Human Qualities
Purity of Mind
It is impossible for a soul to reunite with the Supreme Soul, God Almighty, without bearing the virtues of humanity. The biggest obstruction in achieving this goal is the mind. It is of utmost importance to purify one’s mind! It is our mind that pushes us into sorrows. Vanity and attachment regulate our mind to look for worldly pleasures, but what it gets in return is only sheer sorrow. If only our mind starts behaving in a much more skilled and purer mode, we would be able to attain success in our spiritual pursuits and be relieved from this cycle of life and death.
We need to make our minds pure. We need to worry about the mind, not the body. This mind is very deceitful. This game of ‘yours and mine’ has been started by our mind only. The mind is considered the basis of all worldly attachments as well as the salvation of the human being. If the mind gets attached to worldly affairs, it becomes the cause of all sorts of bindings and tribulations. When the mind gets emotionally involved with worldly attachments, the soul accepts its burden and holds itself responsible for it. Such is the wickedness of the mind! The pleasure of lust is worse than worldly attachments. A mind chasing worldly attachments never really dies; the mind tightly holds the string of attachments with the fist of vanity and attachment and is never ready to let it go. A mind that reflects upon sensual pleasures is considered to be impure, while the one that discards them is considered to be pure. It is the feeling of pride and attachment, the sense of ‘self and others,’ that causes grief and anguish to the being. If the mind improves, everything else improves, but if the mind gets perverted, everything else gets perverted too! Pride and attachment are what cause pain and pleasure. The mind is like water that always flows downward. In old age, while the body becomes worn out, the mind still remains young. It keeps reminiscing about the pleasures of youth. But what is required is that even if we do not succeed in meditating on God Almighty, we should at least make an effort not to get emotionally attached to worldly affairs.
Sins are frequently committed by the mind and not by the body. A mind strongly attached to the materialistic world entangles the being with worldly catastrophes, but the same mind, if unattached, leads the man on the path to peaceful salvation. Whatever thoughts occur in our minds repeatedly, the images related to those thoughts make a permanent place in our minds. Though we have to live in this world, it is absolutely necessary that we do not idolize and give prime importance to the world and its materialistic pleasures in our thoughts. Even though our soul has discarded the body of its previous birth, it still carries with it the mind filled with all the thoughts of the previous birth. So, we do not have to just leave the world; we have to discard it from our minds too.
Devotion has a special relationship with the mind. When a man performs his duties with God in his mind, all his actions become a part of spiritual devotion. A man keeps his body and his clothes clean but does not bother to clean his mind of impure thoughts. But it is the mind that would go with him! Neither his clothes nor his body would go with him! Pleasure and pain are the convictions of the mind. Birth and death are the obligations of the body. One should never trust one’s mind and intellect; it can be very fatal. There isn’t a bigger sin than considering oneself guiltless.
The only way one can tame the mind is through satsang, Smaran (constant remembrance of God’s name), and by doing selfless service for the Lord Almighty. We need to deviate our minds from worldly pleasures and try to meditate on the Lord Almighty. Observance of religious rites is a means to attain mind’s tranquility; this reduces the restlessness of mind and increases its composure. Observance of religious rites is a means to attain oneness with God. An impure mind can never be cultured without japa. The effect of God’s blessings is attaining purity of mind and not acquisition of wealth. Wealth comes with good fortune. The mind cannot be made impassive toward materialistic sensuality without God’s grace. The soul is free; we need to free our minds too! For performing selfless service to others, it is the mind that is important, not our body or wealth. So long as there is lust in our minds, our souls cannot become one with the Almighty! If the mind stays away from worldly attachments, it can attain oneness with God. Our mind is semi-conscious and semi-inert.
If the charioteer of our chariot is the Almighty Himself, the chariot is bound to reach its destination. But if our mind becomes the charioteer, then the chariot will surely fall into the ditch. While the soul leaves the body behind, it carries the mind along with all its thoughts. Hence, it is important to take care of the mind. Lord Krishna says in the Gita:
Shariram yad vapanoti yat chaapi utkramateshwarah,
Just as the wind carries fragrances from their sources,
Grihetvaitani sanyati vayur gandhan ivashayat
So does the soul, when it departs the body, take the senses with it to the next life
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 15, Verse 8
‘Just as the wind wafts scents from its origin and takes them along with it, similarly the Jeev Atma (embodied soul), assuming itself as the master of the physical body, carries with it all the existing sensory traits, different conceptions of life along with the mind from the physical body it has discarded, and then migrates into the new physical body it acquires. This process of transmigrating from one body to another and struggling while in the physical body is called karasti (struggle for existence).’
The mind always requires a base. Make God Almighty your foundation, your stalwart base! It is the mind that needs to get liberated; the soul is eternally liberated. The soul only gets tied up because of its relation with the mind. The soul experiences liberation only when the mind gets liberated. The mind keeps getting involved with materialistic issues and, as such, keeps experiencing pains and pleasures, but, unfortunately, the soul takes the blame on itself. We should constantly keep praying to the Lord Almighty, “O Lord! Kindly distract my mind from worldly attachments and draw it closer towards You!” We need to contemplate repeatedly on the fact that the mind is distinctly different from the soul.
I would like to elucidate here a few distinguished virtues of humanity. We must make resolute efforts to adopt these virtues in our lives. We must not let this invaluable, rare human life go in vain!
Purity, Simplicity, Humility, Compassion
All the virtues of humanity guide humans towards the Almighty, whereas diabolic traits take them away from God. According to our Holy Scriptures and highly learned saints, all those who possess diabolic traits dwell in hell for an indefinite period of time. Purity, simplicity, and other such virtues are extremely important. In fact, God goes on to explicate that those whose mind and heart are pure, honest, and non-deceitful accomplish oneness with Him and are freed from the cycle of death and birth; such men attain eternal peace and joy.
