Jai Guru Dev
Swami Brahmananda Saraswati Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath
Known by His disciples simply as Guru Dev
Discourses by Guru Dev
The following talks are from a number of sources.
The Self-luminous Nature of Self
The dawn comes to dispel the darkness of night, by the light of the sun, which is self-luminous. Likewise, spiritual teachings come to destroy ignorance. But they cannot throw light on the Self. The Self is Light.
The Impermanence of the World and the Importance of Harmonious Action
The one who has come has to go. Nobody can stay here. Every moment keep your luggage packed. Nobody knows when death will call. The warrant of death is like the arrest warrant. One cannot think of appealing against it. No matter what is happening, we have to quickly leave off and go. So, if you are ready before hand, there will not be much difficulty in leaving. The one who is always ready to leave will never be able to sin. Only by forgetting the impermanence of the life in this world, one becomes immoral and licentious. If a man remembers at every moment that one day or the other he will have to leave this world, then he will never be able to bring falsehood or inappropriate conduct into his life.
Think of when our own father, grandfather and great-grandfather had to leave. Then how can we be able to stay? Since going is certain, keep ready from the beginning so that the travel will be comfortable. If you are not ready, then you will face difficulties. Be careful not to act in a way that you will regret later, when it is time to leave.
If you are not cautious, you cannot escape from falling. It is the nature of samsara (endless cycle of action and reaction) to always pull you downwards. Involvement with the senses, divides a man's mind. Being of divided mind and involved with the vasanas (tendencies from the past), it is very difficult to have discernment. So it is essential to always be cautious.
Whatever a man does while living, be it good or bad, it comes to be remembered at the moment of death. Remembering ones evil actions and the dreadful results, the soul starts repenting and becomes very sad. Therefore one should always be cautious so that no sin happens, so that one has no regrets at the time of death.
On Finding God and the Value of Worship
The heart went to find God and was caught…caught for sure. As you send a doll made of salt into the ocean, and say to the doll, 'Go and measure! How deep is the ocean? What is the depth?' Just so, the salt doll can easily go in, but it will not be able to come back. There is no difficulty to go but there is difficulty to come back. As it goes into the ocean it dissolves. So, who will come back when the seeker experiences Paramatman (God)? How is it possible for the soul to listen or speak of Paramatman, if Paramatman has not been seen?
Worshipping Paramatman is highly profitable. Any amount of time spent on it will come back to you with multifold interest. One should be fortunate enough to do profitable business. The unfortunate will always involve himself in such business where loss is inevitable. It is surprising that people make a huge effort to gain wealth and materials of comfort. But no effort is put forth in activities that gain Paramatman, which is a natural activity and can be done with ease. What an indiscretion! The still more astonishing thing is that people are not putting their attention to Paramatman, who is the very source of peace and happiness.
People struggle hard to gain valueless baubles of daily living, day in and day out. It is said: 'Gain one thing to gain everything - try to gain everything and you will gain nothing.' By gaining Paramatman, everything will be gained automatically. If you leave Paramatman and try to gain everything else, you will never be able to gain anything. Whatever is gained, will seem so small, that you will not feel happy.
If you want to catch the shadow, catch the real thing and automatically the shadow will be in your hands. Leaving the real, if you run after the shadow, the faster you run, the faster it will run away from you. That is why to run after shadowy wealth and fame is foolhardy. Catch hold of the Real - Paramatman - and all else will be under your command. Remember that keeping attention to Paramatman is always highly profitable. Whatever time you put on this, you will get back with multifold interest.
It is a waste to make much of your activity, so try to live quietly as long as you have to live in the world. Even emperors like Chakravarti Dasaratha could not get all that they desired. That is why it is a great mistake to involve oneself day and night in trying to satisfy desires.
One should not forget, one day it is certain that we have to move out of here! Whatever the project we may be engaged, whatever condition and wherever it might be, we will have to leave it as it is and go. Everyone has to travel alone. So do not be sad about things that we have no choice but to leave.
As long as one has to live, live peacefully. It is certain that work here can never be completed. So do not make much out of doing work in the world. Work, as an end in itself, is a waste. Lead this life with a peaceful mind, doing your duty and always remembering Paramatman.
The Creator is Vishvambhara. He shoulders the duty to sustain and protect us. And so, he will make arrangements. Without having faith in His support, if you depend on your intellect and cleverness, deceit and craftiness, you will lead a life of turbulence and the future path will also be darkened. So, lead life in such a way that you will be peaceful while living and making your future path bright as well.
