Intimate Dialogue and Darshan #1335

Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj, Vrindavan. Intimate dialogue with Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj. Sadhaks ask questions about their lives and sadhana, and Maharaj Ji answers them.

The Complete Discourse

We say that we love you. We love you to lift you up and bring you to God. What need is there for you to speak if you need us? If we need to, we can dedicate our very life to you. You, come towards God. In every situation of suffering, come and meet me, talk to me, and tell me—what selfish interest do we have?

Tell me, how will you attain the supreme state? How will you listen to us? Love means bringing happiness to someone. Taking happiness from someone—that is a transaction, not love. The word love is very pure, you see.

It means simply bringing happiness to your beloved. That is all. I tell you with conviction: Namdeva manifested God from a dog. If we love someone, we can manifest God within them. Through the power of love we can manifest God in an idol of stone. Through the power of love we can manifest God in an idol of clay. We can manifest God in an image. So why can't we manifest God in these people? If you regard the one you love as your God and bring them happiness, there is no need for worship—God will manifest themselves right there. Just as Pundarik loved his parents, Vitthal God came to give him darshan, and He comes still.

If we love anyone with the true love that is called love, then we see God in them. Because God is in everyone. Tell me, where is there a place where the Lord is not? Everywhere. But we play the game of lust, not love. When our dharma has the practice that we do this act only after purification, then stay within our dignity, stay within the boundaries of scripture, stay pure. You see, if you were asked in private what kind of life partner you wanted, you would say: no matter what, just let them be someone who loves me, who looks at no one but me. So what will the other ask for? Won't they ask the same? Then are you worthy of that? Listen to one thing. You have not kept your life pure. You have defiled your life. Now where will that habit go? You could maintain one wife—or be a devoted husband. And if this is not love, then what is the point of household life? You see your wife with someone else, or the wife sees her husband with someone else. What kind of life is this? It is hell.

When you work hard all day, come home, embrace your beloved with love and sit together—that is a family. That is sacred household life, it is a form of worship. This is our India. This is not a foreign land where you are with one person today and another tomorrow. Those foreign characteristics are creeping in. But our country—you work hard all day, whether in a job, in business, in farming, you come home smiling, speak with affection, and there is intimacy, a bond of love. Now that is gone. There was so much purity. When the husband would arrive, the wife would rise and greet him with respect. And the husband would regard her as his very life. How pure it was. Elder people would arrange marriages—they would only see each other when they became husband and wife, and then they would spend their whole life together. How pure. The lineage was pure, the family was pure, everything was pure. Now I don't know how to protect our dharma. A very strange game is going on.

Now another thing has come—live-in relationships. What kind of practice is this? Once you hold someone's hand, once you are friends with them, and then they say: if you don't like it, you can leave. So this means our life is like goods in a shop? Why are we playing with our life? How can we say "I don't like you"? Look, Maharaj Ji—just recently, Maharaj Ji, there was a sadhak boy, about 21 or 22 years old. Maharaj Ji, he got married just eight months ago. Just the other day he came wanting to meet me directly. He cried so much, crying and crying. He said that his dharmapatni, his wife, was talking to someone else, and he heard the recording of their conversation, and he said, "Now it has become too much."

He had thought he would live such a life in Vrindavan. But now his whole heart is broken. Now what is the point? Where should he even go? This disease is spreading among all the children. The tendency toward infidelity is increasing. Everyone has a mobile phone. They call the big ones "smart." Yes, smart. When you search on it, the whole world comes into it. Now when you see worldliness, when you taste the world—we think that household life is so beautiful. Such a beautiful life—your children, your wife, your family. You work hard all day, come home, do a little worship, chant God's name, laugh, play. The whole life is so good. But household life will become hell if it continues like this. Understand, as we move forward, such problems will come to our society that no one will know how to maintain household life. How to maintain it? Now that man is burning in his mind all day. And wherever he goes to work, wherever he goes, his mind burns: "My partner is unfaithful."

He can go with anyone. Now you cannot give him wealth, and you cannot give him your own heart. Now how can you live in the same house, separated from both things? How can you be a wife and remain as his partner? These problems just keep growing. My trust itself has been broken. I mean, I cannot even speak with him.

Yes, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely—we cannot go deeply into this matter now. It is not within our hands. You people can only improve when you improve yourselves. It is not in our hands. We want that in every quiet moment you understand that this should end. To our young brothers, I pray with folded hands—understand, improve. Are you willing? You are doing such things with some girl and you think that you will have your marriage with someone else. But then the girl who comes to you will be just like that. When that happens, God gives everything just as it should be—God's very work is this, to match like with like. And when like matches with like, what will life become, friend? In purity there is joy.

