Why Bad things Happen to Good people | Is God Truly Just | Part 1 by Swami Mukundanand

Why Bad things Happen to Good people | Is God Truly Just | Part 1 by Swami Mukundanand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0 Main Points:  1  Circumstances don't come without reason, they come as teachers and they wish to teach us. If we wish to attract good circumstances, start by developing good thoughts but then there is something that breaks our faith in this paradigm and what is that?   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=23  2  When we see bad things happening to good people it goes against our sense of justice. You see there are three things in contention that we can consider, one is justice, second is injustice and third is Grace. Nyaya, Un-nyaya and Kripa.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=47  3  What is justice? Consider for example a worker who slogged in the factory all month long, at the end of the month the factory owner gave him his Justice salary. This is what you deserve here is what you get, this is justice.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=86  4  What is injustice? The worker he put in his efforts and then the factory owner at the end of the month said, you know, on the fifteenth of the month you came late by one hour, instead of coming at a.m. you came at , here I am going to subtract half your salary go! This is Un-nyaya or injustice   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=111  5  and the third is grace, Kripa. The worker says, Saheb I have to get my daughter married, I need so much of money, can you please give it to me, the bank will not give me a loan. The factory manager says okay, I'm gifting so much and I am giving so much as loan which I will deduct from your salary on a monthly basis. This is Grace or Kripa.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=145  6  The judicial system of the world is involved with ensuring that there is a justice. Justice is important to ensure that people stay away from crime because when bad things draw bad consequences others become discouraged from doing it. It's a very simple principle.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=170  7  about 30 years ago, management consultancy book had come out called the one minute manager. It taught how to manage in one minute. It says when you get a subordinate first of all help the subordinate understand what is good behavior, clarify the goals, this is what you're supposed to do, this is the output I want, this is how you should behave.  Let him or her define the goals of good behavior in half a page simple and easy, then someday catch that subordinate doing well and give a one-minute praising for one minute, you re-confirm that behavior.  Oh so wonderful you are doing well and I am very pleased. You confirm the good behavior and later on someday, if you catch your subordinate doing badly you give a one-minute scolding, only one minute scolding.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=214  8  Sometimes parents they start giving half day long scoldings then that is not productive. Just let the subordinate know that this is bad behavior. When you repeatedly administer this one minute praising, one minute scolding, it will fashion behavior. Why? Because everybody's behavior gets molded by consequences, pleasure and pain, pain can fashion even the behavior of animals.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=298  9  There's a story of Akbar and Birbal - a goat was trained in not eating fresh green grass - by fashioning its behaviour by punishment.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=334  10  Parents tell me, Swamiji you know my child is so unruly, how to train my child. I said look I don't have any experience but I'll tell you about this one minute manager, the same principle applies. You have to teach children with consequences, some parents stay away from those consequences and what happens, spare the rod and spoil the child.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=471   11  Kripaluji Maharaj, you know he grew up in a village, so his relatives were all simple Villagers, so he would say that when their children would not study, what would he do? They would bring the children my child doesn't study. Maharaj ji would not adopt the one minute manager, he would take the child and lock the child up.  Now after 24 hours the child is saying, chacha take me out take me out. Maharaj ji would let him remain there, until he decides that it is too painful not to study, then he would say, all right, come out.  In other words any behavior can be fashioned with consequences and that is why we have the judicial system of any country in place, because when justice is fair, justice is timely and justice is firm, it reduces crime.