Repeat the Name

There is one cause of all your sorrows as well as your joy and happiness. That is your mind. Many people have an adverse view of the mind; they call it monkey mind. But it is not monkey mind; it is mankind. It is a source of kindness and joy. If only we keep our mind in proper state, nothing bad can happen to us. Consider the mind divine. Then you will always be happy.

However, if the filth of impurity enters your mind, everything will become bad. When your mind gets polluted, it will require proper treatment. What is that? That is the name of God. Similarly, our body is also afflicted with diseases by drinking polluted water and eating improper food. It is necessary to protect the body. Why has God given you this body? It has been given to you to realize yourself. But you forget this real purpose and concentrate your mind merely on the body. After all, what is there in the body? Body is impermanent and short-lived like a water bubble. If you understand this, your life will be blessed.

You are afflicted by many delusions. Your mind is no doubt pure and there are only pure thoughts in it. But from time to time some pollutants enter your mind. See to it that they do not enter it. That is the sadhana (spiritual practice) that you have to undertake. What is sadhana? Is sitting in meditation and doing japa (recitation) sadhana? No, this is not sadhana. What is meditation and what is its meaning? Is sitting in a posture and reciting any name of God meditation? No, no, what you have to do is to contemplate on the sacred feelings of your heart. You should contemplate on your truth. If you really want to know the essence of sadhana, it can be explained in a simple way. Just make your mind steady for 11 seconds. Even this much practice will surely lead you to self realization! If your mind keeps oscillating like the pendulum of a clock, it cannot be called meditation. It is enough if you can make your mind steady for 11 seconds. There is no need to expose  yourself to too much strain in the name of sadhana.

Truth is God. Consider truth as nothing but God. There is no need for you to make any special efforts to know truth. Contemplate on truth for 11 seconds and that is enough. (join up)Fix your mind on truth for 11 seconds and you will have darshan (vision)of the Lord.

Those who are doing sadhana and aspire to see God and converse with Him should act upon my advice. Then they will surely see God and converse with Him. Bhakti (devotion) is not limited to the performance of puja, vrata, and japa (worship, rituals, and recitation). True devotion is unwavering and unflinching love for God. Develop such love for God. There is nothing greater then this. You may give up your body, but you should never give up this love. Love is eternal, imperishable, and infinite. Preserve love carefully. Then you will surely attain divinity.

Sanathana Sarathi, Nov. 2007