In love there is joy—there is joy. In adultery there is no joy, there is no joy. Believe me truly. When we love someone, there is happiness just in seeing them. There is happiness in talking to them. There is happiness in sitting near them. So we say God has created this play, He has created it. But He has also set a boundary for us. Love—as He said, if you love, then do it to give happiness to the one to whom you have devoted your heart. Many hearts are tender. No matter how much of a foul nature someone may have—if you love them, you can make them obedient.

But one who has an adulterous nature will deceive. They will not become obedient. They can pretend to love you. But because your heart has become corrupted, because you have developed bad habits—this is why we are very troubled. In our society, girlfriends, boyfriends, living relationships have begun. This is very destructive. We feel things must improve. Yes, they must improve. This is just four days of boyfriend and girlfriend. Your whole life will be ruined. When you have to stand on your own two feet in life, you will be good for nothing.

So what kind of life is this? How do we manage it? How do we manage? You people—control your mind, from wrong behavior. Keep your sons from it, guide your daughters to understand. We say you should sit together like friends. Parents should sit with their children today like friends. Come, sit down. And explain to them. Whatever mistakes happened, they happened. From today, take care. From today, live a pure life. We will support you from every direction. Some children refuse, then they are blackmailed. Once something happens by mistake with a friend, then they are blackmailed after that.

Then those children destroy their own lives. How can they tell their parents? Parents have hot tempers—they cannot tell their parents about the mistake. So we feel we should bring some friendliness into young children and sit with them in a friendly way and explain that such-and-such mistakes can trap you like this. If you are getting trapped somewhere, tell me—I can save you. I can get you out. I can arrange for your happiness. If they are truly your friend, I can arrange your marriage with them.

We should behave this way. Then our children will improve, and if we just leave it, then they will fall into drugs. Then they will fall into wrong behaviors. So we feel that here, love is being misused. The proper use of this word—only someone who takes shelter in God or takes shelter in dharma would do that. Otherwise, love... Maharaj Ji, our children listen to you, we also listen to you. Our son is ten years old and our son is thirteen years old. Both of them serve Shri Ji fully every day.

Yes, because those who listen to satsang, their minds become pure and there is a change in their behavior. Many brothers say our transformation is happening. Because they listen to satsang, many brothers say that is why we are trying. We pray to God that the words which reach someone's ears will grasp their minds. Maharaj Ji, just by seeing you, all our lives have changed. Every day, seeing you, they say: we were atheists and we have changed too. Yes, not atheists—not atheists at all. Everyone is a child of God. Yes, you are God's children.

Maharaj Ji, we live in America. Now in every school there, all the girls and boys on their phones have started watching your videos. Whenever time comes, during recess we get time, during lunch we come, or when we do something, your video keeps playing. Those people also wonder: what is this person in yellow clothes that they keep watching? What is it? In America too, in every school where there are many Indians, Indian children—by your grace, they are all slowly, slowly, slowly... Sometimes a divine wind blows—at such a time God has sent an auspicious wind so that every being transforms, every being becomes auspicious. This sometimes happens. We have nothing to do with it. It is His work. He does and causes to be done. All of you should increase. The Master's servant... the Lord does everything through this service. So our only wish is that somehow these two things—adultery and addiction—should not happen. Change yourselves! Change yourselves! One by one, you change, then our whole India will change!

Harshvardhan Singh Ji, Sri Harivansh, Sri Harivansh Maharaj Ji—I bow with crores and crores of respects at your feet, Maharaj Ji. Although the being understands the world as perishable and also believes... but where does a being understand? Oh child, where does a being understand such things? If a being understood, then why cry? If a being woke up, then why sleep? Where has understanding gone?

Understanding, this is just words. Child, are you following? Understand what we are saying. These are just words from the discourse. To bring the discourse into your life, child, that is a different matter entirely. If this understanding comes—that the entire world is perishable—"Brahman is true, the world is illusion"—then that great soul has reached a very high state. They are not ordinary. They have come very close to God. This is the bondage of the world, and they have known it to be perishable. So now, with no attachment to the perishable—imagine if we flipped a thousand-rupee coin in front of you. You would not be so attracted because you know it has no value. And if a five-hundred-rupee note were lying on the path, you would start wavering back and forth. You would hesitate. So this means your attachment to the coin has not gone. You know the coin is worthless, therefore there is no attachment to it. This note has value, so there is attachment to it.

We can say that pleasures we have not obtained are all false. But the pleasures that we have attachment to, that we have obtained—we are enjoying them. Therefore this knowledge is incomplete. This knowledge has no value. Now ask a question. This is what you should do.

Well, jiva, you speak to yourself about yourself. This also believes that the jiva gives up the body and becomes separate. Yet the supremacy of the world is not found in their mind. Although they consider God to be the ocean of all happiness, yet in God these are just written words to them, child. Nothing of yours is in them. Understand—these are just written words from the scriptures. It is our answer to what is written by you, that which is a problem for you—because it is already happening to everyone anyway.

Whatever problem is directly in your heart, in sadhana that problem should be solved. What is your problem?

