Navaratri - Day 4

Gist of Pujya Guruji's Discourse on 11th October 2010

We have gathered again this night to adore the Divine Mother in all Her splendour. Yesterday, She revealed many vital secrets and truths to us.Click here to read the previous discourse of Pujya Guruji. We learnt how important it is to maintain a constant relationship with 'Sat' or the truth of our soul and how this cushions us from the pinpricks of life. We understood that what we listen to and how we listen to it can break or make our life. We realised the wonderful significance of blowing a conch in our houses and how it transforms our energy field, removes our karma and protects us from all kinds of negativity in life. Devi also revealed that as Goddess Rakini in our Swadishthana Chakra, She would begin to vanquish demon Mahishasura, the embodiment of our ego. By prodding it with the prongs of Her trident denoting devotedness, humility and humbleness, She annihilates our arrogance. We understood that through Devi's prodding and by attending satsangs, our ego based personality would be transformed into a soul based personality.

Let us now turn to the Divine Mother once more and listen to the wonderful wisdom that She is waiting to impart to us today :

1. The scripture, Devi Mahatmyam, says that there is a definite relationship between us and God. The Divine Mother says that most of us are not aware of this relationship because we make two mistakes - (i) We think - "God is different from me." (ii) We feel - "How can a divine Shakti or power abide or grow in me?" We don't understand how God is seated inside us. Moreover, all of us know that we need God, but we never ever think that God also needs us. Since we do not realise this truth, we worship God in a transactional way. This is the first truth.
2. Then how can we feel the Presence of God in us? Just as we need a scanning machine to see our own spine or brain, we need the light of the Shastras, Vedas and Upanishads and most importantly the Grace and Guidance of a Jnani or Enlightened Master to show us that God's Shakti is hidden in us. This is the second truth.
3. One of the main ways through which a Jnani imparts wisdom to us is Shravana. So, as we learnt yesterday, shravana or the art of listening is very important. However, manana is even more important. The more deeply we contemplate upon the wisdom we hear, the better we are able to assimilate and implement it. This is the third truth.
4. However, manana is a double edged sword. If we allow our mind to dwell on wrong things in life, they percolate deep into our being and erode our faith, belief and trust in our own inner power which flows from the presence of God in us. That is why we are so prone to insecurity and fear. For instance, if we hear about a theft in our neighbourhood, we rush to get an extra bolt fixed to our door. If it is God's Will that a theft should take place in our house, extra bolts can do nothing to prevent it. At the same time, we should not go to the other extreme and sleep with our door wide open. Avoiding all extremes, we should chart the middle course by using our common sense and discrimination. We should not react impulsively and excessively to anything that happens around us. This is the fourth truth.
5. Though animals react instinctively and instantaneously to whatever they see, smell and hear, they remain quiet and relaxed when nothing is happening. We are not like that. We cannot sit quiet. We want to make things happen. We want to feed our brain constantly with information. We switch on the TV, browse the net or begin to read. We ring up somebody and ask - "What's new? What's happening?" or "What's up?" We indiscriminately feed the mind with all kinds of information without asking ourselves whether it is really necessary. When we tune in to our divine core, we too will be able to remain calm and quiet, when no action is required from us. This is the fifth truth.
6. How do we achieve this state? The hours of dawn in the morning and dusk in the evening are full of tranquil and serene vibrations which are naturally conducive to inner solitude and quietness. Our forefathers knew this. In the morning, the effulgence of the rising Sun gives us the light and energy that we need for the day, and in the evening the radiance of Devi fills us with complete peace and repose. When we engage ourselves in spiritual sadhana or satsang during these periods, we feel very deeply nurtured and nourished. In the morning we can do Veda chanting, meditation etc. In the evening, even if we are outside the house engaged in some work, we should go to the nearest temple and sit there quietly for 15 - 30 minutes absorbing the serene vibrations. Then we can continue with our work. All