The power of prayer – 2017

First of all, i wish all of you a happy, healthy, prosperous, productive new year 2017!

I will start my talk with a story narrated by Swāmĩ Chinmayānanda. The story goes like this. There was a unique kingdom which had a unique rule. And that rule was, anyone can become the King of that kingdom and rule that, assisted by Ministers - informed capable ministers - and officers, any person can discharge his duties and also enjoy all the powers and privileges of a King. He can rule the kingdom for five years. The catch was that, after enjoying power for five years, he will be banished from the kingdom and sent to a huge forest in the neighbourhood. A forest, on reaching which, he can never escape; because it was so vast. He cannot go to the other side nor can he come back to the kingdom also; because, in between there was a very wide and deep river, with all kinds of crocodiles and sharks.

That meant, he will have to live in the wild forest, infested with wild animals. That meant, only death will be his lot. Now, the citizens alone had to decide whether to become the King or not. When one looked only at the enjoyments, one felt like becoming the King. But, when one thought about the later situation, one did not feel like. So, many did not desire to become the King. But, some people became King and decided to enjoy thoroughly. They enjoyed all the advantages during those years. But, what happened was, as the fifth year approached, they were mentally in the forest only. As the final days came closer and closer, they became tense; became worried; and on the last day, they pleaded with the ministers - 'can you extend it for one more day?’. Or, 'why do you send me to the forest? Why cannot you give me a small place in some corner of the Kingdom?' - they used to plead and scream. But, the ministers were very strict with the rule. On the last day, even as the King screamed, the boatmen took the King across the river to the forest. This went on for long.

Then came an intelligent King. He also ruled the Kingdom very well, thoroughly enjoying all the benefits of a King. But they found this King was a unique and different one; because, when the fifth year came, unlike all other Kings, this King was thoroughly enjoying. He did not seem to worry about the terrible forest. They were all surprised. They did not know the secret. And came the last day. Generally, on the last day, the King will plead with the ministers. But this King did not do any such thing. In fact, he was thanking all the ministers and saying 'good bye'. When he came out, the boatmen came to drag him, as with others. But, this King said, 'do not touch me. I am coming by myself. Why should you drag me?' The boatmen also was surprised! The King got into the boat and continued to be very, very cheerful. The boatmen could not resist their curiosity and so asked, 'how come you are so cheerful?' The King answered, 'I knew that anyway after five years I will be sent away to the forest. But, when I was the King, I had all the powers. So, during those five years - while I enjoyed the kingdom and its powers - I made a small Kingdom carved out of the huge forest. I used those five years to make another Kingdom, where everything has been set. Buildings are there. Even people who wanted to migrate to that Kingdom I have sent. Its Constitution also has been framed. Ministers are there. Officials are there. And this new Kingdom will have a new King. Do you know who it is? It is myself! Because I have made the Kingdom, who else will be the King? Therefore, I am entering this new Kingdom. And I am going to be coronated tomorrow. All my new ministers will now be waiting to welcome me!"

Therefore, what is intelligence? Intelligence is, while enjoying the present Kingdom preparing for the future. Every human being is like a King of that Kingdom. Human being is given a Kingdom, called yauvana sāmrājayam. The kingdom of youth. During which time, we have got all the powers. All the privileges. All independence. We have got physical strength. Fitness. All faculties are at our disposal. We can thoroughly enjoy. We can do whatever we want to. But, we can rule the yauvana sāmrājayam only for some time. Not five years; maybe 20 or 30. But, after a few years of this youth, every human being will be banished. Banished means, what? We will lose the Kingdom, called youth. And, we will be banished into the huge forest. The forest is called vārdhakya vanam. vārdhakyam means, what? Old age. vanam means, a forest - in which we will lose all our powers. Our privileges. Our faculties. Everything will be lost. And there will be all kinds of wild animals - in the form of degenerative diseases. We do not know which wild animal will attack from which direction; and, whether we will survive the attack or not!   

