Fifth Discourse
Page Two

Chinta
Worry

Worry--Oh how I love that word! There are 2 aspects to the word 'worry'.

One is: "I put in so many efforts, and yet I am perturbed by negative tendencies!"

Gaadhitanay man chinta vyaapi
Hari bin marahi na nisichar paapi

Which means that without God's help, demons and/of worry cannot be destroyed.  Vishwamitra tried so hard to stop the Rakshasas (demons) from disturbing him. When all his efforts turned to naught, he took to the penance of 'Nisaadhanta', which means that he dropped all means, and took his problem and worry to the Lord.  Vishwamitra's worry did not drop until Sri Ram's Grace befell upon him. The above is one aspect of worry.

The second aspect of worry is: The aspirant may not succeed in his efforts--and he stops worrying about it---but he does not stop worrying about his Beloved, about the Lord!

When the inhabitants of Ayodhya failed to have Sri Ram crowned king, when they wanted, they wished that they should die only after they witness the coronation of Sri Ram and Seeta.  The pilgrim of the Nisaadhan path worries about his ' Thaakur' (Lord,God).  Shrimad Vallabh makes tremendous arrangements for the comfort of His Lord.  During winter dry sticks are burnt to keep Him warm, and during summer fans are arranged!

You must have heard of the katha of Surdasji and Tulsidasji. Both were great personalities! Once they were sitting together when a wild elephant passed from there.  Someone shouted 'Run, or you will be trampled by the elephant!' Surdasji who was blind, ran, while Tulsidasji remained seated. The elephant circled peacefully around the saint, and went on his way. People were astonished. Five minutes later people brought Surdasji back.  Tulsidasji asked him "Do not feel bad about it, but do clear my doubts. I saw that the elephant was wild yet I did not move, How come you ran?"

Surdasji replied, "For you it was not necessary to run as your 'Ishta' (personal deity) is Sri Ram who always carries a bow and arrow and so is bound to protect you. But my 'Ishta' is Baby Krishna. Since He is a baby I have to worry and protect Him!"

Shrimad Vallabh says: " Worry about your 'Ishta". The gopis worried about Sri Krishna. They told Udhav, "We do not desire Krishna, we are simple folk, try and understand us. We just want him to be happy and healthy wherever He may be".

Pita sakal bhupaal
Sasur bhaanukul bhaanu

Bharatji worried that Sri Seetaji's father and father-in -law were both such powerful personalities, yet She had to undergo such difficulties!  Bharatji never worried for himself. His concern was for Sri Ram who was wandering in the forest, bare-footed. What if a thorn were to pierce His feet and cause Him pain?

Chinta (worry) is the second state of the Nisaadhan pilgrim, where his heart worries and throbs in pain for his beloved, his 'Ishta' his Lord!

Smaran
Remembrance

The third stage for the pilgrim of the 'Nisaadhan' path is 'Smaran' (remembrance).  This is not in fact a stage but a state.

To make an effort to try to remember the Lord's name is a means, because for that, the pilgrim would have to sit in a certain posture, pick up the 'mala' (rosary) and count the amount of times he completes the round.  The fact is that to truly remember the Lord you do not require the above props.  When your son goes to a foreign country, do you pick up the rosary to remember him?  His mother will suddenly recall him while bathing, or cooking, or watering plants, and she may suddenly burst into tears!  So remembering is a 'state of being' which sometimes manifests itself in the form of tears or words!

Simran kiya nahin jaata, ho jaata hai

Which means that one does not have to make an effort to remember, remembrance just happens! But this type of remembrance becomes possible only when the aspirant feels tremendous love for the Lord, and when that happens then the stream flows both ways, then the Lord also remembers you with the same intensity!

Udhav mohi Braj bisrat naahi

Which means that Krishna says to His friend Udhav, "I just cannot forget Vraj"

Jaasu naam sumirat ek baara
Utarahi nar Bhav-sindhu apaara
Sumir Pavan-sut paavan naamu
Apne bas kari rakhei Raamu

Which means that who-so-ever thinks of the Lord, even for an instant, is ferried across the Ocean of Samsara (conflicts and delusions) and whoever thinks of Hanumanji, will be protected by Sri Ram Himself.

Ram Ram Raghunaath japat
Shravat nayan jal jaat

The above was the state of Sri Bharatji when Hanumaanji returned to Ayodhya with news of victory. Bharatji's eyes burnt, (was in constant pain) as he yearned for Sri Ram. So as I was saying, the third state is 'smaran' or remembrance. Even 'smaran' has a small branch. The 10 states of 'Nisaadhanta' are evident in the lives of Bharatji and Sutikshana. I shall explain to you in more details about the above when I take up the subject again, since now I am pressed for time.

See, my brothers and sisters, merely chanting the Lord's name may be a dry business, but remembering Him cannot be. If you plant a seed and you do not water it, it will not flower. Similarly when your eyes do not fill up with tears when thinking of the Lord, then your 'chanting' will not flower into 'remembrance'.

Asuvan jal seench seench
Prem bel boi

Meera says that she achieved the flower of love, by watering the seed constantly with her tears.
The Lord's field becomes ready when it is watered with a devotee's tears. But  sometimes it so happens that the pilgrim gets tired and he feels:  Mo sam koun kutil khal kaami.   Which means: "Who can be worse than me, I, who am sinful and full of short-comings?"  It is good to think of your faults, but do not feel defeated. You should rather bring your focus on the qualities of the Lord, on the fact that He is merciful.

The gopis never felt the need to pick up a rosary in their hands. Maybe those were different times when life was purer. You should do your chanting with the help of the mala (rosary), but you pray that your 'jap' (chanting) should convert to constant 'smaran' (remembrance) of Him. Tears should flow!

So the first state of a Nisaadhan pilgrim was 'Abhilaasha' (desire), the second state was 'Chinta' (worry), and the third was 'Smaran' (remembrance).

Guna kathan
Speaking the praises of the Lord

Ramahi sumiriya
Gaayee-ai Rama
Santat suneeya Ram guna gaana

Which means 'Think of the Lord, sing of the Lord, hear of the Lord, speak of the Lord.'

When you think of the various incidents in the Lord's Incarnation, then you will think of Him in everything that you do. Without Him, nothing should please you. That is how this fourth state of 'Guna kathan' should be like.

Think : My Lord is All Powerful and He can do everything, He looks after everyone, so would He not look after me? The Lord is achieved by people with knowledge, people who have renounced, so would He not take care of me, who like a child, knows and does nothing?'

'Guna kathan' is not only speaking of the Lord...you may sing, you may intellectualize, like a child you may speak in child language, if you know Sanskrit and are a scholar, that is fine, and if you are a simple villager, it does not matter, if you are the silent type, then pray in silence. The Lord listens and understands every state and prayer.