we do then, can we not do every day? We should treat every day as a festive day by keeping a happy attitude. What we have to do is to live in God, the fountainhead of everlasting joy. This divine joy is so powerful that once we taste it we shall find that even the highest of pleasures in the world pale into utter insipidity. Bliss, indeed, is a characteristic of God. That we at all think of pain, sorrow, misery, is a marvel, for, that God is ever present within us. It happens because we ourselves prevent Him to disclose Himself; we smother His joyful presence with our ego. To discover the true nature of this ego, we have first to quieten the hubbub, the tumult of the senses, descend into our true selves, and look for joy; whereupon we find God the fountainhead of perennial bliss. This search is the real purpose of human life, and to merge into God is its true consummation. For one whose happiness is never disturbed, every day is a festive day.

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan Aug.1

Discovering True Bliss

Before this multifarious creation came into being, there existed a single entity, with nothing to disturb its peace and bliss. We, as part of the creation, naturally hanker to recapture that peace and bliss. But we also delight in doing something; we find inaction intolerable. Now and then, we feel beset with the travails, reverses, and disappointments of worldly life, and feel like retiring into solitude and peace, but these are only temporary fits. Blessed indeed is the person who disentangles himself from the multifarious vexations and upsets of worldly life and achieves unruffled peace of mind. The rest of us fail because we are reluctant to do what is required. We must cultivate a frame of mind which refuses to be upset at reverses; in other words, a mind devoid of desire of any kind. The thought that I do or do not desire should become foreign to our mind. So long as we entertain desire of any kind, we may be sure we are far from mental peace and bliss. Ambition one may entertain, but without staking mental peace. We should accept the outcome cheerfully, gracefully, as the verdict of God, acting without pride of self and doership; for, only that attitude can give peace to our mind. Ruminating on past deeds and happenings, whether pleasing or otherwise, and worrying about the future, both disturb peace of mind. This is evidently unnecessary if we once and for all accept everything as happening by divine will. To grieve and not to grieve both depend on the reaction of the mind; if the mind is properly trained, it can be peaceful, unmoved, even when the body is undergoing pain. In old age, in particular, a cheerful heart is beneficial even more than drugs for maintaining health. One who loves nama can be in peace and happy in any condition of the body; and one who enjoys this happiness can rest assured that Rama has taken him under His grace. There can be only one thing that we can truly bestow on the Lord, and that is our 'self'. To chant nama incessantly and be utterly unaware of one's 'self' and physical existence is true dedication to Him. The prapancha that I can truly call 'mine' is one that brings me true happiness. If my happiness rests on others it is only an illusion; for my agony and pain they cannot take over. Remembering nama alone stands me in good stead. * * * * *

Satsang a Day

ಶ್ರೀ ಸದ್ಗುರು ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚೈತನ್ಯ ಮಹಾರಾಜರ ನೂರನೇ ಆರಾಧಾನಾ ವರ್ಷ 

2013 ನೂರನೇ ಆರಾಧನಾ ವರ್ಷ. ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಶ್ರೀ ಮಹಾರಾಜರು ಶ್ರೀ  ವೆಂಕಣ್ಣಯ್ಯ ನವರಿಗೆ ದರ್ಶನಕೊಟ್ಟು ಗೋಂದಾವಳಿಗೆ ಕರೆಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಅನುಗ್ರಹ ನೀಡಿ ಹರಸಿ ಕಳುಹಿಸಿದ ನೂರನೇ ವರ್ಷವೂ ಆಗಿದೆ. ಚಿಂತಾಮಣಿಯ ಮಂದಿರದ ಭಕ್ತರಿಗೆ ಇದು ಒಂದು ವಿಶೇಷ.  ಅದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ, ಧ್ಯಾನಮಂದಿರದಲ್ಲಿ ಪೂಜ್ಯ ವೆಂಕಣ್ಣಯ್ಯನವರ ಒಂದು ವಿಗ್ರಹವನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ.  ಅದಲ್ಲದೆ, ಪ್ರತಿ ದಿನವೂ, ದಿನಕ್ಕೊಬ್ಬ  ಭಕ್ತರ ಮನೆಗೆ ಶ್ರೀ ಗುರು ಪಾದುಕೆಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಅರ್ಧ ಘಂಟೆ ಅನುಷ್ಠಾನ ಮಾಡಿಬರುವ ಸಂಕಲ್ಪ ಮಾಡಿ, ಈಗಾಗಲೇ, ನೂರು ಮನೆಗಳಿಗೂ ಮೀರಿದೆ. ಊರಿನ ಭಕ್ತರ ಪ್ರೋತ್ಸಾಹ , ಈ ವರ್ಷದ ಕೊನೆಯವರೆಗೂ , ದಿನಕ್ಕೊಬ್ಬರ ಮನೆಯಂತೆ, ಸತ್ಸಂಗ  ನಡೆಸಬೇಕೆಂಬ  ಮನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ನೀಡಿದೆ.  


