God is pleased by tapas and tyag | P. Mahant Swami | Satsang Chintan · Mahant Swami Katha

Then Shriji Maharaj said.

For the sake of pleasing God, Naradji performed great penance for several yugas, enduring cold, heat, hunger, and thirst.

For several yugas.

Not years, take it.

Naradji performed penance for several yugas.

By that penance, God was pleased, and by that penance, he pleased God.

In this way, a discerning person knowingly controls their body and senses and performs penance.

Therefore, a discerning sadhu should knowingly act in a way that causes hardship to their body and senses.

Shastriji Maharaj used to say that.

A sadhu should intentionally create adverse circumstances for themselves.

Otherwise, where are the adverse circumstances like those of the old saints now?

So we say, 'Come on, brother.'

All those Nand saints used to wander in the wilderness.

Oh, they used to beat the ascetics.

They wouldn't get food.

Is that going to happen now?

Shastriji Maharaj used to say that we used to wander in the Gir forest, in the settlements.

And then, where would all those adversities come from now?

But adversity, God, adversity increases detachment, doesn't it?

If one understands and has discernment, then it increases.

Otherwise, there are more complaints.

If there's nothing, then a person complains that 'I missed this, and I missed that, I missed this, and I missed that.'

Complaints.

If one is discerning, Maharaj says it's good.

We don't renounce by our own strength, but this situation makes us renounce.

So, one should take its good, consider it good, and accept it.

And one should make good use of it.

That's what they say.

But now, there are no such adversities.

Now there are piles.

So, Swamiji, Bhai Brahmswamiji makes a new dish every day.

That

In the evening, there's a pile.

Where is the adversity?

Eat this or that, if not this then that, if not this then that, what to eat is a big question.

People get confused.

If one eats, it's an injustice to the other.

If one eats, the other is wronged, and the rest is left completely.

So it's going to run out in two or three days, and on the fourth day, it's one person's turn.

So there is so much adversity right now.

The other person was confused about what to eat when hungry.

And this person is confused about what to eat from all of them.

There is mental adversity.

Mental adversity.

Mental

Now, when there is more than one, one knows.

Mental adversity alone does not increase detachment if there is no physical adversity.

What is mental adversity? It's when no one respects us.

Honesty.

That increases detachment.

No one respects us, or we don't receive any honor.

We don't get what we expect.

This isn't the confusion of not getting what you expected, is it?

We might have thought, 'Okay, I want to eat something right now.'

But if you go to the pantry, there's nothing.

Then he thinks, 'No problem, Maharaj has given the command, hasn't he?'

And if he believes that, then if he has that adversity, it increases his detachment even more.

Adversity increases detachment.

So a person should create it themselves.

What did Maharaj say in this?

A discerning sadhu.

Then he should do it knowingly.

To do it knowingly means to create adversity knowingly.

We should create such adversity that it becomes difficult for us, some service to God is done, and our detachment increases.

In today's time, no one will create any adversity for us.

Now, if there are saints, take good care of the new saints.

Take good care of the new devotees and feed them.

Everyone says that, right?

That's what they say.

So how will his detachment increase now?

Huh?

Sadgun Swami said.

How will his detachment increase?

How will his renunciation increase?

So, limited.

Do you know what you all do now? You waste material things just to learn.

And in the olden days, you would learn when it was time to make something.

There was no special program for learning.

If it's being made in the afternoon, or in the evening.

Or if sweets are being made, then you learn how to make sweets then and there.

And so, it's not about learning something special.

Do as you do.

But this is a बात from the olden days.

Now, it's a computerized era, so you can do as you please.

But the tendency for restraint and frugality is gone.

To make the best out of waste and bring it into everyone's use.

That's what happened.

That used to be the best out of waste.

Saints, if there's something, I know that there's one mango dish or two mango dishes in a year.

But even then, they wouldn't let anything go to waste from its seeds and peels, they would make something out of it.

Do you know what 'fajeto' is or not?

Huh?

What is 'fajeto'?

They put the peels and seeds and make a curry out of it.

That's very good.

Because half of it is strained like mango juice, right?

So they make a curry out of it.

That's called fajeto.

So, you remove the seeds and then you make a curry out of it, like a drumstick curry, you make a curry out of this.

That's called fajeto.

So, they don't let anything go to waste from it.

Nothing goes from that thing.

Now, there are so many things lying around that you just throw them away.

If it's not very good, then just throw it in the cowshed for some cows.

That.

If the ghee preparation isn't good and it's not usable, then.

Just put it in the cowshed, but take the ghee and put it in the cowshed.

So, Maharaj says that without frugality, detachment and renunciation do not come.

Maharaj says to create it knowingly.

He talked about both aspects here.

Austerity and renunciation, renunciation.

