Shri Hari Renounce Likes (Raga) and Dislikes (Dvesh) र ग द व षक त य ग Swami Ramsukhdas 1
Shri Hari Renounce Likes (Raga) and Dislikes (Dvesh) र ग द व षक त य ग tvameva mata cha pita tvameva tvameva bandhuscha sakha tvameva tvameva vidyaa dravinam tvameva tvameva sarvam mama devadeva Swami Ramsukhdas 2
Shri Hari Renounce Likes (Raga) and Dislikes (Dvesh) र ग द व षक त य ग There are two things Prakruti (Nature) and Purush (God). Jeevatma (embodied soul) has become a part (ansh) of both. Now, as long as it has affinity towards Nature (Prakruti), till then it cannot attain peace; and if it has affinity for God, then lack of peace cannot last this is a solid point. Meeting and departing are the things of Nature. Whatever we have acquired, it is all in Nature, and it is the kind that was first created. But God is not the kind to come and go, to meet and later part. God is always present with us; but Nature never remains with us. You will find this point divine, that, the world has not been attained by anyone, and God has never ever left. This world is with me, this body is with me, the sense mind intellect is with me, and who knows where God is; one simply 3
doesn t know His whereabouts this is foolishness, this is lack of recollection, a loss of memory. He who is there some times, and is not there at other times, he who is there at a particular place and not at another place, he who belongs to some and not to others, That One could never be God (Paramatma). The all capable God, is incapable of being present at a certain time and not other times. being in a certain place and not others. being in a particular form and not in other forms. belonging to a particular religious sect and not others. belonging to certain people and not to others. belonging to a particular caste stage of life, and not to others. God is equally present in all beings मय तत मद सर व जगदव यक तम र तन (ग त ९ ४) Maya tatmidam sarvam jagadavyaktamootina (Gita 9/4). "All this world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest form". सम ऽह सर वभ त ष न म द व ष य ऽस त न प रय (ग त ९ २९) Samoham sarvabhooteshu na me dveshyosti na priyah (Gita 9/29) I am the same to all beings; as such, there is none hateful, nor dear, to Me. (Gita 9/29) Whatever is seen heard in this world, and completely in all of that there is God (Paramamta) entirely 4
भ म अचल श श वत अमल सम ठ स ह त सर वद यह द ह ह प ल घड बनत बगड त ह सद God is all pervading, real (stationary), solid and well grounded (ठ स), tightly packed; but this body is completely hollow, in it there is nothing but emptiness and superficiality! One has this misconception that we have got so much honor, so much respect, so much enjoyment, so much pleasure! In reality, we have got nothing at all! It is only a delusion, nothing but deceit! Nothing will remain. Will this body remain? Will these favorable times remains? Will these pleasures remain? Will this honor remain? Will this greatness remain? Is there anything that is the kind to remain? The world and this life is named after that which flows. That which constantly flows is called sansaar (this life). It is changing every moment गच छत त जगत It does not remain still for a single moment. But God does not go anywhere even for a single moment; where will He go? If there was some empty space, then He would go! But wherever He goes, there God (He) is already occupying that place. God belongs to everyone and is in everyone, but man has become distant and disinclined towards Him. Day and night, this world and life is perishing, then too, man regards it as his own and he believes that this world is his. God never parts from beings, but man says that, God is not there at all, He never comes to us; it is very difficult to meet God. But God has been with us forever. Brother! you do not look in that direction. Wherever you see, God is present over there. If you accept this point, you believe in it, that in all places, at all times, in all things, in all incidents, in all 5
situations, in all circumstances, and in all actions God is present, then God will manifest. Accept with a firm conviction, then you will behold Him, but if there is any doubt, then He will not be seen. The extent to which you believe, to that extent, you will surely benefit. If you accept with a firm conviction then God cannot hide! The reason being य म पश य त सर वत र सर व च म य पश य त तस य ह न प रणश य म स च म न प रणश य त (ग त ६ ३०) 6/30) Yo maam paschyati sarvatra sarvam cha mayi pashyati Tasyaahum na pranashyaami sa cha mein na pranashyati (Gita "He who sees Me present in all and sees all beings existing in Me, I am never out of sight for him, nor is he ever out of My sight." 6