Maharaj Ji, we know anyway that apart from God we have no one. Have you heard of ekantik devotion or not heard it?

We have said many times—what you know but cannot apply, there is a deficiency of bhajan in you. Not being able to apply your knowledge at the right time in the right way—this is a deficiency of bhajan. If you do naam jap, you will be able to apply your knowledge at the right time. For instance, I know that I should not see such a sight. I should not do such an action. I should not eat such a thing—and yet it happens forcibly. We know. The reason for this is a lack of inner strength. A lack of spiritual force, a lack of bhajan. "Adhyatma nity vivrut kaam"—in the spiritual state, one is always free from desires. If you are in a spiritual state, the renunciation of all desires becomes natural. Do naam jap, child. We have only one medicine. Because the affection one has for the body and its relations is not the same as what one has for the sant and the Lord. "Malan hriday jab nirmal hoga to nirmal jan man so mohe pava, mohan kapt chal chhidr na bhava"—when the impure heart becomes pure, when the pure soul's mind finds me, deception and trickery do not please them. When the mind becomes pure, then God and God's servants become as dear as life itself.

Therefore, discrimination is needed for a pure mind. Because it is through discrimination and reflection that we renounce untruthful actions, perform right actions, and thereby purify the mind. And discrimination comes from satsang, which you have received. Now do naam jap. The more you do naam jap, the more your mind will become pure. The more the world will appear false to you. In fact, if the knowledge of God's truth comes, then the world disappears. "Je hi jaane jag jaaye, jaage jatha swapn bhram jaaye"—those who know, the world awakens; when awakened, the confusion of dreams disappears. Just as when one wakes from a dream the entire dream seems false, similarly, when we know the truth of God, the world appears false. But all these are written words—to experience them takes a whole lifetime. "Bahu naam janm namte gyaanvaan, naam mam prapadyate Vasudevah sur mitra mahatma sudur labha"—through many births and names, those wise in the name, who take refuge in the name—such a great soul devoted to Vasudeva is rare. After many lifetimes of practice, if you engage in naam jap, child, then the matter will come together. Live with purity. Do not see impure sights. Do not keep company with impure people. Do not eat impure food. Do naam jap. All that is written here will start running in your mind. It will become your experience. Only that experience works. Otherwise you can give discourses and play with maya. Play with maya's attendants—lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, envy. Then what is the use of such knowledge? What use is it? So therefore do naam jap. Eat pure food. Conduct yourself well. Serve your mother and father.

Maharaj, could you please sing one line from a bhav of Meerabai?

If you want me to sing one line, I will sing.

"Guru ke gyan rangu tan kapda, guru ke gyan rangu tan kapda"—with the guru's wisdom I will dye my body's cloth—"man mudra"—the seal of the mind. The meaning of knowledge—with the guru's wisdom I will dye the cloth of my body. Knowledge, knowledge, knowledge—you are speaking nan in Gujarati, are you not?

We speak gnan, gnan gnan.

Okay, okay, but we do not know Gujarati.

Yes—"Guru ke gyan, guru ke gyan rangu tan kapda, man mudra pahugi, man mudra pahugi. Prem prit se mai hari gun gaun, prem prem prit se mai hari gun gaun. Charan lipt rahugi, ho mai to charan [singing] lipt rahugi. Mai vairagya [singing] rahugi ji."

Mukesh Ji from Vrindavan, Shri Harivansh Maharaj Ji, I offer millions and millions of obeisances at your feet. Maharaj Ji, my question is—can we ask God for something? If yes, yes, then what should be asked for?

Why can't we ask? He is our Father. If we don't ask from our own Father, we'll ask from the neighbor. Who is there who doesn't have desire within? You ask from your Father who is the Lord of all worlds and the universe. Ask for what you need. God has called all four as devotees—the distressed, the seeker of wealth, the seeker of knowledge, and the wise. If we need worldly wealth, who else will we ask from? You have given us a family. You have given us means of living, so please also give us the way by which we can nourish our family, by which we can serve society. If we need wealth, we will ask from you. If we need relief from sorrow, then from you. This is in ordinary devotion; it is not in love-marked devotion. We praise this and we also refute this. Not in love-marked devotion. When we have given our body, our life, everything to you, then what is left of mine to ask with? What do I have that I can ask for? Assume I have been sold into your hands. I have made my body your name, made my life-breath yours, made my heart yours, made my life yours.

So O Lord of life, now the burden of this is on you. What shall we ask for? You are all-knowing, you know. This is where love-marked devotion begins. That is ordinary devotion in which I have my family. I am a person responsible for my family. And Lord, I am asking you for my family's welfare. And one thing: O Lord, all wealth is yours. I am your servant along with my son and wife. You are all-knowing. What is there to ask from you? Give us whatever circumstances please you; we are content with that. Whatever the beloved does is for me. You understand—asking is also right in ordinary devotion, and asking is not right at all because we know you are all-knowing. This is moving towards extraordinary love-marked devotion. So now we should see where we are positioned. If we are in ordinary devotion, asking will also come. If we are in love-marked devotion, whatever arrangement you make will come through you alone.

