Discipline is there because of three reasons:
First is love. Although in love there is no need for discipline, but through love, discipline can be achieved.
Second is fear. Suppose you say to someone, ‘If you don’t observe discipline, you will fall sick,’ then that person will become disciplined out of fear of sickness.
Third is greed. Suppose you tell someone, ‘If you don’t observe discipline, you will incur a loss,’ that person will become disciplined out of greed.
So it is better to have discipline out of unconditional love; that is the best.
Yes, before my arrival in any city, a fight begins. I have also heard about this before.
‘Where will Guruji stay, in whose house will he stay?’ And each one will say, ‘my place’. I will do like that and I will do like this… that is how it all starts. What to do? I wonder!
There is no love without conflict and there is no conflict without love. Somewhere or the other, the two must come together.
So do meditation, sadhana and satsang and talk about it as well. Anything that is in your speech, the mind and in action gets firmly established.
If you do your sadhana and the rest of the time you keep talking about petty things, whatever juice you got after your sadhana will start fading away. That is why in speech also, let that state find expression. Whenever you talk, talk about knowledge, talk about love. Then you will see it gets more firmly established in you. This is the importance of satsang.
In satsang we talk about the good things, we talk about knowledge, meditation and miracles.
You talk about miracles happening in someone’s life – isn’t this what you discuss? How many of you talk like this, only about miracles? What happens when you talk only about miracles? Every day something new happens in your life and so many new lessons are learnt.
So the mind becomes strong with these kinds of discussions.
But do not keep silence that will cause inconvenience or suffering to others. Speak less and speak only as much as is needed.
You must speak ‘Meeta Bhaashi’ (friendly speech), ‘Geeta Bhaashi’ (melodious/pleasant speech), ‘Priya Bhaashi’ (loving speech)’ and ‘Satya Bhaashi (Truth)’ – speak less, speak beneficial, speak pleasant and speak the truth.
You can’t relate to the formless, so you relate to the forms when your eyes are open. But when you close your eyes and go deep in meditation, then only you can relate to the formless.
That is how you begin, but later on you will find whether eyes are open or closed, you are with the formless.
See, whatever is possible for you, that is what is seva.
Suppose, you cannot lift a stone, you don’t need to do it. You shouldn’t do what you cannot do. If someone else can do it, you can make them lift the stone that is also part of seva. In the same way, if you cannot go and teach a student yourself, you can help through another teacher. They can teach.
So seva is that what you can do, yes!
If you have time, you can give time. If you have money, you can give money. In whichever way you help, it is called seva.
So when you do an action without aversion or craving, with a smile, with a free mind and a clean heart, then there is no bondage. Such kind of action brings that inner freedom too.
Surdas, a great saint of this country was visually impaired. Dhritarashtra was an emperor who ruled India and he too was visually impaired. So there are many examples.
Swami Shraddhananda, one of the greatest saints of this century was visually impaired. Just few decades ago, he attained his final abode.
Swami Shraddhanandaji used to go to Brindavan to see the temple every day. Someone asked him, ‘Swamiji, you can’t see, and there is a big rush in the temple, why do you go there? What do you see?’ He smiled and replied, ‘If I don’t see, at least the Lord is seeing me. He wants to see me, that is why I am going there. So it doesn’t matter if I cannot see. Do you think He is also unable to see me? Let Him see me. He feels happy by my going there.’
So, this is the depth of devotion, depth of love and the confidence – that the Divinity loves me. You should not ask proof of Divine’s love for you. You should never ask that. Always know that the Divine loves me, that is it! Full stop! No question mark in front of that.
Same with everybody in your day to day life also, don’t question others love for you.
Does Guruji love me? This question should not be there at all. Similarly, my friend loves me or not, my husband loves me or not, or my wife loves me or not - don’t put question marks in front of love. Simply believe they love you and move on. Whatever their behavior is immaterial.
The attention never turns to God.
So the saint said, ‘Sorrow exists so that I do not get caught up in the world. Even after there being so much sorrow, I am so caught up here, and I do not turn towards God. That is why God made this (world) sorrowful, so that one can enjoy it for a little while, and then renounce it and turn back towards God.’ That is why it is said, ‘Dukh mein sumiran sab karen, sukh mein kare na koye, sukh mein sumiran jo kare, dukh kaahe ko hoye.’
Gurudev, what is the difference between Guru, Dharma Guru and Satguru?
The other question is, it is believed that in this universe, in any given era, there is only one Satguru; so who is that Satguru, and if it is you, please answer?
Dharma Guru, Jagat Guru or Sat Guru, these are just different names - what is it that you need – take it and move ahead.
One who speaks about the truth is Satguru. Satguru cannot be someone’s name. Who is a Satguru? One who shows you the truth.
Just as there is a Sangeet Guru (music teacher), there is a Satguru (Guru of truth). Satguru is one who makes you aware of what is truth, what is untruth, what is this world, what is the soul. The one who teaches you to understand these distinctions is called Satguru.
So you need to make efforts towards your goal and what has to happen will happen. Your efforts and destiny, both go together.
Keep meditating, if you cannot control your temper even after meditating, imagine the kind of temper you will have without meditating. So meditate and do pranayama and it will gradually decrease.
Role model does not mean you have to wear the same type of clothes and everything. No! Be compassionate, be loving and do all the good work you need to do.
So, it is very useful for people to keep awake and meditate on that day.
Do not eat too much, eat very light and do more meditation, then it helps in fulfillment of desires. This is the ancient belief. It helps you to grow stronger in your being. It is like a new year for a saadhak (seeker), for spiritual growth, spiritual attainment and worldly attainment, so it is considered auspicious.
The night on this day, when the constellations are in some particular position, is very auspicious for meditation. That is the ancient belief.
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen on any other day. Any time your heart is open, your mind is calm and steady, prayers do get answered. But Shivratri day is celebrated with the singing of the ancient vedic chants and a ceremony is done, and it is considered a very auspicious time for a spiritual aspirant.
It is the wedding of the material with the spiritual.
The material which is eight fold came close to the ethereal which is also eight fold.
So what the eight fold prakriti (nature)? Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and ego; all these come in contact with the subtle eight, i.e., the Shiva Tattva.
People usually eat very light, some fruits or something and fast. I don’t recommend you fasting without anything. Take some fruits or some light easily digestible food and spend the day awake and at night meditate. You don’t need to do meditation all night. Meditate for some time.
We will have satsang and some celebrations. That’s it!
In fact every day is a very auspicious day because we do satsang every day.
In ancient times, people used to say okay, if you cannot do every day, at least one day in a year, on Shivratri day, do meditation and keep awake.
Wake the Divinity that is deep within you. That is the message. The Divinity is within you, let it wake up!
Taapayitra refers to problem/suffering; that time which takes us from misery towards relief is known as Raatri.