Nirmal man jan so mohi pava,
One with a pure heart attains me,
Mohi kapat chhal chhidra na bhava
Deceit, trickery, and hypocrisy do not appeal to me
Ramcharitmanas
A person whose mind is pure and devoid of any deceit attains oneness with Me, i.e., with God! A pure-hearted person attains unity with God and can also accomplish other virtues of humanity with ease, while one whose mind is full of deceit, indulging in fraudulent acts, deception, and vanity can never realize the virtues of humanity. His mind is always calculating ways in which he can cause harm to others, how to look down upon them, and also how to usurp their possessions. Fulfilling his selfish interests is the sole objective of such a person. Howsoever rich or famous this kind of person becomes, he can never succeed in attaining inner peace. He may garner or accomplish any amount of outward admiration, but he would always be surrounded by unnerving qualms in his life. He would always be scared within and would never experience mental tranquility. He would be perpetually surrounded by worries, and his sinful acts would never permit him any peace. These people have an even murkier and more torturous life in the other world. The mind stays with the being even after he discards his body. It is the mind that is instrumental in taking a being into higher or lower births. It is the mind that determines whether the being would be going to hell or heaven or would attain salvation. A being whose mind is non-desirous, has unconditional love for God, and is ordained with virtues like simplicity, attains salvation. A being whose mind has desires but is otherwise virtuous, goes to heaven; and the being that indulges in evil deeds goes to hell—this is what our Holy Scriptures say.
A simple-hearted man is always seen enjoying unrestrained joy amidst the simple beauty of nature. He never deviates from the path of honesty. A cunning and deceitful man tries to fulfill his own selfish goals, but a simple-hearted man makes it his endeavor to give happiness to others. Any man who is cunning and always busy accomplishing his selfish goals carries in his mind the fear of Yama (Yama or Yamraj is the God who judges and punishes the dead); this is because he is always getting involved in boastful acts, adulteration, pretense, etc.! Therefore, in order to remain happy, fearless, non-anxious, and contented always, one should adopt the virtues of simplicity, purity, humility, and compassion; one should discard the traits of deceit, slyness, vanity, and vileness and bring his mind, words, and deeds in unison with humanity.
Non- Violence
Non-violence has been defined as the supreme dharma. The very basis of Jainism and Buddhism is non-violence—‘ahinsā paramo dharmah’!
Ahimsa broadly means not hurting or harming anybody physically, mentally, verbally, emotionally, or in any other form. In fact, complete non-violence is achieved when a person becomes indifferent towards this world and moves in the direction of seeking the Supreme Lord. Such a person automatically follows the path of non-violence. However, a person who indulges in worldly pleasures and remains attached to the world can never become completely non-violent.
It is only a person whose aim is to realize God and who is completely devoted to the Almighty that can never get involved in violence; this is because he does not indulge in worldly pleasures. A true seeker never causes any kind of harm to anybody, whether it is physical, mental, or verbal. Even if his outward behavior may cause some pain to someone, it is only because of the nature of the aggrieved person himself. We should not have even the slightest intent of causing harm to others. A seeker’s sentiments are always filled with doing good to others—‘always engaged in other people’s welfare’.
Any person who is endowed with the virtues of humanity never gets annoyed, even if his spiritual practice is obstructed by someone, and never lets the feeling of retaliation arise in his mind. He may appeal, pray, call out to God Almighty, or cry in front of Him but never causes any harm to the person who might have caused hindrance in his religious practice. In fact, hindrances give a boost to the proclivity and vigilance of the seeker.
Just as fragrance diffuses from flowers naturally, similarly, the propensity of compassion emanates automatically from a nonviolent person and purifies the environment. His nonviolent nature makes him an asset in performing great service to the human race.
Truth
Uma kahon main anubhav apna; Sat hari bhajan jagat sab sapna
Uma, I speak from my own experience; True devotion to Hari is real, while the entire world is a mere dream
Ramcharitmanas
Truth is the name of God; remembering His name is the solemn truth. Whatever is visible to us is subject to change, i.e., it is perishable, which means it is untrue!
Leaving behind our selfishness and pride, working solely with the objective of others’ welfare, and speaking just the way it was heard, read, seen, or decided—nothing less, nothing more—is what truth is all about.
When a person has the sole objective of realizing God Almighty, he would never indulge in fallacious behavior with his mind, words, or deeds. Whatever he does is for the truth, for the welfare of others. One who is keen to realize truth always remains amidst the truth. All his endeavors, whether related to mind, words, or deeds, are directed towards the truth. A lie spoken for the greater interest and welfare of others is also the truth.
If a person’s words, deeds, and emotions work in unison, he can save himself from many sinful acts.
Compassion
Seeing others in grief and trying to relieve them of their pain is what is known as the sentiment of compassion. Lord Almighty, saints and realized beings, seekers and devotees, and ordinary human beings all have different forms of compassion.
God’s Compassion
God’s compassion is for purifying every being. Devotees classify the Almighty’s compassion into two different forms: grace and benevolence. When He creates unfavorable circumstances against their wishes in order to purify human beings of their sins, that is His ‘grace’; while developing favorable circumstances is His benevolence.
Compassion of Saints and Realized Beings
Saints and sages draw immense pleasure from other people’s joy and happiness, and also feel crucial pain when they see people in malady. They become happy with others’ joys and sad with others’ pains. However, the reality is that they do not feel pain, whether it is their own or someone else’s. This is because the basic essence of the Supreme Spirit is that it does not feel any pain or pleasure. Just as we see waves rise on the surface of the ocean, but there are no waves underneath that surface—the ocean is absolutely tranquil below the surface; similarly, saints who seem troubled in their outward behavior in reality feel no pain or pleasure beneath the surface. In truth, they do not get distressed but rather devote their lives to the betterment of mankind, making an earnest effort to eliminate others’ affliction and pain. If they (saints) are faced with trouble, they accept it as God’s blessing; and when they see other people in trouble, they take others’ pains upon themselves in order to free them from their adversity. The greatest quality of saints is that they are always prepared to give up their own pleasures and even their lives for the sake of others without any hesitation, even if the recipient of their generosity is someone who may have caused harm to them.
Compassion of Devotees
Devotees have the inclination to take away others’ pain, and they sincerely make the utmost effort to do so. Their hearts melt on seeing others in distress. They are able to comprehend others’ pain just as their own. That is why they are always concerned about other people’s joy, welfare, and well-being. They are never proud of the effort they make to help others attain happiness. The sentiment of compassion comes naturally to them, which is the main reason pride and conceit fail to thrive in them.
Devotees feel pity for evil-minded people; they don’t get angry with them. On the contrary, they pray to God to eradicate their pains and show them the right path so that they too may follow the path of righteousness and, in due course, become devotees of the Lord.