this helps us to tune in to the Divinity in us. So, we get down from the seat of our ego and establish ourselves on the Shakti Peetha of our Soul. This gives us complete peace of mind. Then, our food is digested easily, we feel enthusiastic and energetic and we sleep very well. More than all this, we get karyasiddhi and all our tasks get done easily and effortlessly. All this is based on the spiritual science of vibrations. The routine in Ashrams is woven around this. That is why they are always charged with vibrations. When we go there, all the shrama or fatigue generated by our efforts throughout the day simply drops away and we feel recharged with energy and bliss. That is why it is called 'Ashram' or 'place of effortless ease'. This is the sixth truth.
7. If we are in satsang, the energy of our soul is activated and we get prompts from within to use our intellect in the right way. Otherwise we don't know how to use our mind and intellect correctly. That is why we spend most of our time talking about worldly matters, troubles and problems. When we don't centre ourselves in the 'place of effortless ease' within us, disease claims us. The Latin word 'dis-ease' means 'mind not at ease'. We do not enjoy a feeling of inner peace and ease because we are constantly using the mind. We think too much. In fact many of us are compulsive worriers. When we come under the divine protection of the Guru, this tendency drops away. However, there are still some people who come to the Guru and say - " Earlier my mind used to be full of thoughts jostling each other. Now I hardly get any thoughts. I'm really worried about it." What can you say to that? There are all kinds of people in the world!
8. Today Devi is telling us how to listen - "Follow these five steps whenever you see, read or listen to anything."
   STEP 1 : The first step is Filtration. When we are listening to somebody talking, watching TV or getting information in any other way, we should understand and analyse it before we allow it to take root in our minds. For example, if somebody says - "You are a very nice person" or "You are wonderful," we must ask ourselves why they are saying this. We should take a moment to think - "Have I helped him at any time? Is my association beneficial to him in any way?" We may remember several incidents to support this. After this we can allow that statement to enter our minds, but we must not take it egoistically. Likewise, if somebody says - "You are so high and mighty. I have never seen such a great snob as you," we should not react impulsively. We should first analyse that statement in our minds - "Have I done anything to offend him? Have I knowingly or unknowingly hurt him in any way?" If we remember an instance where we have done something that annoyed him, we should immediately apologise. If we can't think of any reason for his statement, we should apologise anyway by saying - "I'm sorry. I must have hurt you in some way though I don't know how. Whatever I did, it was not intentional. Please forgive me." This is very essential. Otherwise, that relationship will enter a love-hate mode. Then we will unnecessarily occupy that person's mental space and he will occupy ours.
   So, we must be very careful when we allocate mental space to any information. We should never allow anything to occupy space in our minds without filtering it first with our faculty of discrimination. Just as we filter tea to remove tea leaves and coffee to remove cream, we must filter all inputs to screen out unnecessary or harmful information. Till we have done this, we should not react to the information and we should not accept or assimilate it. If we look at enlightened beings, they listen to everything we have to say first and then respond appropriately to it. Once we cultivate this awareness, we will automatically filter all information even if it comes to us at very high speed.
   STEP 2 : The second step is Segregation. Once you filter the information and decide to let it in, we must segregate it immediately into three categories (i) Divine information pertaining to God or Adidaivika (ii) Spiritual information pertaining to our soul or Adhyatmika (iii) Transactional information pertaining to the outside world or Adibhoutika.
