A DIVINE MESSAGE
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Philosophy
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Kripalu Leelamritam
Don't Judge Saints |
Kids Story
Rely only on His Grace |
Akaran Karun is a Sanskrit phrase which literally means, “causelessly merciful” aka one does not need a reason to bestow grace". He bestows grace with no expectation of ever receiving anything in return. This attribute is one of the countless traits of Shri Krishna. In addition, God-realized saints are also Akaran Karun.
Apart from God and God realized saints, all other living beings are under the control of Maya so they do not experience the unlimited bliss which is God Himself. They are incessantly in search of that bliss or anand (आनंद). This innate desire is so overpowering that until they attain this anand they cannot spare a moment to think of anything else let alone do anything for the betterment of others. So, their seemingly philanthropic actions are also for the sole purpose of attaining self-happiness.
Anand is God. Anand is not a name given to God, instead it is His natural epithet. In other words, God is anand and anand is God. So, until God-realization no living being can even attempt to be Akaran Karun. Let us reflect if Akaran Karun name is befitting for Shri Krishna.
Apart from God and God realized saints, all other living beings are under the control of Maya so they do not experience the unlimited bliss which is God Himself. They are incessantly in search of that bliss or anand (आनंद). This innate desire is so overpowering that until they attain this anand they cannot spare a moment to think of anything else let alone do anything for the betterment of others. So, their seemingly philanthropic actions are also for the sole purpose of attaining self-happiness.
Anand is God. Anand is not a name given to God, instead it is His natural epithet. In other words, God is anand and anand is God. So, until God-realization no living being can even attempt to be Akaran Karun. Let us reflect if Akaran Karun name is befitting for Shri Krishna.
1. God's Omnipresence manifests in three ways –
a. He becomes the divine world,
b. He is present inside each and every particle of the Sansaar-The World, and
c. He lives inside our hearts and notes down all our actions.
He takes a note of all the thoughts that go through our mind, most of which do not translate into physical actions. He determines our destiny based on our actions; thoughts are actions. (1)
During our life as human beings, we perform different kinds of actions - good, bad and devotional. Good and bad actions increase our karmic bondage, while devotional actions, take us closer to God. If God did not sit in our hearts to observe our actions, He would not be able to grant us the fruits of our actions. Devotional actions continue to accumulate life after life. These accumulated devotional actions eventually lead us face to face with God, releasing us from the clutches of Maya forever. On the other hand, good and bad actions get destroyed after bearing their undesirable fruits, which are painful reminders of the wrong choices we make in life – of choosing Maya over God and an inspiration to choose the path of God to escape these miseries forever.
a. He becomes the divine world,
b. He is present inside each and every particle of the Sansaar-The World, and
c. He lives inside our hearts and notes down all our actions.
He takes a note of all the thoughts that go through our mind, most of which do not translate into physical actions. He determines our destiny based on our actions; thoughts are actions. (1)
During our life as human beings, we perform different kinds of actions - good, bad and devotional. Good and bad actions increase our karmic bondage, while devotional actions, take us closer to God. If God did not sit in our hearts to observe our actions, He would not be able to grant us the fruits of our actions. Devotional actions continue to accumulate life after life. These accumulated devotional actions eventually lead us face to face with God, releasing us from the clutches of Maya forever. On the other hand, good and bad actions get destroyed after bearing their undesirable fruits, which are painful reminders of the wrong choices we make in life – of choosing Maya over God and an inspiration to choose the path of God to escape these miseries forever.
2. God Almighty very meticulously observes and records all our actions. Even though most of our actions are inspired by anger, passion, greed, jealousy, and malice, He does not give up observing and maintaining these records. Imagine, if someone with a master’s degree is offered a good salary for a janitorial job, do you think he would ever gladly accept it?
Imagine, if someone with a master’s degree is offered a good salary for a janitorial job, do you think he would ever gladly accept it?
Then why does the Supreme Lord of the universe toil day and night to observe and record each of our actions, most of which are bad?
Simply put, it is “because of love”. He wants us to be delivered from the afflictions of Maya. That’s why He stays right behind us with His arms open wide ready to embrace us. He awaits the moment when the jeev will turn around and He will embrace and bestow His unlimited divine bliss upon the jeev forever and always.