Since everyone will have the yauvana sāmrājayam followed by vārdhakya vanam we have all got a choice. We can be like the unintelligent Kings of our Kingdom, thoroughly enjoy the youth forgetting the vārdhakya vanam. As the time for vārdhakya vanam comes, we are dreaded by the prospects of old age. So, we can enter the forest with a fearful mind; or, we can be like the intelligent king of the story. We are so intelligent that we thoroughly enjoy the youth and at the same time we prepare for the vārdhakya vanam, by converting that also into a Kingdom, so that, instead of being fearful of it, we can be cheerful! So, fearful entry in to vārdhakya vanam or cheerful entry into vārdhakya vanam depends upon our own preparation only.

‘What should be the preparation?' “And when should the preparations start? Remember, it took the King 5 years to build the Kingdom. Therefore, for us the preparation should start when? When we are young!

॥ yāvatsvstamidaṁ śarīramarujaṁ yāvajjarā dūrato yāvaccēndriyaśaktirapratihatā yāvatkṣayō nāyuṣaḥ | ātmaśrēyasi tāvadēva viduṣā kāryaḥ prayatnō mahān saṁdiptē bhavanē tu kūpakhananaṁ pratyudhyamaḥ kīdr̥ṣaḥ || 75 || [bhartṛhareḥ vairāgya-śatakam]

As long as this body is healthy and free of infirmity, as long as senility is distant, as long as the faculties have not lost their vigor, as long as life is not enfeebled, till then should the wise ones make great efforts to reach the supreme goal of life. For what is the use of digging a well when the house is on fire? When the house is on fire suppose you are trying to dig a well in Chennai - during 2017, rain failure year, how foolish it is! Even when you build a house, you have the fire extinguisher. Similarly, the preparation must start young. The question is what is the preparation? The answer is given by all our scriptures. And, Lord kṛṣṇā in the bhagavad gĩtā tells in an important ślokā of the second chapter [gĩtā 2.27]

 jātasya hi dhruvō mr̥tyurdhruvaṁ janma mr̥tasya ca | tasmādaparihāryē:'rthē na tvaṁ śōcitumarhasi || 2-27||

Kṛṣṇā uses a very important word - APARIHĀRYAḤ ARTHAH. ̣ aparihāryaḥ arthaḥ means, helpless situation. Every living being, in general; and, every human being, in particular, will confront certain situations in life - which are unavoidable and irremediable. Such unavoidable and irremediable situations are called aparihāryaḥ arthaḥ. Choice less situations or helpless situations. We do not say all situations are helpless situations. bhagavān has given us lot of powers. We have a freewill. We have got resources. We can try to avoid unpleasant situations by taking precautions. And we do have remedies also for many unpleasant situations. We do not say all situations are aparihāryam; but, there will be some situations which are aparihāryam, choice less. Every human being will have to confront those situations, even when one is young. But, the thing is, during young age, may be helpless situations are less. And as one grows older and older, most of the situations or many situations will become helpless. It can even be a simple task like getting up! As I said, even sitting down and getting up may become a project. Many things which we took for granted can become almost impossible tasks. Therefore, if I should confront helpless situations later, I should strengthen myself mentally for going through such situations, with a mind which can enjoy calmness, cheerfulness and confidence. CCC mind. A mind which can go through the situations without despair, without dejection, without disillusionment, without depression DDDD. (So many Ds!) I cannot do anything to the situation. Why? The situation itself is choice less. Therefore, without all these problems if I have to go through such situations and survive, I can do something to the mind only.

The only intelligent thing that I can do is, mind-empowering. Mind-charging exercises I should do. By those I make the mind strong enough to go through such situations and maintain CCC - calmness, cheerfulness and confidence. According to our scriptures, our minds are like rechargeable batteries. So, we can charge the mind and confront situations. And, as we go through situations, the charge gets discharged. Since it is like a re-chargeable battery, again what do you do? Re-charge like our cell phones! When you cannot change the situation, we have to charge the mind.