Swami Brahmananda Saraswati Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath
Known by His disciples simply as Guru Dev
Discourses by Guru Dev
The following talks are from a number of sources.
The Self-luminous Nature of Self
The dawn comes to dispel the darkness of night, by the light of the sun, which is self-luminous. Likewise, spiritual teachings come to destroy ignorance. But they cannot throw light on the Self. The Self is Light.
The Impermanence of the World and the Importance of Harmonious Action
The one who has come has to go. Nobody can stay here. Every moment keep your luggage packed. Nobody knows when death will call. The warrant of death is like the arrest warrant. One cannot think of appealing against it. No matter what is happening, we have to quickly leave off and go. So, if you are ready before hand, there will not be much difficulty in leaving. The one who is always ready to leave will never be able to sin. Only by forgetting the impermanence of the life in this world, one becomes immoral and licentious. If a man remembers at every moment that one day or the other he will have to leave this world, then he will never be able to bring falsehood or inappropriate conduct into his life.
Think of when our own father, grandfather and great-grandfather had to leave. Then how can we be able to stay? Since going is certain, keep ready from the beginning so that the travel will be comfortable. If you are not ready, then you will face difficulties. Be careful not to act in a way that you will regret later, when it is time to leave.
If you are not cautious, you cannot escape from falling. It is the nature of samsara (endless cycle of action and reaction) to always pull you downwards. Involvement with the senses, divides a man's mind. Being of divided mind and involved with the vasanas (tendencies from the past), it is very difficult to have discernment. So it is essential to always be cautious.
Whatever a man does while living, be it good or bad, it comes to be remembered at the moment of death. Remembering ones evil actions and the dreadful results, the soul starts repenting and becomes very sad. Therefore one should always be cautious so that no sin happens, so that one has no regrets at the time of death.
On Finding God and the Value of Worship
The heart went to find God and was caught…caught for sure. As you send a doll made of salt into the ocean, and say to the doll, 'Go and measure! How deep is the ocean? What is the depth?' Just so, the salt doll can easily go in, but it will not be able to come back. There is no difficulty to go but there is difficulty to come back. As it goes into the ocean it dissolves. So, who will come back when the seeker experiences Paramatman (God)? How is it possible for the soul to listen or speak of Paramatman, if Paramatman has not been seen?
Worshipping Paramatman is highly profitable. Any amount of time spent on it will come back to you with multifold interest. One should be fortunate enough to do profitable business. The unfortunate will always involve himself in such business where loss is inevitable. It is surprising that people make a huge effort to gain wealth and materials of comfort. But no effort is put forth in activities that gain Paramatman, which is a natural activity and can be done with ease. What an indiscretion! The still more astonishing thing is that people are not putting their attention to Paramatman, who is the very source of peace and happiness.
People struggle hard to gain valueless baubles of daily living, day in and day out. It is said: 'Gain one thing to gain everything - try to gain everything and you will gain nothing.' By gaining Paramatman, everything will be gained automatically. If you leave Paramatman and try to gain everything else, you will never be able to gain anything. Whatever is gained, will seem so small, that you will not feel happy.
If you want to catch the shadow, catch the real thing and automatically the shadow will be in your hands. Leaving the real, if you run after the shadow, the faster you run, the faster it will run away from you. That is why to run after shadowy wealth and fame is foolhardy. Catch hold of the Real - Paramatman - and all else will be under your command. Remember that keeping attention to Paramatman is always highly profitable. Whatever time you put on this, you will get back with multifold interest.
It is a waste to make much of your activity, so try to live quietly as long as you have to live in the world. Even emperors like Chakravarti Dasaratha could not get all that they desired. That is why it is a great mistake to involve oneself day and night in trying to satisfy desires.
One should not forget, one day it is certain that we have to move out of here! Whatever the project we may be engaged, whatever condition and wherever it might be, we will have to leave it as it is and go. Everyone has to travel alone. So do not be sad about things that we have no choice but to leave.
As long as one has to live, live peacefully. It is certain that work here can never be completed. So do not make much out of doing work in the world. Work, as an end in itself, is a waste. Lead this life with a peaceful mind, doing your duty and always remembering Paramatman.
The Creator is Vishvambhara. He shoulders the duty to sustain and protect us. And so, he will make arrangements. Without having faith in His support, if you depend on your intellect and cleverness, deceit and craftiness, you will lead a life of turbulence and the future path will also be darkened. So, lead life in such a way that you will be peaceful while living and making your future path bright as well.
