Lectures and Sermons of Shree Shree Bijoy Krishna Goswami (Gosaiji)



Sadguru Shree Shree Bijoy Krishna Goswami (Gosaiji)

Sl. No. 9 - Sermon - (You are the life of my soul. I take rufuge in You.)

Dhaka - East Bengal Brahmomandir
Sunday, 10th Shravan 1293 Bengali Calender [1887 A.D.]

As he returned home from spiritual austerities, Dhruva’s mother Suniti told him, “Dear son, you have achieved God through spiritual austerities. Please make me also see His true form.”On his mother’s request Dhruva prayed to God to appear. God appeared before Dhruva. Dhruva then told his mother, “Here is He. How beautiful. The whole universe is now full of light by his presence. Mother, can’t you see. There He is smiling.” Suniti said, “Where is He? I cannot see anything.” A surprised Dhruva on hearing his mother said, “You cannot see, oh mother!! That means you do not worship Him and that is why you cannot see Him.” A disappointed Dhruva prayed again and then the Lord appeared before Suniti also. Suniti then said, “The one I see before me is not my God.” Dhruva said, “What are you talking? Is there any one else other than this God?” Suniti said, “ I see another God other than this one.” Dhruva understood that his mother never worshipped the real God. She had attachment in her mind; she worshipped want, anger and greed. On hearing about the form of her God from his mother he said , “Mother, your greed and desire are taking a form and are cheating you. They are your enemies. By appearing before you they are not allowing you to identify your real God.” Suniti then asked, “Then what will happen to me?” Dhruva said “Install this true Lord in your heart and you will see the gods of delusion moving away.” Following Dhruva’s advice Suniti achieved her true God in her soul.

This is a mythological tale.

Yadvachya nabhyuditam yena bagbhyudyate, tadeva brahma twam biddhi, nedam yadidamupasate.

Meaning : Know Him who cannot be expressed in words, by whom words are manifested, not the one who is worshipped by people.

This tale is based on this portion of the Upanishad.

Quite often it is seen that the tales of Puranas are based on Upanishads. We say that we do not worship defined objects, we do not contemplate untrue things, we repeat the name of the Supreme Lord—since our childhood we are reading about Him in various books—we hear about Him but we are not acquainted with Him. Greed and desire grow in the mind. Our acquaintance is only with them. We are just worshipping them. In our heart passion claims to be god, greed claims to be the Supreme Lord, we are just worshipping them and are being cheated.

Yanmanasa na manute Yenahurmanomatam, tadeva brahma twam biddhi nedam yadidamupasate.

This means, the One that cannot be conceived by human minds, the One who knows every mind, know Him to be Brahman. Defined objects, worshipped by people can never be Brahman. Those which are limited and temporary can never be God. At times we worship defined objects, desire, anger, pride thinking them to be God. When the real God appears in the soul then we shall see that these are not God. Sometimes we call passion, anger—enemies, but once the real form of Truth, the Supreme Lord appears in the soul, they no longer remain enemies—they become friends. When God is achieved then He can be served by the cardinal passions of man through the eyes, ears and other sense organs. Then one feels like embracing them as most helpful friends. But until the true God is achieved, however much we may talk to people about our worshipping Him, we are but worshipping those cardinal vices and sense organs.

We have to understand whether we are really worshipping God. How do we know that? When He comes, lust anger etc cease to have any influence on us. All the objects of temptation, fail to attract us any more. He alone becomes the object of temptation. As long as I worship the objects of desire and longing, they prevent me from identifying my God. They do not allow me to think that He is most important to me. The purpose of spirituality is to know that what I need most is God and that desire and lust are not my God. Man then develops a yearning for that God and when God appears he can quickly identify Him. Desire and wants do not allow us to identify the true God. May we not be cheated like Suniti in our identification of true God. We may talk a lot about the Supreme Lord, but what if our heart is not inclined towards Him? He is omniscient God, he cannot be bluffed, so beware. He is endless—He is not a limited created material. He is indestructible. He is greater than the greatest.

Why often, do we not get results from our prayers? Why cannot we see the Supreme Lord? Because our prayers are not real. We do not sincerely want Him. We just look for our own pleasure. What is the point in having spiritual practice and holy association (satsanga)? These are meant for knowing “Who I am” which we fail to know often. He manifests by Himself. None can reveal Him unless He Himself appears. Then why do spiritual practice? This is to keep oneself clean. It is to recognise clearly, so that one is capable to identify Him when He appears. The six cardinal passions no more remain adversaries—they become friends. One is blessed by serving the Lord through them. By accepting Him as the Lord even once, passion anger etc. become close friends. It is me who installs the cardinal passion on the throne of God and worships them and it is me who calls them adversaries. I am the cheat. When I can truly prostrate before the real God, then my hands, limbs, sensory organs, all the cardinal passions act as friends. All the matters of the universe—human beings, insects, trees and creepers come to my help on the spiritual path. Then everything becomes a source of bliss. Everything becomes paripurnamanandam. The sky, the air, the ocean, the universe and everything oozes nectar. All float in His wave. There was anxiety so far, but what is there to bother about now? There is only bliss. Anandam brahmanovidyan na biveti kutashchana (Means : One who knows Brahman as Bliss has noting to be afraid of).

Effort should be made to enable ourselves to perform true worship, true spiritual practice. We cannot defer it making delaying excuses. Life is for attaining Him. We should gain Him with our life and soul and then depart from this place, laughing and dancing. Raising our hands above we should be able to say “My hopes have been fulfilled. I see all human beings, birds and beasts, trees and creepers of the entire universe and mental tendencies as my friends. I see my Lord, my jewel on everybody’s head. Everything is full of bliss.” All of you bless me, I am a poor destitute. All I want is to be able to spend my life with this golden jewel, which is lighting up all the land, water and grass. There is nothing comparable to this golden jewel. We have to part with all the material objects but not the golden element. Bless me so that I may be able to take away this golden jewel tied around my neck. I have no other desire.

Oh refuge of the poor, oh friend of the poor. I want nothing else. I am worse than a human being. I am stupid, unlettered. You are kind, kind, kind. Oh kind hearted Lord, oh the wealth of the destitute—How could I be saved had you not revealed yourself like this? Oh Lord, you are the treasure of my heart ! I know nothing, I know nothing. What can I say? I wish I could call you pieces of my flesh—it is not enough even if I call you pieces of my flesh and bones. You are the life of my soul. I take rufuge in You.