   We are responsible and answerable in all these three spheres. So, this mental segregation should happen instantaneously, in nano seconds. For example, if somebody tells us that a temple is beautiful and we should visit it, it is Adidaivika. If they ask us to attend a satsang, it is Adhyatmika. If they talk about a movie, hotel or shopping, it is Adibhoutika. If we do not segregate information in this way it is like storing salt in the sugar container or chillies in the mustard container. All our priorities in life get mixed up and our time gets frittered away in frivolous pursuits instead of being focussed on the key issues. We get pulled away from our soul. Then Devi says - "You will lose your peace, contentment and prosperity in life." If somebody is talking ill about another person on the phone, we should immediately say - "Sorry, I'm not interested," and cut the call. We must filter, segregate and reject. We should never listen to such garbage. Nowadays, we don't have much time to interact directly with people. So, such information comes to us more through TV or over the phone. We must give up gossip of all kinds and engage ourselves only in God-sip. Let us chant the divine name of Devi or write namasmarana [the holy name]. If we allow our mind to dwell on negative things it is like performing the abhisheka of Lord Vishnu, who is the embodiment of our soul, with dirty, stinking water. We should never pollute our Swadishthana Chakra. If we do, we are disarming and disabling Vishnu who is enthroned there with Devi Rakini.
   Seggregation of information enhances our serenity, contentment and inner power. Today, when we get our priorities wrong and make decisions which backfire, we feel mentally defeated. We feel drained of mental strength and will power. Why? We have not learnt to filter and segregate. If we do, the Vishnu Shakti and Devi Shakti in us will never get depleted. Problems and troubles will never attack us.
   STEP 3 : The third step is Rejection or Assimilation. After filtering and segregating information, we filter it once more before deciding to assimilate it. We should ask ourselves - "Is this information useful to me in any way? Is it going to lead to my transformation?" If the answer is 'No', we should reject it outright saying - "No. I don't want this. I don't need this." Then, it will not enter our innermost core. Why is Devi going into such subtleties tonight? If we see or hear something bad, it gets engraved on our minds and continues to bother us and shatter our peace for a long time. For instance, if we see an accident on the road, we should pray for the victims and let it go. Just say - "If this occupies a permanent space in my mind, it will disturb me for days. I will not allow it to penetrate my inner core." The minute we make such a resolve or Sankalpa, even if that information has gone in, it will be ejected immediately without getting assimilated.
   STEP 4 : Don't allow demons or asuras into your mind. If we find ourselves getting irritated or annoyed with somebody, it means that we have allowed their words to get into our inner most core without filtering or segregating them. If we do this, that information becomes an asura or demon in the mind, shattering our mental peace. It bombards us with doubts and suspicions. It triggers negative emotions like anger, comparison, jealousy, competition, greed, lust and lack of trust and confidence. So, if we find ourselves reacting negatively to anybody, it means that their offensive words have already turned into demons in us. So, we should immediately think - "I should not send this inside," and chant 'Om Vam'. At once, Lord Vishnu in our Swadishthana Chakra hits this demon on the head and kills it. At once we feel calm and composed. If we do not invoke Lord Vishnu to slay these demons in this way, we will be destabilised. Words can destabilise our mind in nano seconds. That is the secret. We not only survive on our soul energy, we also survive by the mind. Our mind rules and controls the state of our existence. If the mind is intensely unhappy, we feel that we don't even want to live anymore. That is why Devi tells us again and again - "What you hear directly affects your mind. Be very careful."
   Those who remain calm even when others insult or scold them are called 'Sadhus'. So, when we come to spirituality, we should all become sadhus. This is what the culture of Sanathana Dharma teaches us - "No matter what anybody says to you, just pray 'May this person be happy'." When our elders heard bad news or provoking words, they would immediately nullify their negative vibrations by saying 'Shiva, Shiva', or 'Hara, Hara'. By filtering, segregating and rejecting, we should make our minds stable, able and capable. We should never allow ourselves to be shaken by situations and circumstances. It saps our stability, will power and resolution.
