← The Gospel of Swami RamdasHis talks, as recorded by Swami Satchidananda

1953-12-09

Chapter 40

Ramdas-Ashram, Bhavnagar, December 9, 1953

398. Do manasa pooja

6.30 a.m. Papa was attending to correspondence, immediately after wash and first dose of medicine. It was nearly 7.30 when the dictation was over. Batukbhai P Pattani, brother of Anantrai P Pattani, used to come every morning for Papa's darshan. That morning, as it was chill outside, he had wrapped himself up in a black overcoat and shawl. He came in, placed a flower at Papa's feet, prostrated and sat near him.

Batukbhai: When you are here, let us at least come and have your darshan everyday. We are not able to come to Anandashram.

Papa: Why don't you come? Your brother has come there. You may also come. You can take your murtis with you and carry on your pooja there. Leave off all this external worship. Do manasa pooja. Any time, any place would suit it.

Batukbhai: Manasa pooja is also going on.

Papa: If manasa pooja is going on, the external worship will stop. You can do shodasopachara pooja mentally. Manasa pooja gives immense joy. The very thought of it gives joy. Then what to talk of the joy when you perform it! You will be immersed in that joy, forgetting the body and the world.

Gunvantrai Kamdar came by air from Bombay at 10.30 a.m. and spent a few minutes with Papa at the ashram. He again came at 4 p.m., remained with Papa for about 45 minutes and accompanied him for the evening drive and walk.

399. Aparigraha, asteya and brahmacharya

6.30 to 7 p.m. was the time fixed for talks. There was a small gathering in the hall.

A devotee: What is aparigraha?

Papa: The exact English definition of aparigraha is: ‘Absence of the sense of possession.' You may possess things but should not feel that they are yours. Nothing is yours. Feel that nothing is yours. Say, 'everything is yours, O my Lord! I am only your agent.' This is the right attitude. Sri Aurobindo has said: 'Possess things but do not be possessed by them.'

Devotee: What is asteya?

Papa: Not to desire another's possessions. The very desire to possess another's things amounts to stealing. You may not be physically taking another's things. Mere desire is theft. Instead of envying the prosperity of others, be happy over it. Rejoice over the good fortune of others. Suppose you compete with another and he wins, you must be happy at his victory.

Devotee: What is brahmacharya?

Papa: Brahmacharya is not merely physical abstinence from sex. It is also mental purity. There may be some who have physical control but are unchaste in mind. They cannot be said to be observing brahmacharya. One who is able to gain absolute mastery over sex, physically and mentally, has indeed become divine. He no longer remains in the physical plane. That is why all worship such a one. Absolute brahmacharya is possible only after one is established in one's true Being. This can be achieved only by the constant repetition of God's name. By such repetition abhiman disappears and on the elimination of abhiman all the vasanas are destroyed. Brahmacharya is absolutely essential to spiritual progress. By brahmacharya you preserve the vital energy that is necessary for spiritual progress. When you waste your vital energy you will not have strength for sadhana. Consequently, you will not have the zeal for the repetition of Ram Nam.

400. Protection of property

Devotee: When somebody takes away my property by force, should I also not use forcible methods to get it back? Is it improper?

Papa: What methods then would you resort to? Would you go to the law court? If you do not have strong evidence, would you prepare false witnesses and use foul means to win your case? In this connection Ramdas will tell you something about Karma. It is understood by all that whatever sufferings you undergo in this life are the result of your own actions in previous lives. When you know this, you do not feel greatly upset over anything that happens to you. Because, if you have to blame anybody, it is only yourself and none else. The loss of your property, though apparently caused by another person, is actually the result of what you have done before, and by this loss you have reaped the fruit of your own karma. On the other hand, if you think somebody else is responsible for your loss and suffering, you get wild and furious with him and take severe action against him. You will thus be creating a new karma for which you will have to suffer later. One who is angry and wants to inflict pain upon another is the worst sufferer. So, do not retaliate. By going to court you will spend a lot of money and create ill-feeling. All for what – to try a chance of getting back the property!

There is no harm in your taking action, but it must be done without any trace of ill-feeling in your mind. A friend, who is a big business man, asked Ramdas what he should do with one of his clerks who misappropriated some money from his office. Ramdas told him that he should deal with his clerk as he would with his own son. If his son did the same thing in his office, what would he do? He would never hand him over to the police. At the most he might say that the son should no longer serve in his office. So also he might at the most send his clerk away, but not hand him over to the police.

