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Doing Good

The day starts at 3 AM in Vankhandi Maharaj’s ashram. Immediately after – cleaning the territory: devotees sweep the streets – clean up leaves fallen during the night and dust brought by the wind. Then – meditation or nama-japa (repetition of the Divine Name). Then aarti (collective service-glorification of the Lord). That’s how the day begins. The schedule is strict but natural. Throughout the day, no one sits idle. To an outsider, such strictness might at first seem like quite a heavy burden, but in reality, these are very simple rules derived from years of experience living in unity with the surrounding nature and based on the foundation of the Vedas. After all, one translation of the word «ashram» is «order.» The cornerstone on which ashram life is built is seva, selfless service.

Vankhandi Maharaj: I’ve sat under a tree for so long, and I can sit longer – the world doesn’t change at all. There’s still much idleness, selfishness and greed. People quarrel, argue, and begin to hate each other. This contradicts the very spirit of seva. One needs to learn to develop the attitude of a true sevak. In seva, some people have no superiority over others. In service, everyone is equal. If someone thinks they’re doing more and better than others, they’re no longer a sevak. If someone expects special treatment or encouragement, this is no longer service. Seva is done with love, from the whole heart. A sevak doesn’t choose what’s better to do today – clean the toilet or wash dishes. If you see dirt or disorder, clean it up. I myself had to wash dirty dishes left by people many times. If needed, I’ll do it now, too.

There’s great meaning in seva, it should be done by the heart’s calling. Without calculation, without greed. Seva is, first of all, a soul’s impulse to do good. And that’s its meaning. And that’s its reward. This is dharma. Bhakti might not give you what seva gives…

Now the attitude toward this has changed. Everyone tries to show off, proving that they work better than others. One shouldn’t talk; one should do. Simply do good.

The Ramayana speaks a lot about this. A true sevak doesn’t compare, doesn’t calculate results. They see that something needs to be done – and they do it. There’s never too little work. When I go down the mountain, I always, without thinking, pick up plastic bottles, garbage. I pick up discarded matchboxes, cigarette packages, and plastic bags. Now I walk little, age doesn’t allow it. But the point is that a sevak doesn’t look for reasons to do good.

There lived a sadhu who had a disciple from Gwalior. Once the disciple said to the sadhu: «Babaji, I want to serve, do useful work, I can take care of cows. Give me any work.» The sadhu replied to the disciple: «Good, here are ten cows for you, take them and care for them. When you have a hundred cows, come back.» The disciple took the ten cows, went with them into the forest and for twelve years cared for them, grazed them, looked after them, didn’t even drink the milk himself, gave it all to the calves. As a result, his herd grew to a hundred cows. And he brought the whole herd back to the sadhu. The sadhu said to his disciples: «Look, my disciple has returned, he has fully fulfilled his duty of service. Look how much light is in him, what radiance emanates from him. God lives in every cow, and all hundred gods have gifted him with their radiance, blessing, and gave him knowledge of all four Vedas.» Everyone greeted him with great respect. And the teacher said to that disciple: «Now you are free. There is so much light and knowledge in you, acquired through true service! For seva is an austerity that gives experience and knowledge.»

Seva should be done with joy, with a light heart, without thinking, and it will never seem difficult to you. Those who consider service their dharma don’t experience difficulties and pain. Household cleaning is also seva. Don’t make a mess. Create cleanliness everywhere with joy in your heart. And help others; helping others is also seva. After all, essentially, the concept of home already implies abundance and prosperity: a home should always be a full cup. India is a rich country, everything is in abundance here, and there is no place for poverty. Poverty comes from karma, from wrong thoughts and attitudes. If you are poor, it only speaks of your shortcomings. Poverty in the home means that you don’t take proper care of the home, don’t serve it. Everyone is looking for opportunities to get a job and make a career. That’s all they dream about. But you start serving your home properly, putting love and soul into it. You’ll see how everything suddenly starts falling into place by itself, prosperity will appear in the house. Live as if your home is a temple, a dwelling for gods. Keep it in order, beauty and cleanliness, love and worship it. And you won’t even notice how your home becomes ennobled, filled with everything necessary, and prosperity will come to it. Don’t be lazy. If you’re lazy, you’ll live in poverty; work, and you’ll have everything.

