2021 Sharad Poornima

Philosophy

Gaining Control on Anger

Fulfillment of a desire increases greed, and if desire is not satisfied it creates wrath. If you feel unknown rage towards anyone, repent and pray to God to control your mind.

Kripalu Leelamritam

“Laddoo chor”

This is a story of when Shri Maharaj Ji stole some Laddoos for His dear devotees.
यह कहानी तब की है जब श्री महाराज जी ने अपने प्रिय भक्तों के लिए कुछ लड्डू चुराये थे।

Kid’s Story

Shri Krishna - Our only Eternal Relative

जानिये अभिमन्यु ने अर्जुन को यह बोध कैसे कराया कि प्रत्येक जीव का प्रत्येक नाता इअक मात्र भगवान से ही है ।

Philosophy

Gaining Control on Anger

यह अर्टिक्ल हिन्दी में पढ़ें

Parent upset with their child

Question

I get upset with my 4-year-old daughter but I don't know why? What should I do?

Answer

The main reason for getting upset or angry are our unfulfilled desires. The fulfilment of a desire gives rise to greed, and the non-fulfillment of a desire gives rise to anger. We wish to fulfill our desires in the hope of attaining happiness, however, the ocean of desires is endless while we have very limited means at our disposal and hence our desires remain unfulfilled. Moreover, even if all our material desires were fulfilled, it would still not provide us with lasting bliss.

So, we are forever dissatisfied even if we were to receive the kingdom of earth. Ved Vyas Ji says -

यत्पृथिव्यां व्रीहि यवं हिरण्यं पशवस्त्रियः।
नालमेकस्य पर्याप्तं तस्मात्तृष्णां परित्यजेत् ।।

भागवत

Yatpr̥thivyāṁ vrīhi yavaṁ hiraṇyaṁ paśavastriyaḥ ।
Nālamēkasya paryāptaṁ tasmāttr̥ṣṇāṁ parityajēt॥

Bhā

"Even if one were to get the luxuries of the entire world, still one's desires will remain as unfulfilled as they are today".

We would be dissatisfied even after we get kingdom of earth

Shrimad Bhagavat Mahapuran says even Indra is not happy with being the king of swarg. He anticipates that perhaps becoming Creator Lord Brahma will give him the bliss he seeks.

Our efforts don't yield the desired result since "we try to extract butter by churning limestone water", not knowing that there is no butter in limestone water. Thereby, we get frustrated when despite our best efforts, our desires are not fully satisfied. We try to pin the blame of our failure on others and if we do not find someone else to lay the blame on, we engage in self criticism, self pity and when the worst gets the best of us, try to pin the blame on someone who is weak and defenseless.

I presume something similar may be the case with you. You may be finding yourself in situations which do not fit your desires. In those frustrating moments, you end up getting angry and upset at your child, who is totally dependent on you for everything. I feel sorry for her and it seems you feel the same, but are so compelled by your anger that you behave in a manner that you do not want to.

Please be advised that all mundane pleasures and sufferings in this world are the outcome of the good and bad actions performed in our previous lifetimes.

The crest jewel of saints - Prahlad, was born in a demon family. One day, while his Guru was away, Prahlad addressed the demon boys and told them about God. His fellow demon boys wanted to know "we all want comforts and you are telling us to worship God. We would rather work for getting physical pleasures". To answer their question Saint Prahlad said (1) -

सुखमैन्द्रियकं दैत्या देहयोनेन देहिनाम्।
सर्वत्र लभ्यते दैवात्।
यथा दुःखमयत्नतः ।

भा ७.६.३

sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā, deha-yogena dehinām |
sarvatra labhyate daivād, yathā duḥkham ayatnataḥ |
manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī māṃ namaskuru |

bhā 7.6.3

"O demon boys! In this world both physical happiness as well as agonies come to you according to your karma of past lives.”

The happy moments in this life are predestined according to karmas performed by the jeev in previous lives. Similarly, calamities also befall us without any effort or desire. So, it is unwise to strive for all kinds of happiness. You will receive physical comforts automatically without any effort (2). Similarly, we do not want to undergo any miseries in our life, instead we try to avoid them at all costs, yet we suffer.

The Solution

So, we should understand that whatever occurs in life, without any desire and effort, is predestined. Instead of getting frustrated by those unwanted situations, we should resolve to do good in this life to avoid the similar miserable situations in future lives.