Simply put, it is “because of love”. He wants us to be delivered from the afflictions of Maya. That’s why He stays right behind us with His arms open wide ready to embrace us. He awaits the moment when the jeev will turn around and He will embrace and bestow His unlimited divine bliss upon the jeev forever and always.
But unfortunately, we don’t pause to listen to the messengers of God (see Saint or imposter) who have attained the bliss. Instead, in search of this bliss we keep running after the sansaar - the world, which is a manifestation of inert Maya hence has no bliss in it. As a result of our obsession with Maya we turn away from God, who is happiness personified. Also, He is eager to bestow His grace on everyone who approaches Him. But what can He do, if we are adamant on running away from Him?
3. We are totally unaware of what good or bad actions we have committed in our previous lifetimes. The allmerciful-God not only records our actions, but also judiciously grants us the fruits of those actions.
4. Even if a person who has been hostile to God all through his life, turns towards God much later in life, God lovingly accepts the person. He burns the sins and records of all of the past insults the person had hurled upon God. Who can be more graceful than God?
5. From the moment a soul attains God-realization, He bestows all of His powers upon His devotee; like unlimited divine knowledge, unlimited bliss, His divine abode and His 8 main powers (2)
अपहृत्पाप्मा, विजरो, विमृत्युर्विशोको विजिघत्सोऽपिपासः सत्यकामः सत्य संकल्पः ।
apahṛtpāpmā, vijaro, vimṛtyurviśoko vijighatso'pipāsaḥ satyakāmaḥ satya saṃkalpaḥ ।
apahṛtpāpmā, vijaro, vimṛtyurviśoko vijighatso'pipāsaḥ satyakāmaḥ satya saṃkalpaḥ ।
In the words of Tulasidas,
जानत तमुहिं तमुहिं ह्वै जाई ॥
ānata tumahiṃ, tumahiṃ hwai jāī ॥
ānata tumahiṃ, tumahiṃ hwai jāī ॥
“Those who know You, become like You”. Even though the jeev is infinitesimally small and insignificant as compared to God, God bestows all of His powers to the fullest extent upon that jeev. He doesn’t hold back anything. What an awesome grace!
6. Not only that, He exalts His devotees by these words –
अनुब्रजाम्यहं नित्यं पूयेयेत्यंघ्रिरेणुभिः
Anubrajāmyahaṁ nityaṁ pūyēyētyaṅghrirēṇubhiḥ
Anubrajāmyahaṁ nityaṁ pūyēyētyaṅghrirēṇubhiḥ
"I walk behind my devotees, so that their foot dust may fall on Me, and I will be purified." (3)
I walk behind my devotees, so that their foot dust may fall on Me, and I will be purified.
7. He also secretly serves His devotees, sometimes even as a servant just because of His akaran karun nature. (4)
8. Further, He says,
यत्मकर्मभिर्यत्तपसा ज्ञान्वैराग्यतश्च यत् । योगेनदानधर्मेण श्रेयोभिरितरैरपि ॥
भाग ११.२०.३२ एवं भ.र.सिं.
yatmakarmabhiryattapasā jñānvairāgyataśca yat । yogenadānadharmeṇa śreyobhiritarairapi ॥
bhāga 11.20.32 and bha.ra.siṃ.
भाग ११.२०.३२ एवं भ.र.सिं.
yatmakarmabhiryattapasā jñānvairāgyataśca yat । yogenadānadharmeṇa śreyobhiritarairapi ॥
bhāga 11.20.32 and bha.ra.siṃ.
सर्वं मद्भक्तियोगेन मद्भक्तो लभतेंजसा । स्वर्गापवर्गं मद्धाम कथंचिद् यदि वांछति ॥
sarvaṃ madbhaktiyogena madbhakto labhateṃjasā । svargāpavargaṃ maddhāma kathaṃcid yadi vāṃchati ॥
sarvaṃ madbhaktiyogena madbhakto labhateṃjasā । svargāpavargaṃ maddhāma kathaṃcid yadi vāṃchati ॥
"The devotees of The Supreme Lord attain the rewards of following the path of Karma, Gyan, Yoga and any other foreseeable means".
