[Poojya Swamiji speaks a few words of guidance at the conclusion of the daily morning Pushpasamarpana (flower offering) at the Narayanashrama Tapovanam. These profound words on saadhana, like the effulgent morning rays, would illuminate many a dark corner in the listeners' minds. This series is titled “Prabhaata-rasmih” (Morning rays). The following is the text of one such talk by Poojya Swamiji on 22nd July 2000.]
Harih Om Tat Sat. Jai Guru! Jai Guru! Today is the concluding day of this year's Retreat. We have one more Kathopanishad session this forenoon. After that, we will get ready for the Daana Satra - the first function of the Daana Satra this year. We have particularly scheduled the Daana Satra at the Ashram on the last day of the Retreat so that the participants of the Retreat may also witness and take part in the preparations as well as the conduct of it.
I am happy that this year's Retreat has an additional note of a few youngsters participating in it. Two of them had to go back to Madras for their educational needs and they have come back today, primarily to take part in the Daana Satra.
I did not have much opportunity to observe closely the behaviour of these youngsters. Some of them I know well. Some are in a way new. But I would like all of them to understand one point: Apart from the spiritual and philosophical exposure the Retreat sessions bring about - may be they are not yet mature for it - there is certainly a great benefit the youngsters can derive from such occasions. This kind of gathering and occasion is quite rare, and they should try to understand and utilize the opportunity to the fullest.
It is a great opportunity for them to 'spiritualize' their mind - to initiate an enlightening process of self-improvement or personality development. Generally, youngsters have a lot of selfishness. They are not able to bend themselves - bend their hearts and minds to accept and embrace others. They are not flexible and large-hearted enough to welcome any situation with an open mind. Invariably they are pampered at home.
But my dear boys and girls, you should understand that when you grow up as adults, petting and pampering will not help you. You should yourself say: "My dear mother, no more petting, no more pampering! I have to go into the wide world, interact with a great cross-section of people. For that I need a flexible mind, a resolute mind, a mind that is sufficiently assimilative, and expressive. So, please help me in this growth!"
Of course, austerity is much less in the modern days because of increased travel facilities. Previously it used to take about twenty one days to go to Sabarimala. Devotees had to lie in the forest environment, sometimes encountering tigers and other wild animals. They used to take an early bath in an open river braving the chill breeze, and spend the nights lying on the ground spreading whatever little mat or cloth they carried with them. It is immensely beneficial psychologically and spiritually.
Although the physical austerity here in the Ashram is much less, the stay during the Retreat, sharing a room or forgoing the comfort of a cot, trying to keep to the routine and the disciplines, remaining satisfied with whatever facilities are available - all these are immensely beneficial. I think I have understood rightly that there was a little resentment on the part of some of the youngsters to sit on the floor and take food.
My dear boys, I have to tell you that it is a failure on your part. You are not capable of taking even a little physical discomfort. What is the harm if you sit on the floor? At least as an experimental measure? Is it so difficult to sit for fifteen or twenty minutes even if it means some discomfort? Don't you feel shy to sit on chairs when so many older people are sitting on the floor?
Can you imagine surgeons standing at the operation table and performing the surgery for five, eight, eleven, and even fifteen hours at a stretch? What is it that you need? Is our body not supposed to bend? Is it not supposed to stretch? Is it not supposed to sit? Any kind of a pose you must be able to administer to the body. You observe from a distance! These plastic girls - they have made their bodies immensely flexible. They bend backward and standing on two feet they pick up with their mouth, a kercheif kept on the floor behind them! Are you not seeing and appreciating?
Why this liking for coziness always? You are comfortable at home. We want you to be comfortable. But when a necessity comes, can you not adjust to the situation? It is only a question of the mind being prepared to be flexible. Normally it is a culture that the youngsters always give preference to the elders. If table facilities or lying facilities are there, the youngsters should willingly say to the elders, "You please take them I will be on the floor." As long as you are not able to say this understand that you don't have a proper mind. There is a lot to learn from social interactions. You must have a love for people and readiness for making sacrifices for the sake of others. House - everybody is born in . But you have to grow out of the house, to incorporate more and more people in your mind and heart.
So, it was a great opportunity. I don't know whether the children have been able to use it.
It is there very much in the Punjabi community, particularly in the Sikh community, Kara-sevaa, they call it. When it comes to the Hindus, especially the more 'refined' section, I find that they have no respect for sevaa - service.
In Shreemad Bhaagavata, it is very clearly mentioned: Constructing a temple for worship, arranging for the daily pooja in the temple, arranging for spiritual discourses, conducting Daana satra, giving food or water, giving dress - doing anything in this manner for public welfare, is actually a worship of the Lord. Sweeping or wiping the floor of holy places like a temple or an Ashram, feeding people, removing the plates or leaves - everything is immensely beneficial. And Sri Krishna says, "They attain to my abode by taking part in all these activities.
He says, "Whatever you do for the devotees is actually done for me and when you serve the devotees, it is much greater than serving me! You cannot directly serve me. But you can serve my devotees."
Everywhere this worship is incorporated in the form of sevaa. This sevaa form of worship, somehow our people are very lethargic about. My dear children, know it very well that laziness is a crime. It is victimizing. It is penalizing. And obstinacy is equally bad. You should never be obstinate about anything whatsoever. Obstinacy of any kind is immensely harmful.
My dear children, you have done something very good in having come and participated in the whole session or at least partly. I wish you evaluate it and understand its real value. If some sort of you have been persuaded by your parents this time, next time you should come without persuasion. The spiritual and the philosophical aspects may not be fully accessible to you. But the disciplines and habits, the self-less orientation, the joy of expansion and straightforwardness - if you have been able to learn and incorporate to some extent, it would be immensely beneficial for you.
You know, in TISCO, their junior officers, especially the graduate trainees, are sent on a mission of mountaineering. Can you imagine this? A company is sending its officers for trekking in the mountains? It is all meant for personality improvement.
Now is the time you should try to improve your personality. By your looks, by your radiance, you must give joy and inspiration to the others. You should never become gloomy. Any time, under all circumstances, your must be able to say, "Yes, I am ready to do whatever is necessary." Then only you will have an alert and sensitive mind, a promising personality. Try to develop it.
Harih Om Tat Sat. Jai Guru!