Guruji's Teachings - 7

Raja Prasad

Calming the mind: Some people say that despite sitting before God with complete trust, their mind does not become calm. Gods says, it is nature of mind to be disturbed. Mind is doing its duty. To control the reins of the mind is duty of man. So man is not doing his duty properly. It is difficult to concentrate mind on God in one day. But by practice it can be achieved. A child cannot walk immediately after birth. He will first learn to stand and take fumbling steps and then gradually after 3 years he can walk properly. In same manner man can gain control of mind only through practice over the years. 

Custom of braking coconut: Man breaks coconut before God through fear or because of some vows. But does not eat those coconut. Hidden meaning behind this is: Man's mind is hardened by desires like the outer shell of coconut. By giving such hardened mind to God and pouring sacred water inside on God's feet, we pray to God to give pure mind like the coconut inside. While offering coconut we take out the straw attached to coconut. This means we want to remove all desires from our mind. Offering coconut means we are offering our mind without desires and without hardened crust that surrounded our mind. That is the meaning. Everyone offers only coconut to God and don't break any other fruit. 

Story of a Rose plant and Banyan Tree

Once a small rose plant bowed to the Banyan Tree out of respect. Banyan cried and said to rose plant: "I am not fit for your respect. Yours is small and sweet life. I have seen all the hundreds of rose plants before you. You get very good flowers. Bees, butterflies and other beautiful creatures come to you to get taste of your beautiful flowers. Your flowers are offered to God or used by women for enhancing their beauty. Though your life is short, your life goes on very smoothly. But I don't get any flowers or fruits. I become home for all kinds of animals including vultures, crows, snakes, owls and other dangerous animals. I live my life in the sun and rain for hundred of years. Only because of my sins I got this kind of life. But yours is is good life." Saying so the tree bowed to rose plant. Rose plant was surprised at such a beautiful thought. 

Jai Sriram, Jai Hanuman

April 2002