We will remain content with that. We can never make supplication to you. And if we do make supplication, let it be only for you. Our only prayer is that you be found. The Lord, once obtained, leaves nothing else to be obtained. Knowing whom leaves nothing else to be known. We ask for that. Even if we ask from God, what then? Like a village man who was engaged in some service work, and they were pleased with him. The emperor, the sovereign ruler, called him. He said, 'Ask for whatever you wish.' The village man thought: 'If two buffalo of ours could get fodder for a year. There are four people in the house to feed. He said, 'Master, we have two buffalo. If they could get fodder for a year and we could get food for a year.' He said, 'O foolish one, who are you asking from? You're asking from the emperor. I can give you an entire city. Ask for whatever you want.' But he didn't have the courage. The poor man didn't have courage; he would ask only according to his status. Only according to his capacity. So truly, by asking he actually lost. If he had said to the emperor, 'Master, give whatever you wish,' then he would have given according to his position. So what is right, what is wisdom, is that we tell God, 'Do whatever pleases you.' Then he will give according to his position, and if we ask, we'll only ask for things of that sort. So it seems we should tell God, 'Do whatever pleases you. Never do what pleases us. Do what pleases you.' 'Why?'

Maharaj Ji, that was the very question: we don't know how to ask, so what should we ask for? There's the answer. Yes Maharaj Ji, with what attitude should we live in Vrindavan, Maharaj Ji? You can live with whatever attitude you wish. No, with the attitude that brings us welfare. We should live with the attitude of home. 'It is my home. My beloved lives here. I belong to them. I had forgotten. I had gone to a foreign land. I have returned home. Come, meet the family.'

आपने हरि हसी कंठ लगायो बो भाग वृंदावन पायो
You embraced Hari with a smile; blessed are those who obtain Vrindavan.

Our home is in the home of our beloved. So in our home, if there's debris at the door, we'll remove it and throw it away, won't we? So we should not make Vrindavan dirty, should not make Vrindavan impure. And now that we have come to our home, meaning to the home of our beloved, we should not speak anything dirty here, should not commit any impure actions. And if we live with the attitude of home, it will be good. If we hold the attitude that it's the abode of the beloved, then offense, then sinful conduct will result. Then it's how you live—if you live with the home attitude, even if mistakes happen, hear the power of Vrindavan. It bestows its own qualities. Just as a mother takes a dirty child in her lap, others will see the child is covered in filth, but the mother will not see it; the mother will think, 'It's my child.' Thus Vrindavan sees: 'It has taken my refuge, so I don't see its impure sinful conduct.' And if you live with this attitude, in God's attitude, then the law will be applied.

Like how the President's family members live there—there's no law over them, there's no investigation. But if someone goes to meet the President as an outsider, then there's full inquiry and investigation. 'Why do you want to meet? What for?' So regard it as your own home. Because we are in servitude—we belong to the beloved. Is there any doubt in this? It's firm that we belong to the beloved, isn't it? No, speak truly—yes? Then we have come to our own home. But if it's not firm that it's our home, then there's doubt. Then you'll regard it as God's place, and if you regard it as God's place, the law will apply. If you go to meet it regarding it as the President's place, the law will apply. We belong to this house, we're friends of this house, then the law won't apply. So 'home' means: the attitude of servitude, the attitude of friendship, the attitude of parental affection, the attitude of a gopi, the attitude of a companion—some attitude or other, isn't there? So we belong to the home of our beloved, don't we? And we have not remained in the home of our beloved; only this...

Live with feeling. Are you understanding, Maharaj Ji? I am a resident of Braj. I came to you before. I am not able to purify my mind, and my mind is not clean. You say that the mind should be immaculate. You must have heard both points, but you are holding on to only one point. You have heard both points, you have heard satsang.

They are reminding that when it is beyond your capacity, then surrender to Shri Krishna. Surrender your body.
Your body and senses are absorbed in what is auspicious, that is the reality.
This house is like this. Whomever we dedicate it to, in whose name we give it, then our responsibility ends. The spider here, the lizard here—everything here will belong to the one to whom we give the house. When our mind's impurity, our senses' desires all become the form of God—
Your body and senses, ego and pride are purified, I am that.
Hold two principles. If you have the strength in your ego, then purify it and surrender it to God. If you don't have that strength then:
He who is a destroyer of the moving and unmoving world comes to me for refuge with all his devotion—I grant him fearlessness in every way. Whether commanded or not commanded, take one path.

So you say, Maharaj Ji,— [throat clearing] —the immaculate mind. We held both points first. What do you want to ask?

I want to say that I don't have that much capacity within me. I don't have that much strength.