Compassion of Ordinary People
An ordinary man starts basking in his own glory after bringing joy into other people’s lives. He starts believing in his own goodness after doing service to others, giving a lot of self-importance to himself. Here, compassion is shown with the intention of displaying one’s greatness. Though the virtue of compassion is good, it becomes impure due to his wrong intention.
Then there is a secondary class of ordinary humans who do show kindness, but their compassion is basically guided by emotional factors; it is shown towards those to whom one is attached. It is like trying to bring happiness into the lives of family and friends or those of the same belief system. Since the sentiment of compassion here is compounded with prejudice, it becomes impure.
The great saint-poet Tulsidas has considered compassion as the basis of dharma and expresses his sentiments with the following:
Daya dharma ka mool hai paap mool abhimaan,
Compassion is the root of righteousness, and ego is the root of sin.
Tulsi daya na chhodiye jab lagi ghat mein praan,
Parhit saris dharma nahin bhai,
Parpeeda sam nahin adhmaai
Tulsi says, do not abandon compassion as long as there is life within you.
There is no duty greater than doing good to others,
And there is no sin worse than causing pain to others
Ramcharitmanas
Patience
Lord Krishna has mentioned many virtues of humanity in the 16th chapter of the Gita, one of them being ‘Patience.’
Any job done in haste is more likely to get messed up rather than yield fruitful results. All deeds, if done patiently, result in a profitable manner. A patient person utilizes his mind in the right demeanor, ultimately yielding good results. A person cannot make the right decisions in the absence of patience. Thus, patience is also a very necessary virtue of humanity. A patient person easily achieves all his goals. Problems get much more complicated if approached with anxiety and haste. One keeps experiencing profit and loss, pleasure and pain, etc., in this world. We should work as a witness. We must put in our best efforts for favorable results but should also accept things as they come; fretting about things would only cause more harm. Instead of worrying, we should surrender ourselves and focus our minds on the Lord Almighty.
People often create unpleasant situations for themselves by being anxious about things. Even a small trouble is blown out of proportion, causing great anxiety and distress to oneself as well as to others, leading to further complications. For example, if a child gets a little delayed in coming back from school, the mother may become overly eager, impatient, and distressed over the situation, causing unnecessary anxiety and discomfort to others.
One loses the ability to make sound decisions by being impatient, which in the long run also has an adverse effect on health. One needs to discern and accept that this whole world is subject to change; grief and joy keep alternating in one’s life. We need to work with a lot of patience. Patience leads to systematic working. The poet Rahimdas says:
Rahiman chup ho baithiye dekh dinan ke pher,
Rahim says, sit quietly and observe the changing times.
Neeke din jab aehain banat na lagat der
When good days arrive, things will come together swiftly
Rahim ke Dohe
Contentment
Contentment is a special virtue of humanity. It has been said:
Jab aaye santosh dhan, sab dhan dhoori saman
Once you achieve the wealth of contentment,
all other forms of wealth are worthless like dust
Kabir has gone to the extent of saying:
Man lage yaar faqiri mein,
The heart is drawn to the path of simplicity and asceticism,
Kahat Kabir suno bhai sadho,
Sahib milein sabori mein
Says Kabir, listen, O holy men,
The Divine is attained through patience
Kabir
A contented person realizes God easily. He is an emperor whose treasury is always filled with peace and happiness. He is never unhappy because he has no desires and always remains unattached. His behavior always remains consistent.
A person who is discontented always finds faults with other people, in every situation and every other thing. That is why he is forever unhappy and disappointed. He considers himself unfortunate. He is always involved in criticizing and speaking ill of others.
A discontented person spreads unhealthy vibes of sadness and disappointment wherever he goes, constantly criticizing and being judgmental. Instead of discussing something meaningful or spreading happiness, he talks about his own discontentment and, in the process, commits the sin of vitiating others’ peace and frame of mind. For example, if someone is suffering from an illness, and this person, discontented and querulous about his physical condition, will never take the Lord’s name or thank Him for being in a better situation than others who are more ill. Instead, he will say, “Brother! I am so troubled. My joints keep paining all the time. I am really unlucky. I have never committed any such sin, so why am I being punished in this manner while all the sinners are enjoying themselves?” Such discussions lead others away from spiritual discourses. In contrast, those who are content with themselves, even if they are suffering from an illness, will say, “Brother! I am fine. There is some loan remaining on the physical body, which is being repaid. Something or the other keeps happening with this physical body made up of five elements. Anyway, let us forget about this body; tell me, how are you?” And then they start talking about spiritual matters.
A discontented person always has a negative disposition. We need to scrutinize our behavior time and again and see if we, too, are becoming discontented. If yes, then we need to work on it and try to get rid of our discontentment in a very positive manner. We need to develop a feeling of total surrender towards God within ourselves, a sense of total surrender towards our God-like Guru too! As soon as this feeling gets grounded within us, all our vices gradually disappear.
Contentment gives birth to happiness, while discontentment works like the blades of a scissor, cutting away affection.
We must keep in mind that this physical world is a game of diversities. There are different types of people who are all enriched with distinguished nature, traits, and ethics according to their upbringing. In this corrupt society, everyone acts according to the traits they are born with. It is only when we realize that others, too, are acting according to their peculiar instincts and traits that we won’t get agitated by their behavior. If someone we are trying to change, who is himself making an earnest effort to change, fails and is unable to change, it is because his inborn faculties have become strongly ingrained in him. We, too, have such a string of inborn instincts, which, despite all our efforts, still guide our daily behavior. If we keep this in mind and then judge other people, we would not feel bad. We must understand that Maya or illusion is responsible for these faculties. Every person has a different nature. It takes time to change. If I am not able to change certain faculties of mine quickly, why should I expect the same from others and face disappointment?
A discontented person is unable to make the right decisions for improving a situation because of tension, disappointment, disagreement, and anxiety. One should understand that their present state of mind is a result of their previous actions, and now they should work for the betterment of their future. Every person wishes to be happy, and contentment is a must for happiness. Mental bliss is not possible without contentment.
We must make use of every situation. A contented person makes the most of both favorable and unfavorable situations and moves forward. Neither poverty nor affluence can become a hindrance to the achievement of one’s goals. What is required is firm determination towards one’s goals and a contented inner self.
Forbearance
Forbearance, or tolerance, is also an important virtue of humanity. It is said about forbearance:
Shama khadag leene rahe khal ko kahan basaye;
Forgiveness and the sword cannot coexist; where can the wicked find refuge?