Austerity and renunciation increase in hardship and adversity.

It increases for those seeking liberation.

If there is a desire for liberation in the heart, then if it's not found, it's okay, let it go.

Now, I don't want to try too hard.

After trying once, if nothing comes to hand, then he says, "I don't want to try too hard, let's go for detachment."

That became detachment.

Frugality is needed.

Frugality is the sister of detachment.

It increases detachment.

And convenience reduces detachment.

It reduces austerity.

It reduces renunciation.

What do I say?

This is its natural tendency.

So, Gunatitanand Swami said that cartloads of things are going to come now.

There won't be any space left, unload one cart in this corner, one cart in that corner.

Right now, during mango season, there are cartloads of mangoes in Rajkot.

Many here have.

The corner was full.

There is no loss.

But Maharaj says that saints always face adversity.

Maharaj says we have no shortage. We have been with Ramanand Swami for 20 years, and there are piles of things.

Even then, Maharaj, I feel that Maharaj wouldn't have as many piles as we have now.

There are piles of them, but Maharaj says, "Our account is..."

It is of penance and renunciation.

So we push it away with our feet.

And if we had it now, it would remain the same.

Maharaj has said that twice.

Once in the last Vachanamrut and once in this Vachanamrut.

Both are there.

Penance and renunciation are the company of a sadhu.

Maharaj, Maharaj says, "Our principle is..."

Our principle is to please God through penance and renunciation.

Muktanand Swami said, "Maharaj, if one pleases God through devotion, what is the problem with that?"

If he is pleased?

Maharaj says, "No problem."

But still, our principle is like this.

Our principle is like this.

To please God through penance and renunciation.

Our principle.

Maharaj says, "We like Badrikashram and Shwetdwip."

We don't like other abodes like that.

Other abodes means?

Golok Vaikunth, Golok Vaikunth, for what?

There are many भोग सामग्री (items of enjoyment) there.

Here, you only get plain berries.

In Shwetdwip, not even that.

Not even berries.

There's a sea there, it seems they drink milk.

Otherwise, there's nothing in it.

Not even berries.

So, after eating such berries, they get full. If it comes to their throat, they say, "That's enough, I don't want to eat anymore. I won't eat for fifteen days."

So, renunciation and detachment.

Maharaj says, "We like that."

Although we have renunciation and detachment from the very beginning.

But then, if there were circumstances, they should be such that they help him.

And if not, we should create it.

We should create our own private circumstances.

Swami says, when I was in Vadtal,

I had that kitchen, and it was the kitchen of that time.

If there's that dal, it's like our buttermilk goes to sleep. Our buttermilk doesn't even go to sleep.

So, if this goes to sleep, then two or three grains of pigeon pea are visible at the bottom, otherwise it's just water.

There's such water, and the rest is roti and whatever else there is.

There were rotlas, mostly there were rotlas.

So some sadhus bring rotis after making them.

They bring rotis made by their own hands and then give everything.

So if someone is sitting next to them, they say, "Take it, give it to Dharmadijan."

Take this one, take a roti.

Swami says, "Not me, not me, I have a cold knot."

And at that time it was said that if one had a cold knot, they shouldn't eat wheat.

I have a cold knot.

Such is Swami.

To avoid enjoyment in any way.

So that is called making a private arrangement.

That is called a general arrangement.

Now all the general arrangements for enjoyment have been made.

And at that time, the general arrangement was for inconvenience.

Now, the general arrangement is how to create convenience?

So who makes it private?

Then the rain of objects started to fall.

So Gunatitanand Swami says, even if one has detachment, they should enjoy it.

In this way, a discerning person, knowing this, controls their body and senses and performs penance.

Therefore, a discerning sadhu should knowingly act in a way that causes hardship to their body and senses.

Look.

So that he suffers.

How many discerning people are there, brother?

Huh? How many discerning people are there?

Maharaj said that everyone should do this.

Therefore, a discerning sadhu should knowingly act in a way that causes hardship to their body and senses.

Then, whatever hardship comes by God's will, one should quickly desire to avoid it.

And furthermore, a renunciant sadhu should have a firm conviction in their mind that...

I do not desire the pleasures and enjoyments related to the five senses of Devlok, Brahmalok, and Vaikunth and other such realms.

Even though it is God's abode, still.

It is God's abode, and even the five senses related to God are not desired.

And I, even with this body, and having renounced the body,

Going to Badrikashram and Shwetdwip, and performing austerities, I want to please God.

Even if it takes one birth, or two births, or a thousand births, I want to please God only by performing austerities. What did I say?

What does 'sahasra' mean?

Look.

What does 'sahasra' mean?

Thousand.

Not a thousand, thousands of

births.

Taking thousands of births, I have to perform austerities. Look at how much rubbish must have accumulated in Maharaj's mind.

