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For
decades Swamishri has been
guiding others towards God.
Inspiring them in times of
hardship; consoling them in
times of sadness, he has been a
constant source of light in their
lives when there has been only
engulfing darkness. But what
has been his source of inspiration
over the years? How has he
managed to remain composed
during incidents of both honour
and insult? What drives him to
push himself night and day in the
service of others? Delving into
the depths of his heart we find
the source of his light...
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| His
Source of Light |
| Memories... |
| Question
1 |
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Sarvamangal Swami : [jokingly] It’s a good thing we were not
around in Yogi Bapa’s time. Or else we’d have to do a
lot of fasts. Did he ever make you fast?
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Swamishri : No. But he’d make the youths fast. The sadhus used
to fast anyway! Many of the elder sadhus would also fast on Sud
Nom (9th day of the bright half of each month in commemoration of
Shriji Maharaj’s birth). A fast would mean no food or water
at all. In Swami’s time we never had any lemon water in the
mornings following a fast, so we’d have to make do with buttermilk
and khichadi.
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For so many years you never took food or water during
a fast. Yet today we occasionally drink lemon water when we are
fasting. When you see us do this, don’t you feel disgusted?
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Swamishri : That all depends on one’s body. Besides, one who
wants to fast never becomes weak. One who doesn’t want to fast
is already weakened.
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Usually you drink more water than us. Yet on mornings
after a fast you only drink a small amount. Why?
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Swamishri : It’s been that way since the early days. Anyway,
in Swami’s (Shastriji Maharaj’s) time, we never drank
lemon water. So we never really developed a habit. And from the
start I never really felt very weak during fasts. In the early years
there was a rule that one could only drink on the morning after
a fast, after having darshan of the murtis. So we had to wait until
after the second arti (shangar) before we could drink! But this
all depends on one’s body. There are many who become very weak
during fasts.
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Most of it must be mental.
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Swamishri : Yes, it is mental. One may be strong enough to fast
for five days in a row, but if his mind is weak he won’t be
able to do even one! But if we are prepared that we don’t want
to go near the kitchen then we will have no problems... for so many
years I’ve never known what it is like to have a headache during
a fast. Even under the burning sun I never felt anything!
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How can we realise everyone’s greatness like you
do? You used to travel in trains and buses and you don’t expect
us to. You even make arrangements so that we don’t have to
travel in them. What thought is in your heart which makes you do
this?
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Swamishri : It’s all a case of whatever the means at the time.
These days our bodies have become weak and our comforts have increased.
In the early years, we wouldn’t even think about such comforts!
We’d eat some rotla and yoghurt and then cover 12 miles on
foot without another thought! Now that we have the means our minds
have become weak.
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If we have any defects, big or small, or any weaknesses
which you know of, or if there is any wish in your heart then please
tell us.
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Swamishri : Firstly, we should do what we have come to do; shouldn’t
we? Katha and bhajan are sadhu’s ‘base’. Unity is
also essential. We all make mistakes, but they should be forgotten.
Maybe we cannot do as much penance, that’s understandable,
but our lives should be pure. Niyam-dharma, shunning of women and
wealth; we should never lapse in these. If we have unity we will
be able to realise each others’ greatness. We will be able
to ‘let go’. If we don’t have a habit of listening
to discourses, we will never develop any understanding and then
insults will always hurt us and we’ll always see faults in
others. If there are no such qualities in a sadhu’s life, then
it does not befit his clothes.
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(22 July 1989, Bochasan)
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