PART I
GENERAL ADVICE
1
– All this, which is His creation, is under His dispensation, in His presence and is He.
In whatever state He keeps anyone at any time it is all for the good, for verily everything is ordained by Him, is of Him.
Relative happiness, which is happiness depending on anything, must end in grief. It is man’s duty to meditate on God, Who is peace itself. Without having recourse to that which aids the remembrance of God there can be no peace .Have you not seen what life in this world is? The one to be loved is God. In Him is everything — Him you must try to find.
2
If anything is to be had — whatsoever, in whatever way — it must be had of Him alone.
Man’s bounden duty as a human being is to seek refuge at His Feet.
Days glide on; already you have let so many go by; anchored in patience endeavour to pass the few remaining.
3
Every moment belongs to God; Endeavour to keep your mind dedicated to His Feet. God, the Ocean -of Mercy, who ever blesses the world, pours out His grace at all times. It is incumbent on man to consider every¬thing that happens to be for the best: ‘For the best’ denoting what is most helpful towards the realization of the Divine, the realization of the fullness of Bliss.
4
The ceaseless, never-ending current of divine Mercy and Compassion ever flows forth; in that current one should bathe.
5
Who are the truly wealthy? Those who are possessed of the Supreme Treasure —they alone are really rich and live in abundance. Poor and destitute must be called the man in whose heart the remembrance of God abides not. To depend solely on Him is man’s one and only duty.
6
Verily, abounding sorrow is the essential characteristic of life in this world. Fix your mind on God.
7
The sovereign and universal remedy is the contemplation of the One. To think only of Him and to serve Him at all times is essential for every human being.
8
Let His Name be ever with you; imper¬ceptibly, relentlessly time is creeping away.
9
To concentrate only on Him, the remem¬brance of Whom brings release from all anxiety, is meet and right.
At all times, endeavour to sustain the con¬templation of God and the flow of His Name. By virtue of his Name all disease becomes ease.
10
Without the repetition of the Name and the remembrance of God, there is no hope of peace on earth. Let duty come first and foremost.
In Rama , who is the. dispeller of all sorrow, there is arama — rest and ease; where Rama is not, there is vyarama — discomfort and disease.
11
It is possible to practise God’s Name under the most adverse circumstances.. He causes everything to happen and is there¬fore ever near.
12
When you leave everything to Him Who is the Fountain of Peace, and then only may you hope for peace.
13
When the mind centres on what gives peace and one’s gaze dwells on what promotes it, when One’s ears listen to what fills the heart with peace and at all times there is a response from Him Who is peace itself, then only can there be promise of peace.
14
It is desire that causes sorrow; but the will to realize God is itself felicity. Be certain that He will cleanse and comfort you and take you into His arms.
Sorrow comes in order to lead you to happiness. At all times hold him in remembrance.
15
Your body, which is part of and depending on this illusory world, is on the other hand the expression of a hidden inner process. You are yourself the many, appearing in various aspects, forms and modes. Each one of them exists in fact to fulfill a particular need. Yours is the give and take of the universe, yours the need, and yet you your¬self are the fulfillment: that hidden inner process is generated by you.
16
You are imperfect, something is lacking in you, this is why you feel the desire for fulfillment. ‘Body’ [ the Bengali word for ‘body’ is ‘sharir’ and the verb shora means to move on , to slip away.] signifies— that which slips away, which is continually changing. If there is no want, no desire, then this kind of body that is ever in the process of perish¬ing does not persist. Thus, after God-reali¬zation one can no – longer speak of such a body for the Self stands revealed.
17
The sense of want arises spontaneously —it is the Divine that awakens it.
To lose all is to gain all. He is merciful and compassionate. Whatever He does at any moment is all-beneficent, though certainly painful at times. When He manifests Himself as all-loss, there is hope that He may also manifest Himself as all-gain. To pine for the One Who helps towards the light of Truth is salutary, for it kindles the awareness of Truth.
Verily, He is everywhere at all times.
The endeavour to awaken to his real nature is man’s duty as a human being.
18
In the field of His play even getting means losing. This is but the nature of its movement. Think of Him Who cannot be lost. Meditate on Him alone, on Him, the Fountain of Good¬ness. Pray to Him; depend on Him. Try to give more time to japa and meditation. Sur¬render your mind at His Feet. Endeavour to sustain japa and meditation without a break.
19
Human-birth — does it not ordinarily mean experiencing desire, passion, grief, suffering, old age, disease, happiness, pain and so on? Yet it is man’s duty to bear in mind that he exists for God alone— for His service and for the realization of Him.
To say, “I do not know, I do not understand” is only ignorance. It is this veil of ignorance that causes agony and misfortune.
20
Verily, all is within His Law. How can one who has been able to accept this be still so greatly troubled? It is but your duty to consider everything as His. Whatever He may do, try to let the thought of Him keep you at peace.
The sense of want, does it not arise because the desired object is not obtained? When one’s desire remains unfulfilled, fruitless, to continue craving for the same thing and be disappointed time and again—surely it is futile. So long as there is desire, the experience of want and sorrow is—-from the worldly point of view— but natural. Whatever you may desire that is of this ever-changing world will bring you sorrow, even though momentary happiness may be had at times. To seek THAT in which no sorrow is and al. is found, is man’s sole duty.