mātrāsparśāstu kauntēya śītōṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ | āgamāpāyinō:'nityāstāṁstitikṣasva bhārata || 2-14||

titikṣasva means, toughen your mind so that aparihārye'rthe na tvaṃ śocitum arhasi. titikṣasva na śocitum arhasi - go through them without despair. Without dejection. Okay, how do you charge the mind? You know how to charge the electrical gadgets or batteries, by fixing them to the power house, connecting them to the power source.  Similarly, when the mind gets disturbed, announcement comes. What is that? 'Connect to the power house; otherwise, you will be out of power!' Now, the question is, what is the power house? And kṛṣṇā Himself answers - with regard to the charging of the mind, there is only one power house. And that power house is, that which has created the entire universe; the omniscient, omnipotent power; the cause of the universe - bhagavān alone is the only power house. Without connecting to that, you can never make the mind CCC. All our scriptures define bhagavān in several words. But, two words are significant. In fact, we can use those two words to charge the mind. One word is 'anantaḥ'. ̣' anantaḥ means, the infinite one. The limitless one. Another word is 'bhagavān'. bhagavān means - "bhagaḥ asya asti iti bhagavān" - that one which has got six resources in infinite measure.  These are  aiśvaryasya samagrasya vĩryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ jñāna-vairāgyayoścaiva ṣaṇṇāṃ bhaga itĩraṇā" - (viṣṇu purāṇa 6.5.47).

aiśvaryammeans, mastery. Mastery over the situation. Not being over powered by any situation. That is called over lordship or aiśvaryam. Then, vĩryam means, the courage to say that, 'I am capable' and 'I am ready to go through any choice less situation'. If I should have the courage to say that, I should get that courage from the infinite vĩryam. Infinite vĩryam is where? In bhagavān. So, vĩryasya. These two are important for us - aiśvaryam and vĩryam. Never being over powered by situation is aiśvaryam. vĩryam means, that inner courage that i can confront any situation. I can face my old age without fear and tension. Then, the other four are, yaśaḥ is fame. śriyaḥ is wealth. jñānam is knowledge. vairāgyam is detachment.

For us, two of them are relevant. aiśvaryam and vĩryam. That bhagavān becomes the power house, by connecting with which, I draw energy. That process of connecting the mind to bhagavān is called bhakti or called prārthanā or prayer. And kṛṣṇā prescribes prayer as the method of regular charging of the battery every day; so that, at the end I can say, 'I am capable and ready to face any situation!'

So, make the mind an ever ready battery, by regularly charging it in the morning, by connecting the mind to the power house. The prayer can be any form. kāyika prayer is physical pũjā. vācika prayer is verbal pũjā - like recitation etc. mānasa prayer is mental prayer. Among them, Lord kṛṣṇā says, the best prayer is - "yajñānāṃjapayajño'smi". [gĩtā 10.25]. japa means, what? mantra āvṛttiḥ. And, what is the best mantrā for charging the mind? The best mantrā is, "oṃ namo bhagavate anantāya". Bhagavān and anantaḥ. bhagavān means, the source of infinite aiśvaryam and vĩryam. anantaḥ means, the infinite source of infinite power. If we chant any mantrā, especially this mantrā, any number of times, we are connecting the mind with the power house. While chanting, the sańkalpa is very important. What is the sańkalpa? 'I want the mind to face helpless situations'. And therefore, the sańkalpa is not for external changes. It is not for getting something or getting rid of something. That is not my aim. My aim is, empowering the mind; charging the mind. To confront what situation? aparihārya artha - helpless situations. The helpless situation may be a minor situation like a traffic jam at the end of this program. And, you feel irritated, start to chant: 'oṃ namo bhagavate anantāya'. 'oṃ namo bhagavate anantāya'. Let me be calm and quiet. I am trapped in a jam; until that person removes the wrongly parked car, for it is a helpless situation. Screaming cannot solve the problem; because, that person has gone for a tea. Thus, from minor traffic jam, it can be anything. An incurable disease; or, it may be being bed-ridden in old age. We do not know what can happen. There is no predictability. Life is unpredictable and often uncontrollable. Helpless situations galore. If I have to face them and maintain CCC, the only way is, I have to strengthen the mind. Thus, 'oṃ namo bhagavate anantāya' I chant. And, at the end of that japa, I repeat the sańkalpa, my aim. It is called sańkalpaḥ; because, I have got faith in GOD. The whole thing is, faith-based. I have got faith in GOD. I have connected my mind with GOD through the japa, 108 times, 1008 times etc. That means, at the end of the japa, I have charged my mind. Now, I tell myself, 'because of the charged mind, I am now strong. I am capable and I am ready for any blessed situation'. This is called sańkalpa śakti. From the sańkalpa śakti of ĩśvarā, I borrow sańkalpa śakti to my own mind. And I tell, 'I am ready for that'. And when I do this auto suggestion at the end of this japa, you will find that I get an energised personality! I can go out and face any situation. And, the amount of energy that I draw is directly proportional to the degree of śraddhā or faith I have.

