The Bhagvad Gita – Chapter 12 – The path to love

Arjuna asked the Lord “Who are more dear to you -  the people who worship you or those who worship the eternal and the indestructible invisible one?” And thus spoke the Lord : Those who surrender themselves to me and fix their total devotion on me and worship me with their minds absorbed in me, I consider them to be my beloved. However, those who worship the invisible brahman also attain me. But the latter kind of people go through a lot of trial and tribulation and hence walk through the difficult path. I give them deliverance from the cycle of birth and death – those who are devoted to me.

Fasten your mind exclusively on me and place your intelligence in me, you will then reside in me forever. If you are unable to concentrate on me then follow the path of Bhakti yoga (devotional service) and you’ll surely come to me. If you are unable to do that too, then follow my words and work for me for acting on my beliefs will give you perfection. Even if this is not possible, then control your self and senses and renounce all fruits of action. If this also seems impossible then accumulate knowledge and better yet, meditate for from meditation comes renunciation and peace.

He who nurtures no envy or hate or egoism, who is gracious and compassionate, staying the same in face of pain and pleasure, who is tolerant, self-controlled, firm in his resolve, fixed in devotional practice and whose mind and intellect are fixed on me are very dear to me. One who treats his friends and enemies equally, balanced in honor and disgrace, heat and cold, happiness and anguish, free from attachment, not concerned about blame or praise, controlled in speech, even minded and engaged in devotional service is very dear to me.

Those who pursue sincerely the path of devotion setting me as their supreme goal always come to me.

So that’s the shortcut to love. Doesn’t get shorter than this.

Love and Blessings,

Guru30

All you wanted to know about Money

Do you recall the Beatles song ‘Can’t buy me love’ in reference to money. Money is definitely a very important aspect of our life, but we should not become slaves of it. Money is a consequence of hard work. If  your efforts are sincere, Goddess Mahalakshmi will endow you with all prosperity, one of them being money. You see, prosperity means happiness and money also is one of the factors which contribute to that noble goal. Always remember the law of attraction. The universe works in mysterious ways to bring you all that you desire. So go ahead make your wish for wealth in your life. True wealth is also good health and a strong dose of happiness. But be prepared to put in the effort and rest assured you will get what you yearn for.

Money becomes useful when it is put to good work. It can buy you a good piece of attire, but the infatuation with the attire will wash away, once you have worn it a couple of times. Hence that is temporary happiness, or pleasure. But the universe is glad that it could buy you happiness momentarily. Imagine that while buying an attire for yourself, you go ahead and buy some things for your loved ones also. Won’t that make them also happy? So here’s the lesson: Money is as good as how it is used. If you splurge it on yourself, you won’t really feel complete. Give it to others as a gift (clothes, shoes, books, gadgets etc) maybe as plain money. That will light up their faces and you will receive much more satisfaction, than when you had spent for yourself.

In the Malayalam language of India, Mon means son and so money roughly translates to something like you are addressing your son. So take good care of it, like you take care of your kids. Plenty of it, will give you peace of mind. But don’t get so much caught up in managing it that you lose your night’s sleep. Money attracts money. So make careful investments which will guarantee you future returns. Plan out the mix first and then monitor regularly for changes. Say once a week or maybe a month, as it suits you. I know people who check their balances every day. Drop that. Don’t be paranoid, so much so that the worry itself might take a toll on you. So get money and sleep well during the nights.

See it clearly. The utility of money is enormous, but it shines only when you give it away. Don’t hold it close to your heart. The more you give, the more you get in return. Money can buy you a better comfortable lifestyle, but true love – no. Yes, when you give it to others, without any expectation, that is money buying you love. Do not hoard money. There is more than enough for everyone on this great planet. But put it to good use. You don’t have to help the whole world, but be generous and help at least bring a smile to somebody’s face with your money. Maybe money is not required to bring a smile, yet it can do that too. So go ahead make your day (and a wayward strangers also) and I wish that you will be blessed with money always. And please thank God when you receive the bounty.

Forever your well wisher ...

Guru30