21
Losing hope is losing all indeed. But has this loss of everything occurred? Is not the heart still bubbling over with desires and hopes? This is only natural — it is the innate tendency of the individual
Perfect resignation gives the deepest joy of all. Accept it as your sole resource. Whatever God does at any time is wholly benign. If you can bear this in mind you will be at peace.
22
What you consider to be your duty, you will in any case try to carry out, in fact you are doing it. But man’s special duty, which is the thought of God, the activity of the mind that awakens the desire to know what you really are, on this you should concentrate; and it is most important to make a special effort in this direction. Give your attention to your regular daily practice of sadhana . If circumstances will not per¬mit any other exercise, let it be only the remembrance of Him — the purpose of it all being the realization of the One Who is manifested in all forms and in all modes of being.
23
It is through the search after Truth that man can elevate himself. This he should
regard in the light of a duty.
24
That in which there is no question of form or formlessness, of beyond form and attributes, of transcending even the beyond–—that alone is worthy of human aspiration.
25
Man must go out in search of That which is concealed behind the world. He should choose an abode that will make it easy for him to proceed to his true Home.
26
The word manus (man: Man mind, hus conscious ] ) itself gives the clue to what man should really be: a being who is self-aware. Even if he has slipped and fallen, is it not his bounden duty to use as a lever the very earth to which he has tumbled, and raise himself up again? Besides, one does not fall so often. As a man, cons¬tant effort is his duty .If he does not awaken to the consciousness of his own Self, what has he achieved? He has but wasted his life. How many lives are frittered away age after age in endless coming and going. Find out who you are. Discover the signi¬ficance of the round of births and deaths, its cause and where it leads. When man becomes a traveller on the path to his inner being, the distance that separates him from his Goal gradually vanishes. You will most certainly have to undertake this pilgrimage to Immortality, trampling under foot hundreds and hundreds of obstacles and impediments.
This is the kind of manliness that has to be awakened. Why should you remain helpless as if paralysed? You only repeat over and over again that you cannot, cannot do sadhana . Why? Why? Why?
27
Let ‘I cannot’ be eradicated from your vocabulary. Time is gliding away swiftly:
For a few days only lasts this reunion with friends and kinsmen. Gather up your possessions, brother, no one accompanies you on your final journey.
28
Man may find himself in all kinds of surroundings, yet he must not allow himself to be driven hither and thither helplessly under their influence. It is his duty under all circumstances to preserve his individuality and strength of character intact. To drift with the current is easy enough, but to stand firm as a rock is difficult. He who is able to do this will keep his head without wave¬ring even among a dozen people of different points of view and lines of approach. This surely is the attitude that befits a human being.
29
Look, in order to pluck a rose one has to put one’s hand into the midst of thorns. But if the rose- is a person’s aim and he has a keen desire to pluck it, he will not refrain from doing so for fear of being pricked. Moreover, the Great Mother arranges whatever as necessary for each one .She certainly knows the real need of every individual. |If one has at least this much faith, there is no reason at all to feel distressed.
30
Try your utmost never to succumb to anyone’s influence. In order to become firm, calm, deeply serious, full of courage, with one’s personality wholly intact, pure and holy out of one’s own strength, one has to be centred in God.
31
To a human being the most noble, irreproachable line of conduct should alone be acceptable. It is a matter of great rejoicing if anyone strives to mould his life upon this pattern. In the case of a woman it means ¬preserving her integrity and purity by being completely faithful to her husband. Not even to allow her glance to fall on any must be her endeavour. ¬Only actions that kindle man’s divine nature are worthy of the name of action, all the rest are non-actions — a waste ‘of energy. Any line of behaviour that fails to quicken the divine in man should be eschewed, no matter how enticing it might-appear ;but any that helps to awaken man’s inherent divinity must be resolutely adopted even though it be seemingly uninviting. Man’s calling is to aspire to the realization of Truth, to tread the excellent path that leads to immortality. What appears delightful to the senses later develops into a hotbed of poison, generating inner turmoil and disaster, for it belongs to the realm of death.
32
Force of character is man’s great strength. If he uses it in his dealings with the world he will indeed be victorious in most direc¬tions.
33
Worldly life is no doubt a battle-field. By becoming conscious of one’s spiritual wealth one must strive to emerge triumphant from the battle.
34
You cling to that round *, rolling thing, believing that it constitutes your wealth; this is why there is so much trouble and confusion. What is this ‘round thing’? Money of course. Try to cling exclusively to Him Who is the Whole, where one can speak neither of form nor formlessness and where trouble and confusion are non-existent.
*This whole passage is based on a play upon words, impossible to render into English. ‘Gol’ means round,: mal possession and golmal trouble and confusion.
35
If you do not allow your thoughts to stray from His Lotus-feet there is hope of your being saved from all manner of temptations. Man’s duty is to awaken to true humanity and to cast aside his animal propensities; to choose what is excellent and to relinquish the merely pleasurable. Let your mind be like a beautiful flower that may be offered to the Lord in worship. In very truth, man’s sole duty is the search after Self-realization. With but the one Supreme Friend you my friend must try to avoid the ties of worldly friendship.