Agni padi trin-hit per aapahu te bujh jaye
When fire touches dry grass, it eventually extinguishes itself
Dharma, artha, kāma, and moksha (duty/path of righteousness, wealth, desire, and salvation) are the four achievements towards which a person strives during their life. In matters of wealth and desire, a person is not free; for these, he is dependent on his luck. As for duty towards the path of righteousness and salvation, he is completely free. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, it is due to our destiny based upon a collection of past karmas. So we must show forbearance in all circumstances we find ourselves in. If we become intolerant about people and situations, it will only do more harm than good. Our disposition should always be pleasant, and our actions should always be vigilant and provident. In Ramcharitmanas, there is a saying:
Kahu na kou sukh-dukh kar data
No one else is the giver of joy or sorrow to anyone.
Nij krit karam bhog sabu bhrata
Everyone, my brother, experiences the results of their own actions
Tulsidas
No one can cause us any grief. It is just our misconception that we are suffering due to someone else. We need to become more tolerant, which is very important for our own welfare.
If we become intolerant, it adds fuel to the fire of anger, and a person finds themselves in a far more troublesome and dire situation. If someone is ill and they bear their illness quietly in a positive manner, it does not cause any trouble to other people.
There is a classic story from the scriptures narrating that once Sage Bhrigu kicked Lord Vishnu on His chest. Lord Vishnu did not feel bad or get annoyed. On the contrary, He told Sage Bhrigu, “I hope you have not hurt your leg. Come, I will massage it.” Hearing the heartfelt words from Lord Narayan and seeing the Lord’s humility, Sage Bhrigu had tears in his eyes and lauded Lord Narayan for His magnanimity. Truly speaking, this is the ultimate extent of forbearance. This is a huge message for the entire human clan.
Characteristics of a Tolerant Person
Whether he is criticized, whether someone talks rudely to him, or whether he is suffering from some illness, a tolerant person always remains happy. He remains unaffected in unfavorable situations like loss, grief, and difficulty, etc. His speech does not betray the emotions of fear, sorrow, worry, distress, or anxiety. His eyes always emit the gleam of spiritual knowledge, and it never seems that he is upset, annoyed, lonesome, or disconcerted. His actions too never show that something upsetting or unfortunate has happened in his life. His efforts never get affected.
Humility
Humility is also an important virtue of humanity. A mind that is pure possesses the virtue of modesty also. Arrogance is one of the biggest vices of man. God may pardon other vices of man, but He never pardons superciliousness. There have been so many kings in Indian history who have been lusty, irate, greedy, or captivated by delusion, but it is only Ravana whose effigy is burnt every year. Ravana was arrogance personified! Dhritrashtra was erroneous, but nobody remembers him. But Ravana is remembered every year just to remind people that arrogance is the biggest sin; one should guard oneself against it. Staying away from any kind of vanity is the biggest virtue of humanity. Lord Krishna says so in the Gita:
Nirmamo nir-ahankarah sa shantim adhigacchhati
One who is free from pride and attachment achieves eternal peace
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2, Verse 71)
In another reference, He says,
Nirmamo nir-ahankarah sa me priyah
A man devoid of pride and attachment is truly loved by me
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 12, Verse 19)
In the Ramcharitmanas, the following verse comes:
Sansar sool mool pradhana; Sakal sok dayak abhimana
The world is fundamentally rooted in suffering; All sorrows arise from ego
In the Gita, chapter 16, Lord Krishna describes an arrogant person:
“An arrogant person keeps thinking that he has achieved a certain feat and boasts of his capabilities of making other achievements. He boasts of his wealth. He boasts about his accomplishment of having killed an enemy and how he would easily be able to kill others. He feels that he is God and is born to enjoy all the affluence; that he has been endowed with superhuman powers and is most powerful and the happiest. He thinks that he is super-rich, belonging to an affluent family, and that there is no one like him. Such arrogant people end up in the lowest regions of hell. They believe that to gratify the senses is the prime necessity of human civilization and live bounded by a network of hundreds of thousands of desires. These men are guided by their conceit, power, vanity, desires, anger, etc., and they indulge in the denigration of others, and as such, they are unable to appreciate my existence (I, who is the Supreme Being) within themselves and that of other beings. I send such cruel and impious men into the wombs of those with similar demonic natures again and again. They are doomed to reside in the extreme darkness of hell!”
Saints tell us that we must consider ourselves as servants of the servants and stay away from the emotion of being the master. The moment the sentiment of mastership shows its presence in our minds, vanity starts raising its head, and we begin to think that there is no one like us in this whole world. We all know that God resides in everyone. Then, how can anyone be big or small? All humans are equal. Then why this self-conceit? Our aim is to realize God, and arrogance is the biggest hindrance in achieving that goal. So, we must acquire the virtue of humility in ourselves.
Any man who possesses the virtue of humanity is bound to have a mind endowed with the qualities of purity, humbleness, nobility, simplicity, and humility. He would not be in the habit of showing off, dominating others, or belittling them.
We all should understand that we are the children of that Supreme Father; we are a part of that Supreme Being. We are not mere physical beings. As and when we are able to comprehend this fact, it would become next to impossible for the trait of conceit to arise in us. Pride comes with the notion of physical existence. Whatever we have been granted, we must take it as the blessings from the Almighty.
Once we surrender ourselves completely to the Almighty, nothing remains our own.
Fearlessness
The feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger that builds up in a man’s mind is called fear, and a complete lack of that fear is known as ‘fearlessness.’
There are a lot of factors responsible for a man’s fears. The main reasons for fear could be a lack of intellect, a lack of knowledge, a lack of determination, a lack of mental strength, or a lack of divine character in a person. In fact, man does not have complete faith in the all-pervading, omniscient, and omnipotent nature of God. He has forgotten that he too is a part of that Almighty. The being, the soul, has been in numerous bodies earlier and would keep getting newer bodies if it does not attain salvation. The only way to become fearless is by completely surrendering oneself to God. If we surrender ourselves to the Almighty from the core of our hearts, we would become fearless and carefree. There is no other way out. We need to live for God and do our daily worldly duties for Him. The Lord says in the Gita that whosoever remembers Him with utmost dedication, He cares for the well-being of the devotee; i.e., The Lord takes it as His obligation to look after His devotees. Once a man surrenders completely to the Almighty, He obliterates all the sins of His devotee and helps him attain salvation. Then why is there any fear? Fear is due to ignorance and a lack of faith in the Lord Almighty!
