Filters for Discourses
The Greatest Religion: Islam is the greatest religion in this world and I am not making this statement without reason. The reason is that Islam is the only religion, which deals with practical spiritual efforts without any trace of theoretical gossip. This religion shows excellent tolerance towards other religions. Islam says that you should even protect the non-believers of Islam if they pray for protection from you. After protecting them, you can give them the message of Allah and send them...
Light and Darkness: Shiva is knowledge (Jnanam Maheswaraat ichchhet). Knowledge is sattvam (Satvaat sanjaayate jnaanam). Sattvam is light (Prakaasa upajaayate, Vivruddham sattvamityuta). Therefore, Shiva is light and is white in colour. Science says that light energy is in the form of waves. The Shiva Linga (symbol of Shiva) is in the form of a wave. In the word ‘Shiva Raatri’, ‘raatri’ means tamas (darkness or ignorance). The Lord is controlling both...
The Bhagavad Gita says that nobody knows God (Maamtu veda na kashchana). The Veda says that words, mind, intelligence, logic and even imagination cannot touch God (Yato vachah…Manasa saha; Na medhaya; Naisha tarkena). The Veda also says that if one knows that God is unknown, he knows at least something about God (Yasyaamatam tasya matam). These three statements declare that God is unknowable and unreachable. Yet the same Veda says that God is present on this earth itself (Yat saakshat aparokshat). Similarly, the Gita also says that God reveals Himself on earth in every human generation as per the necessity (Tadaatmaanam srijaamyaham). These two statements say that God can be seen by humans. How can one reconcile these two contradicting sets of statements? The first set of statements implies that you cannot catch God by your effort. The second statement indicates that whenever the kindest God wants to reveal Himself, He comes down to earth. You can see God on earth...
Unattached work: In ancient India all the people were sages. They never did any work to earn extra wealth for getting extra enjoyment or to give it to their children. They were only doing karma, which is the work necessary to earn their livelihood. Such karma is not a sin because livelihood is essential. In doing such karma, an advice called nishkama karma yoga was given because it gives mental peace and strength. According to this advice, one should do work without attaching himself to the fruit of the work. This attachment to the fruit of the work is called as kama and if it is avoided, the person becomes peaceful...
[Morning Discourse]Aim of human life: The aim of human life is to achieve God’s grace, which is the love of God. Even if you earn more money, you cannot carry it with you after death. Very little money is sufficient to eat and drink. Animals and birds manage to get that even without money. If your aim behind earning money is only eating, drinking and enjoying, you will be born as an animal, bird or worm in the next birth. If your file is opened in the upper world, you will definitely not get another human...
Ritual worship means serving the Human Incarnation of God: The Shiva Lingam is a formless stone from which all the statues are prepared. The Shiva Lingam is always associated with continuous bath (abhisheka; dripping of water)which is the ‘snana upachara’. What is the inner meaning here? This means that all the statues are only for vision and they should be frequently washed to avoid the gathering of dust. Except for this one mode of worship, no other mode of worship is necessary for a statue...
[Christmas message] These discourses will bring a harmony between Hinduism and Christianity. The messages of a Hindu saint like Swami Vivekananda have spread in Christian countries. The messages of Christianity have spread in India. Thus there is a broad-minded brotherhood between Hinduism and Christianity. The tolerance of Hindus and the love of Christians are the reasons for such a bond of brotherhood. Spreading of these special discourses among your Christian friends will strengthen the feelings of...
Blind Bond: Even great scholars are blindly attracted to their family bonds in the name of tradition. Finally, they all fall into the well. Kunti was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. But she was attached to Dhritarashtra and Gandhari in the name of traditional practice. Dhritarashtra was blind. Gandhari [voluntarily] covered her eyes with a piece of cloth all her life. Both were blind because they were supporting their devil...
Imaginary Chakras and Lotus flowers: Yoga is the most prestigious field of spirituality. People think that there are six wheels (chakras) or lotus flowers present in the spinal cord, which are not seen by the eyes. [Actually] the wheels are imaginary and so the term ‘wheel’ must carry some inner meaning. When you say someone’s face is the moon itself [metaphorically], only fools search for the moon in that face. But wise people see the similarity between...
Stop Wastage: You are pouring milk to serpents today. But otherwise you are killing serpents whenever and wherever you see them. A serpent never harms anybody unless it is hurt and fears for its own life. It spreads its hood and gives a hissing sound as a warning. After biting, the serpent does not drink your blood or eat your flesh. Man is killing animals, which do not harm man or eat his flesh. Today you must develop some kindness and understand these serpents. Then today will be a meaningful...