36
To indulge in what seems pleasurable means to choose that which appears lovely on the surface and therefore attractive. Improper, ill-fated, degrading actions~ that give expression to one’s animal nature lead to misery even though they be pleasurable. The rules and regulations pertaining to the householder’s period of life (grihastha ashrama ) have to be observed as fully as possible. To live up to the highest ideals may be irksome at first, but ultimately leads to real well-being and peace. One must learn to find enjoyment in the Sublime—then only does one deserve to be called a human being. Having been blessed with a human body it is but right that one should behave in a fitting manner. Why give way to animal instincts?
If you cannot sustain japa at all times, at any rate complete two rosaries twice day, morning and evening. The search after Truth is man’s real vocation.
37
There are various modes of living: one is the ashrama of the householder: another to do service, regarding whomever one serves as a manifestation of the Supreme Being; a third, way is to fix Self-realization as the one and only goal and advance towards it-with uninterrupted speed and determination. In keeping with his inclinations and bent of mind, everyone chooses one of these modes of living. God Himself will take care of -everything that concerns a man who, puts -his whole trust in Him.
38
To aspire to the realization of Truth is alone worthy of man. In the home of the householder [ grihashta ashram] there should be no strain. Allowing oneself to be agitated by mental anxiety amounts to strain; this is not the line to be taken, for by such a state of mind the power to create obstacles is developed.
By seeking refuge in the Power that is Bliss, Goodness, Beneficence, the Destroyer of obstacles, peace will be established in the home. This is man’s special pursuit as well as his duty. Those sensible, intelligent and wise men and women who depend on God and the Guru an4 full of faith, in a spirit of renunciation, endeavour to attain to Reality should advance along any path that is most helpful to their aspirations, ever remaining tranquil and choosing that which promotes peace. In all one’s actions one must aim at fulfilling one’s dharma.
39
Abide by your duty. To live in the home that he has created for himself is surely fitting for a householder. Do not, however, neglect the search for your real Home. Only when this is found has one truly come home.
40
In all forms, in all diversity and disparity is He alone. The infinite variety of appearances and manifestations, of modes of becom¬ing and states of being, of species and types, all the numberless distinctions as well as all identity, are but He Himself. With whom are you then angry? Whatever anyone says is according to his stage and condition at that particular time and therefore right for him. Surely, he is only demonstrating what he perceives and under¬stands at that point of his development. This also is but an expression, a guise of the One.
41
To remain calm and at peace under all circumstances is man’s duty. To form a bad opinion of a person just because one has heard some gossip about him is wrong. Hostility, condemnation, abusive language, ill-feeling and so forth, even if kept con¬cealed within one’s mind, will and must fall back on oneself. Nobody should ever harm himself by harbouring such thoughts feelings.
42
To dwell in the joy that springs from the mind’s constant occupation with things divine is man’s duty. Thinking of anything other than God is what creates sorrow. Be it mantra japa, be it meditation, worship, perusal of sacred texts, the simple awareness of God or a like device, be it kirtan or religious music — all these are different modes of being in the divine Presence. One should always remain engaged in one of them, in fact never be without Him. Bear in mind: This is what this little child requests from her friends and also from her fathers and mothers.*
* Mataji often speaks of Herself as a little child and ‘mother’ , calls children and unmarried people Her ‘friends’ and married people ‘father’.
43
How can this little girl possibly leave her father? Even if he pushes her far away, this obstinate little child will still be with him. The father will have to realize that such is the nature of his little daughter: in fact all her father’s qualities are to be found in her and he should make her use these very qualities in the service of her ailing father.
If one feeds upon the things that aggravate the disease, is it not natural that the illness should grow worse? Medicine will have to be taken and also a change of air will be beneficial*.
[ * The illness obviously here means ‘bhava roga’, the disease of every man who looks upon himself as a separate individual. The medicine to cure this disease is sadhana. A change of air signifies a change from worldly surroundings to satsang, the company of sages, saints and seekers after Truth.]
44
They imagine this body [Mataji usually refers to Her person as ‘this body.] to be far away but actually it is always very, very near. How could it possibly leave anyone? The question of distance arises solely from their point of view. Whenever they can get a holiday let them come and meet this body.
No matter what work one undertakes, it should be done well. If one cultivates the habit of doing everything well, there is fair promise of one’s doing likewise on the spiritual path. The action is He, – and the doer of the action is He and no other. At all events one should make an attempt to develop this attitude of mind. Truth — in the presence of which illusion is recognized as illusion — Truth, THAT Which IS, has to be made one’s own.
45
So far as this body is concerned, nobody ever commits an offence against it and there¬fore there can be no question of asking this body’s forgiveness. Nevertheless you will most certainly have to reap the fruit of what you have done. But this body does not feel even the faintest shadow of anger about it.
46
To tell the truth, while some people undoubtedly do approach this body in quest of Reality, very many come only to get their desires and longings fulfilled.