If you feel unknown rage towards anyone, recall the philosophy, repent and pray to God to control your mind (3). Torturing an innocent child is a sin. Try your best to avoid that demonic rage by using the recipe below.

Try to increase your Sadhana (4) and practice to feel the presence of God all the time with you. Feel and ponder on the point repeatedly, "He is so merciful and so loving. I do not remember Him often, I am not grateful for His unlimited grace either. He gave me the human form, a good body, good mind and an opportunity to attend satsang as well. Still I am not listening to Him even for my own benefit".

Such thoughts of gratitude and Sadhana would help you to control your mind. You will become a parent capable of caring and supporting your innocent child.

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If you enjoyed this one, you might also enjoy

(1) Selfless Devotion as Taught by Prahlad

(2) Why work for what is predestined?

(3) Way to restrain our monkey-mind

(4) To Increase Speed of Sadhana

Kripalu Leelamritam

"Laddoo Chor"

यह अर्टिक्ल हिन्दी में पढ़ें

This is a story when Shri Maharaj Ji used to live in Pratapgarh in Mahabani Ji's house. At the same time, there used to live a lady lovingly called as Godawari Buaji in Pratapgarh. Godawari Buaji originally hailed from Rajasthan.

She was a devotee of Shri Maharaj ji and every now and then she would invite Him home. She was expert in making choorma laddoo (sweet balls made primarily with roasted wheat flour, sugar and lots of ghee).

Every time, Shri Maharaj Ji went to her house He came back admiring the taste of the laddoo's made by her. Mahabani ji used to treat Shri Maharaj Ji as his son. One day Mahabani ji chided Him, "aren't You ashamed of Yourself? You go and eat the laddoo all by Yourself and don't even bring one for me"?

Next time Sri Maharaj Ji went for a meal in her house as usual she offered a plate of two laddoos. Maharaj Ji took a small bite of one laddoo and said this laddoo is very tasty. Can you get another one for me? When she left the room to bring another laddoo He put the first one in the pocket of His kurta. By the time she came back with another ladoo she assumed that Shri Maharaj Ji loved it so much that He had already finished it. This thought delighted her. Then Shri Maharaj Ji said “do you have one more”? While she went to fetch that third time Maharaj Ji put the second ladoo also in His pocket. Then the third ladoo He ate and came back.

As soon as He entered the house He called out, "Mahabani, look what I have brought for you". Seeing Mahabani Ji Maharaj Ji, with a beaming smile, pulled out the two laddoos from His pocket and said, “see what I got for you" and narrated the story of how He stole it.

For the love of His devotees Shri Krishna used to steal butter, mind, kheer etc. and was given the names like makhan chor, chit chor, kheer chor. And that day our very own beloved Shri Maharaj Ji became laddoo chor.

Moral : God and His genuine saints can do no wrong. They are self-complacent. They do everything only for the pleasure of the devotees. There is no other purpose for their actions other than the benediction of material souls, so that by hook or by crook they may attach their minds to Shri Krishna. Therefore -

Shri Maharajji in the 1950s

येन-केन प्रकारेण मन: कृष्णे निवेशयेत ||

भक्ति रसामृत सिंधु - 1.2.4

yena-kena prakāreṇa mana: kṛṣṇe niveśayeta ||

bhakti rasāmṛta siṃdhu - 1.2.4

“By hook or by crook attach your mind to Shri Krishna”.

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Kids Story

Shri Krishna - Our only Eternal Relative

यह अर्टिक्ल हिन्दी में पढ़ें

During the Mahabharata war on the 13th day, to distract Arjun Kauravas created an uprising elsewhere in the kingdom. Unbeknownst to Arjun, he had to leave the war to squash the uprising. When Arjun left Kauravas generals hatched out a plan to kill Abhimanyu's son of Arjun and an excellent warrior.

On the same day the Kauravas general Guru Dronacharya organized the Kaurava army in the form of a complicated maze called Chakra-vyuh. That war formation has 7 gates.

If the Pandava warriors could penetrate all 7 gates and defeat the fierce Kaurava warriors in the innermost circle and then exit all the 7 gates then Pandavas would be considered the winner. If not then Kauravas would be the winners. On Pandavas' side only Arjuna knew how to penetrate that formation and come back out victorious. Arjun's son Abhimanyu, knew to enter 6 of those gates.