Wherever you look, whenever you look, whatever place you see, God is present over there. But where there is attraction and aversion, you will not be able to see God over there. Attraction (like) and aversion (dislike) are the main obstacles in being able to behold God. You will be attracted (like), to those situations that you see as favorable, and you will be averse (dislike) towards those situations that you believe to be unfavorable. A man had two daughters. Both the daughters were married off in neighboring villages. One daughter s family was into farming and another daughter s family was doing the work of a potter. The father went to visit one of the daughter s who was in farming and asked her how she was doing? She said to the father Dad! if it does not rain in the next 5 7 days, then the fields will dry up, nothing will grow, it will be disastrous. Now he went to the other daughter s place and asked her, that how were things with her? She said Father! If it rains within the next 5 7 days, then it will be disastrous, as the earthen pots are put out in the Sun for drying, but if it rains, it will all become nothing but mud! Now you all tell me, that should God cause the rain to fall or not! Both the girls belong to the same father. Mother and father always wish for the welfare of their daughters. Now what to do? One regarded the rainfall to be favorable and the other one regarded the rain to be unfavorable. They considered the rainfall as good bad. But the rain is neither good, nor bad. If it is to rain, then it will rain. If someone considers it to be good if it rains, then he has raag (attraction, liking) towards the rain, and if he regards the rain as not good, then he has dislike (aversion) towards the rain. In the same way, this world is uniform, but by seeing some things as good or bad when you have these two beliefs then you are trapped (bound)! 7
This turned out good and this did not turn out good. There were gains and there were losses. You became pleased, you became displeased. He is an enemy, he is a friend. He honored me, he dishonored me. He criticized me, he praised me. He made me feel happy and pleased and happiness, he made me unhappy and displeased. Now if you look towards all these, then you will not realize God. Therefore do not come under the sway of likes (attraction) and dislikes (aversion). Do not become pleased and displeased तय र न वशम गच छ त (ग त ३ ३४) Tayorna vashmaagacchetou (Gita 3/34) "One must not come under the way of those two attraction and aversion, because they are both enemies in the spiritual path." He who does not become pleased or displeased, is a renunciate, says God ज ञ य स नत यस न य स य न द व ष ट न क क ष त (ग त ५ ३) "Jneyah sa nityasannyasi yo na dvesti na kaanksati (Gita 5/3) He who neither hates, nor desires anything, should be known as a "Nitya Sannyaasi" (ever a renouncer) (Gita 5/3) 8
God also says that he who has neither attraction (likes) nor aversion (dislikes), he is regarded as My loving devotee. (Gita 12/17) In the world the good and the bad continue to take place. Therefore for an aspirant, what is good and what is not good क भद र कमभद र व ( श र मद ध ११ २८ ४) This world, this life is one big play, a show. On the screen, sometimes you see fighting, sometimes peace. Sometimes you see everything caught on fire, sometime great turmoil, villages are burnt to ashes, but when you see the screen, it has not turned hot at all! Sometimes you see it is raining, the rivers become flooded, many huge bolder are carried away by the sweeping waters, many animals and birds are carried away, but nothing happened to the screen. It did not even become wet! But seer, his attention is on the amusement, not on the screen. In the same way, this world is also a curtain of delusion. Just as a movie can only be seen in the dark, in the same way, this delusion in the form of ignorance is seen in the dark. If light is turned on in the entire theatre, then the amusement, the act will no longer be seen. In the same way व स द व सर वम (ग त ७ १९) Vasudevah Sarvam (Gita 7/19) Everything is only God If one gets such an insight, such an illumination, then this playful act, this amusement will no longer last. The projector is God, and the film of His illusive potency in the form of maya is being played through him. In place of the screen is this world. The light is of God (Paramatma). Now by regarding this maya (His divine play) as real, you become pleased (happy) and displeased (sad), then you are bound, you are trapped! Therefore the saints have said See the show, but remain neutral 9