So this path has been shown. When one approach doesn't work anymore, surrender happens then, doesn't it? Surrender yourself. Take refuge in God. God is saying: he who keeps everyone who takes refuge as dearly as life itself.

This is why paths have been taught in our scriptures. Many paths have been taught for this reason: if you know about yourself that I am no longer worthy, then O Priya Lal, I am in your refuge. Take refuge. The Lord will carry all the burden.
The Lord does not regard the faults of his servants; he is the friend of the poor and of gentle nature.

Are you understanding?
Even at the moment of suffering, the Lord does not turn away.

This: from your heart you have accepted God—just from this the work will be done. He will purify his own mind.

We don't have soap to purify our mind. The more we try to purify it, the dirtier it becomes. We are making effort.
It will not be made by my efforts, not even in countless ages. It will be made by your grace in a moment.
Come to this path. You must hold one principle.

One principle is: Lord, command me and I will walk that way. This is what purifies the mind. And another is: command or don't command, Maharaj—we are already telling you. We, it's not in our capacity to become worthy of you. You make us worthy of you. Lord, however much inferior one may be, he becomes the beloved of God.

Are you understanding? Vinod Kumar Ji. Radhe-Radhe Maharaj Ji.

Maharaj Ji, for the last three years, living in the country I listen to you for three hours, and with my son abroad I listen for five hours. Gurudev, I have boundless respect and affection for you in my heart.

Gurudev, in the Bhagavad Gita, seventh chapter, seventh verse, God says: "Nothing is superior to Me, O Dhananjay." Maharaj Ji, there is no other cause besides me. With great humility and respect, this servant wants to ask: when there is no other, then are not your worshipful Shri Radha Ji and Lal Ji—the same Radha Ji and the same Lal Ji?

Yes, the embodiment of supreme bliss, one essence—forever obeisance to Shri Radha and Krishna in their two forms.

That which is the supreme blissful essence, it takes two forms and plays in the form of beloved and lover. And that same One takes many forms and plays as female, male, inert and conscious.
Besides me nothing at all exists, O Dhananjay.

But this must be experienced. Just as we have read this and memorized it, we still see woman as woman, man as man, good as good, bad as bad. Now through sadhana we have to obtain this vision—that the entire creation is the form of Shri God.

Now, as long as we don't have this vision, we will suffer. When we encounter bad, we suffer; when we encounter good, we have happiness. All this remains. So what is the use of that knowledge—knowledge that cannot eliminate our duality, cannot remove our suffering? Knowledge is only that which can be applied in practice.

Everyone has knowledge, but we don't apply it. When pain comes to the body we start wailing. When hardship comes we start crying. So what good is that knowledge? Even when death comes, if the smile doesn't fade, then knowledge has truly been understood. No—now if God is in everything, then God is here too. When there is not even a place where God is not, then God is here too, isn't it? When you understand that all is God, then what is this? The game is over. Life is liberated.

So we only have knowledge from reading and studying. We don't have experiential knowledge. When experiential knowledge comes, then one becomes a liberated great soul.

This is why God has said: "After many births, one who is full of knowledge surrenders to Me."
Vasudeva is all.
After sadhana of many births, this knowledge is obtained—that the entire world is the form of God. Just as Goswami Ji attained knowledge:
Siya-Ram is all the world I know, pay obeisance to the Lord of the universe.
Everywhere is Siya-Ram established.

Now we cannot see like this. This is why the wise person sees. Like the Upanishad truth-seers, great souls:
All this is indeed Brahman. All is Brahman.
But to have such experience—that is the matter of being liberated in life. And merely having such knowledge alone will not make one liberated in life.

Knowledge means we have information, but we don't have the experience. Woman still appears as woman, man as man, inert and conscious, good and bad—all appear this way. And God is commanding:
The wise man sees equally the learned and humble Brahmin, the cow, the elephant, the dog, and the outcaste.
Yes, he who sees in the dog, in the outcaste, in the elephant, in the cow, and in the learned and humble Brahmin, one same Supreme Self—he is the wise one. He is the knowledgeable one. God is saying this.

So we should chant the naam well, conduct ourselves righteously, study the scriptures, and engage in service to others.

[throat clearing sound] The heart becomes pure very quickly through the spirit of selfless service. And it is in a pure heart that knowledge flares up. In a pure heart there is dispassion. In a pure heart there is love. And where there is selfish conduct, even if there are lectures, there will be no experience. And without experience, what use is the lecture? So knowledge is that which comes into practice. Practice happens only when there is bhajan. Bhajan happens only when conduct and food are pure. When conduct and food are pure, then bhajan will happen. When bhajan happens, strength will come.

