[Advaita-l] Sri Brahmachaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj Pravachan

[Divya Meedin]

Namaste Raghavji,

Thank you for sharing that information. I wasn't aware of that. The book
'Discourses of Shri Gondavalekar Maharaj' (English translation) is where I
first learnt of Maharaj. With chapters for each day of the year and simple
advice for everyday, the book is a true treasure. I have personally gained
a lot from it.

Anyone interested in obtaining the book can contact :
https://shrigondavalekarmaharaj.org/maharaj/home.html#contact

Regards,
Divya


On Thu, Nov 12, 2020 at 9:30 PM Raghav Kumar Dwivedula via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste Divya ji
> I learn that Gondavalekar Maharaj is particularly revered by the adherents
> of the Holenarsipur tradition too. I was told that the tradition of Rama
> nama and the Rama temple built by Sri SSS ji is traced to Sri Gondavalekar
> Maharaj's inspiration.
>
>
> Om
>
> On Thu, 12 Nov, 2020, 11:05 am Divya Meedin via Advaita-l, <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > November 12
> > Difference between Baddha and Mukta
> >
> > The baddha is of the world, tied down to its pleasures and pains, whereas
> > the mukta is free of them, and God is the only reality for him. Saints
> > completely dissociate themselves from the body; people ask, not about
> their
> > progenitors, but about the guru, the upasana. They are, for all practical
> > purposes unaware of the body; its awareness, ego, is all merged in God.
> The
> > baddha takes far more interest in the pleasures, the happenings, and
> > condition of the body and material existence; a lessening of such
> interest
> > indicates progress in the direction of absolvement; this becomes complete
> > when God becomes the sole reality.
> > We are baddha today because we take ourselves to be so; we identify
> > ourselves with this body, whereas we are, in fact, a part of the Basic
> > Reality. Consequently, the pleasures and pains of the body persecute us,
> > and are felt by us as real. The soul, actually, is unaffected, detached.
> We
> > take the soul and body both as ‘ourselves’, although we say ‘my’ arm is
> > aching or ‘my’ stomach is upset. Tacitly, therefore, we admit that we are
> > not the organs or their assemblage which we call the body, and the
> ‘owner’
> > or the ‘soul’ is different from, independent, of the body.
> > Our mind takes joy in sensual pleasures, so we have a soft corner for
> them.
> > But these pleasures being transitory, the joy, too, lasts only a short
> > while. Discontent also arises from dependence on other persons or things.
> > We should, therefore, never forget the true nature of our’ selves’.
> > This detachedness can only come from true devotion to God. An obstruction
> > to this comes from the ‘body-am-I’ conviction, which must first be ousted
> > from the mind. So let us ever carry the feeling that we belong to God,
> and
> > that whatever happens is by God’s will; this will gradually erode the
> > ‘body-am-I’ belief. This does not call for penance, sacrifices, and such
> > other austerities, nor for relinquishing family life and retiring to the
> > forest, or any such other cumbersome and strenuous performance. Abandon
> all
> > doership, say you belong to God, and be happy and contented; this will
> > gradually attenuate the ego. Just as the ‘body-am-I’ conviction
> > consolidated itself into identity with the body, we shall recover our
> true
> > identity with the Ultimate Reality by repeating that we come from God.
> >
> > On Wed, Oct 28, 2020 at 4:23 PM Divya Meedin <divyameedin at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Remember Only Rama, Forgetting all Else
> > >
> > > The only way to make God our own is to do everything without assuming
> > > doership. Harbour neither hatred nor jealousy towards anyone, see our
> > Rama
> > > in everyone. Avoid slander and rather, look critically at yourself, to
> > > foster good qualities and eradicate defects and evil tendencies. Behave
> > so
> > > with others that people hanker after you. This can be achieved if you
> > have
> > > a liking for none but Rama. Rama’s grace will lighten even great
> physical
> > > pain. Rely on Rama as your saviour, and keep your mind from being
> > affected
> > > by anything. Never entertain pride, and be fearless at heart. Whatever
> > pain
> > > or sorrow Rama chooses to inflict, accept cheerfully.
> > > Leave the body to suffer its destiny; take care to see that you do not
> > > stray from your sadhana. To belong to Rama – let this be your
> unswerving
> > > goal. The body may suffer pain or pleasure under the sway of fate, but
