Respected Sirs, Brothers and Associates: Thanks to the great benevolence of God, the Creator of the Universe, that so many different personalities have assembled together at one place. If we try to learn from each individual, the purpose of such an assembly, everyone will have a different way of expressing himself. When we look at it, we find only one maxim underlying all their thoughts. It is that the world changes every moment. This law of change is a continuous one. It is a certainty. Everyone is entrapped in it, willingly or unwillingly, intentionally or unintentionally. In it, there is expansion and contraction, taking and giving, increase and decrease, and coming and going. Besides, we also find a third state hidden in it. There is steadiness in every expansion and contraction, serenity in every addition and subtraction and a pause attached to every coming and going. When something is born and dies, in it too, there is a pause for a while. The past and the future are the appropriate words, the state in between them (the intermediary one - the pause) is included in both of them. Thus the law of change depends upon the Almighty, and is based on His benevolence. What this means is, there is a change in qualities, and that depends on God for whom the law of change is a different one. Please note, you will find yourselves sometimes happy, sometimes unhappy, sometimes calm, sometimes restless, sometimes weak, sometimes strong, sometimes penniless, sometimes wealthy, sometimes healthy and sometimes sick, so on and so forth. But when we see the two states separately, we find that in every state we find its opposite too. Where there is happiness, there is always a fear of unhappiness. In peace, there is a fear of disturbance and this puts one in a fix. But this is due to our thinking faculty. The method of seeking and searching is wrong and it does not allow the problem to be solved. In fact grief, restlessness, sickness etc. are the weaker and more imperfect forms of happiness, calmness and health. In excessive joy, we shed tears, and in excessive grief also we weep. Deficiency and weakness are the shadows of their counterparts. They are imperfect states but God is free from them. In perfection there is stability and in imperfection there is instability. In Reality the condition of stability is of calmness. If anyone deviates from this state, there cannot be any stability. If there is a rise, fall or fluctuation, there is imperfection. An increase as well as decrease makes a thing imperfect. When away from both, there is a state of stability. The question of deficiency or its opposite, perfection or imperfection, does not arise and the real peace of soul is found. You can try it. If happiness exceeds its limit, restlessness persists, and a courage to go ahead remains. In deficiency also, there remains a state of restlessness. As you know, when a child is born, it is in tune with nature. Later on, the parents and society influence the child and try to change him as per their wishes. Thus, from the beginning, the society, environment, education and the deeds have influenced man in such a way that he is extremely far from his original nature or character. Hence to regain the same original Divinity, we have to struggle, we have to adopt different ways, we have to go to schools and institutions to become stable. First we need the help of books, then the practice, followed by association and satsangh with Saints. Today, by the grace of God, the purpose of meeting with our friends and dear ones is to discuss and exchange views on Divinity, their interest in gaining knowledge, and about the ways and means of finding bliss in this very life. I can say without any exaggeration that this is the only maxim (as mentioned previously) which should be accomplished. In this assembly, both perfect and imperfect persons have gathered. Rather we could say that everyone is perfect in one faculty and deficient in another. The purely stable condition is bestowed only on those selected ones who have been blessed by Him. None but God can know it. No one needs to know about it either. The purpose of this gathering, of all perfect and imperfect persons at one place, is that we should prove ourselves worthy of His Grace. We should pray, we should try to get help of great personalities, so that we may regain the character and conduct that we have lost. As far as possible, all those who are willing to get its benefit should endeavour to assemble at one place at least once a year. Here, we should not think about the past struggles and difficulties, but should think about more beneficial and easy means to plan and organize functions in such a way, that it should bring about an improvement in us when compared to the previous years. We should repent for the wrong deeds of the past. We should adopt means by which we will develop in us, love for all. We have to think how the worldly affairs and dealings should be combined with the Divine ways, so that no hurdles come in our way while we perform our duties towards God. Our ways of praying to Him should be such that they help us in our wishes being accepted and fulfilled. Finally, let us join together in a prayer for all those great souls of the system, who helped us to get this education, knowledge and opportunity. May their pure souls get the due reward for their good deeds. May we pray for them in this congregation. For this reason, we express our gratitude to all those who have come here from far and near, who have spent their valuable time and money and who are drowned in the Divine Love of God. (Reprinted from Complete Works of Ram Chandra (Lalaji Maharaj) Volume 2) |