401. Repeat Ram Nam constantly

Devotee: I have been reading your books. Whenever I do so, I am so elated that I feel like running to you and surrendering at your feet. What can I do to maintain that exalted state?

Papa: Having read the books, you must repeat Ram Nam.

Devotee: It is Ram Nam alone that has brought me to you.

Papa: Then it is all the more the reason why you should take to constant repetition of Ram Nam.

Devotee: I came here with the idea of staying with you for some time. But after coming I feel that I should go back. Why is it?

Papa: That is the weakness of the mind. The best thing to do is to go to your place. Instead of thinking of your place while you are here with Ramdas, it is better you go to your place and think of Ramdas. You are disturbed when you have no thought of God. One who has no God-thought is unhappy even if one is in heaven. But he who keeps His name always on his tongue is happy even in hell. Satsang helps you in remembering God always.

402. Hate the sin, love the sinner

Devotee: I feel sorry for all the evil in the world.

Papa: You feel sorry for it because you do not like the evil ways of the world. If you had followed those ways, you would not have been sorry at all. Whatever others may do, let us go on the right path and by our own example we may be able to change those who are pursuing the wrong path. You should not dislike or hate the wrong-doer. Right is the saying: ‘Hate the sin but love the sinner.’ We must look at our own defects and at the good points of others. Even in the best of us there are defects and even in the worst of us there are good points.

403. Keep money flowing

Devotee: Is not over-accumulation of wealth a sin?

Papa: Wealth must be flowing like a river. It must never be allowed to accumulate. Accumulation means stagnation. Accumulated water stagnates and stinks, causing disease to people. So also accumulated money brings misery to its owner. Keep money flowing. Wealth is given to you for helping those who are in distress.

404. Mind vs. Atman

Devotee: What is the relation between mind and atman?

Papa: Mind is not atman and atman is not mind. But it can be said that a still and waveless mind means atman. That which is restless and full of desires is the ordinary mind. In the ignorant, the mind sees diversity and is restless. When the vasanas are completely destroyed, the mind as such ceases to exist and atman reveals itself.

Devotee: A student here is prepared to follow you. Should he leave his samsar?

Papa: By leaving his family and following Ramdas he is not leaving samsar. To be free from samsar is to transcend the mind. When the samsar has left his mind, there is no need for him to go to Ramdas.

December 20, 1953

405. Auto-biography attempted

Gunvantrai Kamdar had his lunch at the ashram with Mataji. He repeatedly enquired about the adequacy of the arrangements made. He often expressed the desire that Mataji might look to the comforts of the devotees, their food especially, as in Anandashram. Mataji was obviously pleased to hear that.

Immediately after meals he came and sat with Papa who had then got up and was sitting in the room. The moment he sat down, Papa started talking about his childhood days and the varied experiences he had gone through.

Papa: Last year Ramdas started dictating his autobiography right from his childhood. The idea was to bring out exactly what important events contributed to the great change in his life. After dictating a few pages, it was left off and he did not continue it. If continued, it would have been very interesting reading as it would describe Ramdas’ life as a river flowing through jungles, rocks, stones and sand, sometimes making a lot of noise and sometimes still and silent.

Kamdar: It must be very interesting and instructive to devotees. Papa can resume the dictation here.

Papa: Not in this hubbub. Ramdas wants a very quiet place for it. In Anandashram he used to go to S's room and dictate for an hour everyday.

S: As Papa used to do before, if it is now possible to dictate from five in the morning, it will be convenient. But it depends upon Papa. In the early morning if Papa does not feel drowsy, it will be all right. Not otherwise.

Papa: Mataji may not allow that at all. As we are going to bed late now, she will insist that Ramdas should be in bed till 6 o'clock. So, early morning is out of the question. Let us leave it in the hands of God. He will fix the time and place.

S: It has been in the hands of God but He has been keeping it pending all along.

Papa: As the subject has been raised again, He might take it up for consideration.

S: If Papa finds it inconvenient to dictate, he can make it a point to talk to devotees everyday for an hour about his early life and experience. This will be a more interesting record as Papa will be speaking off-hand instead of dictating after preparation. I shall record your talks and rearrange all bits later.

