[People often wonder how Satan or Kali Puruṣa originated and obtained power. The answer is simple: God, the producer and director of this cosmic movie, who appointed one actor as hero, also appointed another as villain by giving good remuneration and directing all his actions. At times, the producer-cum-director himself enters the film as hero and this role is called the human incarnation of God. In cinema, the villain opposes the hero, yet the hero ultimately wins, delivering a noble message to spectators. In this world drama, a theist is always ranked above an atheist. Even a bad theist is superior to a generous atheist (Api cet su durācāraḥ…- Gita). The reason is that denial of God equals a score of -100, while all other good qualities add only +99. Thus, a good atheist’s score is –1. Gratefulness to God equals +100, while bad qualities subtract –99, giving a bad theist +1. A good theist reaches +199, while a bad atheist falls to -199. The true aim must be +199, not merely +1. The atheist remains rigid, denying God even after miracles, calling them hypnotism or magic. When I reveal My cosmic form, Duryodhana falls unconscious yet dismisses it as illusion. Such a foolish atheist stays condemned like a debarred student. A wise person, with an open mind, perceives God’s presence in subtle life incidents. Careful reflection on past experiences reveals constant divine evidence, showing God’s existence at every step and His continual effort to guide and uplift the soul.]

[Fear arises only from ignorance about God. Complete knowledge-light of God removes fear-darkness entirely. Neither you nor others can protect yourselves, for no item in creation can protect another. Every item is subjected to creation and destruction. Even the Lord’s human form (in His incarnation) undergoes birth and death, yet He remains fearless. Only God’s will always succeed. Thus, with knowledge of God and His will, one does not fear even death. Death proves that everything and everyone apart from God perishes. Lord Rama entered the river smiling, this God Krishna will smile while leaving His body, Śrī Pādavallabha and Śrī Narasiṃha Sarasvatī merges into the Krishna River smiling. Hence, divine knowledge eliminates fear of death. Death is merely changing one’s old shirt. The Veda declares that limited knowledge causes fear (Atha tasya bhayam…). Yet, a basic level of fear is necessary. For example, with that basic fear, children can be disciplined. A devotee can fear that he/she may lose the opportunity to associate with the human form of God in future and put full efforts every single day to absorb the spiritual knowledge from Sadguru sincerely along with serving and sacrificing practically to attain complete grace. Like this, basic fear is necessary to be alert in spiritual path also.]

[To overcome tension and depression, one must reduce involvement in worldly affairs as much as possible. If one engages deeply in God’s work, tension and depression will never arise. Worldly fascination produces Depression, Dissatisfaction and Misery (DDM), while fascination for God’s work brings Courage, Satisfaction and Happiness (CSH). Whenever DDM strikes, pray to God for CSH and He will dispel ignorance-darkness (DDM) and grant knowledge-light (CSH). The true aim of human life is not to toil like a donkey in worldly matters but to soar to God like a white Swan. The Swan (Haṃsa) uniquely separates milk from water. Likewise, the devotee attaining the fourth spiritual state (Haṃsa) separates knowledge from ignorance. The five spiritual states are Kuṭīcaka (free from fascination to a house), Bahūdaka (free from fascination to a village or town), Yati (control in worldly matters), Haṃsa (separating knowledge and ignorance) and Paramahaṃsa (embodiment of fascination to God). To avoid depression, one must not dwell on negative past or build imaginary castles of the future. The soul should focus only on the present, working with detachment of mind (in essential limited worldly matters) without aspiring for fruit. In spiritual life, the soul must work fully with complete attachment of mind, yet without aspiration for fruit. If detached from the world, one may recall the past to learn lessons. If attached to the world, remembering the past causes depression. But, remember that attachment to God and recalling divine incidents brings bliss, never depression.]