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=507  12  Once in Orissa the SDTM sub-divisional judicial magistrate used to come and attend my lecture and then he became a friend he would meet me etc, he said Swamiji I am totally incorrigible. I don't take any bribes.  Ever since I moved into this district the crime rate has fallen because people have understood that you cannot get away and when you get away what happens ? Take a look at the pirates of Somalia, any ship passing by the Suez Canal going close to Somalia gets looted because it's a broken country & the rule of law doesn't exist so people say, never mind, do what you like, there will be no consequences.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=562  13  In the court of God also, the principle of justice holds. God has the law of karma - if you do good things, good things should happen to you, if you do bad then bad things, should happen to you.  God is also the judge, in fact worldly judges have limitations, they depend upon Witnesses, they depend upon evidence, either of these could be misleading the judge doesn't know what the convict is thinking and even if the judge had that yogic siddhi and could know the mind of the convict, he will know what the convict is thinking today, he doesn't know what the convict thought five years ago at the time of the crime  but in the case of God, He is all-knowing, He doesn't need any witnesses, plus the worldly judge can make mistakes in interpreting laws. Because laws have different interpretations and that is how advocates make their money because cases get reappeared at higher and higher levels. You know, this judge misinterpreted.  In the case of God, He is the one who created the law, He doesn't need any lawyers, He doesn't need any police, He is the witness, He is the police and He is the judge, hence from God we can expect perfect justice!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csh5kj2HNg0&t=623  Introduction 0:23 Circumstances don't come without reason, they come as teachers and they wish to 0:31 teach us. If we wish to attract good circumstances start by developing good 0:38 thoughts but then there is something that breaks our faith in this paradigm 0:47 and what is that?  When we see bad things happening to good people it goes against 1:00 our sense of justice. You see there are three things in contention that we can 1:11 consider one is justice second is injustice and third is Grace. Nyaya, Un-nyaya and 1:26 Kripa.  What is justice? Consider for example a worker who sloged in the 1:38 factory all month long, at the end of the month the factory owner gave him his Justice 1:46 salary. This is what you deserve here is what you get, this is justice.  1:51 What is injustice? The worker he put in his efforts and then the factory owner 2:02 at the end of the month said you know on the fifteenth of the month you came late 2:07 by one hour, instead of coming at 9:00 a.m. you came at 10:00 here I am going 2:14 to subtract half your salary go  This is Un-nyaya or injustice  2:25 and the third is grace, Kripa. The worker says, Saheb I have to get my 2:34 daughter married I need so much of money can you please give it to me the bank 2:39 will not give me a loan. The factory manager says okay, I'm 2:45 gifting so much and I am giving so much as loan which I will deduct from your 2:50 salary on a monthly basis. This is Grace or Kripa.  The judicial system of the 3:00 world is involved with ensuring that there is a justice. Justice is important 3:12 to ensure that people stay away from crime because when bad things draw bad 3:24 consequences others become discouraged from doing it. It's a very simple 3:34 principle,  about 30 years ago management consultancy book had come out called the 3:42 one minute manager some of you may have read it. It taught how to manage in one 3:51 minute. It says when you get a subordinate first of all help the subordinate The One Minute Manager 3:58 understand what is good behavior, clarify the goals, this is what you're supposed 4:04 to do this is the output I want, this is how you should behave. Let him or her 4:12 define the goals of good behavior in half a page simple and easy 4:21 then someday catch that subordinate doing well and give a one-minute praising for One Minute Praise 4:33 one minute you re-confirm 4:36 that behavior. Oh so wonderful you are doing well and I am very pleased. You 4:44 confirm the good behavior and later on someday if you catch your subordinate 4:51 doing badly you give a one-minute scolding only one minute scolding.   One Minute scolding 4:58 Sometimes parents they start giving half day long scoldings then that doesn't.. 5:05 is not productive. Just let the subordinate know that this 5:11 is bad behavior. When you repeatedly administer this one minute praising one 5:18 minute scolding one minute praising one minute scolding it will fashion behavior

