Make a firm resolve to remember God
Many people around the world like to make New Year resolutions such as a resolution to stay fit and healthy; exercising 3-times a week, losing weight, eating less sugar etc.. They stay on course and willingly or unwillingly continue to carry out these resolutions for some time. But research shows that most people forget about their resolutions by the 19th of January (which is termed as Quitter's day) and revert back to old habits. Those who make noble promises / resolutions and follow through with their resolutions are considered highly disciplined with a strong willpower and determination.
In addition to the numerous unfulfilled resolutions which we make and break each year, there is one resolution that we have made uncountable times to God but never for once fulfilled.
In addition to the numerous unfulfilled resolutions which we make and break each year, there is one resolution that we have made uncountable times to God but never for once fulfilled.
Which promise is that?
It is our 'Promise' to God to "Worship Him and Him alone all the time” [1]. You may wonder, "When did I ever make that promise"? Some might even say "I don’t even believe God exists"! Others might say, "I believe in God but have never made a promise to ONLY worship God. I have other duties and responsibilities to take care of! Who has the time to worship God all the time?"
An unborn child hangs upside down curled up in a very tight space for nine months in the mother’s womb in an extremely foul-smelling amniotic fluid with microorganisms biting it’s tender skin. When people are in extreme misery, they inadvertently turn towards God. So our scriptures proclaim - In the miserable state within a mother’s womb, the unborn soul turns towards God and promises God, “Please take me out of here and this time I will love You Alone. I will do only what You have stated needs to be done to attain You”.
An unborn child hangs upside down curled up in a very tight space for nine months in the mother’s womb in an extremely foul-smelling amniotic fluid with microorganisms biting it’s tender skin. When people are in extreme misery, they inadvertently turn towards God. So our scriptures proclaim - In the miserable state within a mother’s womb, the unborn soul turns towards God and promises God, “Please take me out of here and this time I will love You Alone. I will do only what You have stated needs to be done to attain You”.
Some children don't cry after birth. It is because the pain is too much for them to bear, so they fall unconscious.
Modern science has not yet developed enough to know what the unborn baby is thinking, but our ever gracious Eternal Father stays with every being at all times and notes their thoughts. He has revealed the mental state of an unborn baby in the scriptures [2].
Although, we do not remember our own birth yet we can certainly comprehend that coming out of the birth canal is very painful. The baby's skin and body are very tender and the birth canal is very narrow. So, during the birthing process the baby experiences immense pressure on its body and his tender skin peels. The scriptures state that moments of birth are so painful that most children cry after birth relieve themselves from the pain. And some don't because the pain is too much for them to bear, so they fall unconscious.
Scriptures reveal the two most painful things one has to bear in our lifetime -
Although, we do not remember our own birth yet we can certainly comprehend that coming out of the birth canal is very painful. The baby's skin and body are very tender and the birth canal is very narrow. So, during the birthing process the baby experiences immense pressure on its body and his tender skin peels. The scriptures state that moments of birth are so painful that most children cry after birth relieve themselves from the pain. And some don't because the pain is too much for them to bear, so they fall unconscious.
Scriptures reveal the two most painful things one has to bear in our lifetime -
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जनमत मरत दुसह दुख होई॥
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janamata marata dusaha dukha hoī॥
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“The maximum amount of pain is experienced at the time of birth and at the time of death [3]”.
After birth parents, then siblings, then friends, then spouse beguile the soul to love them. Everyone puts up a show to prove, “I can give you the happiness that you seek”. But sadly the real truth is that “I want happiness from you”. As long as one person has hope of getting happiness from the other person, they put up an act of love. When hope diminishes love diminishes, when harm is perceived, then love turns into hatred. Pick up any newspaper and you will find how easily once-really-intimate relationships like marital relationships and parent-child relationships have fallen apart. While one is engaged in all this worldly drama, the resolution to love only God is forgotten, therefore the cycle continues (See Chart #1). Our scriptures say- |
Chart #1
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वृक्षं क्षीणफलं त्यजन्ति विहगाः, शुष्कं सरः सारसा:,
पुष्पं पर्युषितं त्यजन्ति मधुपा, दग्धं वनान्तं मृगाः । निर्द्रव्यं पुरुषं त्यजन्ति गणिकाः, भ्रष्टं श्रियं मन्त्रिणः। सर्वः कार्यवशाज्जनोऽभिरमते, कस्यास्ति को वल्लभः।। |
vṛkṣaṃ kṣīṇaphalaṃ tyajanti vihagāḥ, śuṣkaṃ saraḥ sārasā:,
puṣpaṃ paryuṣitaṃ tyajanti madhupā, dagdhaṃ vanāntaṃ mṛgāḥ । nirdravyaṃ puruṣaṃ tyajanti gaṇikāḥ, bhraṣṭaṃ nṛpaṃ mantriṇaḥ। sarvaḥ kāryavaśājjano'bhiramate, tatkasya ko vallabhaḥ।। |
“The birds leave the orchard after the fruiting-season is over, the swans abandon the dried pond, in the absence of flowers the bumble bees leave the garden, deer are not seen in a blazed jungle, A prostitute breaks up with a once-opulent person and a minister leaves the bankrupted king. So, the reason for mutual love depends exclusively on one's own needs. No one really loves anyone exclusively for the sake of love".