Although he has had such unmistakable proof of what the true nature of the world is his heart is still in it? At this juncture he should try his utmost to pledge himself solely to service, regarding whatever he does as service to the Lord. Ask him at all costs to make a resolute effort against letting his mind become entangled in anything pertain¬ing to this ocean of sorrow. It is attach¬ment to the world that has brought such deep distress to the unfortunate man. Nothing but ignorance is at the root of it all. He should continue to give news of himself to this body in any way he is able, for he has no one to whom he can confide his troubles and afflictions, which — one and all — are but the results of his past actions.
By sorrow does the Lord dispel sorrow and by adversity does He destroy adversity. When this is done He sends no more suffering — this must be borne in mind at all times.
In very truth, the Eternal’s offspring must centre their thoughts on Him. Divorced from Him there cannot be even a prospect of peace — never, never, never. By abiding in God man will find peace, the veil will be rent, and the Dispeller of Sorrow stand revealed. He alone is the conqueror of evil, He is yours, the sole treasure of the human heart.
47
Do not keep concealed within yourself what weighs on your mind. If you write it all to me freely and frankly, your heart will be unburdened even more. Father, why have you kept it suppressed within yourself for such a long time? To confide it to this body (Mataji) brings relief, does it not? Truly, this body belongs to all; for this reason it behaves and speaks, as far as possible, so as to fulfill the needs of the people with whom it deals at any particular time.
When the worship of an image or any other puja is performed according to the rites laid down in the sastras as accepted by all brahamana priests and when kumari puja forms part of the ceremonial as pres¬cribed by the shastras, then the priests and others concerned must be allowed to have their say according to what they feel to be correct. Write this to him! But of course, when this body plays with its friends, little girls and boys, ii does not pay attention to the injunctions of the priests — the child may be of any caste! The other day, did you not see that the little girl taken as a focus for the worship was certainly not the daughter of a brahmana; yet the person who performed the puja offered clothes, food and everything else exactly as it should be done, did he not? To this body everyone and everything is equal.
48
The Lord’s is the body, the Lord’s is the mind, the Lord’ is all mankind.
Serving anyone is His service only. Endeavor to keep your mind always elevated. Is there ever a time when He is invisible? The discovery of this is all that is wanting.
49
To perform one’s worldly duties is a good thing. At the same time, one has to be mindful of man’s real Duty.
50
No matter what work has to be done at any time, try to give your full attention to it and do it thoroughly. Under all circum¬stances rely upon God. Verily, He is all-pervading and therefore can be found everywhere. With your whole being invoke the Lord of Life.
51
To spend your days serving your mother is very good indeed. Endeavour to keep your mind surrendered at God’s holy Feet — then alone can there be a prospect of the shadows of restlessness growing faint.
52
By doing service -heart and mind are purified — be convinced of this! -To engage in service is a very powerful sadhana; do not become impatient. Rather serve your people with the utmost calm and have a kind word for everyone.
Whenever you say or do anything wrong, beg to be forgiven and try your best not to let a similar error occur in future. Even though others may be unjust to you, -you yourself should neither -do nor say anything unseemly.
53
Regarding all beings as His forms, in a spirit of service and utter calm, serve the Lord; serve the Lord and only Him. In the measure as you grow more and more perfect in your capacity as a servant of the Lord, fondness, love and devotion for Him as well as implicit faith will awaken in you.
54
One who serves God can never be help¬less. The more ardently one seeks commun¬ion by engaging in japa, His service and contemplation, the fuller will be His revela¬tion.
55
A person who does not for the love of God and with a cheerful heart, acquit him¬self of whatever responsibility that may fall to his lot at any time– will find life excess¬ively burdensome and never be able to accomplish anything. Man’s duty — more especially for those who have made the Supreme Quest their one and only aim —is to work joyfully for the uplift of the world, with the conviction that all service is His service. Work done in such a spirit helps to purify both mind and heart.
56
Worldly occupations and business are bound to cause worry; it cannot be otherwise. The only way to meet it is by endur¬ance, endurance and more endurance. Having dived down among the waves of the sea one has got to rise up again. The talents and the work God has entrusted to you are meant for His service and for nothing else — bear this in mind!
57
Many feel the urge to create a new and better world. Rather than let your thoughts dwell on such matters, you should concen¬trate on That by the contemplation of which there is hope of perfect peace. It is man’s duty to become a seeker after God or Truth.
58
What is perceived in this world is in the nature of a dream, similar to what one sees in dreams. The only difference is that the former takes place in the waking state and the latter during sleep. Albeit I am always with you, mother.
59
In dreams all kinds of things may be seen: what the mind has been busy with; also what has not been thought about, but has occurred in the past or will come about in the future. In any case everything that happens belongs to the realm of dream.
60
At one time you declared emphatically that if only you could secure suitable employment, you would most earnestly cultivate the spiritual side of life along with material comforts and pleasures. That you have kept your word as to worldly enjoyment is more than obvious; but in what dark cave, in what inaccessible abyss have you hidden away the tender plant of spiritual aspiration? When will you start making an effort to bring light into that dark cave? Delay not: The day that is gone never returns. Invaluable time is slipping away. Devote your days to the endeavour to draw close to the Lord of the Humble. When extreme old age supervenes, you will be too sluggish, to feeble to concentrate on God’s name. How will you then make up for what you failed to do in good time?
