Читать книгу Salvation in Kali Yuga. Swami Vankhandi Maharaj: Interviews, Satsangs, Teachings, Parables - - Страница 10

The day starts at 3 AM in Vankhandi Maharaj’s ashram. Immediately after – cleaning the territory: devotees sweep the streets – clean up leaves fallen during the night and dust brought by the wind. Then – meditation or nama-japa (repetition of the Divine Name). Then aarti (collective service-glorification of the Lord). That’s how the day begins. The schedule is strict but natural. Throughout the day, no one sits idle. To an outsider, such strictness might at first seem like quite a heavy burden, but in reality, these are very simple rules derived from years of experience living in unity with the surrounding nature and based on the foundation of the Vedas. After all, one translation of the word «ashram» is «order.» The cornerstone on which ashram life is built is seva, selfless service.

Vankhandi Maharaj: I’ve sat under a tree for so long, and I can sit longer – the world doesn’t change at all. There’s still much idleness, selfishness and greed. People quarrel, argue, and begin to hate each other. This contradicts the very spirit of seva. One needs to learn to develop the attitude of a true sevak. In seva, some people have no superiority over others. In service, everyone is equal. If someone thinks they’re doing more and better than others, they’re no longer a sevak. If someone expects special treatment or encouragement, this is no longer service. Seva is done with love, from the whole heart. A sevak doesn’t choose what’s better to do today – clean the toilet or wash dishes. If you see dirt or disorder, clean it up. I myself had to wash dirty dishes left by people many times. If needed, I’ll do it now, too.

There’s great meaning in seva, it should be done by the heart’s calling. Without calculation, without greed. Seva is, first of all, a soul’s impulse to do good. And that’s its meaning. And that’s its reward. This is dharma. Bhakti might not give you what seva gives…

Now the attitude toward this has changed. Everyone tries to show off, proving that they work better than others. One shouldn’t talk; one should do. Simply do good.

The Ramayana speaks a lot about this. A true sevak doesn’t compare, doesn’t calculate results. They see that something needs to be done – and they do it. There’s never too little work. When I go down the mountain, I always, without thinking, pick up plastic bottles, garbage. I pick up discarded matchboxes, cigarette packages, and plastic bags. Now I walk little, age doesn’t allow it. But the point is that a sevak doesn’t look for reasons to do good.

There lived a sadhu who had a disciple from Gwalior. Once the disciple said to the sadhu: «Babaji, I want to serve, do useful work, I can take care of cows. Give me any work.» The sadhu replied to the disciple: «Good, here are ten cows for you, take them and care for them. When you have a hundred cows, come back.» The disciple took the ten cows, went with them into the forest and for twelve years cared for them, grazed them, looked after them, didn’t even drink the milk himself, gave it all to the calves. As a result, his herd grew to a hundred cows. And he brought the whole herd back to the sadhu. The sadhu said to his disciples: «Look, my disciple has returned, he has fully fulfilled his duty of service. Look how much light is in him, what radiance emanates from him. God lives in every cow, and all hundred gods have gifted him with their radiance, blessing, and gave him knowledge of all four Vedas.» Everyone greeted him with great respect. And the teacher said to that disciple: «Now you are free. There is so much light and knowledge in you, acquired through true service! For seva is an austerity that gives experience and knowledge.»

Seva should be done with joy, with a light heart, without thinking, and it will never seem difficult to you. Those who consider service their dharma don’t experience difficulties and pain. Household cleaning is also seva. Don’t make a mess. Create cleanliness everywhere with joy in your heart. And help others; helping others is also seva. After all, essentially, the concept of home already implies abundance and prosperity: a home should always be a full cup. India is a rich country, everything is in abundance here, and there is no place for poverty. Poverty comes from karma, from wrong thoughts and attitudes. If you are poor, it only speaks of your shortcomings. Poverty in the home means that you don’t take proper care of the home, don’t serve it. Everyone is looking for opportunities to get a job and make a career. That’s all they dream about. But you start serving your home properly, putting love and soul into it. You’ll see how everything suddenly starts falling into place by itself, prosperity will appear in the house. Live as if your home is a temple, a dwelling for gods. Keep it in order, beauty and cleanliness, love and worship it. And you won’t even notice how your home becomes ennobled, filled with everything necessary, and prosperity will come to it. Don’t be lazy. If you’re lazy, you’ll live in poverty; work, and you’ll have everything.

Look how much grows in our forest – cinnamon, reeds, batash, fruits – everything needed for prasad. We take care of this forest and receive so many gifts from it. People come to us from other ashrams, saying: we ran out of food in another ashram during bhandara. But with us – whoever comes, there’s always something to treat them with. The word ashram comes from «aasha» – hope. That’s why everyone comes here with hope. Even if someone comes in the middle of the night, we’ll feed them. We even used to leave milk for the mice in leaf cups at night. Mice would come at night, drink milk and leave. And we left grain for them. Now there aren’t as many mice here. But they still run around, finding food for themselves. There’s no damage from them, it doesn’t affect food supplies at all. Mice, they never devastate. In warehouses where grain is stored for ten years, mice live, but the grain doesn’t spoil and stays fresh. Ganeshji uses a mouse as transportation. And Ganesha is associated with buddhi (intellect), riddhi (success) and siddhi (prosperity). Mice should be loved, fed, they shouldn’t be killed. You cannot kill what you cannot resurrect. The right to kill belongs to one who gives life. If you can’t return life to the slain, you have no right to take their life.