Huh?

So Maharaj said, 'This is our love.'

And this is our principle.

Brahmanand Swami asked, 'Maharaj, tell us how we can attain salvation.'

Maharaj said, 'I said it today.'

What I told you is the same.

Maharaj has so much love.

Maharaj's love was to feed the sadhus.

Maharaj used to feed the sadhus a lot.

But still, Maharaj's love is like this.

A thousand births may pass.

Parvatiji said that even if a thousand births pass, I will marry Shankar.

Maharaj says that for a thousand births, we want to please Maharaj by renunciation and austerities.

Thousand.

Oh Maharaj, the devotee who serves God with beautiful clothes, ornaments, and various kinds of food and other things, also wishes to please Him.

And you say that God is pleased only by austerities, so what is the harm in pleasing Him by such service without austerities?

Hmm.

Then Shriji Maharaj said that Maharaj is indeed pleased even by devotion.

It is said in the scriptures, so what is the problem with that?

Then Shriji Maharaj said that if one performs devotion to God with good things, and does so with a selfless attitude, solely for the pleasure of God, then it is fine.

Then it is considered like austerity.

If one performs with a selfless attitude and without attachment, then it is considered as much as austerity.

It is considered a means of pleasing.

Then God is pleased as much as by austerity.

But what objection did Maharaj raise? He said that one cannot remain in it.

Just as one can remain detached in austerity and renunciation, one cannot remain detached while being amidst material things.

If there is attachment, how can one remain detached?

So Maharaj says that our ultimate principle is to please God through austerity and renunciation. And we have no objection to this either, if one does it with a selfless attitude. But the problem with this is that one sometimes gets attached.

The service we do, if we do it selflessly, then it comes in the second option, in the second option.

Austerity and renunciation are done according to one's capacity.

And in selfless service, no one needs strength.

So this is to lead one to that path.

When we serve with a selfless attitude, we gain strength from it.

And if we gain strength, then we can truly follow Maharaj's principle.

But Maharaj says that our ultimate principle is this.

Our principle is this: resolve to please God through austerity and renunciation.

But not everyone can perform austerities.

And where to get the strength for it?

So if one serves with a selfless attitude, even if they are not strong, they become strong.

The disinterest Maharaj has shown here is not a disinterest in selfless service.

But he has shown disinterest in pleasing God through material things.

Selfless service is even superior to austerity.

Because selfless service, in it, renunciation is mentioned.

Renunciation, sannyas, or that.

So what is sannyas?

That is the fruit of karma.

One who renounces the fruits of action.

That is called sannyas.

So he is called the brother of penance, and Maharaj said to please him.

Here, Maharaj has said that the devotion that is done through material things.

Maharaj said, good clothes, good food, eh?

He tries to please God by doing that.

We have no interest in that.

If one serves with a selfless attitude, then the penance in that is even greater than the other.

In that, mental penance is very great.

And that also heats up.

He also has to work hard with his body.

So that whole thing is different, it's a completely independent means.

And that is even greater than penance.

But still, in doing that means, one must keep penance and renunciation limited.

Do not do it by abandoning it.

It is not a great hindrance in that either.

If penance and renunciation are not excessive in service, then they are not a hindrance.

If it becomes excessive, then it is a hindrance.

So Maharaj said in one place that one should practice excessive renunciation.

Like a Dhundhiya.

Then devotion to God cannot be achieved through that.

Devotion to God cannot be achieved through that.

Therefore, we have started this path of devotion.

And he kept it.

So, if penance and renunciation are within limits, then they help in selfless service.

It becomes excessive.

If it becomes excessive, then it increases pride.

But if there is excessive insistence, then.

Then, in whatever becomes excessive, its normal purpose is lost.

In whatever becomes excessive.

The normal benefit that should be received from it is not received.

And pride comes in that.

So, according to the ashram, whatever is appropriate, according to the ashram, penance and renunciation.

Both of those are means to please God.

And selfless service, in that, penance and renunciation help to some extent.

And the service done through material things, in that, penance and renunciation do not match.

The way penance and renunciation match in selfless service.

In serving God through material things, penance and renunciation do not match that much.

So Maharaj.

Maharaj showed so much insistence and interest here.

Its meaning is not that one should perform extreme penance.

Not to perform extreme penance.

To be very insistent.

Maharaj said that in any circumstances, it should not be abandoned.

It does not mean to perform extreme penance.

Where did Maharaj say that he had such a resolve that he would let the mother's share remain in this body?

But where does that come in the Vachanamrut?

So it doesn't come in this.

So, one should not perform extreme penance.

It is said to perform normal penance.

It is said to do normal things to please God.

And how long should it be done? Until the worldly objects or desires do not cling to us.

Do penance until then.

After that, there is no other means to please God like selfless service.

