There is nothing more sublime than to be God’s instrument and in that, experience His total bliss. In the modern world, everyone’s lives are hectic, be it work related, family and social commitments and even in satsang. Sometimes, we become burdened by the seemingly limitless responsibilities, stresses and strains that come with it.
When faced with such challenges, it is often difficult to keep faith that everything will be fine and to remain happy and cheerful, but Bhagatji Maharaj had said that if we have faith in the words of the satpurush, then we would experience a different type of happiness. It is that leap of faith that we lack. If we truly have faith that the manifest Lord is here with us every step of the way, then it would become easy. No matter what circumstances we might have to face in our life, even if they may cause us to be fearful, then our spiritual happiness and bliss should never recede because we have the Lord with us.
Nevertheless, often we keep all burdens on our own head. Guruhari Pappaji Maharaj had recited a story that in India, street traders sell fruit and vegetables on large pieces of cloth that they can tie up into a bundle and carry the goods from one town to another by local train, and set-up again elsewhere to sell their goods. Once, there was one such trader on a local train carrying such a bundle on his head. As the train rocked and jolted, the man continually struggled to keep the bundle balanced on his head and to stop it from falling on to other passengers. A man next to the trader asked him why he was keeping the bundle on his head, and that he should put it down. The trader said that if he did that, then he would have to buy a ticket for it! The man said to the trader that irrespective of whether he kept the bundle on his head or put it down, it was the train who was carrying the load and he would still have to buy a ticket.
The moral of the story is that no matter what worries or concerns that we might have, it is actually Pappaji Maharaj who is carrying that load. We belong to Him and He has chosen us – throw all burdens on to Him! How heavy is a glass of water? It gets heavier the longer we hold it! So why not put it down? Instead, we become stressed, which in turns often leads to bad temper, frustration or even depression.
There is a story of Pramukh Swami Maharaj who whilst recovering from a fever, was preparing to attend a meeting, but a sevak urged Him not to go. When Swamiji questioned why, the sevak said that it would be stressful because many decisions need to be made and so it would not be good for His health. Pramukh Swami responded profoundly saying that if He took it on His head then He would feel the stress, but He immediately passes everything to Shreeji Maharaj – if we think that we are the doer, only then would we feel stress.
Once, Pappaji Maharaj was a passenger in a grahasta bhakta’s car, the bhakta noticed that Pappaji’s door was not shut properly and so said to Pappaji not to lean against the door for support in case it opens, but Guruhari responded, “I am only taking the support of Maharaj and so nothing bad can happen.”Truly, if we take the support of Shreeji Maharaj only, then He will care for us; nothing bad can happen.
This is the case not only when we face a prasang, but even in day-to-day activities. Many of us have high powered jobs, family obligations or we have important seva duties where we become engrossed in thinking that we have to do so many things, we have so many responsibilities, that it is all upon us and if we do not do it, then these important tasks will not be done! However, we have to learn to let these notions go and trust in Maharaj that everything will be done perfectly. Pappaji once commented about Himself that,“There is nothing in me.” This is a very great revelation. The trouble is that we do not become nothing, we do not become zero into Him. We do not become His instrument or His Prakash in all activities, but this should be our prayer daily – to become His instrument. Pappaji had that trust and used to pray to Bapa, “…just show me 10 feet ahead so that I do not fall down or err.”
Even in seva, Pappaji has explained that Bapa used seva as a series of spiritual tests (Fragrance of supreme devotion, Pg 194) where He encountered problems, and even had to tolerate insults and anger from our fellow bhakto. Pappaji says that in those circumstances we need to make sure that we have not faltered in the seva that we do, that is, do it earnestly and to the best of our ability, then pass everything to Maharaj. Pappaji said, that when things around us look as if they are heading for disaster, if Bapa is not worried, then why have we become perturbed? Pappaji explains that Bapa taught Him to stay happy in this way – Hai Maharaj, Hai Swami.
There is only one thing left to do, and that is to have faith in the promises that Pappaji Maharaj has made to us in Sanjivani Mantra:
- Never, never forget even for a moment that the supreme omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent divine has selected you to do His work, then why worry?
- Whatever needed for His service will and must be provided by Him – have faith
- Always and every moment aspire and remain open for His help and guidance and then act freely and fearlessly.
Therefore, may we always remember Pappaji’s teachings and have faith in His words. No matter what tasks and activities that we do both in the outside world or as seva, no matter how large or small, or important that work might be, may we throw the burden unto Him, always be His instrument and enjoy His divine bliss every moment.
Sahajanand Swami ni Jai.