61
The activity of the mind that distracts man and takes him away fro the remembrance of God is called wrong thinking. Endeavour to cultivate whatever will prevent your mind from harbouring that type of thought.
All your burdens are borne by God. Be convinced of this and ever try to abide sincerity and cheerfulness.
62
After all these days this kind of question has occurred to him? Of course, it has happened because he is at a stage where questions arise, and there is nothing wrong about it—for is not everything God’s creation? Things are different for different people .It is well to remember that what looms as a formidable problem may at times be resolved in a very easy way, and so the further question may arise: Was it after all a trifling problem? The Creator of all things is the one who knows how to appraise it; He along knows what is great and what is small.
63
The stream of godly thoughts is the path that leads to the exhaustion of karma. So long as the goal has not been reached one is bound to reap the consequences of right action, wrong action, and inaction—according to karma, the law of cause of effect.
64
Everything comes to pass according to each one’s destine. You will have to accept this. The Creator has so regulated the universe that everyone has and ever will have to reap the fruit of his actions; there is no way out of it. If , because of your physical unhappiness, you have no wish to, and consequently do not concentrate on the name of Him who is the Supreme Father, Mother , Friend and Lord , do you call this creating good karma—that you have to suffer the same kind of trouble over and over again? Your father and mother arranged that , after careful consideration, they believed to be for your best. Karma, the consequences of one’s past actions, are one’s own liability.
65
No evil can overcome him who cleaves to god’s name. What one suffers is in exact keeping with the nature of one’s actions. If the flow of God’s name is sustained, all work will beget the good.
66
How much karma from former births remains yet to be worked out! Just as when, for example, someone has ruined his digestion by indulging in excessive and unrestrained eating; even though he later adopts a frugal and well-regulated diet, the results of these wise measures will not be noticeable straight away. Thus: whatever be the nature of one’s actions at the time, one has also simultaneously to enjoy and suffer the accumulated consequences of one’s previous conduct. In God’s creation there is perfect justice. Generally speaking, man is born into this world in order to reap the pleasant results of his good deeds as well as the outcome of his wrong-doing. What about the consequences of any impropriety or injustice he commits at the present time? He will of course have to endure them. Man enjoys the fruit of his accumulated former good works, but he will also have to suffer the effects of evil deeds. The Almighty’s Will is being fulfilled. Man must foster the desire to perform right action. Even the impossible becomes possible by God’s Will. Let His Lotus-feet be your sole refuge.
67
Man must behave as a hero. During spells of misfortune he must abide in fortitude and patience.
Time does not stand still. Suicide is a most heinous sin. To whom belongs the body that you speak of’ destroying? Is this the way a human being talks? For shame!
68
This is the time to mould yourself. You will have to resort to renunciation and for¬titude. So as to be released from the evil propensities acquired in previous lives, which have led to pain and suffering, try to make your heart the consecrated shrine of the All-Good, and desire desirelessness. The first thing is to feel drawn towards God.
Be unfailing in service. Whatever has to be done for anyone, do it in a spirit of service.
There is yet another matter to which special attention must be paid: sloth has to be abandoned altogether. When it is a question of good deeds or spiritual exercises (satkarma), disinclination and lethargy have to be completely ruled out. The difficulties that may arise when doing anyone a service should be borne cheerfully.
69
No two days pass alike. Do not allow yourself to be -overcome by despair. Have complete trust in Him in spite of everything
—to Him you should call out in happiness
and in pain. If you have fallen to the ground, use it is a lever to raise yourself up again, for it is man’s duty to exert himself, no
matter what he undertakes.
70
Misfortune must not be looked upon as a disaster: It would be a sin to do so for who sends misfortune? What He does is all-beneficent. Under no circumstances, how¬ever adverse, should man accept defeat. “Gurudeva, you do only what is for my real well-being” — keep this thought ever with you. In this world there are bound to be all sorts of troubles. If you have lost wealth and position, let them be gone. Pray to God only for the lives of your family.
71
In times of affliction one must persevere in patience. Although distress and danger are certainly part of man’s lot, yet will they be conquered by one who can meet them with courage and calm.
Conditions vary. During times of misfortune it is necessary to rely on Him with
even greater tenacity. There is no knowing through what mishap He may wipe out peril. Sometimes He actually removes danger by adversity. This is why He is called Dis¬peller of Danger— Saviour.
72
It is characteristic of human life that it cannot continuously be either full of happi¬ness or full of misery. Just as your good luck has not been lasting, do you imagine this evil fortune will never end? For the present try to gird yourself with patience and fortitude and wend your way with com¬plete trust in God. It is the Will of the Almighty that prevails. Be intent under all circumstances to keep the thought of Him as your constant companion.
73
Where God may place you at any time and under whatever circumstances, recollect that it is all for the best. Endeavour to go through life leaving your burdens in His hands. He is the Preserver, He is the Guide, He is all in all.