That comes in the context of another Vachanamrut.

There is something like that.

So, Maharaj does not desire such penance and renunciation that selfless service is abandoned.

But for that, based on this Vachanamrut, it is also true that penance and renunciation are abandoned while performing selfless service.

This is also not desired by Maharaj.

The devotion that Maharaj has done, to do devotion through the path of rasa, there is a lot of hindrance in that.

Muktanand Swami asked, "Through the path of rasa."

To offer good thals to God and feed him.

To offer good things to God, and whatever भोग सामग्री (items for offering) there are, all of them should be made number one for God.

Not second.

So, in that path, Maharaj has less interest.

Maharaj did not refuse him, Maharaj said that there is no problem in that either, that one should be pleased with attachment to material things in this way.

If one does it with a selfless attitude, then God is pleased. That is the means to please God.

But the devotion that we call selfless service, those two are different.

Selfless service is not about pleasing God through material things.

One should serve according to the ashram with a selfless attitude.

And in that, what Maharaj showed and what Swami showed, that is to connect many jivas with God.

So, the jiva is not some food or drink that God is.

Yet, one should be careful not to become attached to it.

We have no interest in anything that nourishes devotion and increases attachment.

If someone is pleasing God, we don't say that they are doing wrong.

But we have no interest in that.

Our path is a straightforward, strict one: no matter how far one goes, there should be no objection later, only penance and renunciation.

And God's pleasure.

Maharaj also said that even in performing penance, it should be done with a loving devotion.

It should be done with a loving devotion.

Even in performing penance, it should be done with a loving devotion.

Even in performing selfless service, it should be done with a loving devotion.

With loving devotion means that only Maharaj is pleased, nothing else.

There is no other intention in it today, and it should not be allowed even after a thousand years.

It should not be allowed even after a thousand years.

That is called the characteristic of love.

Then Muktanand Swami asked, "O Maharaj, the devotee who serves God with beautiful clothes, ornaments, and various kinds of food and other things, he also wishes to please God."

His desire is to please.

But that desire will not last long.

If there is attachment, it will not last.

And you, by penance,

So, a devotee of God, this path of selfless service that we have, one should be careful that if there is too much attachment in our heart, then one should cut it off by keeping it separate.

Don't get too involved in it.

Whatever things our heart is attached to, we should keep them a little distant and perform selfless service.

And you say that God is pleased by penance.

What is wrong with pleasing God through such service without penance?

Then Shriji Maharaj spoke.

Whatever good things

What is this question?

Muktanand Swami has asked the question, "What is the obstacle in it? What is the hindrance in it, and what is not a hindrance in this?"

That's all.

There is no intention to say that any means is wrong.

But how much hindrance is there in this? If you compare these two, in which are the hindrances less?

And in which is the speed likely to increase?

So, in this, the speed is likely to increase.

In that, there are many obstacles, so the speed is likely to decrease.

The question is not that it is completely wrong and should not be done.

Because Maharaj says

But why did Muktanand Swami ask what kind of hindrance is there in this?

Maharaj showed the hindrance.

Firstly, if there is attachment in the heart and one encounters good things, then one leaves God and gets attached to them.

And that is said to be the nature of every jiva.

If there is attachment and one encounters the center of that attachment, then a person cannot remain.

Then Shriji Maharaj said, "If one performs devotion to God with good things, and if one does it with a selfless attitude solely for the pleasure of God, then it is fine."

But if one, knowing it to be God's prasad, becomes greedy for that object, and abandoning God, develops affection for that object, then by enjoying that object, one becomes worldly and gets corrupted. That is the hindrance.

Look, we had Manat Swami.

He was Shriji Maharaj's guru-bhai.

Of Gopinath Puran Swami.

So, he was called Manat in Gondal because he was revered in the temple in Gondal, wasn't he?

He used to manage the ghee and jaggery store with Maharaj in Junagadh.

But he never put ghee and jaggery in his mouth in his life.

And he would feed everyone.

That is called selfless attitude.

And God is pleased with such service.

Even in food, ghee and jaggery were very important then, and everyone would crave for it.

But he never put ghee and jaggery in his mouth in his life.

Such that

So he has served with a selfless attitude.

We talked about Narayan Das Swami, that he served Pama Bhagat.

So he has served with a selfless attitude.

And because of that, God was pleased.

In that, his renunciation and detachment increase.

The test of renunciation and detachment increases.

When does the test of renunciation and detachment happen? When one gets poisonous substances. When one attains the substance.

When it comes before us and then we come out of it unscathed, then the test is done.

Therefore, a renunciant devotee should please God by knowing Him as the doer of all and by performing austerities.

And to worship God with loving devotion, like Radhikaji and Lakshimiji, that is our principle.

Then Brahmanand Swami has asked.