Look how much grows in our forest – cinnamon, reeds, batash, fruits – everything needed for prasad. We take care of this forest and receive so many gifts from it. People come to us from other ashrams, saying: we ran out of food in another ashram during bhandara. But with us – whoever comes, there’s always something to treat them with. The word ashram comes from «aasha» – hope. That’s why everyone comes here with hope. Even if someone comes in the middle of the night, we’ll feed them. We even used to leave milk for the mice in leaf cups at night. Mice would come at night, drink milk and leave. And we left grain for them. Now there aren’t as many mice here. But they still run around, finding food for themselves. There’s no damage from them, it doesn’t affect food supplies at all. Mice, they never devastate. In warehouses where grain is stored for ten years, mice live, but the grain doesn’t spoil and stays fresh. Ganeshji uses a mouse as transportation. And Ganesha is associated with buddhi (intellect), riddhi (success) and siddhi (prosperity). Mice should be loved, fed, they shouldn’t be killed. You cannot kill what you cannot resurrect. The right to kill belongs to one who gives life. If you can’t return life to the slain, you have no right to take their life.

Once, Raja Vikramaditya was hunting in the forest. He killed an antelope, approached to take his trophy, and saw a holy sadhu standing next to it. The raja said: «Step aside, this is my prey, I killed it.» The sadhu asked, «Where is it written that you have the right to this prey?» Vikramaditya exclaimed, «I am raja, I have the right!» Then the holy man asked: «Right to what – to give life or to kill? Can you resurrect this dead antelope?» The raja said, «No, of course not. Can you?» Then the sadhu killed a small creature before his eyes, went to the pond, put it in the water, took it out, and the creature came back to life. The raja humbly stepped back. And the sadhu said: «If you took someone’s life, but cannot give it back, then you have no right to kill.» Such saints lived in our land before.

Many holy people lived in India. When addressing God, they often asked for bhakti rather than mukti, liberation. They said: we are ready to be reborn again and again, with one purpose – to receive bhakti, satsang and sanskar [inclination, ability] to love you and receive your love, Lord. They didn’t ask for fame, wealth, or a career in life, only bhakti.

Some saints didn’t even ask for siddhi, supernatural abilities. Why do we need siddhi – for physical pleasures? God has already given us many joys in this physical world. And what is worldly joy? Just work and reap the fruits of your labors. You don’t even need to read mantras and practice tantra for this. Sadhana is needed only for one thing – for the love of God and for receiving love from God.

Everything that happens in this world happens by the will of the Supreme. We are merely instruments in Divine hands. Lord Krishna tells Arjuna in the «Bhagavad Gita»: «Everything that needs to be done will be done by Me. I do all this through you. You should only become a conductor of My energy, a means of implementing My plans.»

The Creator implements His designs. Whether we want it or not. Everything happens by itself, according to His discretion. Our spiritual task is to facilitate His desires and contribute to His Divine will. This is not for us. This is for Him. And for us, what? How much do we need? We made dhuni with our own hands, and built a temple with our own hands. We are free to go wherever we want. Still, you can’t escape yourself. Whether in hell or heaven.

In the «Gita», Krishna says: «Even if you have attained inner freedom, don’t rush to give up working for the benefit of society in this world. Continue to labor and work. Not for yourself, but for the common good. Contributing to Divine plans.»

Someone by Divine discretion will become a doctor, someone a warrior, someone an engineer, someone a teacher. After all, the whole world is God’s creation, and God creates it according to His design and preserves it for His purposes. Even in the deepest jungles, life is built in the most complex way. Everything is finely organized, coordinated, and balanced. Everything has its place and purpose. Nature is truly a Divine creation. Money won’t create such perfection. Some believe that money can do everything. But ultimately, everything is created by His will and His.

«True strength is in God’s want.» Hanuman performed yagna to get to heaven. But he had to descend into hell for some time. Learn to listen, heed and contribute to Divine plans. Act in unison with God. When a person relies only on their own desires, success doesn’t come to them. Yet, most often, it happens that people try to impose some of their personal desires on God. They ask Him, beg, almost demand: God, do this for me, give me that, arrange marriage, find a bride, give good work, help pass exams, and give grandchildren. And I’ll ring a bell for you. That’s the attitude people have.