Consequences 5:24 Why? Because everybody's behavior gets molded by consequences, pleasure and pain 5:34 pain can fashion even the behavior of animals.  There's a story of Akbar and 5:44 Birbal. The Mughal emperor Akbar and his wise minister Birbal. So Akbar said 5:58 Birbal is there anybody in my kingdom who can train a goat to desist from 6:07 eating green succulent fresh grass? 6:13 Birbal said huzoor it's not a problem give me one month's time. Akbar said 6:21 all right. Birbal went and purchased a goat. Now he 6:27 would put the green grass before the goats nose and every time the goat would 6:33 go for it Birbal would take a stick and whack it on its mouth. When the goat kept 6:40 on receiving the whacks one after the other 6:43 after the other, even the little goats brain understood that it's not worth it 6:51 Forget it, it's too painful. After one month of such training Birbal took the goat to 6:59 the Emperor. The goat in one hand the stick in the other he said my goat has 7:09 become a vairagi- it's become detached from grass, you try it out it will not 7:17 eat. Akbar said really, he said come on bring the most tasteful grass in my garden 7:26 the servants brought it. Akbar himself put it before the goat, the goat looked 7:35 at the grass it looked at Birbal's stick. Birbal, he shook his stick the 7:43 goat understood you know I'll get a whack, forget it it pulled back. Even the 7:51 goats behavior had got fashioned by consequences. Parents tell me Swamiji you 7:58 know my child is so unruly how to train my child. I said look I don't have any 8:05 experience but I'll tell you this one minute manager the same principle 8:11 applies. You have to teach children with consequences some parents stay away from 8:18 those consequences and what happens, spare the rod and spoil the child.  8:27 Kripaluji Maharaj, you know he grew up in a village so his relatives were all simple 8:32 villagers so he would say that when their children would not study what would he What would he do 8:39 do? They would bring the children my child doesn't study 8:44 Maharaji would not adopt the one minute manager, he would take the child and lock 8:49 the child up. Now after 24 hours the child is saying 8:55 Chacha take me out take me out. Maharaj ji would let him remain there, until he decides 9:01 that no it's too painful not to study then he would say all right come out. In Justice is timely 9:08 other words any behavior can be fashioned with consequences and that is 9:15 why we have the judicial system of any country in place, because when justice is 9:22 fair, justice is timely and justice is firm, it reduces crime.  Once in Orissa the 9:35 SDTM sub-divisional judicial magistrate used to come and attend my lecture and 9:40 then he became a friend he would meet me etc he said Swamiji I am totally 9:47 incorrigible. I don't take any bribes. Ever since I moved into this district 9:54 the crime rate has fallen because people have understood you cannot get away and 10:01 when you get away what happens, take a look at the pirates of Somalia, any ship 10:07 passing by the Suez Canal going close to Somalia gets looted because it's a 10:13 broken country the rule of law doesn't exist so people say never mind do what 10:19 you like there will be no consequences.  10:23 In the court of God also 10:26 the principle of justice holds. God has the law of karma if you do good things good things 10:36 should happen to you, if you do bad then bad things should happen to you. God is 10:43 also the judge, in fact worldly judges have limitations they depend upon 10:53 witnesses they depend upon evidence either of these could be misleading 11:01 the judge doesn't know what the convict is 11:06 thinking and even if the judge had that yogic siddhi and could know the mind of 11:14 the convict he will know what the convict is thinking today, he doesn't 11:19 know what the convict thought five years ago at the time of the crime but in the 11:25 case of God he is all-knowing he doesn't need any witnesses, plus the worldly 11:35 judge can make mistakes in interpreting laws. Because laws have different 11:42 interpretations and that is how advocates make their money because cases 11:49 get reappeared at higher and higher levels. You know this judge 11:53 misinterpreted. In the case of God he is the one who created the law he doesn't 12:01 need any lawyers, he doesn't need any police, he is the witness, he is the 12:06 police and he is the judge hence from God we can expect perfect justice  Standby link (in case youtube link does not work): Why Bad things Happen to Good people Is God Truly Just Part 1.mp4