Sri Sadguru Brahmachaitanya Maharaja's centennary Aradhana year - 2013.

2013 is the 100th Aradhana Year. This is also 100th year of the divine incident of Sri Maharaj appearing before Sri Venkannaiah in Malligere and asking him to go to Gondavale. Subsequently, this is the 100th year of Sri Maharaj initiating Sri Venkannaiah with tharak nam, asking him to construct a Ram Mandir and propagate Ram-nam.
To comemmorate this event, an idol of Sri G.Venkannaiah is installed in the Dhyana Mandir. Also, it was proposed to do Satsang at a devotee's house every day. Now, anushthan has beeen carried out in more than hundred houses, and it is hoped to continue this till the end of this year.  

Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan July 31

Dedication to God can Alone Lead to Happiness

We must have clear idea of our goal in life. It is God we want to attain, and that through the human body and through prapancha.
Sage Vasishtha advised Rama to be outwardly a man of the world but, inwardly, completely detached, disinterested. So we, too, should ever keep aware that we are a piece of the ever-blissful Cosmic Soul, though outwardly garbed as the human body. Just as we have to live with our feet on the earth, similarly no one can live without prapancha of one sort or another; but one who goes through it with the conviction that Rama is the doer is the detached one, whereas the one who assumes doership himself is a prapanchika, suffering from its pleasures and pains. Prapancha is bound to be imperfect, yielding pain as well as pleasure; Rama alone is perfect, and purely blissful. So always hold Him as the goal of life, adopting unbroken nama-smarana as the simple, universal means of attaining Him.
How hard do we toil to make prapancha happy and perfect, though everyone knows that it can never be so. Paramartha, on the other hand, is a 'cash-down' effort; you get an increasing degree of mental peace and contentment with the effort you put in. If we devote ourselves to prapancha throughout life, what else will stand uppermost in the mind when the moment of final departure comes? So, do not hanker after it. All worldly things and the pleasure they give are bound to end one day or the other, so study to be mentally detached from them. We can cultivate this outlook by thought and practice. Neither be elated with worldly gain, nor depressed with worldly loss. Leave the body to face its predestined pleasures and pains, bear both with mental equanimity. An easy, effective way to acquire this outlook is to submit totally to Rama; our prapancha, and indeed all creation, is owned by Him. Give to Him what is His, be content to be an instrument of His, absolving yourself of all proprietorship.
To ascribe all ownership and doership to Rama amounts to dedicating everything to Him. Ego, attachment, and passions, impart misery to prapancha; drive these out, and life becomes all bliss. Say to Rama, "Whatever you give is welcome to me," and contentment is yours for ever.


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Sri Brahmachaitanya Pravachan July 30

Saints Act with Faith in Doership of Rama

Where the ego is fostered and rules all actions, misery is bound to come sooner or later; this is the universal law. So I advise you that you should give up all idea of 'me' and 'mine', and dedicate yourself in subordination to God. And this should be genuine; if it is only a sham, pride will soon rise, and cause destruction. So, steady your thoughts, and generate deep love for nama. Saints go about in life with the conviction and constant awareness that God is the real doer. The true sadhaka should always be on guard in this respect. A hypocrite may deceive the world, but God cannot be so deceived if trust in Him is only faked. So, no matter how you may have behaved in the past, be careful henceforth. Treat another's wife as your mother; slander not others; look not at others to spot defects, but rather turn the searchlight on yourself. Foster virtue in yourself, and oust defects. This can be achieved if you practise to feel that God is ever about you. Do not delude yourself into believing that prapancha is a source of happiness; that it never is; but it is certainly a matter where we are to do it as a duty. In your heart of hearts, adhere to Rama. Adopt a practice or sadhana whereby you will move closer and closer to Him. If, on the other hand, you treat prapancha as the goal, you are heading for great disappointment and grief. One who looks on prapancha as his sheet–anchor for happiness, can never attain true contentment. So you, people of devotion and wisdom, listen carefully to what I have to say. Misguided thinking may be treated as the forerunner of evil company; but adhering to Raghupati will dispel all obstacles. So fortify your mind with consciousness of Rama. Just as it is futile to try to soften a wicked heart to mercy, so is the effort to eke out happiness from a feeling of hope of happiness from prapancha; it signifies a pampered ego. Live outwardly like an ordinary worldly-minded person; quit not the home and the family; only, avoid getting attached, mentally, emotionally, or in any other way, to any person or thing. Never be dejected or depressed, always be contented at heart, and look on nama with genuine love and faith. * * * * *