When strength comes, you will be able to fight desire and anger. Through victory over desire and anger, you become wise. You become a devotee. You become a lover. You become everything. Then everywhere you will see God. Guru Maharaj, you have created a revolution of naam jap. The spread of naam jap - brother, we used to read about this from childhood, and what a revolution you have brought about. Everyone is engaged in naam jap. All your followers, for them naam jap is the first and main thing. Knowledge will come from that alone. Guru Maharaj, since you say this, please bless us with naam jap. We consider naam jap very great.

No, everyone should do naam jap abundantly. From the heart - whatever the physical condition may be, that is why we give time. There were 150,000 people before. Today, Guru Maharaj, such a crowd. Yes. All night now - you think about it. Winter time - people do not want to get out of their blankets. Small children, mothers - everyone standing on the road. Now if we say we will rest, how can we rest? Rest comes only when God is in our heart. Not... then... this is very beautiful - everyone sees God in all forms. Yes, it is true that the karma from past lives was very severe - it damaged the kidneys. Now the body is not in such a condition. But still, we think this way: just as we know that a dishonest servant will run away, so we try to extract as much work as possible - extract as much work as possible.

Whether he will run away or not is uncertain. Like that, we know that this body will leave. So from it, do as much work as possible, bring as much welfare to the world as possible. Every day we live, may the world be benefited. Our bhajan, our sadhana, our every breath - for our community. That thing that came into the youth - absolutely a revolution - through Radha's naam - towards God - meaning complete dedication. Leaving dirty conduct. Leaving what they eat and drink. Stopping drinking - meaning what the children do - stopping that. Among my companions, there were two or three people. We explained to them that, brothers, this is not right. So they stopped. Just by showing your video, your lectures, your words - Sir, Guru Maharaj, I have become so blessed. My two daughters, my whole family at home - they regard you very well, worship you, and say that everyone's God [grants] welfare. Truly, there has been a revolution. Truly, a revolution. The naam revolution - we feel it - never in life until now did we receive love anywhere. So God gave us love after love in the final time. Look, people are doing so much. They are God's people. So God has arranged this leela to sustain the final [chapter]. From you, Guru Ji, I learned that one should respect and honor one's mother and father in the home. I have never found anyone to explain it better than you. I mean, there are so many children - how they behave with their parents. But I have seen that the way you have given honor to your parents, to your family members - the way you speak about mother and father - people's attachment to their parents has increased so much, and their respect has increased. When a child calls us to a foreign country, then we do even more sadhana there - what you have instructed, we do for five hours there. From there they say, "It was not like this before. What happened to him?" This is my friend and this one also came somewhat from home in that way - I mean, he did not listen to father - but now the situation is such that regarding the service at the doorstep, the foot brushing, he does that work.

Very beautiful. Very. And you have saved us quite a bit, Sir. You have made many happy. Harsh Sharma Ji from Haridwar. Radhe-Radhe, Maharaj. Guru Maharaj, at your feet, millions and millions of bows. Maharaj, even after explaining in the satsang many times and in many ways that guru and God are not two, my attachment is only towards Guru Maharaj and I have no feeling towards Shri or Thakur. But even in such a situation, I am defeated again and again in following the Guru's command. I am in such a state where I am neither here nor there. No, this is a very beautiful thing - when guru and God are standing, whoever reaches them first, hail the guru first. For us, our Guru Maharaj comes first, the chosen deity second. When the guru is pleased, he brings everything into alignment. "The guru's grace erases all imagined fears. Those devoted to the guru's feet are blessed beyond the world and the Vedas. Those who place the guru's dust on their head make all wealth subservient to them." Now the thing is, we have been under the control of mind and senses for infinite births.

Not just one or two births. Whatever the mind and senses told us, we kept doing that. Now we want to bring the mind and senses under our control. So this battle will take some time. Victory will not come in 10, 20 days, or in a month, two months, or even a year or two. Do bhajan a lot. Conduct yourself well. So wherever you fail, look and see: have we said anything contrary to the scriptures? If we have not said anything contrary to the scriptures, child, if you do not go against the Guru's command, then maya can never defeat you. So consider the Guru's command as the Lakshman line. And wherever you cross the Lakshman line, Ravan will take you away. So the mistakes that we make come from violating his command. If it is the Guru's command - no, brother - now it is the Guru's command, then even if my life leaves, I will not do it. The Guru's command alone has great power. Great power. Because God has placed power in the Guru's command. That is why the welfare of the world happens.

We barely know what is happening to us. Our Bhagwan is doing everything—seated in our speech, seated in our heart, doing everything. So when an order comes to you that you should walk this way, and you start walking that way, then Bhagwan's grace has descended upon you. We don't even know it, and you have become blessed. It is Bhagwan's grace. So guru and Bhagwan are not two. They are one. But Bhagwan dwells in everyone's heart. Yet everyone is suffering, everyone is troubled, and everyone is bound by the bondage of Maya. But when that same Bhagwan took the form of the guru, he freed them from Maya.