आपकी भी दशा ख़राब चल रही है तो ये काम जरूर कीजिये! If your condition is bad, then definitely do this ! - Devi Chitralekhaji

आपकी भी दशा ख़राब चल रही है तो ये काम जरूर कीजिये! - Devi Chitralekhaji

You can also read the TRANSCRIPT (text version) of the same by clicking "..more" & "Show transcript"

https://youtu.be/Zd3qv5JuMOo

The following is the Transcript as copied from video:

 

Transcript

0:00

दैविक दुख यानी जब कभी हम कुछ प्रकृति

0:04

के साथ छेड़छाड़ कर देते गड़बड़ करते हैं

0:06

तो फिर प्रकृति उसका बदला लेती है भूकंप आ

0:12

गया और पहले के समय में तो भूकंप ऐसे आते

0:15

थे कोई सालों में आजकल तो ऐसे महाराज खेल

0:19

जैसा हो गया अभी तीन दिन पहले ही आया था

0:22

हम तो नहीं थे हम तो छिंदवाड़ा में थे पर

0:25

खबरों में सुना था दिल्ली में भूकंप आया

0:27

दोपहर को डेढ़ बजे

0:30

हर दूसरे तीसरे दिन कुछ न कुछ आपत्ति

0:33

विपत्ति देवता जब रुष्ट होते हैं तब वह

0:36

कहते हैँ ले भैया तूने यह काम बिगाड़ा ले अब

0:39

हम करते हैं और इसका उपाय एक ही है ये जो

0:42

इतना सारा प्रकृति में चीजें बढ़ रहीं हैँ ना

0:45

इसका उपाय है कि लोगों ने अपने घरों में

0:47

कीर्तन करना छोड़ दिया संकीर्तन करना छोड़

0:51

दिया संकीर्तन से सब देवताओं की जो रूष्टता

0:54

नाराजगी सब दूर हो जाती जब उनको पता लगता

0:57

है कि इस घर में कीर्तन होता है अगर किसी को भी

0:59

लग रहा हो वैसे तो मैं उस विषय में ज्यादा

1:02

जानती नहीं ज्यादा बोलती नहीं पर अगर

1:05

किसी को लगता है भाई हमारा शनि टेढ़ा चल रहा

1:08

शनि की साढ़े साती चल रही

1:12

है अगर कोई उपाय कोई बताता भैया आप मानो

1:16

ना मानो सबका अपना जीवन है जिसको जो करना करो पर

1:19

अगर भागवत जी से पूछ रहे हो और अगर मेरी

1:21

छोटी बुद्धि से पूछ रहे हो अगर किसी को

1:23

लगता है कि उस घर के घर परिवार में कुछ

1:25

देवता का शनि का राहु का प्रकोप है कुछ मत

1:28

करो घर में पूरा परिवार बैठ कर के पांच दस

1:31

मिनट कृष्ण नाम का राधा नाम का कीर्तन कर

1:34

लो सारे दुनिया भर के जितने भी देवता है

1:37

ना तुम्हारी सेवा में खड़े हो जाएंगे हाथ

1:39

जोड़कर कहिए हुकम

1:42

सरकार ऐसे ही नहीं कह रहे हम ब्रज में

1:46

बड़े-बड़े देवता हमारी राधा रानी के चरणों

1:49

में हाथ जोड़े ठाड़े (खड़े) हैं हे श्री जी एक एक

1:52

आशीर्वाद दे दो एक आज्ञा कर दो ठाकुर जी

1:55

से शनि देवता आप कभी जाते हो कोकिला

2:00

[संगीत]

2:01

पंजाब वाले तो बहुत एक तो दिल्ली वाले और

2:04

पंजाब वाले दो ही तो प्राणी सबसे ज्यादा

2:06

वृंदावन में पाए जाते

2:09

हैं पंजाब वाले पंजाब में कम ब्रज में

2:12

ज्यादा पाए जा रहे हैं

2:15

आजकल पर चलो बढ़िया है अच्छी बात है जगह

2:19

तो बची है नहीं वृंदावन में

2:21

पर श्री जी बुला रही है तो खुद ही

2:24

संभालेगी अपने आप जब बुलाने वाली वही हैं

2:27

तो संभालने वाली भी वही हैं

2:30

तो कभी गए हो आप शनिवार को बड़ी भीड़ लगी

2:35

रहती है पर कोई यह नहीं जानने की कोशिश

2:37

करता शनिदेव सबको छोड़ छाड़ के दुनियादारी

2:40

ब्रज में पड़े हैं इसलिए पड़े

2:42

क्योंकि नंदगांव वहीं बरसाना वहीं कभी तो

2:46

निकलते आते जाते श्री राधा माधव दोनों जब

2:50

निकलेंगे और इस निकुंज में लीला करने यह

2:53

शनि देवता का स्थान तो अब विस्तार से बना

2:57

कोकिला वन जहां पर श्री राधा माधव नित्य

3:00

लीला करने आते थे और शनि देवता वहीं बैठे

3:02

रहते थे एक झलक मिल जाए इन दोनों की युगल

3:05

की इसलिए वहां पर विराजमान है शनि

3:08

देवता अपनी सेवा करवाने विराजमान नहीं है

3:12

ठाकुर जी की उनके रूप का दर्शन करने

3:15

विराजमान तो अगर इतने बड़े-बड़े देव

3:20

जिनको देख के लोग डरते हैं वो अगर ब्रज

3:23

में श्री राधा कृष्ण के शरणागत है अगर आप

3:26

उन श्री राधा रानी का नाम लोगे ठाकुर जी

3:28

का नाम लोगे सब देवी देवता रास्ता खोल कर के खड़े

3:32

हो जाएंगें खबरदार इससे भैया पंगा नहीं लेना

3:36

होता नहीं शहर में जिसकी पहुंच जरा ऊपर

3:38

वाले अफसर से हो तो आस पड़ोसी भी कह देते

3:41

भैया इससे पंगा नहीं लेना इसकी पहुंच बहुत

3:43

ऊपर तक है तो जिसकी पहुंच हमारी राधा रानी

3:46

तक हो जिसकी पहुंच हमारे श्याम सुंदर के

3:49

साथ हो किसकी हिम्मत की टेढ़ी नजर उठा कर

3:52

के देख ले और उल्टा कोई टेढ़ी नजर करेगा

3:55

तो उसको पकड़ के और पटक नहीं लगा देंगे

3:58

खबरदार इसको छुआ तो

4:01

काहे को डरते हो डरने की आवश्यकता क्या है

4:05

अरे हम राधे जू के बल अभिमानी पड़े रहे

4:09

अलमस्त भजन में क्योंकि हमारे सर पर राधा

4:13

रानी हमको डरने की आवश्यकता नहीं ब्रज के

4:18

प्रेमियों को तो बिल्कुल डरने की आवश्यकता

4:27

नहीं

 