74
It is man’s duty to try and cultivate faith and devotion. Blows are characteristic of life in the world; thus man is taught to under¬stand what the nature of this world is — and then detachment from pleasure and enjoyment ensues.
75
At all times let forbearance be your norm. Say to yourself: “Lord, everything Thou doest is for the highest good! Pray for the power of endurance. Nothing happens that is not an expression of God’s grace; verily, all is His grace.
Anchored in patience, enduring every¬thing, abide by His Name and live joyously.
76
Whatever happiness or pain is experienced depends upon what one believes and how one views whatever happens. If one wishes to go beyond beliefs, and points of view, one must have faith in the Almighty.
77
In all matters depend exclusively upon God. To Him you should submit your heart’s petitions and yearnings. Your whole life will have to revolve round Him, you have no other resort; on your own you are utterly helpless, for are you not His creature? Whatever He does is all for the highest good.
You are certainly not in position to choose what seems propitious to you.
Why should he permit you, who are the offspring of the Immortal, to stray towards that which is of death.
You may deem yourself fortunate, for as you yourself say, God has rescued you from the jaws of death and preserved you to this day. Place your reliance upon Him alone. The sufferings and obstacles bred of desire that you encounter, even these should be welcomed as in fact the doing of His merciful hands. To become agitated is of no avail. If you must be impatient, be impatient for God:
“To this day I have not received any response from Thee and invaluable time has
been spent in vain.” Do not let your mind and body be tormented with restlessness induced by worldly longings.
78
He Who has given you what you possess in this world — wealth, distinction, youth —appeal to Him for his own sake.
You cannot? Why? You will have to! Verily, man can do all things. Who can say what He will give to whom and through what? Everything is His, entirely His. What did you bring with you at birth? Were you not empty-handed? And all you have acquired — is it yours, really?
All is His and whatever happens is His Will. Endeavour to maintain this attitude. Saying: ‘It is mine’ you grasp at everything— this is the way to court sorrow. Call out to Him because all is His. To yearn thus for Him is real prayer.
All that the world can yield — what is its worth? Have you not discerned down the years the inevitable course of events? In His store-house, where there are riches, relations, the vigour of youth, there are also old age, death, disease and poverty. You will have to experience them all. In this world there is no room for undisturbed ease; don’t you see that there is distress at every step? Does it not dawn on you even now to whom you belong? This serious illness of yours, is anyone suffering~ it for you? Can anyone even share it? Why all these worries?
All is His; all is He ; to leave everything to Him must be your sole endeavour. Invoke His Name, meditate on Him; ever abide in the remembrance of Him. Not praying for anything that is of this world, strive to abandon yourself without reserve to Him. In Him no want of any kind exists, no pain, no agony — in Him is all attainment, the summit of fulfillment, rest, repose, tranquility.
79
On hearing the news of someone’s illness, Mataji had the following communicated to the sufferer:
“Depend on Him absolutely. In whatever circumstances you may find yourself, sustain the remembrance of Him alone. Let this be your prayer: Lord, Thou hast been pleased to come to me in the form of sickness. Grant me the strength to bear it, gird me with patience, and give me the understanding that it is’ Thou Who art dwelling with me in this guise.
80
Abandon yourself to God in all matters without exception. “May He do as He pleases with me, who am but a creature of His hands” — this should be your attitude of mind. It is personal desire that is the very cause of suffering. Why make yourself feel dejected by the anxiety that you will be dependent on others?. Is it you who have created your body? The One to whom you belong is free to deal with it according to His Will; therefore may He do as He chooses. Try your utmost to stand aside and watch patiently as a spectator. When the mind is at ease one speedily recovers from ill-health. In this ever-revolving world, which is upheld by Him who causes it to revolve, a certain calamity has occurred. What is to be done? No matter what has happened, may His Will prevail — live in this spirit. In your present condition constantly think of Him alone.
81
That you are making an effort to arrange for medical treatment is also, the expression of His Will. Verily, He, the One is everything. Thou, in truth, art the disease, Thou art the remedy and the power to heal —in all shapes and forms art Thou alone.
82
Write to him that his condition very often indeed occupies this body’s kheyala. He himself, by his own effort of will must become strong-minded and drop his negative attitude, which makes him imagine that he cannot and never will be able to, succeed. On the contrary he must be determined that success is possible, that achievement will most certainly be his. He should say to himself:
“In whatever condition it pleases God to keep me, I resign ‘myself, surrendering to Him this body that is His.” Just that. With per¬fect calm and serenity he should pass most of his time lying straight on his back in what is called the “dead pose” [ savasana) and silently repeat his mantra in rhythm with his breathing. There is only one Brahman without a second — this is what he has to realize. Write to him in plain language that, for him, there is no need of an intermediary.
83
When the Mahant of of Khanna*, Sri Triveni Pun Mal~araj, left his body, Mat~jj sent the following message to his great admirer Sri Krishnanandaji Avadhuta:
‘Under the semblance of union and under the semblance of separation abides He, ‘the Supreme Himself.”
*Khanna is a small town in [ pre-partition ] East Punjab, now simply ‘Punjab’ in India. .
