This Secret Mystery of Attaining God, Know It! // 23/05/26

Satsang of Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj — To watch the complete discourse, see the video above.

Full Discourse

In the Bhagavad Gita, God said in a verse... I am outside and I am inside, I pervade the entire moving and non-moving world, I am very far and I am very near. This is something worth paying attention to. He is so near that we are not near to ourselves. We are not near to ourselves. Because we are trapped in the body. He is very far from us, but the essence of Shanti is very near. He is very far. Why did He say this? I am outside and I am inside, I pervade the moving and non-moving world, and I am very near and I am very far.

God said this in the Gita. We need to understand this in two ways. He is outside, He is inside, He exists in the moving and non-moving world. We accept that. But the essence of Shanti is very far. The essence of Shanti is very near. There is a mystery in this. For one who does sadhana through intellect, God is very far. For one who does sadhana through surrender and kripa, sadhana happens from that as well. The essence of Shanti, the Supreme Lord, is very near. As long as the sense of doership remains in oneself, that is not sadhana, that is action.

When the feeling of kripa comes, then one says our sadhana is complete. What does sadhana mean? One says if I appeased a certain deity, then my desire is fulfilled. Sadhana means desiring—this is sadhana. Desiring is sadhana. Two meanings understood from this—desiring is sadhana. And desiring is sadhana. That no desire or connection remains from the world or from anyone except the Ishta. We desire only the Ishta. We become strong through the Ishta's strength. We appeal for the Ishta's kripa alone. We do not find fault in the Ishta's will. We people have very lowly intellect. Very base intellect, as it is called.

We do not consider the kripa of our Ishta as kripa, but view it through our intellectual level—that my attainment is of my own doing. Instead of accepting the Ishta's will as will and as kripa, we become deprived. Wherever we apply our intellect, the Ishta wants to draw us near. But our intellect keeps us very far from the Ishta. Just offer your mind and intellect to me, then you will dwell in me. Now, after hearing such pure teachings of surrender, if we still maintain the sense of "I" in our body, the sense of doership in our actions, see pleasure in favorable circumstances and suffering in unfavorable circumstances, then what kind of sadhak have we become? We should not find fault in the Ishta's will. We should not do this to the Lord.

We should not do this. It is not so. We are Yours. Otherwise, we could question the Lord: since childhood until now I have been devoted to You. Is there still some desire remaining? To gain something, to receive something, to enjoy something, to see something? We have never asked a question. Just as You are a player, play as You wish. However You wish, in whatever way—we just need Your gesture. On Your gesture we move. We are puppets; we dance as You make us dance. If You want to make us dance toward the south, we will not dance toward the north. And if You want to make us dance toward the north, we will not step toward the south.

Repeatedly in satsang we say this—we only want to become Yours. This opportunity does not come again and again. The proximity that was given, the kripa that was received—we should not have given thorns in place of roses to God. How beautiful, fragrant, tender and soft, with thorns. The lotus should not have bloomed in mud. It should have bloomed in something fragrant. It is like this—they place a rose among thorns. Escape from the thorns and reach the rose. If you hurry, you will get caught in the thorns. You will not get the rose.

Similarly, God has placed some natural obstacles for His union with us. That is why we are so eager. If God became available to us as easily as people like us, then you would hold no value. You would not be held in any esteem. God would begin to play carelessly, then it would become disrespect. The gopis thought in their hearts—I am the most beautiful in the world, God dances at my gesture. Therefore He disappeared. God is outside and God is inside, subtle and far, the essence is far—far for whom? For all of us. That is why it is far. And the essence is near—how is it explained? He plays with us in the mind, in the heart, outside and inside He plays with us.

The scene changes. The perspective changes. But He is such a player that where is such a player found? Meaning this is false. If you were given a golden necklace, then what would you wear? You would think I did not work hard and they are giving it to me like this, so it must be false. And when sweat drips, you work very hard for years, and then if you are given it, that is why God spends the entire life rubbing his nose and does not even give a glimpse. But the munis sitting in meditation cannot perceive Him. Yet He plays and has fun with those who have accepted the relationship of surrender, the devoted ones. He plays with them, performs leela with them, does leela. That is why our prayer is—our path is that of surrender. Let our vision rest only on the refuge, the Lord, and on His will. God's ways are very subtle. He nourishes us. He increases our sadhana. He protects our sadhana as well. Yoga-kshema-vaham aham—God is saying—the yoga that is attained and that which is to be attained, I will make that happen. And I will also protect what is attained. So our people are surrendered. There is no orphan among us. We have kept our wealth in such a treasury that no one can steal it.

Remain in complete surrender. Strive to chant the naam every moment. Whatever movements are happening through the body—understand that they are being made to happen through me. In reality, it is this way: maya makes you dance one way, and through bhakti, the Lord dances you in another way. The Lord like a puppet master dances everyone. So we too are in that dance. If you do not accept bhakti, then the soul dances just as it is made to dance by maya. And through bhakti, see how the Lord is dancing us. I dance only as you make me dance. Radha Vallabh Lal.