Therefore the position of guru is greater than Bhagwan itself. And Bhagwan himself is saying, "The guru is greater than me"—one should regard the guru as even greater than myself. When it is Bhagwan's command, then Bhagwan himself becomes the guru.

बंदो गुरु पद कंज कृपा सिंधु नर रूप हरि महामोहतम पुंज जासु वचन कर
Bow to the guru's lotus feet, ocean of grace in human form, Lord, mass of great delusion, whose word...

So when we make a mistake, we should join our hands and pray to Gurudev Bhagwan: "Lord, I have violated your command and I have made a mistake. Please forgive me, and from now on I will improve." Then later another mistake happens, and we repeat the same prayer. Because the enemies—desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride, envy—these are not small adversaries.

When Kaam (desire) drew five arrows and struck Lord Shankara, his samadhi was disrupted. We are jiva; he is Shiva. If it can disrupt Shiva's samadhi, how much time would it take to disrupt the samadhi of a jiva? Therefore let us take refuge in Bhagwan and never accept defeat. Even if we fail a hundred times, a thousand times, if we don't accept our defeat, we will win. And if we accept defeat and become discouraged, thinking "Now I am lost," then we fall into degraded behavior, thinking "I tried in life but failed." Yet even if every attempt fails, we will not fail. One day we will definitely succeed. We keep moving forward. Much suffering is endured from within, and then victory over these is obtained. These burn from within—desire, anger and the rest burn and attract. You are still new children. When that burning is endured:

यम ही नथते पुरुषम पुरुष सम दुखा सुखा धीरम स्वमृतत्वाय कल्पते
One who bears pleasure and pain equally becomes worthy of the immortal state.

One becomes the inheritor of the nectar state.

Therefore endure, endure. When you are defeated, pray to the Lord. Then the Lord will give you strength. And thus understand firmly—attainment of Bhagwan is certain for whom? For one who has placed their trust. Bhagwan does not turn away those who have faith.

I told this story in satsang yesterday. There was a servant in the service of Jagannath. He fell into bad company and went to a courtesan. When the other servants learned of this, they brought it before the Lord and said, "Lord, this limb-servant must choose—either you or the courtesan." He chose the courtesan and left Jagannath. After some time he fell ill and his body was completely destroyed. For the body can be destroyed at any time, there is no knowing when. Jagannath, in a dream, told his attendants, "Perform his final rites as you would for my attendants." They said, "Lord, he abandoned you." He said, "It is his nature to abandon me, but it is not my nature to abandon. I have given him the highest state." He served for only a few days, yet the courtesan—degraded work. But when Jagannath Bhagwan accepts someone, he does not abandon them.

So now, how do we know that Bhagwan has accepted us? If Bhagwan had not accepted us, we would not have found the company of saints.

अब मोह भाव भरोस हनुमंता बिनु हरि कृपा निहार
Now with loving faith like Hanuman, but without Hari's grace, there is no true understanding.

Since we have found the company of saints, it means Bhagwan has accepted me.

जब द्रवह दीन दयालु राघव तो साधु संगति पाइए
When the merciful Raghav casts his eye, then the company of saints is obtained.

So you are sitting in Vrindavan doing satsang with saints—it means Bhagwan is pleased with you, Bhagwan has accepted you. Do naam jap as much as you can. Fight the fight as much as you can. When you are defeated, become such that you say, "Look, O Lord, this is not within my power. If you give me strength, I will overcome it, and if you don't, then I will remain as I am." But there will be no doubt about this—we are lowly, we are degraded, we are fallen, but O Lord, we will speak your name.

ह कहावत सब कहत राम सहित उपहास स्वामी सीता नाथ सो सेवक तुलसीदास
All speak this way: with Rama, worship of Lord Sita and Rama—the servant is Tulsi Das.

Tulsi Das is saying, everyone says "Tulsi's Rama," and we too proudly say "Rama is mine." Now Maharaj, you see how you wish to make me—you see. If you are pleased to make me full of desires, then I am pleased, Maharaj. And if you don't wish it, how can desire attack me? Your power is given to all. Without your will, no one's power can function. How can desire and anger torment me? So Lord, you alone save me. What I build will not be built in millions of ages. What you build will be built in an instant.

Yes, Dharamesh. Radhe Radhe, Maharaj. Maharaj, ten million prostrations at your feet.

A devotee asks: Maharaj, I always feel like sleeping—sleep won't come, but I still feel like lying in bed.

Maharaj answers: No, no, this is a bad habit. Practice discipline with this. Keep six hours for sleep. We have practiced from childhood not to sleep, because sleep would come during bhajan. Now sleep is not even a thing for us. Because of practice, sleep bowed down to us. These people, the doctors say, "You should rest." But I don't have the habit of rest. From childhood, when Baba was here, in the afternoon when I would lie down for a bit, I would get up and sit. I kept walking around in a circle. I placed a seat there and sat on it again. Then I pinched my belly, poured cold water on myself, stood and did bhajan to fight sleep. There was a hut where the ritual was going on. Standing on one leg, holding on like this—so how could sleep come?

