If the seeker understands the sadhana before understanding the means, then it becomes easier to understand the means. Understand the word Sadhana in its original form only. This physical body has to be ‘sadhana’ as per its convenience. The senses and desires present in this body have to be cultivated, the mind has to be cultivated. The answer to the question through which action is to be performed and why it is to be performed provides ease to the seeker in determining the means. All those activities through which thoughts, words and actions have to be cultivated are means. Most of the life of the seekers is spent in exploring this means. The seeker must first decide the goal. Now is the goal attainment of salvation or attainment of siddhis or attainment of God? Why does a student pursue education – for the sake of curiosity for knowledge or just by holding a degree just for the sake of getting a degree, one cannot get knowledge. Many have knowledge, even without a degree. Moksha is degree, attainment of God is knowledge. Spiritual happiness will be found in attaining God. Preparing this body to attain God is the first step of spiritual practice. Lord is Sachchidanand Swarup. Therefore, the Guru of the path of Sadhana should also be an embodiment of truth, mind and bliss.
Sadhana is not a means to attain siddhis
There is no need to adopt renunciation for spiritual practice. Detachment can lead to penance, it can also lead to worship. Penance is also a means, but in today’s difficult times it is a very difficult means. Vairagya has the effect of separation. In renunciation there is excess of separation and lack of love. But to attain God, one must have an emotional heart filled with love. One more thing has to be understood whether the goal and completeness of your means is not achieved. If so, then understand that we are walking on the wrong path. Sadhana is never a means to attain siddhis. Accomplishment is a deception. Siddhis are obstacles or pieces thrown by God on the path of spiritual practice. Sadhana is done through devotion, not through knowledge. Devotion is also pure, loving without any desire for retribution and selfishness. Knowledge can lead to pride, but not devotion. Knowledge removes the evil of pride, but devotion cannot be done through knowledge. Intelligence and knowledge are busy in finding means of material happiness. The biggest hindrance in spiritual practice is pride and attachment and to some extent also laziness. Laziness can be removed by doing some sadhana, but it is difficult to remove pride and attachment and this is an action of the path of sadhana. Just as a soldier is incomplete without weapons, similarly spiritual practice is incomplete without tools. The Guru explains the means, but keep in mind that the means are also the Guru. If Guru shows the way to meet God, then the means are also the way to meet God. The means is the ladder to meet that God. Just as the place of Guru is greater than that of Govind, similarly the means should also be considered greater than God.
Ram sent for the call, Kabira cried.
The happiness that can be found here in satsang is not beyond reach.
Don’t be proud of your resources
All such activities which increase the love of God are means. “In this Kalikaal, there is no means other than yoga, yoga, yagya, chanting, penance, fasting, worship.” These are all means, but apart from worship, others are extremely difficult in this era. Puja is another form of devotion. All such actions, which are performed to please Thakur, are devotion and a means. For devotion, it is very important to have faith first. Devotion done without faith will not generate love, which is very important for the seeker. All means and paths are found only beyond the door of God. Don’t be proud of your resources. Choose the means and go for it, don’t worry. The path will be found automatically. There is no place for knowledge or intelligence in sadhana. All that is needed is a heart filled with love. Understand here that this is not the achievement of the goal – it is the beginning. Sadhana will start from here. Will start remembering God. There will be no need to remember God. If it starts happening on its own, then we should understand that we are walking right on the path of spiritual practice.