No one is going to remain. Neither the good guy will remain, nor the bad guy. Have any of our things remained with us so far? Have any states remained? Have any incidents remained? Have any things remained steady? But you Self are steady, the same, as is. In front of you, while watching, so much has changed! The buildings, the streets, the customs etc, of this city have all changed. But in this world, God and the soul (aatma, Self) these two have not changed. The body is a mate (partner) of the world and God is a mate of the aatma (self). Now, if someone says, this body is mine, he will be bound (trapped)! When the body is a partner of the world, then why do you regard this body as yours? If you believe this body to be yours, then believe all bodies to be yours, or else do not regard even this body as yours. Feeling that something is pleasing or displeasing, good or bad, this is attraction (likes) and aversion (dislikes). What does it mean to not come 10
under their sway? To see it as a play (an act, a show), then, what is good and what is bad! Neither pleasure remains, nor pain remains. Neither sickness will remain, nor health will remain. Nothing will remain. All of this is going to part ways. Even though there may be union for many days, but some day there will be separation with certainty अवश य य त रश चरतरम षत व ऽ प वषय Pleasures of the senses will certainly go away, though after staying with us for a long time. (Bharthruhari 16). Therefore! From the very beginning understand this point, that one day separation of all will take place. When a child is born, at that very moment, one must understand that he will surely die! Whether he will grow up or not, whether he will study or not, whether he will get married or not, whether he will have children or not in this there are uncertainties; but is there any doubt whether he will die or not? If one has taken birth, then the main work is one of dying, there is no other important work. Now what is there to be pleased or displeased in this? With great joy we are moving towards God. Those who are detached, with power of discrimination (vivek), and those lovers of God, they do not look towards the objects that are coming and going. They are careful in doing, and are happy in whatever is the outcome. रज जब र व क न क, ह स स क न वच र गय स आवन क नह रह स ज वनह र All are going to go away, to die, then what is there to laugh! Those that have already died, however much you may cry for them, they are not going to come back, then why cry! Become steady on this thought. Then likes 11
(attraction) dislikes (aversion) will be wiped out. Forebear, i.e. remain unaffected with both attraction (likes) aversion (dislikes), in other words, when agreeable situations arise, do not become elated, and when disagreeable situations arise, do not become perturbed. Then you will become free from birth and death. Saints have said अब हम अमर भय न मर ग Now why should we die? That which will die is only the likes and dislikes. Understand these two to be destructible and leading to one s downfall. Acknowledging so, become detached from them. But if you are unable to do so, then call out to God, He Naath! He Naath!! protect me! Just as if a car breaks down, then fix it yourself. If you cannot fix it yourself, then send it to the auto repair shop! In the same way, if you cannot separate from likes (attraction) and dislikes (aversion), then take refuge in God. God said at the conclusion of the Gita You take refuge in Me Maamekum sharanam vraja (Gita 18/66) One Brahmin s had a grown up daughter. He went to a righteous master and said Sethji! the girl has grown up, what to do? the Master said find a husband for her, get ready, why do you worry? This does not mean that the Master himself will come and look for a husband, get them married. Rather it means, that do not worry; we will give the money, you do the work. In the same way, God says Do My work, but do not worry, I will take care off whatever you are lacking. Whatever work God has given you, do it properly. Arjuna also said the same क रष य वचन तव (ग त १८ ७३) Karishye Vachanam Tava Now I 12
will abide in Your words It is God s work, it is God s house, all the materials and things are God s, the entire family is God s! Therefore do God s work with enthusiasm. Do it well! Do not worry about what happens; because what happens is not dependent on you. Do not be lazy and slip in your duties. Conduct yourself in the best of best ways. What will happen, what will not happen leave all of that up to the Lord. Lord! You know and your work knows. Those brothers and sisters wherever you are, there itself, do your duty, properly, within your capacity, and with enthusiasm and do not worry. चन त द नदय लक, म मन सद आनन द ज य स प र तप लस, र मद स ग बन द Why should we worry! He who is the boss, he will worry. We will do what we are responsible for properly. It is not our work to consider something to be good or bad. Whatever objects and material things we have received, generously serve all with these things. Do it for their supreme good. Do not consider the things of this world as yours. If some hungry person comes, then give him food. If some person comes without clothes, then give him clothes. If he says, give it all to me, then you tell him that how can i give you everything? I am also managing with what is available to me, you also manage with what you get! Neither have you brought any money with you, nor have I. Since Ramji has sent, we are to do good to them, if Ramji does not send, 13