84
Who is going whither and whence from does he come? For this body* there is no going and no coming. That which existed before exists even now. What does it matter whether one dies or remains alive? Even after death he still exists, so why feel upset?
* Mataji
85
Who belongs to whom in this world? By exhausting one’s particular karma, everyone must endeavour to bring to completion his life’s pilgrimage. What you are experien¬cing is the usual state of affairs on the journey through life; therefore do not allow yourself to be so very agitated! If, due to attachment to those with whom one has been united in this world of coming and going, one is utterly immersed in the sorrow of bereavement, how can the pilgrimage along one’s own Path become fruitful?- With unbounded vigour and energy one must forge ahead towards the revelation of one’s true Self. Travellers on the Supreme Path must strive to complete their journey; Self-realization is its purpose and goal.
86
It is the Will of the Almighty that prevails at all times, such verily is – the law of crea¬tion. ‘World’ (jagat) means a ceaseless round of sorrow, temporary happiness, and affliction: to experience this man is born. Do you not see that the world is nothing but this in infinite variety?
For him who has set out on his life’s last journey with the name Durga on his lips, there should be no grief, no tears; at any rate try your utmost to hold this atti-tude. If weep you must, weep for God. Blessed is he who breathes his last pronounc¬ing God’s Name. One must strive to keep one’s mind ever concentrated on His Feet.
Pray for the Guru’s Grace and constantly remember His Lotus-feet.
87
Life’s journey is bound to proceed inevi¬tably in the manner you describe. Search in every home and see how many people can be found who have never known bereave¬ment. This is why the only way out of this misery is by the path to Self-Realization.
88
In every home God is present in an infinite variety of guises. For the very reason that one has -entered life, one has to quit it again — be it sooner or later. While living as a householder, this terrible, smarting pain is unavoidable it is similar in every family. Does any balm exist to soothe this burning agony, save to take refuge in Him, from Whom all beings emanate, by Whom they are succoured, and in Whom they ultimately are absorbed?
89
Do not feel distressed because you are deprived of’ his physical presence. It is the duty of the nearest and-dearest of the departed to pray that he may progress on his upward path. However, if tears rush into your eyes because he has left his body, then cry invoking God. To weep for God is everybody’s one and only hope. Also perform as perfectly as possible the duties prescribed by the sastras for the wife and son of the deceased.
90
What can be expected from this world, whose very nature is constant flux; times are ever changing. To live in time is to be bound by it — by death*. If you do not rise above time, how can you escape the clutches of death? Had time not borne away the moment that brought you such acute distress and agony, would any life be left in your body? This is the way of the world. What you have experienced happens conti¬nually to every family, in one form or another. Console yourself with the thought that this is how the world is fashioned.
When one resides in a country not one’s own, how can one possibly evade the hard¬ships that are a foreigner’s lot? Your Motherland is where there is no question of distress and sorrow, of’ violence and hatred, of estrangement, neither of the opposites of light and darkness. The endeavour to find himself in his real Home, in his true nature, is man’s sole duty. Courage and steadiness are what is required.
*kala means both ‘time’ and ‘death’,
91
On learning of the death of a devotee’s mother, Mataji said:
“Write to my friend: The fortunate, the blessed one [According to Hindu tradition, it is most auspicious for a woman to die while her husband and all her children are alive] has ascended to the abode of Peace leaving behind her husband, her sons and daughters. To weep and mourn the loss of her body is not right, although it is natural that tears should flow. You will have to resort to fortitude. Just as parents are always eager to make the happiness and peace of their children their own, it is equally the duty of children to adopt a similar atti¬tude with regard to their parents. Human beings who have not attained to the final Goal but are still struggling on the way and live in this w6rld, identifying themselves with the body, cause themselves much pain by becoming agitated and crying out in anguish it is indeed deep suffering. Those who have passed away have no means of expressing it, yet this anguish troubles them. Nobody wishes to cause distress to his loved-ones. Recall to mind: Your mother is as your self, the one who bore you —her peace should be your peace. What has happened is God’s dispensation, and all men are His very own. Where and how, on what path and in what state He keeps any¬one depends on the Will of the Almighty.
‘Do not let your father notice that you are depressed. Serve everyone in a beauti¬ful and graceful manner. Feel that God has entrusted you with the service of the family. Do not allow your father to become gloomy.
‘To see the shadow of grief on the faces of his children will intensify his unhappiness greatly; mindful of this, be careful to remain composed in your father’s presence.”
92
On receiving the news of the unnatural death of a devotee’s son, Mataji said:
“Write to the parents that there is nothing to be done by them at present except to abide in fortitude and bear their tragic bereavement with heroic strength and calm. Such is the law of God’s creation. In some cases events of that kind –are brought to an end by a special curse of this sort. The current of life i. the world, is indeed made up of joys and, sorrows, for man is born to reap the fruit of his past actions. Therefore, having been blessed by birth in a human body it is one’s duty to pursue unceasingly the path that leads beyond pleasure and pain. Verily, quite often by annihilating misfortune through misfortune God attracts man to Himself.