If we fall asleep, we will fall down. So we fought against sleep, and today we managed to keep ourselves awake. But you said you used to braid your hair back then. Yes, not anymore. What is this—in this new stage of life, this happens. Like in this new stage, there is more sleep. Old people will have to take tablets. Now even at night, sleep comes well. In the daytime, from 12:00 to 2:00, it just keeps coming—sleep keeps coming. No, we give a rule of six hours. Six hours you can sleep comfortably. After that, fight it. Why are you wasting your life by sleeping more than this?

Sleep means wasted time going away. See, the strength we get from sleep, the fresh feeling that comes to our senses—that happens because the thoughts of the world drop away. If thoughts of the world drop for six hours, then power comes back to our senses and we get back to work in the world. So if we gave six hours to meditation on God, dropping thoughts of the world, we would become great souls—so we're saying: keep one part out of 24 hours for sleep—six hours. Keep one part for study—six hours. And for work, for whatever you're doing in a job—eight hours for that.

If you add it up, three or four hours are left over that you waste uselessly. Put that time that you waste into bhajan. You will find God. Do you do any bhajan? No, I mean I had a habit, I started reading the Hanuman Chalisa for three or four months and then it dropped. It was done. Then after that I dropped it. Then it becomes weekly, and then that weekly habit drops too. No, listen, now that you've come to us—from today do 24 minutes of Radhe Radhe naam in 24 hours. Will you do it from today, treating it as medicine?

Promise—24 minutes of Radhe Radhe. And if you sleep a lot, take 8 hours. Don't sleep more than this. Promise this too—promise eight hours, brother. Make this effort. Then next time you come, tell us how your life is going. Okay? Yes, 24 minutes of Radha naam and eight hours of sleep—eight hours of sleep—and spend the rest in your daily activities. And there is one more thing that we want to remove from young people. This girlfriend-boyfriend system—you don't have that, do you?

No.

Tell the truth: is there any such behavior where you destroy yourself in solitude? Then you will just become good children.

Okay? Don't pay attention to these things. When you marry later with your parents' consent, there is joy in that. Don't make any mistakes on your part. Okay? 24 minutes of Radha naam jap, 8 hours of sleep, and listen to satsang for a while. Do you listen?

I've only heard it four or five times.

Not just four or five times—no, you should listen four or five times a day. But listen to one 10-minute clip every day. Promise this too—no, if you don't promise, then 24 and 10 minutes is 34 minutes. We've set this for you. And you yourself are taking 8 hours for sleep, and for the rest of the time, stay occupied—don't sit idle.

Whether it's studying, or housework like mopping—the point is to stay active, to keep your body engaged. This is essential. Otherwise it will pull you into futile overthinking, into unnecessary thoughts, into mental fantasies, and that will start bothering you. Overthinking—yes, you should avoid overthinking a lot. It's a very poisonous thing, this overthinking. If it keeps growing, it can reach a point where the child says, "I'm discouraged, I'm hopeless"—it can go there. Don't give it time, don't give it time. We don't want the mind to have even a minute of emptiness.

If you engage the mind in the Lord, engage it in work, the mind stays joyful. If you just lie around and keep thinking, you will become troubled. Except for eight hours, don't lie down. You're not sick. Sit in a chair, read some vani, read some scripture. Are you in 11th or 12th grade?

Yes.

What else—there's still a lot to study, you need to get degrees. So understand your studies as worship of God and study consistently. Okay? Yes. Yes. Do you exercise, or can you spare 10 minutes for exercise?

Guruji, you've caught me today.

Will you give 10 minutes?

There's a bit of difficulty in the early morning.

What?

Sleep.

No.

What time do you sleep? 12:00?

From 12 to 8 or 9, I wake up.

From 12 to 8 or 9—that sleep time is not right. Sleep time should be at 10:00. Why, what are you doing until 12:00? What are you doing until 12:00?

I eat at 9:00. I studied for an hour, two or three hours, and an hour on the phone.

Why use the phone? Why waste time on it? Don't waste time uselessly.

I think if you sleep at 10:00, then wake up at 6:00 in the morning. And drink warm water, sit in vajrasana, take a bath, and run for 15-20 minutes. All exercise happens in running. Otherwise these days there are modern arrangements—what do you call them—where these things happen—gyms, gyms, gyms—go there. Do 10-15-20 minutes. You're young. Okay? Promise. What have we said: 8 hours of sleep, Radha naam for 24 minutes in 24 hours. Yes, that's good if you promise. And do at least 10 minutes of exercise. Okay? Yes, very good.

This text is taken from auto-generated captions of the video—there may be errors in the words. Please listen to the video for the authentic discourse.

Original video: Bhajan Marg (YouTube)