   STEP 5 : Avoid Mediation. Don't get entangled in the fights of others. When people come to you with their differences, do not take sides or try to mediate unless it concerns you directly. Fights between siblings, spouses, relatives and friends are usually temporary in nature. Allow them to sort it out themselves. If we try to mediate, finally they unite together and lay all the blame on us. So, when we see two people or groups fighting with each other, we should pray for both of them. If they approach us directly, we should not try to judge or gauge anybody. We should simply say - "My Guru has taught me to pray for everybody. So, I will pray for you." Devi says - "Don't mediate. Meditate."
   Now let us make a resolution or sankalpa - "I will not listen to unwanted information. I will not pollute my mind. I will not interfere with others. I will not lose my stability." Let us chant 'Om' for sometime.
9. Now that we have understood how to filter, segregate and reject information that is not necessary, let us go on to see what the Divine Mother has to say. She says - "When you follow these five steps implicitly, you have an armour around you. However, you never know what you will hear during the next moment. How can you predict what someone is going to say? So, to avoid hearing bad things, cultivate a new habit. Listen to My holy name. Chant My holy name whenever you can. Everyday as you walk, drive, sit or stand - keep your mind focussed on Me by chanting it. Instead of allowing your mind to think useless, unnecessary and disturbing thoughts, engage it in chanting My name whenever it is free. Since you are troubled again and again by emotions which disrupt your inner peace and joy, invoke Me to destroy your sorrow or dukkha." Dukkha is not only intense grief. All the states of mind which are not conducive to inner peace, contentment and happiness come under 'dukkha'. This is the ninth truth.
10. So, Mother is giving us the mantra 'Om Dukkha Vinashinyei Namaha' which is one of Her names in the Nimishamba Ashtotra [108 names]. This means - "O Mother, who are the destroyer all my sorrow, I bow down to you." Even all the Sages and Seers bow down to Mother because She is the destroyer of all trials, tribulations, troubles, problems and sorrows in life. So, today all of us should chant this for at least 30 minutes. Then, Mother will come and remove our sorrow. When all the impurities that are creating havoc in our minds are removed, the first state we experience is purity. From purity come peace, contentment and hope. From hope, come confidence, calmness and security. This is the tenth truth.
11. What is the use of experiencing dukkha when we have Lord Vishnu Himself seated inside us, waiting to give us the bliss of the soul? This is like having a huge nugget of gold in our hands and going around saying - "I'm so poor. I'm so poor." Lord Vishnu, in the form of Srinivasa or Balaji, is the Adhipati or the one in charge of Shravana, the art of listening. That is why His birth star is also called 'Shravana'. This is the eleventh truth.
12. Yesterday we learnt how the demon Mahishasura, who is the embodiment of our ego is vanquished. However, he also has many assistants. One of them is Raktabijasura. When a drop of blood from Raktabijasura falls on the ground, it produces another Raktabijasura. This symbolically represents how one desire breeds another. For instance, if we satisfy our desire to buy a refirigerator, we also need a voltage stabiliser and a stand for it. We have to buy containers to put in the fridge. We need to stock it with groceries. We have to pay for its power consumption. We have to keep it clean and take care of its technical maintenance. So, no desire ever comes alone. It brings a horde of related desires with it. So, one desire leads to another and another.... This is the twelfth truth.
13. If we observe ourselves carefully, we will see that whatever we hear breeds desire. If we hear about something good, we get a desire - "I also want to experience it or I also want to acquire it." If we hear something bad, we get a desire - "I never want to go through something like that or I hope I never experience that." Devi says - "Desire is the root cause of sorrow." So, when we chant - 'Om Dukkha Vinashinyei Namaha' today, Devi will also give us the discrimination to weed out our desires. She will teach us how to differentiate between need and greed. This is the thirteenth truth.
14. During the second three days of Navaratri, Mother manifests as Mahalakshmi - the embodiment of peace, contentment, tolerance, patience and harmony. She is not just the Goddess of outer wealth and prosperity. In fact, there is no greater wealth in life than peace and contentment. So, let us all chant Her mantra tonight and whenever we can till tomorrow evening. The divine Mother will come and destroy all our sorrow with Her trident.

May all of you enjoy the state of bliss or paramananda through the Grace of the Divine Mother. May all beings be happy.

Jai Matha. Om Tat Sat.

Click Here to view the photos of the event