Kamdar: It will be better if we go on asking questions of Papa about the early life. Then Papa will speak.

Papa: From the events that took place in Ramdas’ early life, he can feel clearly that there was some purpose underlying everything that happened. These helped in revealing his true nature and also in showing him, in a mysterious way, what he was seeking, although he was moving in darkness.

406. Playing football with life

Now Ramdas plays with life as people play with football. When you kick the football, you get pain sometimes in your toe and, of course, a lot of fun in the play. So also when Ramdas plays with life he has the joy of it and sometimes the inevitable pain. His mind became a ball of light when it was handed over to Ram to play with. It is not a ball of leather or rubber, but a ball full of divine radiance.

407. Ramdas is busy doing nothing!

Ramdas sometimes feels he should put the whole life story in the form of poetry. But Ramdas finds no time, though he does nothing throughout the day. What does he do? He is busy doing nothing! The sun is busy shining and giving light always. Is it doing anything? When it shines people are active. So in the presence of the atman, prakriti is active. Purusha is the all-pervading and eternal witness.

Once a saint, to test his disciples to see if they were conscious of God's omnipresence, called a few of them, gave them each a mango and asked them to eat the same in a place where nobody could see them. They all went with their mangoes and except one, returned and reported that each of them ate his mango without being seen by anybody. But one disciple came back with the mango and told his Guru that he could not find a place where he was not watched by God who is eternal and all-pervading.

408. Early life

How Ram has moulded Ramdas’ life! When he was last in Bombay his elder brother came to meet Ramdas. He made dandavat pranams to Ramdas. What an astonishing sight! He is fourteen years older than Ramdas. He reveres Ramdas as a Guru and does not think of the old relationship at all. He has the highest regard for Ramdas even from the very beginning of his new life. It seems when Ramdas was a child of three years or so, he was lying in a cradle and this brother who was swinging the cradle suddenly saw a bright light in Ramdas’ eyes. He mentioned this to Ramdas several years later. See how wonderfully Ram took Ramdas all over India – especially to the four dhams – and many other places of pilgrimage as also for the darshan of saints.

Kamdar: How did Papa manage to go all over India without knowing the language?

Papa: Ram was taking him. Ramdas had absolutely no responsibility for it. He was concerned only with the constant repetition of Ram Nam and did everything that helped him to do that. It was only for that purpose that Ram took him away from the house. He could then live in jungles and caves and sit up day and night disturbing none and disturbed by none. Ramdas can clearly see one thing. From the beginning his life has not been a normal one. It was something abnormal. What learning had Sri Ramakrishna? He had the darshan of Kali, and later the highest spiritual experience. Was he lacking in anything?

It was now nearing three O'clock. Kamdar left for his house.

409. Mind restless because desire-ridden

4.30 p.m. When Papa was getting ready to go out for his evening drive and walk, Gunvantrai Kamdar's brother Mukutbhai Kamdar came in with the Rani of Valad along with other ladies. The Rani and all others prostrated at Papa's feet and sat before him.

Rani: I have all the comforts of life and have no more desires. Still, why is my mind restless?

Papa: If you have no desire, the mind will be at peace. The very fact that you have no peace shows that you have desires yet. Outwardly you may say that you have no desires, but they may be lurking deep within.

Rani: How to get completely rid of the desires?

Papa: By taking your mind towards God. Remember Him constantly, repeating His name. You know fully well that your attachment to things of the world will land you only in misery. So take your mind away from these objects that give you misery, and place it at the feet of God. Then alone you can get peace.

Mukutbhai: Papa, Rani Saheba has fixed up a house for her stay here in Bhavnagar. She would very much like to come and listen to your talks.

Papa: She can come by all means.

Mukutbhai: Papa has been detained for some time. It is time to go for the evening drive.

Rani and the others left. Papa also left by car.

During the 'Question and Answer' time at night:

A devotee: What is mind?

Papa: Mind is a bundle of desires. When the mind is freed from vasanas or desires it becomes still; jiva then realises that he is atman.

410. Is man's will free?

A devotee: Is man free to do what he likes?