Shri Maharajji drawing the Chakravyuh

Back story of how Abhimanyu leant to enter the 6 gates

Once when Arjun's wife Subhadra was pregnant with their son Abhimanyu, Arjun told her how to penetrate the seven gates of Chakra-vyuh. She listened to Arjun intently till he described how to penetrate the 6th gate, after that she fell asleep. The child in her womb also heard how to penetrate up to six gates and then fell asleep, so he did not hear the strategy to be employed for penetrating into the seventh gate [1][2].

By the time the Mahabharata war started, Abhimanyu was 16 years old, he was not of age to go to battlefield. Also, he knew how to penetrate six gates. So, Pandavas were in a pickle because Arjun was away, Abhimanyu was not old enough to fight a war alone and not sending any warrior to the battlefield would mean automatic defeat of Pandavas.

So the generals of the Pandavas army came up with a plan. That being Abhimanyu would lead the way into the 1st 6 gates and other warriors will follow behind him. The valiant Pandava warriors would support him in penetrating the 7th gate and also keep the path open for Abhimanyu to return after defeating Kaurava King Duryodhana inside the 7th gate.

However, the plan didn't go as planned. Since only Abhimanyu knew how to enter the maze. But before others could enter the maze closed and all others were left outside.

Abhimanyu fought alone yet valiantly and managed to successfully penetrate through the six gates causing massive damage to the Kaurava army. While Abhimanyu was fighting to penetrate the seventh gate Kauravas violated all the rules prescribed by Vedas e.g. as fighting one on one, no one attacks unarmed warrior, always attack from the front only, respect all fallen warriors etc. Multiple Kaurava warriors attacked Abhimanyu all at once, when he was left with no weapons they still kept attacking him. Finally, together they managed to kill Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu fighting bravely in the Chakravyuh

When Arjun returned he heard of the tragic death of his young son, he was remorseful. He requested Shri Krishna to bring back Abhimanyu just once. Shri Krishna laughed and said, "you have seen him for 16 years. If your thirst to see him is still not quenched, then how will seeing him one more time quench your thirst". Arjun was a friend, so he dismissed all the logic and insisted, "Yes, I know all that. Still show me my son. I know You can do it".

With His Yogmaya power Shri Krishna called the soul , gave him a body just like that of Abhimanyu and situated Abhimanyu in the sky in front of Arjun. Seeing his son's form, Arjun extended his arms and said, "My son!". At that, Abhimanyu chided him and said, "Who are you calling your son? You consider the body as your son. I left your son with you. I have been born several times as your son and you have been born several times as my son. I am a soul and I am the son of the one who's standing next to you (Shri Krishna)".

Gita Gyani Arjun was stunned upon hearing Abhimanyu’s words for he knew them to be the truth.

Moral
Whom we address as parents, they are the mother and father of the physical body only. A material being cannot give birth to the soul. In fact, the parents are completely unaware of the gender, complexion, form and nature of the child before the birth. Neither they know the child's past nor future. God is the eternal father of every soul. The truth is that each and every relationship of every soul is with God and God alone.

No souls are created anew. Based on the past Karmas of the soul, God chooses the life-form of the mother and sends the soul in that mother’s womb [3][4]. The Vedas say -

यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते, येन जातानि जीवन्ति, यत्प्रयन्त्यभिसंविशंति, तद् विजिज्ञासस्व । तद्व्रह्मेति ।

yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante, yena jātāni jīvanti, yatprayantyabhisaṃviśaṃti, tad vijijñāsasva । tadvrahmeti ।

“The one, who is the origin of all the living beings, sustainer of all the beings and the ultimate place to merge at the time of total annihilation, is God.”

Multiple waves surge from the ocean. They might develop camaraderie but the very next moment they might annihilate or separate. Only the ocean knows from where they emanated from and wherein they merged.

Hence instead of getting attached to the temporary ones, a wise man ought to recognize the eternal relative [5] and increase love for Him. Also, He is the ocean of bliss, so, as you approach Him, your heart will keep getting filled with more and more bliss.

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Bibliography... LEARN More

[1] Are Vedic Scriptures "Mythology"?

[2] A Precious Well-Wisher

[3] Who Builds Our Destiny?

[4] Types of Life Forms

[4] Why Shri Krishna Prompted the War?