Special Satsanga by Pujya Swami Smarananda Giri- General Secretary YSS

January 30th, Tuesday 4.45 PM - 7 PM

Yogoda Satsanga Dhyana Kendra, Bengaluru was graced by the holy presence of Pujya Swami Smarananda Giri the General Secretary of YSS. About 230 Devotees utilised this opportunity to be in Swamiji’s presence. The session began with Swamiji  planting a sapling in the mandir premises. He then lead the Energization exercise followed by aarti, opening prayer. This was followed by an hour-long meditation.

After which Swamiji was kind enough to address the gathering about “Coping with surmounting life problems”. His speech was laced with many insightful and personal anecdotes and devotees sat in rapt attention soaking it all in.

Swamiji urged us to follow below-mentioned steps if one has to cope with life’s surmounting problems:

Considering self as a Brave soul:

He explained with great care that life will always be filled with troubles and Karmic law plays out in everyone’s life. It is but important, to not think that one must have done something terrible to deserve these problems, instead, one must think they are a “Brave soul” to be encountering these problems. Inferiority complex should never be entertained. He mentioned that the Karma is effaced by these three ways:

1)Suffering
2)Service
3)Meditation

Hence when faced with suffering one must take it in his/her stride to deal it with a good attitude.

Happiness and suffering can coexist:

Swamiji beautifully laid out how happiness which is a choice can exist in the midst of intense suffering. More we meditate, more joyful we will feel. The Joy which is unperturbed by the external situations. One should consider pain as a gift, as it draws our attention to things that need to be healed. He quoted few lines from Gurudeva’s cosmic chant:

Oh life is sweet and death a dream

Then joy is sweet, sorrow a dream

Then health is sweet, sickness a dream

Then praise is sweet and blame a dream…..

When thy song flows through me my lord

Swamiji playfully mentioned that these things are only possible if we fulfill this condition: “When thy song flows through me my lord” only if our being is filled with divine’s song will it all be possible.

Divine mother’s ubiquitous presence and love:

He lovingly drew a parallel between divine mother and our biological mother. Mother sometimes punishes or scolds her child with the child’s best interest in mind, same is the case with Divine mother, who constantly nudges us into the right path. Her soothing presence is all around and within us, working for our own wellbeing.

Guru’s Guidance:

Swamiji assured us that when Guru-disciple relationship is formed, the disciple is no more alone! Guru works through the disciple for his best. He highlighted the incident from “Autobiography of Yogi” about the time when Mahavatar Babaji suddenly branded his disciple’s shoulder with a burning log, to which Lahari Mahashaya cried out “Sir, how cruel”. Babaji explained that the disciple would have been burnt to ashes today according to his karma, if not for his timely intervention. This is how Guru guides and works for our own good. Though the path sometimes might seem arduous but the climax is fruitful.

Get used to the troubles:

Swamiji explained that one must get used to the troubles and not make an issue of it. We are divine beings and should strive to look beyond the problems that life offers us. He explained it further by quoting Gurudeva: “Smooth life is not victorious”. He stressed that when problems arise it is most often asked: Why me? instead, we need to ask two questions which will act as a counter; they are :

1)Why not me? Have we really never violated any natural laws?

2)Asking “Why me?” when life is graceful. Despite the humungous victories in life we choose to seek God only when we face sorrow and question his workings. When we ask “Why me?” during various assurances of life, we will also make peace with its varied inconveniences.  To help people understand this better Swamiji narrated an anecdote about Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player who was suffering from a  terminal disease.

On knowing this fatal news, his fans from all over the world sent him letters of sympathy and support. One of them conveyed: "Why does God have to select you for such a bad disease?".

To this Arthur Ashe replied: In the world over--50,000,000 children start playing tennis, 5,000,000 learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the Grand Slam, 50 reach the Wimbledon, 4 to semi finals, 2 to finals. When I was the one holding the cup, I never asked God "Why me?".

And today in pain, I should not be asking GOD "why me?".

Devotees were enriched with Swamiji’s sermon. The session ended with healing prayers and Swamiji personally went over to each devotee and handed the prasad.