God is so merciful, whenever someone sincerely calls out to Him from the bottom of their heart, He reaches there immediately without sparing a moment. Once we call Him wholeheartedly, He would appear and enrich us with unlimited divine bliss forever. You might point out that He does everything for His surrendered devotees only. If He doesn’t need a reason to grace, then He should be unbiased to others as well and bestow His grace in general. The understanding of this is given next.
9. God does bestow general grace (सामान्य कृपा) on every jeev. He provides the same water, air, space, earth and fire to everyone. He provides all the necessary things to all without discriminating against jeev based on their caste, creed, knowledge, deeds or species of life. God has the power to resolve that “may water become poison for those who do not believe in Me” and that will come true. But He never ever did that since the beginning of times. (4)
God is so merciful, whenever someone sincerely calls out to Him from the bottom of their heart, He reaches there immediately without sparing a moment. Once we call Him wholeheartedly, He would appear and enrich us with unlimited divine bliss forever. You might point out that He does everything for His surrendered devotees only. If He doesn’t need a reason to grace, then He should be unbiased to others as well and bestow His grace in general. The understanding of this is given next.
9. God does bestow general grace (सामान्य कृपा) on every jeev. He provides the same water, air, space, earth and fire to everyone. He provides all the necessary things to all without discriminating against jeev based on their caste, creed, knowledge, deeds or species of life. God has the power to resolve that “may water become poison for those who do not believe in Me” and that will come true. But He never ever did that since the beginning of times. (4)
अजगर करे न चाकरी पंछी करे न काम । दास मलूका कह गये सबके दाता राम ।
ajagara kare na cākarī paṃchī kare na kāma । dāsa malūkā kaha gaye sabake dātā rāma ।
ajagara kare na cākarī paṃchī kare na kāma । dāsa malūkā kaha gaye sabake dātā rāma ।
“Python does not serve any-one and birds do not earn a living. Yet, He provides food to the animals and birds alike. Saint Maluka, says God blesses everyone”. This is called general grace which is on all, regardless of their disposition towards God.
10. Many of us have found ourselves in situations where we were stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no-one to ask for help, but then someone appeared from somewhere to help us. It is God who comes in disguise to save us and disappears thereafter without claiming any credit. We later realize and say, “Apparently God Himself came to save me at this time.” But we are so ungrateful that as soon as the problem is solved we forget the grace.
10. Many of us have found ourselves in situations where we were stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no-one to ask for help, but then someone appeared from somewhere to help us. It is God who comes in disguise to save us and disappears thereafter without claiming any credit. We later realize and say, “Apparently God Himself came to save me at this time.” But we are so ungrateful that as soon as the problem is solved we forget the grace.
Shri Krishna does so much for us despite being fully self-complacent i.e. He has no unfulfilled desires so on one can do anything to benefit Him. Yet, He serves us, so we can become blissful. There should not be a grain of doubt that He is Akaran Karun.
God is Akaran Karun. It is we who have not yet called Him wholeheartedly. After Gajraj surrendered, he called for Hari. Shri Krishna reached there to help when Gajraj said, “Ha” and Gajraj completed “ri” after seeing Him. (2). I believe you understand the meaning of “wholeheartedly”. It means there must not exist any hope of support from anyone or anything else except Shri Krishna.
If you want to witness the Akaran Karun attribute of Shri Krishna, be humble and innocently call Him from the innermost core of your heart. He would come. If you call Him just to test Him, you would never be successful.
God is Akaran Karun. It is we who have not yet called Him wholeheartedly. After Gajraj surrendered, he called for Hari. Shri Krishna reached there to help when Gajraj said, “Ha” and Gajraj completed “ri” after seeing Him. (2). I believe you understand the meaning of “wholeheartedly”. It means there must not exist any hope of support from anyone or anything else except Shri Krishna.
If you want to witness the Akaran Karun attribute of Shri Krishna, be humble and innocently call Him from the innermost core of your heart. He would come. If you call Him just to test Him, you would never be successful.
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They are beyond our understanding
This story is based on a narration from a devotee in Lucknow who had been in the association of Shri Maharaj Ji from the early 1950’s.