mantrē tīrthē dvijē daivē daivajñē bhēṣajē gurau yādr̥śī bhāvanā yatra siddirbhavati tādr̥śī II - samayōcitapadyamālikā Meaning of the subhAShita: 

Mantras, piligrimages, brahmanas (knower of Brahman), deities, seekers/knowers of God, doctors, teachers - their usefulness (to us) will be proportional to the faith we put in them. Even when I take a medicine from a doctor, the benefit I get is directly proportional to my śraddhā in the doctor. Suppose, in the beginning itself I say, 'he is useless' then even the best doctors in the world cannot cure me. There are so many systems. But, we must have trust in one doctor or the other. They have also found that if we have got faith in the doctor, even a dummy medicine - a medicine which is not a medicine, cures! That is called placebo effect.

Thus, even real medicine would not work if we do not have śraddhā. But, dummy medicine will work if we have got śraddhā! Mind has got the unique faculty of utilising the śraddhā.

Lord kṛṣṇā says, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa | aprāpya māṁ nivartantē mr̥tyusaṁsāravartmani || 9-3||

Have śraddhā in the power house. Have śraddhā in the prayer and start. You will find, you are able to face even difficult situations with minimum scars. We will be able to maintain a calm, cheerful, confident and courageous mind. In life situations if we practice this when we are young, we are ready for our old age. So, this is the remedy given by Lord kṛṣṇā. This is called japa or bhakti. bhakti-based strengthening of the mind. But, our scriptures point out that, ĩśvarā should not be purely based on śraddhā only. Initially you start your life with ĩśvara śraddhā, for strengthening the mind. But later, you should come to ĩśvara jñānam; because, faith-based ĩśvarā is always weak. It can be shaken by any one, by challenging. Especially, nowadays, the modern science is asking all our children, 'to have the spirit of enquiry. The spirit of questioning. Do not believe anything. Accept something only after getting the evidence'.

‘What is the evidence for the existence of GOD?' - becomes a very big question. The modern scientist questions and says, 'there is no evidence for the existence of GOD'. And, all the other religions stop with śraddhā. But, our scriptures say, 'never stop with śraddhā. From ĩśvara śraddhā, we have to go to ĩśvara jñānam'.

We have got a portion in our scripture, which is dedicated to ĩśvara jñānam. The first portion of our scriptures, veda pũrva bhāga, focuses on ĩśvara śraddhā or parokṣa jñānam. Whereas, the veda anta bhāga or the upaniṣad concentrates on ĩśvara jñānam. Everyone will have to come to jñānam one day or the other. Until then, may you lead your life based on śraddhā.  

I will just summarise the approach of vedānta. It solves this problem regarding the evidence for the existence of GOD, not in a direct manner; but, in an indirect manner, by giving an equation. The central teaching of vedāntā or upaniṣad is a profound equation, called mahā vākyam. What is that profound, mind boggling equation? It says, bhagavān - whom one has been worshiping all the time with bhakti - that bhagavān is equal to bhaktaḥ. bhagavān = bhaktaḥ.

There is one sentences, 'soham' =saḥ aham. saḥ means, what? bhagavān. aham means, what? bhaktaḥ. soham mantrā means, BHAGAVĀN EVA BHAKTAH.̣ BHAKTAḤEVA BHAGAVĀN. That is the profound equation. In fact, they chant this mantrā every day before the pũjā, with an intention that we have to discover this equation later.

dēhō dēvālaya: prōkta: sajīva: kēvala: śiva:| tyajēdajñāna-nirmālyaṁ sō:'haṁbhāvēna pūjayēt||

Therefore, vedānta talks about the equation, bhagavān = bhakta. There is no difference between bhagavān, the creator of the universe and bhaktā, the observer of the universe, the experiencer of the universe. In English, this is called, creator-observer equation.