Meaning of Light: The Veda says “Param jyotih”. The Brahma Sutra says “Jyotir adhikaranat”. This means that whenever the word light comes [in a philosophical context], it only means God. In ancient times, light [lamp] was lit using ghee [clarified butter] or oil. Neither kerosene nor electricity was present at that time. In the evening when darkness came, the lamp would be lit and it was a necessity. In such light [in that context,] the ancient people...
Leave Blind Practices: Today is the festival of Lord Krishna. Deepavali means a series of lights. Krishna Himself told in the Gita “Jnana deepena” i.e., light means knowledge. In other verses also, Swami (Lord) told the same “Satvat sanjayate” “Prakasa upa” i.e., Satvam (good quality) is light. Satvam means knowledge. So light is knowledge. The Gita also says “Na pavakah” i.e., the sun, moon, and fire cannot shine before Lord. The Veda also...
Art of Living—Heart of Loving: In the word ‘living’, the second letter ‘i’ is a semi circle (when written by hand; cursive writing). If that semi-circle is made a full circle, it becomes ‘o’. Then the word ‘living’ becomes ‘loving’. Now to the word ‘art’, add the word ‘He’ in the beginning. It becomes ‘heart’. ‘He’ means God. The Veda says ‘Purushohavai’ i.e., God is the only...
Which Knowledge Requires Propagation? Some people desire to become a Guru (preacher) when they fail in every business. They want to succeed in the spiritual business. Some other people have the itch to become a Guru to get disciples around them. But in order to preach and become a real Guru in this world, there are three requirements: 1) You should discover a truth in the scriptures that is better [than what is currently known]. 2) Due to the lack of the knowledge of your discovery...
The Proof of Real Devotion: Guru Dakshina is the money offered in the service of God. Money is the fruit of work. Therefore, money and work are inter-convertible forms. In the Gita, donating money is called as karma phala tyaga and donating work [your voluntary efforts in God’s mission] is called as karma samnyasa. Both these put together are called as karma yoga or seva (service). One can do service by doing both or any one of these two according to one’s convenience. Only this service...
Swami Vivekananda cried loudly looking at the sky, “Why is India, with such rich spiritual knowledge, suffering with poverty?” Only Lord Datta can give the answer to this question. Today, the answer is given. Any country means its people and their mentality. The mind decides everything and the action follows accordingly. If the mentality is analyzed, the action and its fruit become clear. Almost all the foreign countries are blessed with wealth, except India. So the mentality of all...
Destroying the Buffalo-Demon: Today is the Vijayadashami festival. Today Goddess Durga got victory over Mahishasura (Buffalo-Demon). Durga represents the highest power, which is knowledge. Mahisha (he-buffalo) represents the foolish rigidity of blind tradition. Yama Dharma Raja, the Lord of Death and Justice, sits on Mahisha. Yama means the rules and regulations imparted by the tradition. Dharma means the age-old practice. Raja means strictness and ego. Therefore, Mah isha represents an ignorant...
[Mumbai] The Majority Loses: In spirituality, the path of the majority should not be taken. For example, just because gravel stones are in majority and diamonds are in minority, we cannot say that the gravel stone is more valuable than the diamond. There is only one Adi Shankara, one Meera, one Swami Vivekananda, and one Tyagaraja. Such people are very rare. Only one in millions happens to be such a person. Our spiritual aim should be such a rare diamond alone. We should not take the majority as...
Root Causes of Terrorism: There are two root causes for the entire chaos and terrorism in this world. One is the thirst for earning money and the other is religious fanaticism. For the sake of money, people are quarreling with each other, whereas for the sake of religion, countries are quarreling with each other. Unless these two root causes are eradicated, we cannot achieve world peace. The tree will not die if you merely cut its leaves or branches. It dies only when you cut its roots. There is no use of earning extra...
[This discourse was given on the morning of the Guru Purnima day. Purnima is a full moon day. The birthday of sage Vyasa, which falls on a full moon day is celebrated as Guru Purnima, since sage Vyasa was one of the greatest Gurus. It is an occasion to express gratitude to and honor the Sadguru.] Today all of you have offered guru dakshina (donation) at My feet in the form of some money to be used for the propagation of divine knowledge and devotion to Lord Datta. The full moon today represents gold or a silver coin (money), which you have to surrender to the Guru as guru dakshina. In fact, you have to do this on the full moon day of...
Filters for Discourses