“That you have today been plunged into an ocean of grief by the deceased, and also whatever he himself has -had to suffer, must be understood to be the result of some very grave karma. Nevertheless you should keep in mind that even through this terrible blow he is advancing on his upward path. Pray to God for the welfare of his soul.
“Being the offspring of a religious family he has consequently had the privilege of a cer¬tain amount of satsang. You know, father, that the Self is indestructible and that only the body is subject to change and decay.
“ That this body [ Sri Ma ] ] does not usually speak about past and future is well known to you, father and mother. If opportunity offers, both of you may attempt to go on a pilgrimage some time. Even though you are suffering unbearable agony through the loss of – your son, it is imperative to endeavour to calm yourselves by the remembrance and contemplation of God. Also let either of you, regularly every day, read a small portion of the Srimad Bhagavat .When you have completed the whole of it, start again from the beginning, and so on. While reading imagine that your son is by your side, listening.”
93
The following message was sent to someone who had discarded his sacred thread out of grief over the death of a beloved member of his family:
“So you have cast away your sacred thread? Well, Well! Of course, you are bound to do what gives you peace of mind. In this world, when a man dies his wife does not accompany him, neither does the husband go with his wife when she passes away, nor the son with his dying father. How can anyone of his own will go with his loved ones when they depart from this world? Surely this is self-evident! Everyone has to live his life according to the results of his past actions.
‘Now that this misfortune has befallen you, have you given up eating, have you renounced your wife and children, your friends and relatives? Have you left off wearing clothes, or sleeping, or talking to people? It is true that you have been plunged into a sea of misery. But what possession of yours has gone with him who died? Only your sacred thread? Your parents’ gift of love and esteem, so precious as an aid on the way to the eternal Goal of human life! If today you resume the sacred. thread in honour of him who has left this world, it will keep his memory alive in your heart. You had accepted it for his sake, this symbol of all that is an aid towards immortality. To discard the sacred thread, once it has been assumed, is a matter of deep regret for the ordinary man. Surely, you could keep it in. remembrance of him who has passed away.
“One should not pray to God for any person; all prayer has to be solely for That
which, when found All is found. The wearing of the sacred thread is also meant for this purpose.”
94
If you are not seeking God, you might, at your own sweet will, throw away anything whatsoever — why only the sacred thread? The desire to obey impulses of this kind will arise most certainly in those who do not aspire after God for His own sake, who do not love Him; it is their attitude towards life–their natural bent. If you have the power to destroy, why have you not by this time done away with all the obstacles that are hampering you? Nobody of himself has the power to lift as much as a blade of grass. It is His Will, the Almighty’s Will that alone, prevails. At times, it is true, man is made to suffer. But thereby, also He, the Fountain of Goodness, does what is for man’s real welfare; yet, to realize this is perplexing for the ordinary person.
To be without a sacred thread, without the Gayatri is inauspicious, nay, harmful for a brahmin . To what extent are you able to judge which the right path is for you? All-beneficent is everything that He does who is Goodness Itself.
Right speech is solely to talk of Divinity; all else is but torment and futility*.
[* Hari katha hi katha; aur sab vritha aur vyatha—free Hindi rendering ]
95
Such is life in the world. Girded with fortitude like a hero you must try to steady yourself. There is simply no hope of peace save in the contemplation of God. Let this be your firm conviction. It is man’s duty under all circumstances to seek refuge in Him by virtue of Whose Law all things are wrought. Not to wail or pine for the physical presence of the departed should be your sole endeavour. This is a journey that everyone, without exception, has to undertake, and it is necessary for each to prepare for it. Those who have been received into His arms should be entirely given over to His care.
Regard whomsoever you serve as the Supreme Being. Rely on Him absolutely.
96
To attempt to summon the spirit of the departed is not advisable. Very often some other being responds, and the ordinary is not in a position to distinguish between a genuine manifestation and a fake. Therefore it is harmful. Someone who took part in spiritualistic séances became insane. Against his mother’s’ wishes he continued to do so. To actually get individual into touch with the spirit of the dead one is difficult for the average person. Do not let your mind be occupied with any such matter. On the level of the Self (Atma ) you are one with sour deceased daughter. In this world happiness alternates with sorrow. Bear in mind that, as the Self (Atma ), she is with you — within you. This is the truth, not fanciful thinking. Birth and death happen in fulfillment of the divine Will. In all shapes and conditions is but He alone.
97
God’s Holy Name is Itself the rite for exorcising undesirable influences. In the pre¬sence of God’s Name ghosts and evil spirits cannot remain.
98
Do not give in to your inclination to think about ghosts and apparitions; rather keep your mind solely on God’s Name and meditate on Him. In the presence of His Name no other power can function. This is the truth, be firmly convinced of it. The moment you have recourse to God’s name you should feel that no lesser power can touch you. If at that time you are aware of any physical anxiety, be quite certain that it is merely a bodily reaction.
99
When he retires for the night, he should repeat the Lord’s Name and fall asleep doing so. If he be afraid even then, let him place a sacred book like the Bhagavad Gita, the Candi or the Ramayana near his head. Besides he should unceasingly sustain the flow of God’s Name and remember that where Scrip¬tures are, there is He Himself, and no fear of any kind can exist is His Presence.
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