I dance only to the way you make me dance. Just as they make me dance, I dance that way. The melting away of ego, the dissolution of body-consciousness—this is the mature state of sadhana. Free from body-consciousness, always dwelling in contemplation of the Supreme—whether sitting, walking, lying down, or standing—absorbed in the thought of God. Remain devoted to meditation on God. Hold expectations from no one. Fullness comes from the Lord. Whoever is a true disciple is surrendered. Whoever has surrendered, their burden is on the Beloved and the Guru. The Beloved and Guru are capable. They will sustain you.

Be at peace in body, wealth, and mind, for we are surrendered. Our sustenance is not happening through us—it is happening through our Beloved. Never remain empty, but full of absorption. Every moment, bhajan and love, which is service to Radha Vallabh, Shri Harivansh. And focus on surrender. Our earnestness is to bring you to surrender. Once you have surrendered, you have won. Look, this is a very subtle matter. It is said, "Do bhajan." We also say, "Do bhajan." But Hariram Vyasji places bhajan in the second place. He says the reliance—the trust—is what matters. This reliance which is surrender.

We are completely surrendered to the reliance on Shri Ji. I have no rights. My Beloved has rights over my body, mind, and life. My Guru's rights, my Lord's rights—where is the difference? Now what deficiency remains in our welfare? When everything is yours, Lord, then how can there be any deficiency? In this sense of "mine" lay the bondage. That is what we had to remove. Regarding bhajan alone—some bhajan has strength. But Hariram Vyasji says, for me the power is in reliance on Shri Ji. The Goswami too placed bhajan in the second place. He said, "Many births have been spoilt; now let them be corrected today. Become one with Ram. This is the first thing. Then chant the naam—this is the second. Through bhajan, defects will themselves fall away." Then people, chant the naam well—this is the second thing. The first thing is to dedicate your body, mind, life, and everything to the Beloved Guru. Our Guru-Beloved is like the ocean. We are without virtue, lowly. Some fault can come from us, some lowliness can come from us. But She is great. She will forgive us and pull us towards Her.

Just as we say, if a drain insect were placed in a lake of nectar, it would think it was being punished, "I am being taken out of the drain." It prefers the drain—that is what we are like. But the Beloved is so merciful that She pulls us every moment. Towards Her feet-nectar, form-nectar, divine-play-nectar, name-nectar. And we want to run towards that world of worldly pleasures. Therefore remain in shelter. Those who are in refuge—the Beloved destroys all their good and bad karma. We all belong to such a Harivansh Mahaprabhu. Remain engaged in bhajan with great joy. Don't worry at all.

Whether we meet or not, speak or not—we love you all very much. If you have faith in love, we love you all. We love from the heart. And we wish for everyone to receive the grace of Shri Ji, for everyone to reach the feet of Shri Ji. Because however we are—lustful, angry, greedy—you have dragged us along. As much as you drag me, I am dragging myself towards you. As much as you release me, I go towards the world. If you pull completely, I will come completely to you. I sit with hands raised like this, "Please, drag me to you. Your power to drag is infinite. Call me to you with your power. I don't have the power to come towards you myself."

And finally, don't worry at all. Whether I meet you or not, speak to you or not, come to you or not—don't worry about how our uplift will happen. Without speaking, I will be in your mind. See—without speaking, I will be in your mind. You will do what the Guru says. This is the Divine Path. This is not a path of mere play. This happens. Sometimes it happens this way. God's play is like this. Be completely at peace. Whoever, wherever, in whatever service they are—remain in that service. Don't keep expectations from anyone. Keep expectations from the Beloved. Trust the Beloved. By Guru's grace, everything will be fine. In this very birth we are attaining the Divine. In this very birth we must attain Shri Ji. Chant the naam well. Whether we remain or not, come or not, meet or not—your welfare will be assured. Your Guru will remain seated in your mind. Your sustenance will be by the Beloved.

Make this your firm resolve. Your sustenance will be by the Beloved, not by any person. And when it seems it is happening through some person, let it go. The sustenance is happening through the Beloved. The Beloved alone will care for everyone. We have many deficiencies. We have many faults. Shri Ji alone will forgive them, correct them, and draw us into Herself. Our capacity has been only to reach Shri Ji. A whole lifetime has passed. Now, dependent on Her feet, may She move us as She wishes. Taking Her strength, we speak to you all.

What strength do I have? You remain fearless, carefree, and sorrowless; engage wholeheartedly in bhajan. When I feel inclined, I will speak. No, we are in silence, quiet and tranquil, dwelling in solitude. And that solitude is for you alone. For us, it is not solitude. For us, we are not doing bhajan. For us, our silence is not silence. Let me tell you the truth. Whatever had to happen with me has already happened. Everything that is happening now is happening for all of you. Engage in bhajan wholeheartedly, perform naam jap, take refuge and remain happy, remain joyful and see what guru prasad is.

These discourses and words don't create the real thing. The real thing is created from inner resolve. When the guru is pleased, when the beloved guru becomes favourable, all imagined fears are gone, all sorrows are gone, all faults are destroyed. The guru is pleased—everything is accomplished. Shri Radha Vallabh Lal.

This text is taken from automatic captions of the video—there may be errors in the words. Please listen to the video for the authentic vani.

Original video: Shri Hit Radha Kripa (YouTube)