The only duty of an army soldier is to serve the nation. Attack the enemy, defend yourself, and defend the nation; that is your duty. You are not a common man sitting in the home performing devotion. You are the national soldier protecting the nation—the spiritual principle changes for you. According to place, one’s capability, rights, and position, spiritual instructions change. If you are retired and stay home, instructions will be different. However, if you are posted, even basic spiritual etiquette like eating or bathing regulations will not apply to you.
In service of the nation, you are ready to offer your life; there is no bigger worship than this. The one who can sacrifice their life is called a worshipper. The rules and regulations about food are in place to purify the mind. We don’t need the purity of your intellect; your intellect needs viciousness. Definitely, chant Ram, Krishna, Hari, or whatever name you like, and run and kill the enemy. For that, whatever diet is provided to you, whichever situation you are put in by the government, following that, that is your worship. You sacrifice your lives; nobody can be equal to you.
Right Way Of Worship for Those In Armed Forces
Just like a saint renounces his life through meditation and aspires to the welfare of others, you, tolerating every pain, bear the responsibility of protecting our entire nation. Your chanting and meditation is to shoot.
Arjun in Bhagavad Gita says, I will be a renunciant, beg and eat, but I shall not fight. God instructed Arjun to perform his duty, which was the greatest devotion for Arjun. Stand up, Arjun, hold your bow and kill them all. That’s it. We don’t need a kind heart of a national soldier. The devotion that saints get through kindness, you will get through cruelty. To attack the enemy viciously, keeping your life at stake and destroying them is your spiritual practice. If you live or die, you will get salvation because you are chanting God’s name and offering your life to the nation. There is no doubt about this; I am speaking this from the scriptures.
Should Soldiers Be Less Sociable For Spiritual Advancement?
We must learn to hide the qualities we have within. In behaviour, one must be such that no one can identify who you are. However ecstatic or disturbed you may be, you have to smile and talk. Learn to push it down and don’t show the symptoms of devotion in day-to-day dealings; behave very normally. Outwardly, you smile; however, you chant Radha Radha from within.
Jo Rahim uttam prakriti, ka kari sakat kusang
Saint Rahim
Chandan vish vyapat nahi, lapte rahat bhujang
Stay amongst everyone, smiling and joking, but from within, chant Radha Radha. No one should know that you are very serious, principled, and perform devotion. There is a difference in instructions. When I instruct the saints, I will not tell them this. We will tell the saints something and something different to the householders: you are neither; you are a national hero.
However, wherever you feel that you may get corrupt, protect yourself. The lotus is born and stays in the water; if you pick it up and see, you will find it completely untouched by water; this is how the supreme is attained. Don’t get defeated by either the outer or the inner enemy. There is training to not get defeated by the external enemy and to not get defeated by the internal enemy; the name of God and Satsang is there. Don’t be scared. Neither in spirituality nor in worldly life, live like a lion.
I am Too Busy To Serve God, Will I Attain Him?
Is Mother India not God? If you will keep them separate, it will become a problem. You will feel like leaving the service and becoming a saint. That is not good for you. You are the pillar of the nation. We are all placed in different societal positions, and that is what makes our nation. Saints, through penance and kirtan, are balancing this, and then you are, through exercise and different activities, keeping your body strong and placing it into serving the nation.
We have received different services: this is my service, and that is yours. When we both complete our services and stand before God, He will accept us both. Please accept this as the truth.
Mood While Doing Your Duty And Service
God gave Arjuna the instructions of the Gita: to surrender whatever you do to Me.
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi
Bhagvad Gita 12.6
mayi sannyasya mat-parāḥ
ananyenaiva yogena
māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate
We should also be in this mood: Dear God, you have given me this position of a national soldier; therefore, in whatever capacity I can, I will remember you. With whatever means I have to live, I am living. However, all this service is for you. You are my nation; you are my bravery. Dear God, please accept it. If we have this mood while doing our duties, we will certainly attain God.
Attaining God is considered difficult because we don’t tread the right path. Your duty is your worship. There is no restriction in chanting the name of God. We can chant Radha Radha, Krishna Krishna from within. Your heart and intellect should meditate on defeating the enemy. The chanting is happening, and you have the weapon in your hand. You are ready to sacrifice your life at each step; if this is not penance, what is?
Original Question – I am in the Armed forces and cannot follow the rules related to chanting and dietary regulations. What is my spiritual duty?
Answered by – Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Ji Maharaj
Answered on 25.02.2024
