Sl. No. 8 - Sermon - (Real spirituality is not achievable unless my mind gets immersed in the Lord)

Dhaka - East Bengal Brahmomandir
Sunday, 24th Jaishtha 1293 Bengali Calender (1887 A.D.)

In a place, in the Vishnupuran it is mentioned that Yama (the god of death) is telling his messengers, “You will not go to the devotees of Vishnu. The devotees of Vishnu are beyond my area of rule. You will never touch them.” Hearing this, the messengers of Yama asked him, “Oh my lord, what are the signs by which we shall be able to identify them?” I am just reading out those portions from the book Vishnupuran about the signs Yama indicates to them. Vishnupuran 3rd Part, 7th chapter–

Kali Kalusha malena yasyanatma vimala matermalini krita hasta mohe
Manasikrita Janardanam manushyam satata mavehi hare rativa bhaktam. [21]

This means that one whose heart has not been polluted by the sins of Kali (Yuga) and in whose unattached heart lives Janardana, he alone is a great devotee of Hari.

Kanakamapi rahasya bekshya budhya trinamiva yaha samavaiti vai paraswam
Bhavaticha bhagavatyananyachetah purushavaram tamavehi Vishnu bhaktam [22]

Meaning that one who considers even someone else’s gold found in a deserted place equal to a straw, and thinks of God always without flinching, is a devotee of Vishnu.

Vimalamati vimatsara prashantah shuchchiritahakhila satwamitrabhuta
Priyahita vachana hastaman mayo, basati sada hridi tasya vasudevah. (24)

Meaning, one with a clean intellect, who does not envy others, is tranquil and is of pure character, a well wisher of all living beings— Vasudeva lives in his heart and he is the real devotee.

We would pay particular attention to this sermon. It describes both the aspects : what are the requisites to be a devotee and which are the acts from which he stays aloof. Sometimes we think, devotion should mean saying some good words, playing the khol, singing and dancing at samkeertans etc. These may give rise to a temporary emotional outburst, tears and a feeling of happiness too. But in reality it is not devotion. Devotion is different, Devotion is not the playing of khol or cymbals externally, nor is it any external sign, it is an internal affair. Devotion is a faculty of the human soul—a nature of the soul. Similar to the existence of kindness and wisdom of our soul, there is also a separate faculty called devotion. One knows about it when it germinates and grows. Once that devotion germinates in one’s soul, it blossoms there, it never disappears. It only grows gradually. Having a little feeling of emotion and some emotional outburst which ceases to exist immediately afterwards is no devotion. Temporary appearance and disappearance of devotion is no devotion at all. What we should call devotion is permanent. Once that grows in the heart, it will always exist and grow further. The way a plant germinating from a seed can no longer hide itself back into the seed and slowly grows into branches of the tree, so also do the signs of devotion. Once they bloom they do not disappear, but grow gradually. We cannot call the initial momentary emotion and emotional outburst devotion; such expressions can be seen for various reasons at various times. At times we do get momentarily emotional while watching yatra (open air opera) or listening to songs and dance. But that is just an emotion, not devotion. Now the question is, how can devotion be achieved. The only means of aquiring devotion is the one who is the life of lives, one who is graciously affectionate to his devotees; He is the store of devotion, devotion is linked to Him. I cannot achieve devotion without achieving Him. There is parental love in human beings. People cannot realise what is parental love until they see the face of their child. Some sort of love may be felt in one’s heart when one sees other’s child. But that is not parental love. The way parental love does not generate without seeing one’s own child, in the same manner devotion cannot be obtained without seeing the pleasant face of the all loving Supreme Lord. A faculty without the support of the core material cannot grow. The core of devotion is the Supreme Lord.

Devotion cannot develop unless one gets Him. The way the stream of water in a river is always flowing towards the ocean, in the same manner the true stream of devotion is not temporary, both flow all the time towards the Supreme Lord. One in whose heart devotion has blossomed, cannot help doing good to others; without considering his own pleasure or pain he remains engaged in rendering service to others, Purity stays with him unquestioningly. The true devotee sees the appearance of God without the help of external singing or talking; and shouts with a thunderous voice, “Here He is, Here He is.”

Real spirituality is not achievable unless my mind gets immersed in the Lord. A seed when sown in soil germinates on penetration of sap. But if you keep it inside a box it does not germinate. For this it needs the help of soil, air and sunlight. Similarly, unless the human soul gets immersed in the Lord and gets Him, who is love incarnate; unless it gets air, water and warmth, it cannot germinate that emotion. To know if we have developed that emotion of love, we should check whether the ‘life of lives’ has blossomed in my soul, whether after the blossoming of that great life of lives, my soul has become clean. Real spirituality is achieved if that has happened. Otherwise I may claim to have devotion but am still devoid of good sentiments—this condition cannot happen. When shall we achieve that devotion? The way the river always flows towards the ocean without accepting barriers, when shall I achieve such a state? I am unable to live without this. Nothing that I see in this world has become mine. When I see the world I find I have achieved nothing. When I look at the world I find that nothing belongs to me except that ‘life of lives’. All of you please bless me so that I may achieve the flow of a river. The way a river on its way to ocean does not accept any restriction and cleaves even the mighty Himalayas if it comes in its way, may I also have that kind of a spirit. The way the river babbles without thinking about it, let me also develop such a ceaseless emotion in the same manner. I shall not look at anybody, I shall only look towards that kindhearted Supreme Lord.

Oh life of my life, the friend of the downtrodden pull me strongly. The way the ocean draws the river without accepting barriers, do the same to me. Oh Lord, draw me to yourself. Oh Lord, my only hope is to stay within You.