Wanting to walk the path of God, but failing every day

At Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunje, Vrindavan - Private conversation with Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj. Seekers place their questions about their life and sadhana, and Maharaj Ji resolves them.

The Complete Discourse

Aastha Bora Ji from Jaipur - Shri Harivansh Maharaj Radhe-Radhe Maharaj Ji - Two years ago when I started listening to you, I came to know how much ignorance and darkness we were living in. By listening to you, this understanding came that for people without discrimination like us, there is also the path of God. Now when I attempt to walk the path of God, every day I am becoming unsuccessful. My mind is becoming agitated. Please show your grace and tell us - in our lives, we have considered our failures as the means to success. Where we have failed, there the path to success has appeared to us.

O God, protect me. Anger has come - O God, protect me. Hold me. Then becoming helpless itself is the very proof of surrender. As long as there is strength within oneself, there is no pure surrender. When one makes oneself weak - I have become the strength of those without strength. The moment we realize I have no capability at all, then tears come and weeping we call to God. O Ocean of Compassion, God, I am unsuccessful. If you show grace, then freed from these vices I can attain your pure bhakti.

Master, there is no capability in me that I can conquer these vices and walk towards you. Goswami Tulsi Das Ji says: "I have tried in many ways, but all efforts prove weak and defeated. Success comes only when the Lord gives impetus." O Lord, you give impetus to lust and anger, you inspire our mind. All this leela is being directed by you. Stop these and allow us to come towards your feet. In failure, there should be no despair. In failure, hope should be joined. And I am not worthy of anything before God, but you are all-capable.

With just your grace, everything of mine will be made. What I create in a million eons will not be made. What you make will be made in just a moment, in a fraction of a moment. In a quarter of a moment, through your grace it will come to be. Master, you have purified many fallen ones. Purify me too, one as lowly as I am. When this feeling arises from within, it becomes the means to our success.

We should not despair. We should not be sad. We should not be disheartened. We must keep stepping forward in our duty. If we slip, then stand up and walk again. This is the path of spiritual welfare. In this, there is no defeat.

Do not despair in this. We are children of the Eternal. One day or another, we will attain the supreme state. If today we are being defeated, we will not stop. If we fall 100 times, then the 101st time we will stand up and walk on the path of spiritual welfare again. So someday God will surely grant us victory. In the world, there is a great web of attachment and illusion. Our weaknesses keep bringing us down, Maharaj Ji. We have weaknesses, but our Lord is very powerful, is he not? So keep your gaze there. Why keep looking at yourself? When you know you cannot manage by yourself, then walk thus - you will not fall.

Walking thus, you will never fall. All those who have risen to any height have risen thus - by taking shelter in God. Sanaka and others are brahma jnanis, yet they always keep japping "Hari sharanam, Hari sharanam, Hari sharanam." Those who jap God's name, who remember God, who see themselves as incapable - they alone are worthy of the supreme state. They alone become fit for God's grace. This custom has always prevailed in this court - honor goes to the humble. Those who do not consider themselves worthy of anything become worthy of everything. Those who consider themselves somewhat worthy become corrupt, because pride becomes the cause of destruction.

It becomes the cause of downfall.

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

Original video: Bhajan Marg (YouTube)