Would you agree to this, that “one cannot give what they don't have”? Even if a beggar is benevolent, what will the beggar give to another beggar?
This implies that if all of us are seeking happiness that means we do not have it. When we don't have it, we can just make a false promise but we will not be able to deliver any amount of happiness to anyone?
Would you agree to this, that “one cannot give what they don't have”? Even if a beggar is benevolent, what will the beggar give to another beggar?
This implies that if all of us are seeking happiness that means we do not have it. When we don't have it, we can just make a false promise but we will not be able to deliver any amount of happiness to anyone?
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Right now we are in a human body [4] in which we have been granted the power of discretion and ability to perform fruit-yielding actions. So this year, let's resolve to keep the first promise we made before our birth and the same promise we have made to God countless times - each time that we took birth.
Since our mental state keeps changing we tend to lose focus of our goal. That is why Shri Maharaj Ji provides us with an easy way to keep us focused. He says first remember that death is certain and that the moment of death is not known. With that realization one will automatically think about God. Yakchha asked Yudhishthir 60 tricky but very good questions and the most important question was , किमाश्चर्यम्
kimāścaryam |
Yakchha asked Yudhishthir 60 questions
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“What is the biggest astonishment “? He replied -
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अहन्यहनि भूतानि गच्छन्तीह यमालयम् ।
शेषाः स्थिरत्वमिच्छन्ति किमाश्चर्यमतः परम् ॥ |
ahanyahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam ।
śeṣāḥ sthiratvamicchanti kimāścaryamataḥ param ॥ |
“We witness everyday that people of all ages die, yet the ones who are left behind do not ponder over the transience of their own life”.
बहिःसरति निःश्वासे विश्वासः कः प्रवर्तते ॥
bahiḥsarati niḥśvāse viśvāsaḥ kaḥ pravartate ॥
bahiḥsarati niḥśvāse viśvāsaḥ kaḥ pravartate ॥
“How can we be certain that after exhaling we will inhale again?”,
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क्षणभंगुर जीवन की कलिका, कल प्रात को जाने खिली न खिली।
रट ले री रसना तू हरिनाम, कल प्रात को जाने हिली ना हिली।। |
kṣaṇabhaṃgura jīvana kī kalikā, kala prāta ko jāne khilī na khilī।
raṭa le rī rasanā tū harināma, kala prāta ko jāne hilī nā hilī।। |
Time is running out
“Life is like a short lived flower, no-one knows if this bud will bloom tomorrow morning or not. O tongue! Call out God's name right now, for no one knows if tomorrow you will be able to move or not”.
An awareness about the transience of human form(4) will undoubtedly inspire us to contemplate on “what will happen if I die now?” We just have to allow this eventuality to motivate us to perform actions that will lead to a better future [5].
2021 is winding up and it is almost time to ring in 2022. This year make a resolve [1] and fulfill this one unfulfilled resolution that will change your life forever[6]. Also, never again will you need to resolve for anything. Guaranteed!
An awareness about the transience of human form(4) will undoubtedly inspire us to contemplate on “what will happen if I die now?” We just have to allow this eventuality to motivate us to perform actions that will lead to a better future [5].
2021 is winding up and it is almost time to ring in 2022. This year make a resolve [1] and fulfill this one unfulfilled resolution that will change your life forever[6]. Also, never again will you need to resolve for anything. Guaranteed!