Papa: In fact there is no freedom for man. Everything happens by the will of God. He who knows this is free and he who does not know this, is bound. One, who feels he does everything, is ignorant and bound, and he who knows that everything happens by the will of God, is liberated. By God's power alone everything happens. Even a dry leaf will not move without His will.

Devotee: Is it God's will when one commits murder?

Papa: If the murderer knows all is God's will, he will not commit the murder.

Devotee: How to know it?

Papa: By always remembering God you realise that God is the supreme power who guides and controls every action. This realisation is possible only when abhiman leaves you. Otherwise not. Surrender is the way.

411. Eternal play of Shiva-Shakti.

Devotee: Why did God create this drama of samsar?

Papa: It is not a creation. But it is the nature of God. What is the nature of a child? Its nature is to play. He cannot play alone. So He multiplies Himself into various forms.

Devotee: Does He get joy in it?

Papa: He Himself is bliss. Whatever He does is bliss. All His forms are only embodiments of bliss. The sun is not shining to give light. Sun is light itself.

Devotee: Will there be a day when all the atmans will have merged in God?

Papa: All the atmans are themselves God.

Devotee: What was there before the beginning of the world?

Papa: There is no such thing as the beginning of the world.

Devotee: Is there not a time when everything is destroyed and the static aspect of God alone remains?

Papa: No. It never happens like that. The static aspect of God always co-exists with the dynamic. There is no Shiva without Shakti. Shakti never perishes.

Devotee: Does it not happen during mahapralaya?

Papa: No, Shakti is never destroyed. All forms may be withdrawn but the power of Shakti ever remains. There is no pralaya for the one who abides ever in the eternal Being. He sees no difference between kaliyuga and satyayuga. All are satyayugas for him.

412. Do sadhana taught in the ‘Gita’

Devotee: Some say, by reading the ‘Gita’, one gets moksha. Some others say, by doing pooja to the ‘Gita’, one gets moksha. What is the truth?

Papa: One who reads the ‘Gita’ and lives up to its teaching gets moksha. By mere reading of or doing pooja to the ‘Gita’, nothing happens. The ‘Gita’ tells you the way to attain liberation. You must walk the path. Suppose you want to go somewhere and on the cross-road you find the sign-post indicating the road to your destination. Will it be enough if you simply garland the post and do pooja to it? Will you reach the place? You have to travel the distance. So you must do sadhana as taught in the ‘Bhagavad Gita’.

413. Ram Nam not for curing diseases

9.30 p.m. Papa was back in his room. Kamdar's family and some other devotee were before him. Everyone was anxious to massage Papa's legs. So they had to do it by turns. Each one got about two or three minutes. They applied a bit of vaseline and rubbed it on Papa's legs. It had become something like a ritual. When it went on Papa was busy cracking jokes and laughing, making all others laugh.

Papa: When you laugh, the whole world laughs with you. When you cry, you cry alone. So keep on laughing. Never cry. If you cry you will have to do it all alone.

Devotee: When Ram Nam is all-powerful, is it not possible for one to cure one's disease with the help of Ram Nam?

Papa: Do not use Ram Nam for curing diseases. It will be like using brahmastra for killing a bird.

Devotee: Why should diseases affect that person who always lives and moves in God?

Papa: It is the nature of the body to have diseases. One who lives and moves in God does not worry about curing the diseases of his body. He will not use his power, earned by severe austerities, for this simple thing. He lives for the good and uplift of others. If he gives all his attention and power to the upkeep of his own body, then he will have no time to do any good to others. Sri Ramakrishna was suffering intense pain caused by his throat cancer. When some devotees requested him to pray to Mother to cure him, he is reported to have said he could not bring his mind down to ask Mother to do something for his body. Saints live to cure the disease of ignorance in others. However much one may take care of the body, it is after all the body, and will drop down one day or other.

414. A scar on Papa's knee

While massaging Papa's legs, Kamdar noticed a scar on the knee.

Kamdar: What is this scar, Papa? Was there any wound here?

Papa: Some years ago Ramdas had a fall in the ashram. We used to grow vegetables there and Ramdas would go to the garden to pluck vegetables. One day when he was there he had a fall and his knee was hurt. Lot of blood came out. After a few hours we got the news that war had broken out. Don't know what was the relation between the bleeding of his knee and the war breaking out in Europe. How many years ago was it?

