Sri Guru Gita – 9 May 2014 – Episode 138

Jaya Guru Datta. English summary:

Jaya Guru Datta.

Sloka:
Yadrcchaya copapannam hyalpam bahula meva va |
Niragenaiva bhunjita abhyasa samaye muda ||
In spiritual practice, the body, the clothes and food aid in development. These also act as distractions. Not only do they aid in development, they also distract. A real aspirant will not worry about food, sleep or shame during his spiritual practice. An aspirant should let go of shame, should not yearn for food or for sleep. Nor should he yearn for a small shelter or for good clothes to cover him. He should also cast aside shame. Without worrying about any of these things, the aspirant must only focus on God.

Some people gather all paraphernalia like fans, pillows and air conditioning to set up for their spiritual practice. If the fan goes out of order, they’ll have hand fans. They’ll set up a supply of beverages and juices for themselves. What kind of meditation is that? They’ll attend to phone calls in between and take a quick break by sleeping a little. This is what they do because they claim they are on a fast during their spiritual practice. What spiritual practice is this? If they are unable to concentrate, they will continue this vow for a few more days. What kind of vow is this? What spiritual practice is this? I don’t understand.

One should not care for fans, pillows and air conditioning during spiritual practice. Some others undertake rituals after eating sumptuous meals. They will eat on time, undertake rituals, penance, yoga and vows in between and eat again at the right time. They will then resume their rituals and vows. They will have done some yoga, and on the pretext of meditating while relaxing, they would have gotten some sleep.

Again in the afternoon, because they claim they don’t eat during spiritual practice, they drink 4 cups of coffee, 5 cups of tea and 3 glasses of juice. They come back and resume meditating and praying. In the night, they will eat 4 platefuls. Again, in the bed, they think they are going into “samadhi” while falling asleep. They think they are seeing God in their sleep and are visiting Vaikuntha (the abode of Lord Vishnu) in their dreams. Of course he’ll go to Vaikuntha, if he eats so much food. He thinks, “I went to Vaikuntha and sat there. There were a lot of people there. I got Indra’s position because I meditated so much and worked so hard”. What work did he do? Eating and drinking is hard work ? “…because I worked so hard and punished my body physically”. How did he punish his body with all those comfortable pillows around him? This is not the right way to meditate at all.

In spiritual practice, one must punish the body appropriately. One must eat just enough food to survive. One must neither eat (too much) to dullness nor starve to death. One must not sacrifice the body by not eating. A lot of people become anorexic from starving. That brings more trouble. The person will need to be put in the hospital. The person’s friends and relatives will need to pray for him. He will need medicines, special injections, saline etc. They will need to burn through more money for him. His spiritual practice is costing the others dearly.

Jaya Guru Datta