This story goes back to the time when I used to live with my family in a railway bungalow and my daughter was twelve years old. One day while playing she twisted and sprained her ankle and her foot became swollen. It was at the same time, that Shri Maharaj Ji paid us a surprise visit. Shri Maharaj Ji saw her swollen foot and said, "her foot is swollen. Do you have Iodex?" I didn't have it and so I replied, “No Maharaj Ji, we don't. But let me ask someone to get it from the market”. Shamshad, the younger brother of my colleague M. Faridi was visiting our home at that time and so I asked him to go and buy Iodex from the pharmacy.
Shri Maharaj ji said, "I think my foot is also hurt. While we looked at his charan, it swelled up too". The remarkable thing about his foot swelling up was that it was the same foot and at the exact same place where my daughter's foot was swollen. Shri Maharaj ji asked Shamshad and I to massage His charan with Iodex.
This story goes back to the time when I used to live with my family in a railway bungalow and my daughter was twelve years old. One day while playing she twisted and sprained her ankle and her foot became swollen. It was at the same time, that Shri Maharaj Ji paid us a surprise visit. Shri Maharaj Ji saw her swollen foot and said, "her foot is swollen. Do you have Iodex?" I didn't have it and so I replied, “No Maharaj Ji, we don't. But let me ask someone to get it from the market”. Shamshad, the younger brother of my colleague M. Faridi was visiting our home at that time and so I asked him to go and buy Iodex from the pharmacy.
Shri Maharaj ji said, "I think my foot is also hurt. While we looked at his charan, it swelled up too". The remarkable thing about his foot swelling up was that it was the same foot and at the exact same place where my daughter's foot was swollen. Shri Maharaj ji asked Shamshad and I to massage His charan with Iodex.
Both of us massaged Shri Maharaj Ji's foot. After we were done Shri Maharaj Ji told me to go and put Iodex on my daughter's foot. It was Shri Maharaj Ji’s grace that I understood His divine leela and so I responded by saying, “Please don't try to fool me. I understand everything. She no longer needs any medicine”. And that was the truth; my daughter’s foot was fully healed, and she did not need any medicine.
After Shamshad left our home that night, I asked Shri Maharaj Ji, “Maharaj Ji you know he is a Muslim boy and you allowed him to massage your feet? Shri Maharaj Ji said, "I wanted to give him a chance to serve Me". I was skeptical; I said, “He’s a Muslim. What does he know about serving, faith, devotion etc?" Shri Maharaj Ji smiled and didn't answer.
Next day Shamshad invited Shri Maharaj Ji to his home. Saints have the capability to know the past and present of any jeev and treat them according to that. They overlook the boundaries of caste, creed, religion which are created by humans. Shri Maharaj Ji visited him and accepted the food that they lovingly prepared and offered to Him.
Moral: When a saint's actions don’t make sense to our limited mind, remember that - With His infinite knowledge when a saint performs some action it might seem irrational, unwarranted or even imprudent to us.
Remind yourself - I have limited knowledge and He has unlimited knowledge. So, I am wrong in thinking that He is wrong. He is always right.
After Shamshad left our home that night, I asked Shri Maharaj Ji, “Maharaj Ji you know he is a Muslim boy and you allowed him to massage your feet? Shri Maharaj Ji said, "I wanted to give him a chance to serve Me". I was skeptical; I said, “He’s a Muslim. What does he know about serving, faith, devotion etc?" Shri Maharaj Ji smiled and didn't answer.
Next day Shamshad invited Shri Maharaj Ji to his home. Saints have the capability to know the past and present of any jeev and treat them according to that. They overlook the boundaries of caste, creed, religion which are created by humans. Shri Maharaj Ji visited him and accepted the food that they lovingly prepared and offered to Him.
Moral: When a saint's actions don’t make sense to our limited mind, remember that - With His infinite knowledge when a saint performs some action it might seem irrational, unwarranted or even imprudent to us.
Remind yourself - I have limited knowledge and He has unlimited knowledge. So, I am wrong in thinking that He is wrong. He is always right.
Once the Kauravas invited their cousins, the Pandavas to their palace for a game of chess. In the game that followed, Kauravas cheated and Pandavas lost everything in the wager - their kingdom and their wife Draupadi.