Chinta Deendayal ko, mo ko sada anand
Let the compassionate Lord worry; I am always in bliss
When a man is overpowered by vices like lust, anger, affection, greed, and pride, all types of fears trouble him. But if we surrender to the Lord and work for Him, then lust, anger, and greed would not trouble us. Why should we worry? Why should we be scared?
Whatever is destined is bound to happen; then why worry about it? We need to keep working for the Realization of God and remain cheerful.
God is not unjust! Whatever joy or grief we encounter, they are all the result of our own deeds. The Lord says that if we have God’s Realization as our ultimate goal and if we have embarked on that journey already, then we are likely to get human birth in a pious family in our next life.
We are most fortunate since we have the blessings of a complete Guru with us. Even if we miss out on anything, He (the Guru) is there to help and save us. There are millions of such instances where our Reverend Guru Maharaj has come to the rescue of his devotees. I have described some inspiring and miraculous incidents in my book ‘Sakshat Narayana Swaroop, Swami Shri Sudarshanacharya.’ The element of God and Guru is omnipresent.
Fear and anxiety do not change anything; therefore, what good is it to have these feelings? All that we need to do is to do our respected duties diligently and leave the end results to God Almighty; we need not fret and become disheartened over the results. Whatever the outcome, we need to live as its witness because there is nothing much that we can do except for putting in our sincere efforts and striving for the best. Even if we say that we can change the circumstances, it can be done only by concerted effort. So, our deeds should be high in nature and be done with great enthusiasm and perseverance, keeping our complete faith in God Almighty!
Equanimity
Equanimity too is an important virtue of humanity. In the Gita chapter 2/48, Lord Krishna has called equanimity yoga – samatwam yoga uchyate. In yogic scriptures, the act of controlling the instincts of the mind has been called yoga. Lord Krishna has spoken so many shlokas in the Gita relating to equanimity. When Arjuna threw his arms in disgust in the battle of Kurukshetra and said that it would be too big a sin to go to war, at that moment, Krishna explains to him:
Sukh-dukhé same kritva labhalabhau jayajayau,
Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat alike,
Tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam avapsyasi
Then engage in battle; by doing so, you will not incur sin
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2, Verse 38)
So, equanimity is a big virtue of humanity.
One thing that we need to remember is that equanimity can be practiced only in thoughts and not in practical behavior. Eyes are meant for seeing, ears for hearing, and the tongue for talking. It is impossible to have equanimity in their behavior. But the pain felt by the eye, ear, or any other part of the body is the same. You cannot have similar behavior with a peon, a clerk, and an officer as individuals; but as far as humanity is concerned, there is no difference. There should not be any distinction based on sentiments. One cannot behave in the same way with one’s mother, sister, and wife. But as far as sentiments are concerned, there has to be uniformity. The pain and sorrows of a mother, sister, and wife are equal; one cannot differentiate in that. Any such distinction is, in effect, sinful. There has to be equanimity. In today’s world, the reason for domestic conflict is that the essence of equanimity is missing; people tend to get partial and biased. I would like to highlight the point that bringing in equanimity is a very difficult call. But yes, if we consider God as the Supreme Being and realize that He resides in the heart of every individual and is aware of all our thoughts and actions and completely surrender ourselves to Him, the sentiment of equanimity would arise within us gradually on its own. This is one sentiment that cannot be made to arise in us by ourselves; instead, it develops on its own once we completely surrender to the Almighty or to the Satguru.
Determination
It is very important for us to have the trait of determination towards our goal. It is almost impossible to achieve one’s goals without firm and solemn determination.
The day we bring in determination towards our goal of a higher nature, all our vices would instantly vanish. A being’s supreme goal is the Realization of God. Since we are not resolute towards achieving that goal, we are unable to make spiritual progress. We keep getting entangled in the labyrinths of lust, anger, attachment, greed, and pride. The forces of Maya or illusion keep distracting us, getting us tied down to the pains and pleasures of everyday life. In the process, we keep performing some virtuous and some devious acts. And as such, we spend our entire life discharging materialistic duties. When life comes to an end, we become helpless. And then it comes down to:
Ab pachhtaye hot kya jab chidiyan chug gayin khet
What is the use of repenting now when you’ve already lost everything
Therefore, we must develop the trait of firm determination towards our human goal. Once we achieve that determination, we would be able to attain everything. Even in the materialistic world, those who have full determination only succeed. It is a different issue that worldly success is no more than just a dream or a bubble of water. If a man has worldly success but does not take a single step towards the Lord Almighty, his success is actually a sheer failure. We must discharge all our duties only after surrendering ourselves completely to God. Then all our actions would become the form of devotional service – there is no doubt about this. This would make our materialistic life happy and peaceful and would automatically lead us towards spiritual progress. Both of our lives – of this world and the other – would become joyful, peaceful, and blissful.
Renunciation
It is said in the Gita,
Tyagacchantiranantaram
There is instant peace in renunciation
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 12, Verse 12)
What cannot be renounced is our own self and also that which is not related to us. It is like light and heat, which are the basic manifestations of the sun, so they cannot be separated from it, and something that cannot be detached cannot be renounced. On the contrary, it is not possible for darkness and coldness to be separated or sacrificed by the sun because these are not the sun’s manifestations, so their detachment is eternal. So, in reality, anything that is not our own but we falsely consider it to be our own, can only be renounced.
The being is by nature full of consciousness and indestructible, while the world is inert and perishable. Unfortunately, the being forgets its origin, its root – the Almighty – and starts considering this alien land as his own. So, we establish relations with this adopted land. While the things available here have their limits, their sacrifices can be unlimited. The moment one makes a sacrifice, he attains a spiritual element. This spiritual element is beyond the limits of place, time, substance, people, etc. It is due to our attachment to things of limited nature that we are unable to experience that unlimited bliss of the Supreme element.
In the Gita, the word ‘renunciation’ has been used for detaching oneself from the end result of one’s actions. Non-attachment with the result of all our actions results in detachment from the world. This also includes detachment from the results of all our forms of religious activities, such as japa, bhajan, meditation, etc. As long as a person performs bhajan, japa, meditation, etc., for himself as an individual personality, his attachment to the world will remain unchanged, and his bondage will continue. Hence any kind of worship done for one’s own self is also a form of attachment. Therefore, doing anything without any expectation for one’s own self is truly ‘renunciation.’
