| Personality Development through Service & Austerity |
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By Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
[Poojya Swamiji speaks a
few words of guidance at the conclusion of the daily morning
Pushpasamarpana (flower offering) at the Narayanashrama
Tapovanam. These profound words on saadhana, like the
effulgent morning rays, would illuminate many a dark corner
in the listeners' minds. This series is titled
“Prabhaata-rasmih” (Morning rays). The following is the
text of one such talk by Poojya Swamiji on 22nd July 2000.]
Harih Om Tat Sat. Jai Guru! Jai Guru! Today is the concluding
day of this year's Retreat. We have one more Kathopanishad
session this forenoon. After that, we will get ready for the
Daana Satra - the first function of the Daana Satra this year.
We have particularly scheduled the Daana Satra at the Ashram
on the last day of the Retreat so that the participants of
the Retreat may also witness and take part in the preparations
as well as the conduct of it.
I am happy that this year's Retreat has an additional note
of a few youngsters participating in it. Two of them had to
go back to Madras for their educational needs and they have
come back today, primarily to take part in the Daana
Satra.
I did not have much opportunity to observe closely the behaviour
of these youngsters. Some of them I know well. Some are in
a way new. But I would like all of them to understand one
point: Apart from the spiritual and philosophical exposure
the Retreat sessions bring about - may be they are not yet
mature for it - there is certainly a great benefit the youngsters
can derive from such occasions. This kind of gathering and
occasion is quite rare, and they should try to understand
and utilize the opportunity to the fullest.
It is a great opportunity for them to 'spiritualize' their
mind - to initiate an enlightening process of self-improvement
or personality development. Generally, youngsters have a lot
of selfishness. They are not able to bend themselves - bend
their hearts and minds to accept and embrace others. They
are not flexible and large-hearted enough to welcome any situation
with an open mind. Invariably they are pampered at home.
But my dear boys and girls, you should understand that when
you grow up as adults, petting and pampering will not help
you. You should yourself say: "My dear mother, no more
petting, no more pampering! I have to go into the wide world,
interact with a great cross-section of people. For that I
need a flexible mind, a resolute mind, a mind that is sufficiently
assimilative, and expressive. So, please help me in this growth!"
Of course, austerity is much less in the modern days because
of increased travel facilities. Previously it used to take
about twenty one days to go to Sabarimala. Devotees had to
lie in the forest environment, sometimes encountering tigers
and other wild animals. They used to take an early bath in
an open river braving the chill breeze, and spend the nights
lying on the ground spreading whatever little mat or cloth
they carried with them. It is immensely beneficial psychologically
and spiritually.
Although the physical austerity here in the Ashram is much
less, the stay during the Retreat, sharing a room or forgoing
the comfort of a cot, trying to keep to the routine and the
disciplines, remaining satisfied with whatever facilities
are available - all these are immensely beneficial. I think
I have understood rightly that there was a little resentment
on the part of some of the youngsters to sit on the floor
and take food.
My dear boys, I have to tell you that it is a failure on your
part. You are not capable of taking even a little physical
discomfort. What is the harm if you sit on the floor? At least
as an experimental measure? Is it so difficult to sit for
fifteen or twenty minutes even if it means some discomfort?
Don't you feel shy to sit on chairs when so many older people
are sitting on the floor?
Can you imagine surgeons standing at the operation table and
performing the surgery for five, eight, eleven, and even fifteen
hours at a stretch? What is it that you need? Is our body
not supposed to bend? Is it not supposed to stretch? Is it
not supposed to sit? Any kind of a pose you must be able to
administer to the body. You observe from a distance! These
plastic girls - they have made their bodies immensely flexible.
They bend backward and standing on two feet they pick up with
their mouth, a kercheif kept on the floor behind them! Are
you not seeing and appreciating?
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