An elderly woman approached Buddha: «God, I have no grandchildren. Make it so that I have grandchildren.» Then, Buddha gave her a bowl full of chickpeas and sent her to the well, saying: «You are tired and hungry. Go to the well, sit and eat.» She sat by the well and started eating chana, chickpeas. Children came running. God Himself created them through His maya. The children surrounded the old woman and started asking, «Grandmother, treat us to chana, give us at least one each.» But she just waved them away and didn’t give them a single pea. After eating, she washed her hands and came back to Buddha. And he said to her: «I sent so many grandchildren to you, and you didn’t even share one pea with them. And after this, how can you beg me for grandchildren? Who needs such a grandmother!»

When you turn to God, ask Him only for love, ask for nothing else. And if He gifts you with His Divine love, this is an enormous blessing for your whole life. This is the essence of bhakti-yoga. Its exponent was Ravidas – a medieval saint, poet and mystic. A true devotee. Kali Yuga knows many such great devotees. Kabirdas, Mirabai, Namdev, Gyaneshwar, Surdas. Their love for God was sincere, boundless, true and deep. These great people dedicated their entire lives to singing Divine gunas, through their love they gave people Divine knowledge. And none of them ever asked for anything for themselves. Didn’t beg for fulfillment of their desires.

Surdas didn’t ask for a dwelling for himself, but received it by God’s will. All his life he sang of Krishna’s deeds, communicating with Him directly in his heart, for he could see Him with his inner vision. He didn’t write poems on paper, they were written down by those who listened to him. Kabir also didn’t write anything down himself. He couldn’t even write. But he sang, and others reproduced it on paper. Thus their heritage was preserved, whole collections of works that once flowed from these poets’ lips. Now people sing what they once sang.

In communication with God, purity and sincerity are important. Prayer should come from a pure heart. Speak to God directly, in your own words. Better not to repeat others’ words, better not to copy prayers written by others. Prayer should flow from the depths of your being. There is much power in such prayer. Let it be just a few words. But this is how you yourself interact with God, He hears you, hears your heart. Words repeated by you that belong to others don’t please Him as much. He feels that these are not your words. Others’ words will teach you much. But the feelings you have for God cannot be copied. Prayer is your word, it’s the intimate connection between God and you.

Living Truthfully

«The Maharaja is more interested in animals than in people» – this is the impression one might get when observing him in daily life. What people consider their «problems» and «desires» clearly doesn’t seem to concern him much. If someone starts telling him about their worries, he will, of course, listen attentively and even give some wise advice. But overall, it’s clear that all of this is trivial to him. However, he is very attentive to animals and plants. Their difficulties appear much more real to him than human ones (which are indeed often contrived). For example, if during satsang, an ashram horse named Manju comes and stands expectantly nearby, looking at people with a desire to eat something, he pauses and doesn’t continue speaking until she is given something. He responds to many subtle movements of dogs lying next to him, as well as to loud bird calls or, for instance, gusts of wind. This is life inseparable from him – this life might even more be called «his life» than everything that happens directly with his body. At the same time, he is very caring and kind to all living beings. But this kindness doesn’t come from the idea that «it’s the right thing to do,» but from an inner love for the essence of these beings – for that essence which he sees as himself in everyone and everything. You can call this compassion, or you can call it wholeness.

Vankhandi Maharaj: «In the process of life, a person needs to understand what kindness and compassion are. How human fall and spiritual growth occur, and how to achieve the state of shanti – peace and tranquility – in samsara (worldly existence). There is no greater happiness than shanti. There is no greater sorrow than anger. The greatest happiness is finding harmony and shanti, and this is achieved through detachment. Detachment brings peace. Anger and negative emotions give birth to sorrow. If you allow anger to control your emotions, then shanti – peace and harmony – will never enter your life. Reject anger, and you will find peace. This knowledge comes to us from the Vedas.»

In ashram, 2015

Life is not about acquiring comfort, wealth, fame, or luxury. It is rather to form such a mindset and a path for yourself that will lead you to a higher step, to a level above where you started your life. We came into this world with everything already prepared. The Divine created everything before us. Did we have any hand in this? No. What contribution did we make to the creation of this world? How did we deserve to receive all this? Everything has already been created in nature for our life and works perfectly and naturally. Everything is thought out and provided for. The Divine gives food to everyone, feeds us all – from the tiny ant on the ground to the birds high in the sky and fish in the oceanic depths.

