Thanks to Sri BN Mama for the translation.
What are those two reasons?
First, There is no better utility value for this Janma (Birth) than to be of help to those who suffer and who come (to me) with a lot of belief.—So say the Great Men. A satisfaction (to me) that I have been given such a Birth (Janma)!. That itself gives strength to my mind. If there is satisfaction for the people in one way, There is satisfaction for me too in another sense!
Is it not true that the happiness and sorrow (suffering) of this soul (mind) are the causes for the strength and weakness of the (mortal) body? Recently, as the psychiatric treatments have developed, even some doctors have said that, not some deseases, but all deseases are psychomatic. An old saying goes “Happiness is Absolute Strength”. That way, what is strength to my mind is also strength to my body—same tonic for both!
There is nothing to be elated about people respecting / regarding me as God. If it were to be true, they are only telling the truth. That is all! What is there, then, to
be elated about? More over such a being (regarded as God) will not be elated on being eulogized, nor will be depressed on being reproved/ rebuked. Suppose it is not true, I have to only worry that “Why are they saying something that is not real, when I do not deserve it?”, and not get elated!
“Even though there is nothing to be elated about, when I think that they are all pouring out their inner minds to me thinking that I possess some Divine Power, that is where the second of the two causes for my strength, which I was talking about earlier, comes in. What does it mean when so many people come to me for praying thinking that I possess some Divine Power? What do I derive from that? It proves that even in the present days, when it looks as though everything has gone bad, thousands and lakhs of people have faith and belief that there is a kind—hearted ‘ Paramaathmaa’ who is prepared to listen to their problems and give a remedy or solace to them. I get to believe that, the world will not be the worse, as long as this Divine belief exists. Having accepted the duty of ‘Preaching Dharma’, and ‘Developing Dharma’ , when I discharge that duty to the best of my knowledge, I get encouragement and enthusiasm that my efforts will not go in vain.”
“Everyone knows that one should perform his duty without expecting anything in return. That is what Gita proclaims. I also tell everybody the same thing, may be with more insistence! I should also perform my duties with the same spirit and accordingly, I tell all of you whatever I know. But when we ( as heads of Dharma Peetams) are ordained to ask you to follow the rules mentioned in ‘Sastra”s, and when we notice that the world, on the contrary, is going deeper and deeper into the ways of modern thinking and the modern lifestyle, we sometimes think, ‘ what we are doing—will it fetch even a small benefit ? If it doesn’t, is it correct to maintain this Matam, squandering all the money, given by others? Whether it is justified or not, there is nothing else we can do except trying to conduct this as per the same original way shown by ‘Dharma Sastra’, as established by The Acharya long ago, and as conducted by the various ‘Swamikal’ who headed and developed this after Him’.
In such times when the mind gets depressed only, this ‘Tonic’ gives me renewed strength. ‘Generally speaking, it is not that our people do not have faith in God. There is enough and more belief that ”God exists; He is kind- hearted and removes all our worries” among people. It is enough if such a belief (or faith) stays with people. He will never let down those who place their faith in Him. He not only showers His anugrahams on them, but will also make them attached , little by little , to the ways of ‘Sastra’s which will give them a permanent happiness.’—I ‘consume’ such a ‘Tonic of faith’ and get enthusiasm in my duty.
When I hear each and everyone coming and expressing his/her worries , I also worry; even then, when I think of it generally, two things become clear; one, the happiness and the strength I derive from being a temporary relief to their worries;
And the second is that it is evident from this that people in this world DO have faith in God. That itself gives me happiness and fulfillment. Whether I possess any Diviine Power or not, the faith of the people in God which they show me who is just an instrument gives me immense happiness. It makes me happy whenever they do anything with full belief in God; and from this happiness , also comes the strength.
Even though those in this Matam and other devotees may think that these people are troubling me, in reality, that only encourages me in my duty. Instead of making me weak, that only becomes the ‘tonic’ , the source for my strength.
I get two benefits from peoples’ ‘petition of worries’— one some relief to the world through me, and two, more dedication in my duty; and as a third benefit, those ‘petitioners ‘ also, mostly get the antidote for their problems , chiefly because of their immense faith in God— (laughs) but the fame comes to me! That is why, never ending petitions, and benefits from them —–the ‘ virtue circle’ as against the ‘vicious circle’ keeps revolving. ( virtue circle meaning good from good, as against vicious circle meaning bad from bad )
Therefore, thinking that it will give me a lot of pain and suffering to my body, NO ONE SHOULD COME BETWEEN ME AND THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO ME WITH THEIR WORRIES.”
(The discourse by Mahaperiava on this is complete; but we will continue the series with some incidents which stand evidence to HIS ‘ lifestyle’ which is ‘HE PRACTISED WHAT HE PREACHED.).
JAYA JAYA SANKARA! HARA HARA SANKARA!.
Categories: Devotee Experiences
Now more beautiful with pictures.