[If one remains detached from the fruit of one’s work (duty), the mind stays undisturbed. But if one is attached to the fruit, anxiety and tension constantly arise, consuming the energy and weakening the individual. In God’s work, one is expected not to aspire for any fruit from God. Yet this freedom from aspiration applies only to God’s work, not worldly work. If worldly duties are performed without aspiring for fruit, an employer may exploit and make the person work without payment. Hence, worldly work must be done with aspiration for justified fruit. However, aspiring for justified fruit does not mean continuous attachment every moment. Constant attachment only creates mental tension, draining one’s energy. God is not like a worldly employer, who cheats workers. If one aspires for fruit in God’s work, He gives proportionate reward. But if one serves Him without aspiration, out of love, He pays a million times more than what is justified for His service! Applying the first law of thermodynamics (Q = E + W) to the mind: energy supplied through food (Q) is partly used for useful work (W) and partly consumed by tension, resembling internal energy (E). Since the body produces limited energy, as tension (E) rises, less energy remains for useful work (W). Insufficient work prevents achievement of fruit. Thus, in worldly duties, one must aspire for fruit but avoid continuous attachment. For example, an appointment order specifies salary at month’s end. Verifying payment is justified, but constant worry about salary throughout the month drains energy, prevents proper work and may lead to dismissal without pay.]

[In Nivrutti, the devotee’s work belongs entirely to God’s mission. Hence, even if the devotee aspires for his/her success in God’s work, it is not selfish aspiration since the fruit itself belongs to God. Naturally, the mind has no attachment to such fruit and sincerity in attaining it carries no trace of selfishness. Thus, selfishness has no place in God’s work. Even for success in Nivrutti also, detachment from fruit allows the devotee to focus all energy on work without wasting it in emotional tension (Since Q=E+W as per first law of Thermodynamics; if E=0, Q=W). Detachment does not mean lack of interest in fruit. Temporarily, one must avoid interest to save energy, even though ultimate attachment exists in Nivrutti. In Pravrutti, detachment is always beneficial because even if the fruit is damaged, tension will not arise. Even in worldly examinations, most students fail due to tension. When tension raises E, all Q is consumed and the brain ceases to function. For a student writing exam, the answer is imprinted in the brain like data stored in a computer disc, but without electric current, it cannot appear on the screen. Similarly, the answer is imprinted in the brain upon hearing the teaching in class and it will display on the mind-screen if Q is not wasted in raising E and is stored properly. Thus, if tension is absent, the answer heard once in the class will appear clearly, without needing further study.]

[I will tell the Bhagavad Gita even though the war-atmosphere causes a lot of tension in everybody because My external tension does not rise at all making My E as zero. My Q is also very high due to the eaten butter since childhood, which is a precious energetic food. In all conditions, My W is always at the climax and hence, the excellent Gita will come out even in the atmosphere of high tension. This principle (Q=W if E=0) applies to everybody in doing any work during one’s entire life. The attachment to the fruit comes due to selfishness. It means that when you do any work, you think that it is your work. If you think that you are doing others’ work, you will be detached from the fruit. When the client of a lawyer in a court case is cross-examined by the opposing lawyer, the client gets confused. This is because the client is attached to the fruit. The client thinks that it is his case and that he is personally affected when he wins or loses the case. But the lawyer of that client argues very well in the court since the lawyer is detached. He knows very well that it is not his own case. He is only fighting the case on behalf of his client and that he is not personally affected by either success or defeat.]

[Consider the example of the squirrel serving God Rama in building the bridge across the sea to Lanka. The mighty monkeys and bears dropped huge stones and trees into the sea to construct the bridge, while the tiny squirrel could only carry a few grains of sand. Yet she worked constantly and sincerely, carrying grains from the shore and placing them into the sea. She did not think about the fruit of her work. She knew those grains were almost useless for the bridge, but her immense love for Rama compelled her. Her blind love prevented her mind from considering the negligible chance of success. Even if she were a scholar, she would have continued, thinking: “God Rama is omnipotent and does not need this bridge. He can cross the sea instantly by His divine will or kill Ravaṇa and rescue Sita in a fraction of a second. This drama is only to test the practical devotion of these monkeys, the incarnations of angels, who came to serve God. It is an opportunity for souls to serve and be uplifted. Hence, let me serve the Lord to my fullest capacity throughout life, without thinking of the fruit of service to the omnipotent Lord.” Work done with full detachment from fruit allows one to spend total energy without loss in worry. Such dedicated work will succeed eventually. This shows that both one with full ignorance (tamas) and blind love, or one with full knowledge (sattvam) and wise determination, are successful. But one with half-knowledge begins and abandons, or never starts due to doubt. In worldly work, impossibility must be considered—for example, not attempting to lift a hill. But in God’s work, impossibility should never be thought of. Continuous effort proves love through consistency in practical devotion (service and sacrifice).]