What Teaching Did Maharaj Ji Give on Spiritual Practice Life in Response to a Devotee's Question?

In Shri Radhakeli Kunj, Vrindavan, a private conversation with Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj. Sadhaks ask questions about their life and spiritual practice, and Maharaj Ji resolves them.

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Maharaj Ji, please tell us about spiritual practice life—how to go about it, what should we do? Among all the things you explain from your lotus lips, there is essentially one point: worldly thoughts should not arise, nor should worldly actions. For this reason, constant meditation on one's deity is necessary. Practice with a focused mind. Our mind should never waver even for a moment from our deity. Like Hanuman, when distress comes but there is remembrance and bhajan, there is no such distress. But if worldly thoughts have arisen and worldly actions have taken place, our downfall will not be far away. When a sand dam breaks, rebuilding becomes very difficult. Therefore:

dhatu vishyan pushas sangasu pajayte sangat sanjayte kam krodho vijayte krodha bhavti samoha samohat smriti vibhrama smriti bhrasa buddhi na buddhi nashat prasti
When the mind dwells on worldly objects, attachment arises; from attachment desire is born; from desire anger arises; from anger delusion; from delusion loss of memory; from memory loss, the intellect is destroyed; from the destruction of intellect, one perishes.

The root is worldly thinking. If worldly thinking arises, complete destruction happens. The destruction of intellect is complete destruction. So let our meditation never cease. Whatever mantra the guru gives us, we must meditate on it continuously day and night. Eliminating bodily identification is the foremost necessity, whether one follows the Vaishnava path or any other path.

If bodily identification remains strong, then neither servitude nor friendship nor parental affection nor lover relation nor companion relation can be established. In spirituality, the first method is to eliminate bodily identification. When one takes refuge at the feet of the guru, then with body, speech, and mind devoted, having sold oneself in devotion to the guru, by remaining in the guru's command, ego dissolves. When bodily identification dissolves, the true form awakens—whether it be the form of servant, friend, parental relation, or if in the path of knowledge, the form of the Self. So continuous meditation is our supreme goal.

Like the devarshi Narad became absorbed in unbroken worship of his Lord, engaged day and night in continuous bhajan, always meditating—at no moment should worldly thoughts arise. This carefulness and constant meditation on one's deity is the supreme essence of life, the supreme essence of all scriptures. Meditation on God free from worldly thoughts and worldly actions, engaged in God's actions as service—and meditation on God. When free from worldly thoughts and worldly actions, one meditates on God and engages in God's actions. Then while living, one is liberated in life and a parahamsa. One is established in the supreme state. One does not need any other supreme state. Whoever remains in constant meditation on God is supremely happy. Just as:

sat sa mam bhakto bh
Such is my devoted bhakt..

This transcript is taken from the video's auto-generated captions—there may be errors in the words. Please listen to the video for the authentic words.

Original video: Bhajan Marg (YouTube)