(Below is a continuation of the post Guru Utsav Divas)
See, just remember this simple formula. Those who do not run feverishly behind joy and comforts attain Moksha. And those who do not hanker even for Moksha too, attain Divine Love and devotion. Once you have love, then you have truly acquired everything else. Nothing remains to be attained after that. After that all you have to do is share and spread this love, and this joy.
What is it that you want? There is no end to your wants and desires. There is no end to the desire for being wealthy. You become rich and buy two cars, then after sometime you want to have four cars, and then also have four bungalows. You want your business to spread more and more. Is there any end to this? A person running behind wealth goes on working towards acquiring more and more wealth, and then ultimately tires himself and dies. After his death, his children fight over his wealth. This is not an intelligent thing to do. You should expand your business and do well, but life becomes meaningless when that becomes your only goal in life.
Yes, and when can that happen? That can happen when Viveka awakens within us, and we realize that whatever commitment or promise we made was wrong and was made out of ignorance. When a commitment made does not bring any benefit or any good result, then you can change your commitment. Also, you do not have the right to change this by yourself alone. This is why you should go to a Guru, or a wise person and tell them your problem. Tell them that 'I was ignorant when I took up this commitment. Now I feel that this is wrong and futile. I seek your help and opinion on how to overcome this'.
A Guru or a wise person can understand and tell you the way to overcome this. They will be able to judge and ascertain whether your commitment was right or not; or whether you are trying to run away from your commitment to keep yourself in your comfort zone.
For example, you got married and have a family and children now, and suddenly you feel like running away from your responsibilities and becoming a Sanyasi (a renunciate or an ascetic). When you go to a Guru or a wise person and tell them that you are thinking of doing so, they will immediately refuse and tell you not to do so. They will advise you to fulfill your responsibilities, raise your children well and after having fulfilled everything, then take Sanyas. If you want to give up your commitments in order to escape from your duties and responsibilities, then that is not correct. But if you realize that your commitment benefits neither you nor anyone else, then you consult your Guru or a near and dear one before giving up your commitment.
It does vary. You use the same flour to cook Samosa (an Indian savoury snack), Chappati (Indian flatbread eaten with meals), and Parantha (stuffed flatbread). So it is the same flour which is used to make all three, yet all three are different. So when there is diversity in such a small thing as flour, then it is not surprising at all to have diversity in people. There is diversity in the eternal consciousness.
If you see, a diamond and a piece of coal are of the same constitution (made of Carbon), but still they are different. There is structurally or chemically no difference between the two. And yet there is some difference that makes them different. Similarly, at one level Consciousness is one, and at another level it is very different. It varies from people to people, place to place, and even from organization to organization.
If you ask me, I would say it is everywhere. If you ask me further, I would say, it is right within you.
Where does a Guru have time to think like this? A Guru is always in a state of bliss with himself! (Laughter) A Guru always says, 'Take whatever you want from me'.
See, there is a deep river flowing before you. Someone may just want to wet their feet in it and no more. Someone may want to simply take a dip in the water. Someone else may want to swim in it, and someone else would want to dive deep and take a pitcher full of the water from it. An ocean never says to a person to dive and take the pearls, or to take the salt in its waters. If you want to get the pearls from the ocean you can do so, and if you want to just take the salt from the waters, then go ahead and do so. If you want to take a fish, then you can do so, and if you want to extract oil from it, then you can take the oil also. So, if you want liberation, then go ahead and take liberation also! An ocean simply is. You should reflect upon yourself and think about this.
Some 20-25 years ago, I had gone to meet a great saint in Rishikesh. When I met him, he was very happy to see me and started praising me a lot. I told him, 'Maharaj, I cannot see any flaws I may have. Please tell me about those and how I can correct them'.
He laughed and said, 'Why should I tell you that? When misery comes to you in life, you will automatically know it. I can only tell whatever your nature is. I can only narrate what you are'.
In the beginning he was all praises for me. He said, 'Oh, God himself has come to my house. I am most fortunate'. I was wondering about it and asked him to tell me about my shortcomings so that I can correct them. But instead he just said, 'When misery comes in life, you will know your shortcomings by yourself'.
This is worth thinking about, and this is true as well. The wise and enlightened ones do not speak ill for anyone from their mouth. They will never tell anyone, 'Oh, you are such a donkey', because it might happen that the other person may actually become (or start behaving like) a donkey.
It is said, 'Rishinam yatha-chittanam artha vaacha-anu dhaavate'.
It means that whatever words a wise person or a Sidhha (perfected or enlightened soul) says, the meaning of those words follows very closely behind (meaning that their words manifest instantly). So when they say that 'You are very good', then only goodness blossoms in you.
But if they tell you, 'You are a donkey', then even a normal person may become a donkey. This is knowledge of a very high and mature level. So a Sidhha or an enlightened person will always instruct you in this manner (by praising your virtues). People who belong to a level lower than this will resort to punishment and criticism. And somewhere that too is necessary. For people who are stubborn and who refuse to improve their ways, such harsh measures become necessary.
I am not saying that those people who scold or criticize others are bad, no. They must be doing so because of some reason; or maybe they must be clearing off your bad karma by scolding or criticizing you. Also, maybe you are someone who understands only that kind of language or measure, which is why they do that. For example, people who are egoistic and arrogant do not understand soft-spoken words. Only when someone calls them an ignorant fool do they take notice and realize. But this style is different, and this is definitely not the style or approach of the wise and enlightened ones.
By asking this question, you have used your intellect and logic, isn’t it. The fact that you have asked this question means you have thought it with your logic and intellect (laughter). Do you get what I am saying? Suppose someone is sleeping. If you go and ask him, 'Are you sleeping?' and he replies back saying, 'Yes I am asleep'. This is similar to your question.
See, the intellect has its own place and emotion has its own place as well. Samadhi is the state of perfect balance between the two.
You know, management courses these days are adopting more and more informal ways of teaching. This approach is being emphasized everywhere, and I hope that soon the world over, everyone realizes the need for changing the methodology of teaching. Slowly it is happening.
I would like to share some good news with you. The World Bank has invited The Art of Living foundation to design their courses for their employees. Our courses have been welcomed and well received everywhere. The Harvard Business School too has appreciated our courses. In fact, the Stanford University has placed our course as a Credit Course. That means that when a student completes The Art of Living Course, they get marks for that.
Universities like Stanford, Cornell, etc., are rapidly recognizing and adopting The Art of Living Courses. But this is still a small number and we have a long way to go. We have so many IITs and IIMs still struggling in our own country. In the world over, the situation is the same for so many educational institutions. In fact, if you check the list of the top 50 educational institutions of the world, you will find that many of them are in China. So, we have a long way to go and promote a value-based education to the students, which develops a person in a complete manner. Education should not just be informative, but also develops a person with emotional intelligence and spiritual quotient as well. That work is still pending, but today the doors are opening.
