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(Vachanamrut Gadhada I-74 - Understanding Is Measured in Times of Hardship)
Extract:
On the morning of Vaishākh sudi 11, Samvat 1876 [24 April 1820], Swāmi Shri Sahajānandji Mahārāj was sitting on a large, decorated cot on the platform under the neem tree in front of the mandir of Shri Vāsudevnārāyan in Dādā Khāchar’s darbār in Gadhadā. He was dressed entirely in white clothes. At that time, an assembly of munis as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him.
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So, just as a dry leaf is blown in the air according to the direction of the wind, we should also remain dependent on Him and joyfully worship God, not allowing any frustration to enter our minds.
Discussion Points:
We have met an ideal guru. But only if we follow his ãgnã will we become ideal. And if we don’t obey him, how can we ever become ideal?
If he tells us not to watch TV and we still sit down to watch it, what will become of us? If he tells us not to eat out and then we go and do just that, how can we become ideal? Ideal means ideal!
We must do only as he says and nothing else. Have we ever told you to stop eating? But don’t eat meat. Drink as much as you like, drink water or soft drinks. That other drink (beer), that’s not good for you.
Secondly, if you want to excel in your studies and earn a degree, then you must stop watching TV. But just by us saying, ‘go child, you’ll become perfect won’t help you, achieve anything.
Satyakaam Jãbãli went to a guru to attain knowledge. Instead his guru sent Satyakaam to graze his cattle.
What if your guru tells you in college, ‘go and clean the toilets’, you’d say, ‘do you think I’ve come here to clean toilets?’ But Satyakaam had decided to do whatever his guru commanded.
We should never question any ãgnã. We will be enlightened only if we do not doubt his words.
In this way Bhagatji Mahãrãj followed Gunãtitãnand Swãmi’s ãgnã without ever questioning him.
Thus if we can realise the importance of ãgnã and follow it, we will become ideal.
Imagine a normal day. For those who go to school, your parents may yell at you to wake up, you might rush through your shower and puja, you might eat a quick breakfast and go to school. There, you are told you listen to the teacher, do your class work and finish your homework. You can see that our lives are full of instructions, orders and commands - “go get the aarti ready” “do the vasan” “listen to your elder siblings” etc.
Now imagine a life where no one told you to do anything, your parents didn’t tell you to wake up and go to school, and your teachers didn’t tell you how to pass your exams. Your life would be in chaos, and if this happened to everybody, the world would be in big trouble. It is therefore proven that instructions, orders and commands are vital in our world. This is called “agna”.
- As ideal bhaktas of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Guru Mahant Swami Maharaj, how can we strive to follow agna? (Points can include but are not limited to:)
- We can do puja, satsang reading, no eating out, and many other things that the list is endless.
- One very effective way is by being committed to following our niyams. Follow our niyams with all of our heart is Mahant Swami Maharaj's agna and therefore, by following our niyams we are directly pleasing him.
- Throughout life we will definitely face many obstacles that will block us from following our niyams but we need to surpass them and be committed to following them no matter what circumstances there are.
Activity - Swami Says:
You can play the role of ‘Swami’ or pick a family member to play this part. Everyone else in the family will have to follow the directions called out by ‘Swami' but only if the direction is preceded with 'Swami says'.
Then watch this video from Nottingham Family SHibir, 2000: Shreeji Kahe.. Game Played By P.Pramukhswami Maharaj! Swami Bapa Fun With Haribhakto.