> > keep
> > > your mind fixed on Rama. Keep your knowledge concealed under the plea
> of
> > > ignorance. Look not for faults in others, but improve your own. Make
> it a
> > > rule not to harm anyone. Be devoted to Rama in your heart, and see God
> in
> > > all.
> > > He who holds Rama as his master should neither whine nor cringe. Never
> > beg
> > > for anything; keep your faith firmly in Rama. Remember we have to turn
> > even
> > > unpleasant things and situations to our good. Forgetting the Lord makes
> > us
> > > succumb to temptation; so concentrate on devotion and nama; listen not
> to
> > > other “knowledge.”
> > > It is Rama who creates all circumstances; so see His hand in
> everything.
> > > Our thoughts will be on the right track if we remember that Rama is the
> > > doer of everything. Pay no more than casual attention to worldly gain
> or
> > > loss. Conduct yourself cheerfully in life, with unflinching faith in
> > Rama.
> > > Strive for that, glorious moment when Rama alone occupies the mind to
> the
> > > exclusion of everything else. Give no quarter to any inclination or
> > desire
> > > that does not pertain to Rama. Never forget that you belong to Rama,
> and
> > in
> > > that thought always be contented. “Now that I truly belong to Rama, I
> > feel
> > > perfectly blessed.” Stabilise this conviction, and you may be sure that
> > > Rama will be pleased.
> > > Nama is powerful enough to take and secure you to Rama. To this moment
> I
> > > have been asserting that your true interest lies only in nama.
> > >
> > > On Mon, 26 Oct, 2020, 10:15 Divya Meedin, <divyameedin at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > >
> > >> Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama
> > >>
> > >> From Sri Brahmachaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj Pravachan:
> > >>
> > >> October 26:
> > >>
> > >> The Flood of God’s Grace
> > >>
> > >> When sowing, only pure, unrotten seed is selected. Devotion with some
> > >> ulterior, mundane object in view is like rotten seed. Pure seed has to
> > be
> > >> carefully developed, evolved. One may begin by sowing available rotten
> > >> seed; similarly, one may start devotion with some mundane aim in view.
> > As
> > >> one proceeds, one may realize the importance of undertaking devotion
> for
> > >> its own sake. God should be prayed for this purpose. After sowing,
> there
> > >> should be opportune rain. This is not in our control, but God arranges
> > for
> > >> it. Now if the field is hollow, water may accumulate there, and must
> be
> > >> drained, lest excess of it decay the roots. The excess water may be
> > drained
> > >> into the adjacent field, in all likelihood with advantage to it. To
> > breach
> > >> the bund and let the water to the needy corresponds, in the case of
> > God’s
> > >> grace, to benefaction. With spiritual progress, the sadhaka often gets
> > >> certain occult faculties; for instance, what he says comes true, he
> can
> > >> make out what passes in another’s mind, can go to another place unseen
> > by
> > >> others, and so on. At such times he must avoid the temptation to use
> > such
> > >> faculties for selfish purposes; he has to be specially alert in this
> > >> regard. If used at all, they must be employed only to relieve others’
> > >> distress, never for any selfish end.
> > >> It would obviously be wise not to base one’s happiness on other
> persons
> > >> or things or circumstances. This has to be learnt by practice.
> However,
> > the
> > >> mind cannot remain vacant; it must be provided with some occupation.
> > God is
> > >> that occupation. Because God is eternal, complete in Himself, and
> > blissful,
> > >> these qualities automatically percolate into the mind that keeps
> > >> contemplating on Him. One can only imagine how sweet life must be to a
> > mind
> > >> so soaked in Him. Have an abiding consciousness that you and all that
> > >> exists belong to Him; then life becomes such enjoyable fun!
> > >> The grace of God will be experienced if nama is chanted with a pure
> > >> heart. A sadhaka should do his duty conscientiously, and live happily,
> > >> leaving everything else to God, or to sadguru.
> > >> A thing comes or is lost as destined. Why should we then vainly feel
> > >> miserable or joyful? When we know that everything belongs to God, we
> can
> > >> leave everything to His care, and be carefree, joyful.
> > >>
> > >> Pravachan Grid:
> > >>
> >
> https://sites.google.com/a/brahmachaitanya.org/www/sri-brahmachaitanya-grid
> > >>
> > >
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