Once, Raja Vikramaditya was hunting in the forest. He killed an antelope, approached to take his trophy, and saw a holy sadhu standing next to it. The raja said: «Step aside, this is my prey, I killed it.» The sadhu asked, «Where is it written that you have the right to this prey?» Vikramaditya exclaimed, «I am raja, I have the right!» Then the holy man asked: «Right to what – to give life or to kill? Can you resurrect this dead antelope?» The raja said, «No, of course not. Can you?» Then the sadhu killed a small creature before his eyes, went to the pond, put it in the water, took it out, and the creature came back to life. The raja humbly stepped back. And the sadhu said: «If you took someone’s life, but cannot give it back, then you have no right to kill.» Such saints lived in our land before.

Many holy people lived in India. When addressing God, they often asked for bhakti rather than mukti, liberation. They said: we are ready to be reborn again and again, with one purpose – to receive bhakti, satsang and sanskar [inclination, ability] to love you and receive your love, Lord. They didn’t ask for fame, wealth, or a career in life, only bhakti.

Some saints didn’t even ask for siddhi, supernatural abilities. Why do we need siddhi – for physical pleasures? God has already given us many joys in this physical world. And what is worldly joy? Just work and reap the fruits of your labors. You don’t even need to read mantras and practice tantra for this. Sadhana is needed only for one thing – for the love of God and for receiving love from God.

Everything that happens in this world happens by the will of the Supreme. We are merely instruments in Divine hands. Lord Krishna tells Arjuna in the «Bhagavad Gita»: «Everything that needs to be done will be done by Me. I do all this through you. You should only become a conductor of My energy, a means of implementing My plans.»

The Creator implements His designs. Whether we want it or not. Everything happens by itself, according to His discretion. Our spiritual task is to facilitate His desires and contribute to His Divine will. This is not for us. This is for Him. And for us, what? How much do we need? We made dhuni with our own hands, and built a temple with our own hands. We are free to go wherever we want. Still, you can’t escape yourself. Whether in hell or heaven.

In the «Gita», Krishna says: «Even if you have attained inner freedom, don’t rush to give up working for the benefit of society in this world. Continue to labor and work. Not for yourself, but for the common good. Contributing to Divine plans.»

Someone by Divine discretion will become a doctor, someone a warrior, someone an engineer, someone a teacher. After all, the whole world is God’s creation, and God creates it according to His design and preserves it for His purposes. Even in the deepest jungles, life is built in the most complex way. Everything is finely organized, coordinated, and balanced. Everything has its place and purpose. Nature is truly a Divine creation. Money won’t create such perfection. Some believe that money can do everything. But ultimately, everything is created by His will and His.

«True strength is in God’s want.» Hanuman performed yagna to get to heaven. But he had to descend into hell for some time. Learn to listen, heed and contribute to Divine plans. Act in unison with God. When a person relies only on their own desires, success doesn’t come to them. Yet, most often, it happens that people try to impose some of their personal desires on God. They ask Him, beg, almost demand: God, do this for me, give me that, arrange marriage, find a bride, give good work, help pass exams, and give grandchildren. And I’ll ring a bell for you. That’s the attitude people have.

An elderly woman approached Buddha: «God, I have no grandchildren. Make it so that I have grandchildren.» Then, Buddha gave her a bowl full of chickpeas and sent her to the well, saying: «You are tired and hungry. Go to the well, sit and eat.» She sat by the well and started eating chana, chickpeas. Children came running. God Himself created them through His maya. The children surrounded the old woman and started asking, «Grandmother, treat us to chana, give us at least one each.» But she just waved them away and didn’t give them a single pea. After eating, she washed her hands and came back to Buddha. And he said to her: «I sent so many grandchildren to you, and you didn’t even share one pea with them. And after this, how can you beg me for grandchildren? Who needs such a grandmother!»

When you turn to God, ask Him only for love, ask for nothing else. And if He gifts you with His Divine love, this is an enormous blessing for your whole life. This is the essence of bhakti-yoga. Its exponent was Ravidas – a medieval saint, poet and mystic. A true devotee. Kali Yuga knows many such great devotees. Kabirdas, Mirabai, Namdev, Gyaneshwar, Surdas. Their love for God was sincere, boundless, true and deep. These great people dedicated their entire lives to singing Divine gunas, through their love they gave people Divine knowledge. And none of them ever asked for anything for themselves. Didn’t beg for fulfillment of their desires.

Surdas didn’t ask for a dwelling for himself, but received it by God’s will. All his life he sang of Krishna’s deeds, communicating with Him directly in his heart, for he could see Him with his inner vision. He didn’t write poems on paper, they were written down by those who listened to him. Kabir also didn’t write anything down himself. He couldn’t even write. But he sang, and others reproduced it on paper. Thus their heritage was preserved, whole collections of works that once flowed from these poets’ lips. Now people sing what they once sang.

In communication with God, purity and sincerity are important. Prayer should come from a pure heart. Speak to God directly, in your own words. Better not to repeat others’ words, better not to copy prayers written by others. Prayer should flow from the depths of your being. There is much power in such prayer. Let it be just a few words. But this is how you yourself interact with God, He hears you, hears your heart. Words repeated by you that belong to others don’t please Him as much. He feels that these are not your words. Others’ words will teach you much. But the feelings you have for God cannot be copied. Prayer is your word, it’s the intimate connection between God and you.