This world has never been controlled or possessed by anyone. But day and night, we strive towards only attaining this false notion, and sadly, we end up achieving nothing. This is all just an illusion; we get nothing but deceit. Every saint has given this message to us:
Sapna sa ho jawasi, sut dara dhan dham
In this world, son, wife, wealth, and home are all as illusionary and deceptive as a dream. One may have millions or billions or may even become the king of the whole world, but Tulsidasji says that one day we all have to die, and none of this will be of any worth. The kingdom of this world is like a wall of sand, and all kingdoms fall just as they rise
Arab kharab laun sampada, uday asta laun raj;
Tulsi jo nij maran hai, so aawai kehi kaaj
Tulsidas
We have to give up the attachment that we have with worldly things, circumstances, and with near and dear ones. We need not renounce the world. This would be possible only when we get attached to the Almighty. Once we establish attachment with God, our attachment to worldly things ceases to exist; there is no need to make any effort in that respect. The golden rule is:
Hathh kaam mukh Ram hai,
Let your hands be engaged in work, and your mouth in the name of Ram,
Hridaya sanchi preet,
Rajjab sangat sadh ki,
Yahi uttam reet
Keep true love in your heart,
Rajjab says, the best way is to associate with the holy.
Rajjab
True renunciation, therefore, is an attitude of the mind and a way of life, in which we set aside our desires and expectations and let go of all intentional effort and compulsive planning. We let things happen and start identifying ourselves with our spiritual nature. We become aware of our connection with the Divine and Supreme Source, letting all our actions take their course according to the Lord’s will, without fear and anxiety, willfully surrendering to God Almighty.
Maya ko sang tyaga,
Abandon your association with Maya (illusion),
Prabhu joo ki sarana laga
And take shelter in the sanctuary of God
Staying Away From Slander
Staying away from making defamatory statements against others is also a decorous virtue of humanity. Man keeps slandering others, influenced by his jealousy or enmity for them. Why do enmity and jealousy occur? These elements occur because lust, greed, anger, and vanity are comfortably seated within man’s mind. Anybody who appears to be an obstruction to fulfilling his desires, man starts defaming that person. In the same way, guided by his anger, greed, and lust, man keeps derogating others. But the main reason is his pride. Man, steered by his pride, in order to establish himself as having high character or being more virtuous, starts defaming others. A man who indulges in slandering tries to earn praise from others by criticizing a person who is not present there; he wants that person to fall from grace in the perspective of other people. This is a despicable kind of act which takes the slanderer straight to hell. Defaming anybody is against the traits of humanity.
Almost all of us have this atrocious habit of criticizing others. It has become a habit with us to vilify anyone who is not present amongst us, poke fun at him, and enjoy slandering. In this way, we keep piling up sins freely upon ourselves for no reason. So long as we have even the slightest urge to indulge in the joys of vilification, we cannot take even the smallest step towards our very own welfare and spiritual growth. Nobody is flawless in this world. When we ourselves have innumerable vices within us, we just keep making our evilness stronger by remembering and reveling in others’ vices. We should be cautious and stay away from acts of slandering. If we observe any shortcomings in someone, we should tell that person very politely about his shortcomings so that he can realize it and ameliorate himself. It is harmful for us to discuss his shortcomings in his absence. Beware! Slandering is really a big vice of humanity.
We all know that all sounds create vibrations. And these vibrations affect both the speaker and the listener. Soothing, compassionate, and loving words breed togetherness, while harsh speech breeds hatred. And we also know that human speech after our vivek (consciousness) is one of the main factors that differentiates mankind from the rest of the animal kingdom.
Kabirdas, a famous mystic poet, says:
Aisee bani boliyle,
Speak such words that rid the mind of ego,
Mann ka aapa khoye
Auran ko seetal kare,
Aapahu seetal hoye
They should bring coolness to others,
And calmness to yourself
Kabir
Kabirdas, in this doha, crystallizes the power of the spoken word. He teaches us to speak in such a manner that keeps us harmonious and composed, thereby making the listener feel a sense of joy in the communication.
Selfless Service
Selfless service is the best virtue of humanity. Anybody endowed with this virtue automatically acquires all other virtues; and even if something goes amiss somewhere, the Almighty does not pay much attention to that.
A lot has already been written about the virtue of service. Selfless service is the best form of service. The influence of western civilization has made us selfish. It is beyond anybody’s comprehension how much hardship parents go through in raising their children. It is shameful for the way today’s youth are treating their parents. I see so many parents all around me suffering on account of ill treatment by their sons only because they have developed an obsessed type of attachment towards their wives and children. It is a matter of real shame. They try to find faults with their parents. They can’t see any shortcomings in themselves. They don’t see it in themselves because they have become rapacious and selfish. Every day, we read in the newspapers how children show cruelty to their elders, trouble them, and even murder their parents, being blinded by greed and anger; serving them or giving any source of comfort is simply out of the question. Those who cannot serve their parents, what service would they render to others? Anybody who shows cruelty towards his parents is bound to go to hell. It is our duty to give our parents their rights, the wife her rights, the children their rights, and give society its rights. We must fulfill our obligations towards the Lord Almighty. It is only after fulfilling all our obligations that we would rightfully be called humans.
Saints have said a lot about selfless service, but we are perpetually busy recounting ‘me and mine,’ being driven by our selfishness. So, we don’t really pay attention towards service.
I would like to draw the attention of my readers towards the Lord’s message. Lord Krishna has said in the Gita, I cannot be realized by reading Vedas, by performing penance, by doing charity, or by performing yagya. I can be realized by ‘love’ only. Similarly, it has been said in the Ramcharitmanas too:
Sakal sukrit phal Ram sanehu
The ultimate fruit of all good deeds is love for Ram
Tulsidas
All virtuous acts should naturally result in developing love for God. But some people have a heart that does not develop love for God despite their best efforts; they cannot shed a single tear feeling the pain of separation from God. An Urdu poet has said,
Mohabbat ke liye chand dil makhsoos hote hain,
Only a few hearts are destined for love,
Yeh woh nagma hai jo har saaz pe gaya nahin jata
It is a melody that cannot be sung on every instrument
The sentiment the poet is trying to express in this couplet is that “there are a few hearts that are particularized for love; it is a song that cannot be sung with every musical instrument”. Broadly, it means that every heart is not endowed with love. Now, the question is, what should such a man do? Here, the saints say that such a man should perform selfless service towards the welfare of others. The result of selfless service would be the same as one’s love for God. Lord Krishna in the Gita says:
Te prapnuvanti mamnityam sarva-bhuta-hite ratah
Those who are devoted to the welfare of all beings,
They attain me eternally
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 12, Verse 4)
The main purport is that those who are engaged in selfless service for the welfare of all beings are able to realize Me and at last achieve Me.