Kamdar: It was in September, 1939.

December 22, 1953

415. Yogakshemam Vahamyaham

After breakfast and the day's correspondence, Papa was talking to some devotees, sitting in the room. An old man belonging to a village in Saurashtra came in and introduced himself as having known Papa through his books for over twentyfive years. He had, it seemed, an intense desire to have Papa's darshan all those years, but did not get an opportunity. He prostrated at Papa's feet and sat close to him. He was filled with emotion and his eyes were brimming with tears. Expressing joy at his good fortune to have Papa's darshan, he again prostrated, and asked, "Swamiji, when I repeat Ram Nam, I get great joy. Now I know there is no meaning in my staying where I am. How am I to go beyond this stage?"

Papa: Devotees experience great joy when they repeat Ram Nam. Of course, they have to go beyond it. Going beyond means getting established in that joy. This means, of course, going beyond the three gunas. For all these, the Name is your mainstay, coupled with the blessings of saints. How do you get the darshan and blessings of saints? It is possible only by God's grace. When you throw yourself in God's hands, He looks after every bit of your need for your spiritual progress. When you need the darshan of saints, He takes you to them. This is what is meant by ‘yogakshemam vahamyaham’.

416. Cry to the Mother

Devotee: What am I to do now in this connection?

Papa: Carry on with your bhajan and repetition of Ram Nam and pray to God to purify you thoroughly. What else can you do? The child can only cry to the mother and it is up to the mother to do the rest for the child. So cry to the Mother.

Great saints and jnanis direct us to do this or that sadhana. But Ramdas does not know any such sadhana. His advice is, 'Repeat Ram Nam and cry to God to lift you up’.

Devotee: Even if I do not know the way, will I not be guided?

Papa: It is the responsibility of the Mother to take you on the right path. You need not know the path. To feel thus is itself the path.

Tears coursed down the devotee's cheeks. Seeing this. Papa remarked: "A certain saint has said that every drop of tear that is shed by a devotee is an idol of God."

417. Ram, as light, is within you.

The previous evening some devotees had come for Papa's darshan. Among them was a lady named Indu. She had been writing letters to Papa from Patna inviting Papa there. Indu was sitting in front of Papa in the midst of other devotees. She came nearer to Papa.

Indu: Papa, I have come here to take you to Patna.

Papa: Ramdas cannot go there. He has to stay here till the end of January.

Indu: Instead of coming here you should have come to Patna and stayed there. There is so much darkness there that your presence is badly needed to show them light.

Papa: There is no darkness anywhere. It is all light only.

Indu: But there must be somebody to show that light.

Papa: Ramdas had gone there long ago and showed them the light.

Indu: But that was a long time back and they need to be shown again.

Papa: Time does not matter. Light is light and that is ever bright.

Indu: Instead of staying here why not come there?

Papa: That is what everybody wants. They want Ramdas to go to their places and nowhere else.

She then requested Papa to initiate her with Ram Nam. After the initiation, holding Papa's feet, she asked, "Papa, when can I get Ram?"

Papa: Ram is within you. Open your heart and there you will find Him. Go on repeating Ram Nam. See how much joy you get. If you repeat the Name with all love, you can surely see Ram in your heart.

Indu: You may see Him in your heart, but I do not see Him in mine.

Papa: Of course, if you repeat the Name with love, as Ramdas did, you will see Him in your heart.

418. Papa muses over sadhana days

Another devotee: During your sadhana days were you shunning society?

Papa: Ramdas used to keep away from society and remain in caves and jungles in solitude or in satsang, as it helped him much in repeating Ram Nam without interruption. He, however, did not hate society. Whenever he saw anybody he took him only as a form of Ram. He prostrated before all. His sadhana then was always to remember the nirguna, niranjana, nirakara aspect of God pervading everywhere, and look upon all as His own forms. So he prostrated before every form. Now he receives namaskars, but in those days he did namaskars. They did not like Ramdas doing so. Whenever he prostrated they would protest and say: 'Why do you prostrate before us? Do you want to heap sin on us?' Sin or no sin, Ramdas did not know. He only saw Ram in them and so prostrated. But nobody allows him to prostrate now.

As it was time for bhajan, Papa and others got up and went to the bhajan-hall.