Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-Aug.18

Surrender to Rama as the Sole Support

That life in the world needs thinking of God as the basis, is amply evident. If one only looks to one’s own experience, one will have to agree that all the grandeur and prosperity of today can only be attributed to Rama’s grace. We should therefore always remember that everything that happens is by His direction and will, that we should feel neither pride nor regret of doership of anything. If a feeling of pride does crop up, recollect Rama, and He will see that, that feeling is overcome. Pride of doership rears its head in times of ‘success’ or pleasing happenings, while, in times of undesired happenings, ‘fate’ comes in handy for blame. So take care that the feeling of pride is completely destroyed. The Lord cannot be propitiated so long as there is the smallest vestige of pride of doership. So think of Rama at all times, in all actions.
He is ever happy who attributes all doership to Rama; while one who takes doership on himself is paving the way to misery sooner or later. So let us ascribe everything to Rama and enjoy contentedness. Surrender utterly to Him, and thus freed, go through life with a light heart. Ask Him for nothing but love for nama-smarana.
Rest contented in the conviction that whatever happens is by God’s will. Be not disgusted with unpleasant happenings, nor elated with pleasant ones. This will gradually wear out the desire for or against anything, and efface all feeling of self-importance. So, I exhort you, put implicit faith in Rama. In utmost humility, vow to be happy in whatever circumstances He places you. He is ever eager ,to help us, but we, in self- pride, think it below dignity to ask His help. He can most certainly grant anything you can possibly ask for; but I would caution you to ask for nothing that may go against your ultimate good.
Ramadasa Swami acquired the appellation ‘Samartha’ because he became an unreservedly devoted servant of Rama. One who ceases looking up to worldly esteem and dedicates himself to the service of Rama will easily rule over the world. Old persons should dedicate themselves to upasana, while younger people should make it a point never to miss doing their duty, and keep constant awareness of God; this is the surest, the sole means of becoming contented.
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Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-Aug.2.

Our Inner Being is Basically Blissful

It is incorrect to say that a thing that we very keenly desire will always fetch satisfaction. The royal road, the surest way, is to annihilate desire itself. So let us try to see how we can get rid of desire altogether. True, lasting joy and contentment can only come if we live for God. They come the moment we determine to treat God as the last, the only resort.
The more the attachment to worldly things, the deeper we sink into the mire of misery. Worldly pleasures come even without asking, only if your luck lies that way; we need neither beg nor pray for them. Once we decide on treating Rama as our sole support, we can shed all dread of worldly attractions. To live in never-failing trust in divine backing takes the sting out of worldly attractions; indeed, if we live in a constant awareness of God, we have full insurance against worldly temptations, for we will automatically be ever on guard against them.
We celebrate a festival with great e’ clat, but as a day the festive day is in no way different from other days; the circumstances, dangers and difficulties of the previous day prevail unchanged. And yet, we momentarily connive at them and make the day festive. What we do then, can we not do every day? We should treat every day as a festive day by keeping a happy attitude. What we have to do is to live in God, the fountainhead of everlasting joy. This divine joy is so powerful that once we taste it we shall find that even the highest of pleasures in the world pale into utter insipidity. Bliss, indeed, is a characteristic of God. That we at all think of pain, sorrow, misery, is a marvel, for, that God is ever present within us. It happens because we ourselves prevent Him to disclose Himself; we smother His joyful presence with our ego. To discover the true nature of this ego, we have first to quieten the hubbub, the tumult of the senses, descend into our true selves, and look for joy; whereupon we find God the fountainhead of perennial bliss. This search is the real purpose of human life, and to merge into God is its true consummation. For one whose happiness is never disturbed, every day is a festive day.

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