The Kaurava prince Dushasan held a long-standing grudge against Draupadi from a prior incident and wanted to disgrace her. After the Pandavas lost Draupadi in the game of chess, Dushasan dragged Draupadi by her hair from her palace to the courtroom in Hastinapur and attempted to disrobe her. Standing in the center of the courtroom, full of the family elders, scholars and her husbands, the Pandavas, Draupadi thought that her husbands will come forward to save her, but having lost their kingdom to Kauravas, they had become the slaves to the Kauravas and could not help her. They stood there with their heads hung in shame. Draupadi then thought that the family elders; Bhishma and Dronacharya would save her, but they too hung their heads in shame. Draupadi then decided to protect herself against the onslaught. After all, she is one of the divine panch-kanya (five girls - Draupadi, Kunti, Tara, Mandodari and Ahilya), who remained forever youthful (16-years-old). They had so much power that they didn't age. She thought she could defend herself against Dushasan and so she held her sari in between her teeth and called out for Shri Krishna, saying, “O Lord! The one who lives in Dwarka”.
The Kaurava prince Dushasan held a long-standing grudge against Draupadi from a prior incident and wanted to disgrace her. After the Pandavas lost Draupadi in the game of chess, Dushasan dragged Draupadi by her hair from her palace to the courtroom in Hastinapur and attempted to disrobe her. Standing in the center of the courtroom, full of the family elders, scholars and her husbands, the Pandavas, Draupadi thought that her husbands will come forward to save her, but having lost their kingdom to Kauravas, they had become the slaves to the Kauravas and could not help her. They stood there with their heads hung in shame. Draupadi then thought that the family elders; Bhishma and Dronacharya would save her, but they too hung their heads in shame. Draupadi then decided to protect herself against the onslaught. After all, she is one of the divine panch-kanya (five girls - Draupadi, Kunti, Tara, Mandodari and Ahilya), who remained forever youthful (16-years-old). They had so much power that they didn't age. She thought she could defend herself against Dushasan and so she held her sari in between her teeth and called out for Shri Krishna, saying, “O Lord! The one who lives in Dwarka”.
At that moment Sri Krishna was having his meal in Dwarka and Rukmani Ji was fanning him. Suddenly she felt like Shri Krishna froze. He didn't swallow the morsel in his mouth, the hand which was about to put the other morsel in his mouth didn't move. And his eyes became motionless. Rukmani Ji asked what was going on. Shri Krishna replied,"Shhhh. Don't talk. One of my devotees is in grave trouble". Rukmani Ji urged him to go and help the devotee. Shri Krishna replied, "I can't. I have told my devotees countless times to rely on Me and Me alone, but she is still relying on the strength of her teeth". At that moment Dushasan who possessed the strength of 10,000 elephants tugged on Draupadi’s sari and her sari slipped from between her teeth. At that moment, she lost all hope in her own ability to defend her honor and threw her hands up in the air, surrendering fully to Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna immediately appeared in the form of an endless sari. Dushasan kept pulling Draupadi’s sari but the sari kept increasing in length. Dushasan tried for hours to disrobe her and finally he gave up, completely exhausted.
Later Draupadi asked Shri Krishna why He took so long to come and rescue her. Shri Krishna had already revealed the real reason to Rukmini but this time the omnipresent Lord jokingly replied by saying, "I was already here but then you said, ‘one who lives in Dwarka', and so I had to go back to Dwarka and then come back. That is what caused the delay".
Moral
Surrender only to God means
• Don't rely on your wealth
• Don't rely on other people
• Don't rely on your own abilities
• Don't rely on devi-devatas
It is then that God gives you all that you need and preserves what you have.
Later Draupadi asked Shri Krishna why He took so long to come and rescue her. Shri Krishna had already revealed the real reason to Rukmini but this time the omnipresent Lord jokingly replied by saying, "I was already here but then you said, ‘one who lives in Dwarka', and so I had to go back to Dwarka and then come back. That is what caused the delay".
Moral
Surrender only to God means
• Don't rely on your wealth
• Don't rely on other people
• Don't rely on your own abilities
• Don't rely on devi-devatas
It is then that God gives you all that you need and preserves what you have.
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