In Hemkund, there is a temple of Lakshman where the famous sindoor stone is situated. Shiva and Parvati once sat on this stone. Parvati once said to Shiva: «Everyone calls You the provider. You take care of everyone and feed everyone. Do You really not overlook anyone with Your attention?» And she decided to test this. She took an ant and hid it in her sindoor box away from Shiva’s eyes. She didn’t notice how a grain of rice fell from her head and landed into the box. She hides the ant and asks:

«Shiva, have You fed everyone?»

«Yes. Everyone,» answers Shiva.

«Are You sure? You didn’t miss anyone?»

«No. No one.»

«No one at all remained hungry?»

«No. No one.»

«Well, look here!»

And she decided to show Shiva that one being still remained unfed. After all, she hadn’t hidden that ant for nothing. She opened the box triumphantly, and look – there sits the ant, holding a grain of rice in its legs, eating it with pleasure. Then Parvati slapped her forehead with the box, and all the sindoor spilled onto the stone and colored it red. Such is the Divine lila (play). Shiva took responsibility for caring for and feeding everyone. And His caring gaze overlooks no one.

That is why He is called limitless, and no one can surpass Him. Yet humans still fidget and worry: «What will I eat? What should I do? What will happen to me?» A person’s whole life passes in worries, in searching for solutions to their small problems. They are always preoccupied: building something here, breaking something there. But the secret is that life’s joy comes in detachment, in refusing everything. The more you free yourself from attachments, the more joy there is in your life. As said in the Ramayana: «The greedy rich man cares about his wealth, but I in My heart care and worry about those who have renounced their wealth, small joys, desires, fear, and sorrow. The more you worship Me, the richer you become.»

One who lives in the Divine heart will want for nothing. This is not complicated, but it’s not so simple either. Yet practicing such sadhana (spiritual practice) is quite possible. So says Rama. So say all Deities.

The Rigveda describes thirty-three types of different Deities, each representing a personal manifestation of Brahman. For each Deity, there is a specific prayer, ceremony, individual offerings, specific daily puja (worship ritual), and rules for conducting it. You can choose ten Deities and worship them every day. There are countless rituals and ceremonies for each individual Deity. In Kali Yuga (the current age), it’s difficult for people to take all this into account and perform it. After all, one is supposed to know exactly which flowers and what offerings are presented during each puja or aarti (ceremonial worship). To Ganesha, for example, durva grass is offered during prayer. If you offer Him a lotus flower, Ganesha will not be pleased. Only durva grass brings Him joy.

However, nowadays, no one approaches all these rules so strictly and meticulously. Everyone has started praying as they see fit, as they prefer. Everyone has images of Deities hanging on their walls at home, with a home temple in every room. I also have my two temples (laughing, points toward the dhuni – sacred fire). My main temple is my dhuni. And it gathers everyone around itself. «Sureshanand, Jagadanand – are you hungry, don’t you want to eat? Come to my dhuni. Are you cold, feeling chilly? Come warm yourself by my fire.»

Daily reading of the Ramayana dispels the grief and sorrow brought by samsara. But achieving this takes time, requires comprehension, detachment, and application of higher mind. One must step away from worldly bustle, and only then will the Divine turn to you with love. New and better paths will begin to open for you. But if you spend life earning money, solving daily pressing problems, then the quality of life won’t change. You’ll walk in the same circle, there will be no progress.

Consider that there are people who are born in poverty, on the margins of life, living right on the street. They are people, too. They were born this way according to their karma (the law of cause and effect). And others are born in palaces. The universe is manifested in different forms and aspects. Look at what place you occupy in it. Look at who lives above you, who below, who lives better, and who worse. Before looking up with desire, turn your gaze down, to those who live worse than you. Consider what difficulties they must go through, what torments they must endure. One must know life from all sides. Without knowing the lower step, you won’t rise to the upper one.

Notice how many living beings go through suffering in this life. How many people work all day to exhaustion and still barely make ends meet! They sleep right on the street, covered with one blanket. These are people, too, but this is the karma they’ve earned; now they’re reaping the fruits.