adṛṣṭo draṣṭāśrutaḥ śrotāmato mantāvijñato vijñātā I nānyo 'to 'sti draṣṭā nānyo 'to 'sti śrotā nānyo 'to 'sti mantā nānyo 'to 'sti vijñātā I - [bṛhadāraṇyaka] .४॥ sa ya ēṣō:'ṇimaitadātmyamida sarvaṁ tatsatya sa ātmā tattvamasi śvētakētō iti bhūya ēva mā bhagavānvijñāpayatviti tathā sōmyēti hōvāca || 6.9.4||

Chandogya And, vedāntā says, 'you have to enquire into this equation; and through long enquiry you have to understand this equation'. If a person is willing to take all the pains - long śravaṇam, mananam, nididhyāsanam - it is a very big project. For this only, in the olden days, they took sanyāsā itself. They renounced everything. They dedicated the entire life, dropping everything, for the pursuit of assimilating this profound equation. Once this profound equation is understood, then three problems are simultaneously solved.

One is, we all have different misconceptions regarding GOD. In fact, most of the understanding of most of the people is misunderstanding of GOD! And, for this misunderstood GOD, they want evidence! Therefore, they fail miserably. So, the first thing is, all misconceptions regarding GOD will go away.

The second advantage of this equation is, all misconceptions regarding bhakta, myself, that is self-misconceptions also will go; because, according to vedāntā, we do not know ourselves. We have taken us for granted! Like, for several years, the humanity thought, the Sun is going around the Earth, based on our experience. Experience-based conclusion is what? Sun is going around the earth. Then, what is the fact? Sun is not going around; but, the Earth is going around the Sun. Similarly, we have experience-based wrong conclusion regarding GOD. Experience-based wrong conclusion regarding ourselves. When this equation is understood, self-misconceptions also will go away. So, benefits number one & two – God-realisation & Self-realisation.

Then, all the misconceptions regarding evidence for the existence of GOD also will go away. Once you have understood the equation bhagavān is equal to bhakta, the existence of bhakta becomes the evidence for the existence of the lord. So, existence of the bhakta becomes the evidence for the existence of GOD! And bhakta is who? I am the blessed bhakta. So, my existence itself is the evidence for the existence of GOD.

Suppose I ask the next question, 'what is the evidence to prove that I am existent?' Even the greatest rationalist will not ask this question. Dayānanda Swāmĩjĩ jocularly gives this conversation. Swāmĩjĩ asked someone, 'do you exist?' This person replied - 'I will consult my wife and tell you'. Then Swāmĩjĩ said, 'I am not asking for donation. I am only asking, 'do you exist', and you say, 'I want to consult'. Better you do not consult her; because, she may say that, 'my husband is as good as non-existing; because, he is so useless. So, nobody questions the evidence for self-existence. Self-existence is self-evident. Thus, connecting with our Equation, GOD'S EXISTENCE IS SELF-EVIDENT.

asa’ nnē’ va sa’ bhavati | asa’ dbrahmēti’ vēda’ cēt | asti brahmēti cēdvēda | santamēnaṁ tatō viduriti | - [taittirĩya ānandavallĩ 6.1]

Whoever negates GOD is negating himself only! Thus, from ĩśvara śraddhā I come to ĩśvara jñānam. And coming to ĩśvara jñānam is realising, that power house is not somewhere, that powerhouse is myself! I myself have infinite power to confront any situation. Therefore, daily morning I start with invoking my own greater power and tell that, 'I have got all resources to confront anything, including my old age and death'. Until you discover the power in you, may you have śraddhā in GOD. But, ultimate thing is what? Either from GOD or from yourself, either through śraddhā or through jñānam, may you draw power to the mind and make the mind powerful.

Every morning charge the battery - either through ĩśvara śraddhā or ĩśvara jñānam; either from outside or from yourself. From where you draw it does not matter; but, draw the strength and start the day by saying, 'I am capable; and I am ready for any choice less situation that may come. And in spite of all those situations, I will be CCC. I will be calm, cheerful and confident'.

Let us all start this New Year with a deep faith and connection with the Lord.  Let’s affirm: 'I am now ready for 2017. And any situation comes, I will confront. And I will be like the intelligent King! I am the master in youth also; I am the master in old age also!' This self-mastery is the aim of human being. With these words, I conclude my talk.