Remembering God
Remembering means reminiscing! Revered Guru Maharaj ji used to say that his Dharma is recalling the forgotten human goal of God Realization. What Guru Maharaj Ji wished to accentuate was that man has forgotten his goal of realizing God by being tangled in the quirks of illusion and attachment. He used to say that his duty was to remind people of the Supreme Being and their ultimate goal of Godhead Realization.
Whatever is visible to us is all an illusion, it is inert, it is changeable, and it is perishable. Whatever really exists, is not visible to us, while whatever is visible and we think exists, does not actually exist. We have accepted the ‘illusory’ as the truth and have established a loving bond with it; while the True One, that ‘is’, that has always been and would always be, we have forgotten and turned away from Him. Lord Shiva says:
Uma kahoon main anubhav apna, sat hari bhajan jagat sab sapna
Uma, I speak from my own experience; true devotion to Hari is real, while the entire world is a mere dream
Tulsidas
Guru Nanakdev also said:
Baru ki bheet taise vasudha ka raj hai,
The kingdom of the earth is like a wall of sand,
Ram sumir Ram sumir aihi teru kaaj hai
Chant the name of Ram, chant the name of Ram—this is your true duty
Despite being warned constantly by saints, sages, and incarnates that this is a perishable world and that all this is temporary, we are still running after it. We spend our entire lifetime with all our energies in trying to possess this perishable world and its pleasures and, in the end, repent it.
Arab kharab laun dravya hai, uday ast laun raj,
Even if one possesses immense wealth or rules from sunrise to sunset,
Tulsi jo nij maran hai, so aawai kehi kaaj
Tulsi says, when death is inevitable, what purpose does it serve?
Tulsidas
We should not give up the practice of remembering God’s name.
It is rarely that God shows us His generosity and grants us His Divine Grace in this human life. Remembering Him is what our true essence and goal of this human form is all about. We must remember Him at all times. If we let this opportunity slip and go in vain, we do not know when next we would be granted this opportunity and grace again.
A lot of practices and methods are being followed for the Realization of God. You may adopt any practice that you find easy and start moving in the direction of your goal. If there is firm determination and true conviction in and towards your goal, you would definitely be able to achieve them no matter how difficult the road may be. The Lord Almighty says:
Ananya-chetah satatam yo mam smarati nityashah,
O Partha (Arjuna)! the yogi who perpetually remembers and thinks of me without deviation and undividedly remains absorbed in me, to him I am easily available
Tasyaham sulabhah Partha nitya-yuktasya yoginah
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 8, Verse 14)
Total Surrender
If the seeker does not have the sentiments of Poorn Sharanaagati (Total Surrender) towards the Lord Almighty, he would definitely get favorable results of his propitious acts, but these won’t be long-lasting and would soon perish; whereas, those who surrender totally to the Lord Almighty, the favorability of the result of their acts can never be undone. A person who has surrendered himself completely to the Almighty goes straight to the abode of God, where there exists complete peace, joy, and bliss. After this, the whole cycle of life and death comes to an end; wherein the being is saved from going through hell again and again through various births.
Here, I would like to draw the attention of the readers to the message of the Gita. Right in the center of the battlefield, Arjuna threw his bow and said he would not go to battle as that would lead him and his family to extreme hells. Arjuna argued with several logics why he should not go to war. But Lord Krishna tells him that if he goes to war with the sentiment of equanimity, then he would not be committing any sin. He said:
Sukh-dukhe same kritva labha-labhau jaya-jayau;
Treating alike victory and defeat, loss and gain, happiness and distress engage yourself in battle just for the sake of fighting; going to war with this kind of transcendental consciousness, you will incur no sin
Tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam vapsyasi
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2, Verse 38)
Again, Lord Krishna says in the 66th shloka of chapter 18:
Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraj,
Abandoning all varieties of religion and dependency on other belief systems, surrender yourself completely and take refuge in Me alone. I shall liberate and deliver you from all sinful reactions; therefore, grieve not
Aham tva sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami ma shuchah
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 18, Verse 66)
Anybody who wishes to cross the worldly ocean on his own can surely do so, but it is a very arduous route. At every step, there would be illusory obstacles posing as hindrances along the way. Who knows when these negative forces manage to pull you back, making all the efforts to cross the worldly ocean go in vain. Lust, anger, greed, attachment, and pride – these are the various forms of illusion.
History is replete with instances where our sages, even after having practiced religious austerity for thousands of years, got distracted by the forces of Maya (illusion), deviating them from their cherished path. Rishi Vishwamitra did tapa for 60 thousand years, yet the charm of Menaka lured him into attachment. The best and the easiest way to realize God is to take refuge in Him; which means, ‘I am His and He is mine; no one else is mine!’ We must have firm belief in this principle. Whatever deeds we do, they should be devoted only to God, and their results should be left to Him too. Then God would be responsible for the results of all our acts. We would become totally fearless, carefree, and unstressed. Lord Krishna has said the same thing in the Gita, that those who remember Him with total devotion (Naam Simran), He (God Himself) fulfills all their responsibilities. (9/22)
Lord Krishna has mentioned in the Gita several means of Godhead Realization, by following which a man can actually realize Him. But whenever He has talked about the core secret and the most confidential knowledge for realizing Him, He has mentioned the concept of taking refuge in Him only. He says in the last shloka of the eleventh chapter:
Matkarmakrit matparamo madbhaktah sangavarjitah,
He who performs all actions for Me, considers Me the Supreme, is devoted to Me, free from attachment,
Nirvairah sarvabhuteshu yah sa mam eti Pandava
And free from enmity toward all beings, that person, O Pandava (Arjuna), comes to Me
Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 55)
Matkarmakrit means that all the spiritual pursuits, such as the utterance of the Lord’s name, meditation, chanting, good company, study of the sacred texts and scriptures, as well as performing mundane duties according to one’s caste, creed, and stage of life, should all be performed in the state of one-pointedness only for the Lord. We should engage in the Lord’s pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of fruitive activities and mental speculation.