then Jai Ramji ki. What inconvenience is it to us? If some guests (more bats) arrive at the place where some bats are hanging off the trees, then how do these bats welcome the new lot? We are also hanging, you to hang! In Rishikesh, if some saints used to arrive during satsang, then we would say, welcome! please have a seat here! We are also begging alms and eating, you too do the same and eat! Do not have attraction and aversion. Whatever you have received, remain contented in that जथ ल भ स त ष सद ई (म नस ७ ४६ १) Whatever pleasure and pain that God has sent, remain happy in that alone. He who obeys the master, the master comes under his control. Whatever situations and circumstances Thakurji (God) sends, remain pleased in that alone, then God will come under his subjugation! Just be careful, that what is there to be happy and sad in whatever is changing! प न प रभ त प नर व शर वर प न शश क प नर द यत र व Sometimes it is morning, sometimes evening sometimes night, sometimes day this continues to take place, it 14
keeps changing. The things in this world, they keep coming and going. But you and God, remain the same as is. You and God have companionship and the body and the world have companionship. If you remain established in the Self (swaroop), then you will succeed, and if you keep your sight on God, then too you will succeed. But if you keep your sight on the body and the world, then you will be defeated. He whose mind is established in equanimity, has gained victory over the world and over this life इह व त र जत सर ग य ष स म य स थत मन (ग त ५ १९) "Ihaiva tairjitah sargo yehaam saamye sthitam manah" (Gita 5/19) He whose mind has become situated and still in That equanimous Paramatma, has gained mastery over the entire world, and this life. If you become situated in the self then equanimity will come on its own, and if you take refuge in God, then too you will gain equanimity. Whatever resources you have received, give happiness to others through 15
them. If you haven t got the resources, then be joyful, rejoice! Whatever God has given to you, be contented with it. Whatever God does, He does the right thing. There is no mistake in it. Therefore what to be pleased and what to be displeased! We have to remember God, we have to repeat His divine name, that is all. Till today you have been seeing that this world is constantly changing, then now, what is new about this, tell me? Pay a little due respect to your own experiences, then you will be greatly benefited. There is a commentary on the Gita called Paramaarthprapaa It is written in it, that if man is attentive to his life, then automatically detachment will take place. You have seen so many ups and downs in your life, so much good and bad! Right now too, the very same things are taking place. These things will carry on like this. Everything is the kind to come and go, but we are here to stay. Now what is there to be pleased and what is there to be displeased. A mountain looks good from a distance. If you look at them from up close, it is nothing but rocks! In the same way, if you look at the world from up close, then you will come to know its true nature, that nothing will remain here. Both a boy and a girl are born in your family. You are pleased at the birth of the son and displeased at the birth of a daughter. If God has given you a boy, than take care of him and if he has given you a girl, then take care of her as well. If God has given a girl, then get her married properly, so someone s lineage will grow and knowing so, raise her with great enthusiasm. But you are pleased at the birth of a boy and displeased at the birth of a girl. Ask the mother in law, that what happened? She will say that bhaatho (rock) has come, rock! Ask the same old lady, that when you 16
were born, then did a diamond come? A girl is called someone else s treasure. If a boy and girl fight with each other, then the parents tell the boy, why are you fighting with your sister? She will be going away to her home! In the same way, gentlemen! whatever are the activities of Nature, (in the world), it is all girls, and she will be going to her own home, she will not stay here. Therefore why are you getting attached? Nothing will remain here. Neither possessions, nor adversities. Neither favorable times, nor unfavorable times. Then what is there to like and what is there to dislike? Narayan! Narayan!! Narayan!!! From book in Hindi Satsang ka Prasaad by Swami Ramsukhdasji ENGLISH: HINDI: www.swamiramsukhdasji.org To read in HINDI visit - http://www.satcharcha.blogspot.com/ 17