Karma plays an important role. The Bhagavad Gita says: don’t covet beautiful and tasty fruits, don’t waste time on empty dreams and desires. Work. Do good deeds. The fruits will fall into your hands by themselves, according to the results of your labors, in accordance with the karma you’ve earned for yourself. Those who desire self-development and improvement must understand and realize this.

The Bhagavad Gita further teaches that if you were walking this path but then stumbled on life’s journey, stained yourself with sin, you will still be given another chance in the next birth. You will be born in the home of good people, they will feed you well, take care of you, give you education, and you will meet good teachers. A person will still have a chance to understand the Divine hint and get on the right path. In the next birth, you might go even further, practice sadhana, and acquire Divine siddhis (spiritual powers). However, in this birth… if everything is bad for you, it means you didn’t use your chances in previous times, didn’t realize Divine lessons. You didn’t make progress and regressed; now it will be difficult for you.

Yet living truthfully isn’t difficult. Just commit yourself to speaking only the truth. And love everyone kindly – if not in deeds, then in thoughts and in your attitude. Does it really take much effort to save the life of one ant?

When you are sweeping the floor and you see an ant crawling, take it and put it aside. But if you see it crawling and still crush it with the broom, is that kindness? When you eat, and a dog approaches you or a bird flies up, share your food with them. You won’t become poor from it. This is the kind of attitude you need to develop towards everyone.

Compassion nourishes the roots of dharma. Any virtue begins with kindness and compassion. If you go on pilgrimage to holy places, any such path begins with compassion. The meaning of any ritual and ceremony will be complete only when it is filled with love and kindness.

Just as water rises from the trunk to the branches of a tree, to the leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds, so too kindness, like water, nourishes the tree of dharma. The Ramayana says, «Until your last breath, radiate kindness.» A person needs to develop such an attitude towards everything in life, and everything around will respond in the same way.

Living in samsara, one should strive for balance, to remain equally calm in sorrow and joy, in happiness and grief, in rise and fall. Living in balance, you will find peace. Now it’s not so bad yet. The time will come, it will only get worse with each year. That’s how circumstances are developing in the world. Because much negativity has accumulated on our planet. The earth is shaking. Earthquakes are happening everywhere, both in India and in other countries. Much on Earth can change. Where there was land, it will become sea, where there was sea will become land. This has happened before.

Now it’s the twelfth kalpa (cosmic cycle) since the origin of the Universe. In one kalpa there are hundred Satya-yugas, hundred Treta-yugas, hundred Dvapara-yugas, and hundred Kali Yugas. When all four yugas occur a hundred times, the kalpa ends. After every hundred kalpas comes pralaya (cosmic dissolution). The pralaya of this Universe hasn’t come yet. Markandeya was shown pralaya, but we haven’t experienced it yet. The kalpa hasn’t ended yet. This is the twenty-eighth Kali Yuga. Twenty-eight Satya-yugas, Tretas and Dvaparas have passed, and now the twenty-eighth Kali Yuga is in progress. There’s still much time until the hundredth. How many more births will have to be experienced? After all, the Universe has no end. One cycle ends, and a new one begins. That’s why it’s called ananta – infinity.

Meanwhile, every ten years some changes occur on earth. No decade is like another. Look how many changes have occurred over the past fifty years – in everything. The way of life changes, the way of eating, ways of moving around. Where there used to be shabby huts, now high-rise buildings stand. People have started living in comfortable apartments. New technologies are coming. Once, we didn’t know what cement was. Before independence, in the mountains they hadn’t even heard of cement. But then there were their own technologies. They mixed limestone, white lentils, seeds of various plants. From this mixture, they made bricks and built temples. Over the past twenty-five years, cement has found use in the Himalayas, too.

In twenty years we observe so many changes, and how much new development will we see during the next century! But there is something that remains eternal and unchanging. It is the foundation of being. Atma doesn’t change. The body is subject to changes, the world and Universe change their form. But Atma will remain unchanged. Take air – it can change qualitatively. It heats up, cools down, moves around. It can become dirty due to poor ecology. But its essence doesn’t change. Air will remain air. Water changes its form, transitions from one state to another – liquid, gaseous, solid. But still, water remains water. Fire can be strong or weak, yet its essence is unchanging.

The five basic elements of nature – they are constant and eternal. Changes occur only when they begin their play, interacting with each other.