Matparamah means making only God as our supreme goal, our supreme refuge; considering the association of the Lord in His supreme abode to be the highest perfection of life.
Madbhaktah means being only God’s devotee, engaging in His devotional service with the notion that I belong only to God and it is only God who is mine; I do not belong to anyone else, and no one else belongs to me. On developing this kind of sentiment, one automatically develops supreme affection with the Almighty because it is a normal tendency to love someone who is your own. A sense of belonging is supreme in the awakening of love.
Sang-varjitah – if we do all our duties devoted only to God, if we surrender ourselves completely to God, and if we just become the devotee of God, all our attachments, emotions, and passion for this world evaporate. Our relation to this world is guided only by the sentiments of attachment, emotion, and passion. The moment we develop complete affection with God, our attachment to the world regresses drastically. As there is an idyllic saying, “Attach yourself to the detached.”
Nirvairah sarva-bhuteshu yah – the moment one realizes that he is a part of that Supreme Being, his love for God develops on its own. Once this love is born, the attachment for this perishable world decreases drastically. Due to this detachment towards the world and the realization of Almighty all around, the devotee does not feel any animosity towards anybody causing physical harm to him; any amount of physical beating or maltreatment of any kind that may be meted out to him, he does not feel antagonized or provoked against his perpetrator. He accepts it as God’s will. God calls such a devotee ‘Nirvairah sarvabhōteshu.’
Sa mām-eti – It means that such a devotee realizes the Lord!
If we manage to develop the virtue of complete surrender towards the Almighty, all other virtues of humanity become part of our being on their own; and if for some reason we do fall short on some aspect, God takes care of that and sets things right. A man who has taken refuge in the Almighty becomes fearless, stress-free, grief-free, and confident. Such a person attains the true object of his human existence by reaching God Almighty.
In the end, I would like to draw the attention of the readers to one more point. Without regular satsang (listening to Divine discourses), it would not be possible to remain in the state of total surrender for a long time. We need to pay special attention to satsang. Saints have called Maya (Divine illusion) a cheat, while Lord Krishna has mentioned it as ‘difficult to overcome’ in the Gita, mam māyā duratyayā. Satsang works as a shield against the sword of Maya. God Shiva has said so:
Bar bar bar mangao harashi dehu Shrirang
Again and again, I ask with joy, O Shrirang, please grant me,
Pad saroj anpayani bhagati sada satsang
Unwavering devotion to your lotus feet and always the company of the righteous
Lord Shiva prays to Lord Narayana repeatedly that He should bestow upon him the blessings and boon of service of Lord Narayana’s Lotus Feet, his undying devotion for the Lord, and the grace to be in Satsang. We should aspire to have satsang till our last breath. What is ‘Sat’? God’s name is ‘Sat’! Keeping our supreme goal in mind, chanting God’s name, hearing all His sagas in His Divine Forms in different epochs, discussing Him, meditating on Him, performing acts with the sole aim of life to realize Him, keeping the close proximity of realized men, etc., these are all parts of satsang. Keeping the company of non-believers, considering this world as ‘real’ and aspiring to realize it, meditating and concentrating on materialistic issues – all these are called ‘ku-sang’ or being in bad company. If we accept satsang as the essence of our life, we would definitely be able to reach our supreme goal because this would slowly and steadily lead us to acquire all the other virtues of humanity, and all vices of evilness would be eliminated on their own.
Last but not least, Kabirdasji expresses the importance of Satsang as well as of a True Guru for the highest attainment in his couplet below:
Jag lag nahin vivek man, teb lag na teer,
As long as the mind lacks wisdom, the arrow (of realization) does not hit its mark,
Bhavsagar nahin tare, Satguru kahe Kabir
Without it, one cannot cross the ocean of existence, says the True Guru, Kabir
Kabir
Kabirdasji says that one cannot attain salvation until one gets the wisdom, wisdom meaning the right perspective, the correct knowledge. And this wisdom of God Realization, which helps to cross this materialistic world, can only be attained with the Divine Grace of a Satguru (God Realized Guru).
Summary
The article emphasizes the crucial role of mind purification in achieving spiritual enlightenment and reuniting the soul with the Supreme Soul, God Almighty. It argues that the mind, often filled with vanity, attachment, and worldly desires, is the biggest obstacle to spiritual progress. Purifying the mind through practices like satsang (spiritual discourse), Smaran (constant remembrance of God’s name), and selfless service is essential for spiritual success. The article highlights the importance of cultivating virtues such as humility, simplicity, compassion, and truth, which are necessary for purifying the mind and achieving a life of peace, joy, and ultimate union with the Divine.
Furthermore, the article discusses how attachment to worldly pleasures leads to sorrow, while detachment and devotion to God bring peace and salvation. It emphasizes that true spiritual progress requires not only the rejection of worldly desires but also the adoption of a life centered on spiritual practices and total surrender to God. The virtues of humanity guide individuals toward the Almighty, and by embracing these virtues, one can purify the mind, overcome the cycle of life and death, and achieve spiritual liberation.
Important Points:
- The mind is the main obstacle to spiritual progress due to vanity, attachment, and worldly desires.
- Purification of the mind is essential for achieving spiritual enlightenment and union with God.
- Practices like satsang, Smaran, and selfless service help in purifying the mind.
- Attachment to worldly pleasures leads to sorrow, while detachment brings peace and salvation.
- Cultivating virtues such as humility, simplicity, compassion, and truth is crucial for spiritual growth.
- Total surrender to God is necessary for fearlessness, peace, and spiritual liberation.
- Religious rites calm the mind and help it achieve oneness with God.
- The mind, not the body or wealth, is central to selfless service and spiritual devotion.
- The mind carries attachments from one life to another, influencing the soul’s journey.
- The realization of God requires the rejection of worldly attachments and complete devotion.
- Non-violence, truth, and patience are key virtues in the path of spirituality.
- Fearlessness comes from complete faith and surrender to God.
- Equanimity and determination are essential traits for spiritual progress.
- Renunciation of worldly desires and attachment is necessary for spiritual liberation.
- Regular satsang is crucial for maintaining spiritual focus and purifying the mind.
