Sl. No. 13 - Inauguration - (Humans like old things. Supreme Lord is the ancient of all that is ancient.)

Dhaka - East Bengal Brahmomandir
Sunday, 17th Shravan 1293 Bengali Calender [1887 A.D.]

While studying human nature it can be noticed that liking for old things is inherent in human nature. Human beings are more respectful of their forefathers. While visiting some place they prefer to see old glorious creations, old temples, skipping the new ones. They go to many inaccessible places for this. People show remarkable love for old books, old land etc. Whatever objects we notice in this world, are created. None of these appear to be as old as eternal time. In our search for old things we find nothing as old as the beginningless, eternal, greater than the greatest, the Absolute being. He alone is the ancient of all that is ancient. He is the original truth, original force, the absolute force. All the ancient matters of the world are His creations. He is the real truth and the entire universe is but His shade. Our soul spontaneously moves towards Him once we realise Him as the only ancient one. Being driven by the basic respect for the old things, the souls of human beings offer respect and devotion to the Supreme Lord, the oldest.

Their souls naturally pray to the Truth, Beauty, Benign and the Limitless. His love achieves fulfilment once he gets that Truth, Goodness and Beauty. We reach Him by virtue of our liking for truth. By sticking to anyone of these we can reach him. We have come here to worship that Old Self. This worship is an internal matter, it involves nothing external. The craving of the soul does not cease till it achieves Him. We have come to worship the one with whom we have such a linkage of the soul. He is not like an ordinary old temple. He is the absolute old one. He himself creates the craving in the mind to worship Him. We want to worship the greater than the greatest. He is the tutelary God. One who has given so much of hunger to the soul is not faraway. We need not go far, need not visit foreign lands in order to find Him. He is omnipresent and lives in the heart, being the soul of the souls. The darkness of the mind disappears by worshipping Him and all hopes materialise. He can be worshipped only when the soul wants to worship Him.

But where does it happen? Very often we worship our six inherent vices like lust and selfishness. As a result, inspite of coming here to worship Him we return with hopelessness. Those who are engaged in sinful acts, while describing Him as omnipresent, in fact consider it just a way of thinking. Just as sunrays are not visible if the sun remains covered by the cloud, similarly unless one becomes free from the cover of sins one cannot realise the presence of God. The one to whom we have come is awake, alive, omniscient God and He knows everything. All the desires of the mind are to be driven out to worship Him, else, He does not appear. He is self revealing. No one can achieve Him by spiritual practice, unless He manifests Himself. The filth and uncleanliness of the mind get driven away by spiritual practice, the soul yearns for Him. The pure sunrays cannot reflect unless the mirror of the heart is cleaned up by spiritual practice. That is where spiritual practice is needed. If once we can call out, “By God, Oh Lord, I want only You”, then no doubt He will instantly bless our souls. It is enough if we can prostrate before Him and wholeheartedly say, “Oh friend of the destitutes, be kind to me, here you are just present before me.” Oh Lord, shower such a grace that I may see you before me and prostrate to you. May I chant “Oh Lord in pleasure or pain may your wish be fulfilled.”

“He is my father, my mother, my shelter, I have nothing to fear”–such a wholehearted belief is dharma. One does not survive on hearsay or on matters printed in books. Real faith is needed. It is not a matter of imagination that He is the true perceptible God. He can be seen, held, tasted, heard—all these are not talks for the sake of talks. I am telling my very own experience. I get strength when He reveals Himself, else, I am of no substance. On seeing Him once enthusiasm is not exhausted, strength does not diminish. I now tell my inherent vices like attachment etc. that had been ridiculing me, “So what if I had fallen once?” Then all the vices start worshipping Him. No longer do they remain enemies. They become friends. Once the enemies worship Him, they no longer ridicule. They too join us to say, “We too shall worship your Lord.” Then only there is absolute bliss. Here He is!

[Shout] Twam hi–twam hi–twam hi (only You, only You, only You). Only You, whatever else I see are all void, all darkness! Everything else is seen in You. Twam hi! Jaideva ! Thanks, thanks oh my saviour! Oh kind hearted Lord of the wretched, friend of the destitute, could I make it without being saved by You like this! You alone save me from trying times—people do not come to help. You are the most sympathetic, oh the sympathiser of my life. You are blessed, You are blessed, I prostrate to You again and again.