We need a disciplining authority. In the gross realm, the rulers are the parents, Guru, scriptures and society. This is the system of governance. The ones who are a bit spiritual are scared to go against the scriptural injunctions. If the scriptures state that a certain act must not be done, they feel scared and feel they are doing something wrong. They feel that they are violating the instructions of the scriptures. A staunch believer can have such a mindset. He thinks, I have accepted Guru, accepted the saints as my own, and am going against their orders.
And then those in the lower stream of consciousness think, what will the society say? The rule of the parents, the rule of the society, the rule of the scriptures and guru. It is a matter of internal regulation. Intelligence rules our entire being. It chastises us sometimes when we go wrong but also gives us wrong advice many times. Our disciplinary department is weak. This means our intellect is wrong. The intellect that makes the body and its bodily pleasures its life is inferior. And, the intellect that accepts God as one’s is superior and capable. The capability comes as soon as we accept God as our own. Accepting God as your own from within will make you competent.
How To Become Intelligent?
Chant the name of God, recite the pastimes of the lord, and then do some recitation of God’s pastimes. Consider yourself belonging to God; then, your intellect will begin purifying. A purified intellect will burn you to ashes from within; stepping wrongly will set your heart on fire. You will have to admit your mistake, even when you are alone — realising and promising yourself that you will never make this mistake again. That is when it will leave you at peace. That is when your mind and senses will start functioning properly again.
Our internal governance department is our intellect, and our outward governance department is the society – Guru, Saints, Shastra and parents. We need both departments in our lives. The one who is not scared of society becomes a demoniac. The one who does not obey the scriptures, Guru and saints’, his intellect becomes dull. Reflecting on the instructions of the parents and Guru is an excellent thing. Therefore, I feel that we must take the shelter of God, be in line with the scriptural injunctions, and chant the name of God. Then we will be blessed. Otherwise, nowadays, people demand freedom, stating they have a human life, are free, and cannot accept anyone’s rule. This person is a slave of lust, and he speaks of freedom, a slave of pleasures; he is declaring that I am free.
How Should a Disciplined Person Live Life?
The mind may say anything. If your parents, guru, or the scriptures mention not drinking alcohol, eating meat, or lacking character, you can’t do it because they have authority over you. If you make mistakes today, you will be chastised at home; how will you face God tomorrow? You should be scared. But nowadays, we neither listen to God, the saints, or even our intellect. Even if it advises correctly, our impure mind places the intellect in a corner and behaves arbitrarily.
So, for our intellect to become purified, we must chant the name of the Lord. Keep chanting the name of God and fear that someone is watching us. Understand this point; we think life is a closed room, and no one is watching; well, someone is watching, the One who has His jurisdiction everywhere. God is everywhere.
A Story On Intelligence In Action
Two individuals went to request initiation from a Guru. They were given two watermelons. They were instructed to cut them at a place where no one was watching and bring them back. One of them went and cut it, and brought it back within an hour. The other one, however, came back by evening and returned the uncut melon and the knife.
The Guru asked the first disciple, how did you return so quickly? He responded that I went to a cave behind the mountain. No one was seen around, so I cut it and brought it. Guru asked the other one. He responded, wherever I went, I felt that God was watching me. The day, the sun, the directions, the earth, and God were watching. I could not find any such place where no one was watching. That’s why I couldn’t carry out the instructions. Guru replied that you are eligible to become a disciple and told the other to enjoy the melon.
When we are not scared of God, we sin. A closed room with no one or an empty, abandoned place – No! That time also, the one who will judge you, the one capable of punishing you, is watching you; if you accept this, you will never be able to sin. But people do not believe this. Its not that no one believes in it, but only those that worship God, they are scared to do wrong.
The anecdote of Sadan Kasai
Sadan was born into the butcher clan but performed a lot of devotion. Once, He went on a pilgrimage to see Lord Jagannath Ji on foot. The lady of the house where he went to seek alms looked at Him. She said I desire that you eat here. He agreed, this was the first mistake he made. The scriptures command that one must beg from five houses, that too outside the door. It is prohibited for the saints to enter the house. She also said that it’s a long journey, so why not stay at our house tonight? Another mistake had been made. An ascetic must never sleep on the beds of a householder.
At night, the woman came to him because she felt impure and expressed her feelings. He said that your feelings are irreligious since you have a husband. A person blinded by lust can do anything. She killed her husband. He was shocked and was still not ready to fulfil her desires. She said I will make noise and get you killed if you do not satisfy my desires. He said death is acceptable but not wrong conduct.
She started screaming. We let this saint stay for the night, but he molested me. When my husband started protesting, he killed my husband and is now trying to molest me. The villagers beat him and took him to the king. The king ordered both his hands to be cut off and he should released alive. He left for Jagannath ji. He went in front of Jagganath ji and said, you know everything. As soon as he tried to bring his hands together to offer prayers to the Lord, new hands grew. The body became strong, healthy and lustrous.
Conclusion
A person following religious principles may look like going down in life. But, they can never go down. The one who takes shelter from God, his intellect becomes strong; Sadan had no religiosity even when death was approaching. It was the time of death, people could have killed him, the king could have ordered a death sentence. Discipline can only be accepted by someone who has taken the shelter of God, scriptures, and devotees and whose intellect is pure. Otherwise, how can the mind accept governance? The mind is quite unruly. It doesn’t understand even after being explained thousands of times. If you are under the shelter of God, only then can you understand.
Original Question – I lack self-discipline in life; what should I do?
Answer by – Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Ji Maharaj
Answered on – 01.02.2024