Standby link (in case youtube link does not work):

आपकी भी दशा ख़राब चल रही है तो ये काम जरूर कीजिये! - Devi Chitralekhaji.mp4

तेरी मिट्टी में खो जाऊँ, Clarion Call from Vrindavan - Iss Raj Mei Mai Kho Jaun - Teri Mitti - BHAJAN Cover by Madhavas

तेरी मिट्टी में खो जाऊँ, Clarion Call from Vrindavan - Iss Raj Mei Mai Kho Jaun - Teri Mitti - BHAJAN Cover by Madhavas

a lovely melodious & touching song for Vrindavan

https://youtu.be/dxdvPy8EMAU?t=80 इस रज में मैं खो जाऊँ इस ब्रज का ही हो जाऊँ इतनी सी है दिल की आरज़ू Let me get lost in this soil Let me be owned by this land Brij All I want is only this 1 तेरे प्रेम में हर सुख वार दिया तेरे ध्यान में दिल ये लगाया  है तब जा के कहीं हमने तेरा नाम अपनी सांसो पे सजया है 2 हे कान्हा मेरे, तेरे दर पे रहूँ  तू ना आंख से इक पल ओझल हो मैं दूर रहूँ वृंदावन से जीवन में कभी न वो पल हो 3 हे राधे मेरी, मेरी महारानी हर वेद की तुम ही कहानी हो जो प्रेम जगत का सार हो तुम उस प्रेम की अमित निशानी हो 4 इस रज में मैं खो जाऊं इस ब्रज का ही हो जाऊँ  इतनी सी है दिल की आरजू 5 इन लताओं सा लहराउँ  यमुना मैय्या सा बह जाऊँ  इतनी सी है दिल की आरजू 6 ओ बांके मेरे बड़े छलिया तुम इस ब्रज के तुम महाराजा हो हर गोपी यही पुकार रही ओ कान्हा दूर तू ना जा हो 7 ब्रज भूमि मेरी तेरा हर कण कण बस प्रेम ही प्रेम दुहाई दे चाहे कान लगा कर सुन लो तुम बस राधा राधा सुनाई दे 8 बरसाने तेरे घर आऊँ  इस रस में ही तर जाऊँ  इतनी सी है दिल की आरज़ू 9 तुम आदि पुरुष तुम अंत में हो हर पापी में हर सन्त में हो तुम धरती में तुम व्योम में हो ब्रह्माण्ड के हर इक रोम में हो 10 सब कुछ होकर गोपाल से तुम मेरे नंद के छोटे लाल से तुम कान्हा कुछ और तू ना देना बस अपनी भक्ति सदा देना 11 आखिर की जब सांस मैं लूँ हे गोविंद तेरे नाम से लूँ इतनी सी है दिल की आरजू 1 In love of Thine, all joys I do surrender, My heart is fixed upon Thy contemplation deep, And only then Thy Name, so soft and tender, Upon my every breath I finally keep. 2 O my Kanhaiya, upon Thy doorstep let me stay, Mayst Thou not vanish from my sight even one fleeting moment, May that day never come, to be away From Vrindavan's enchanting bower. 3 O Radhe, my queen, my sovereign might, Of every Veda, Thou art the single tale, The very essence of all worldly light, Of Love's deep truth, Thou art the endless trail. 4 In this sacred dust, oh, let my being lose its form, To be a part of Braj soil, this is my soul's desire, To let my life be merged in Braj This is the simple wish that sets my heart afire. 5 Like these vines, let me gently swing and sway, Like Mother Yamuna, let my spirit softly flow, This is the humble plea I utter day by day, The only aspiration that my deep heart can know. 6 O Bānke, my beautiful, great trickster Thou art known, The sovereign ruler of this hallowed land of Braj, Every Gopi's cry is echoing, deep and lone, O Kanhaiya, please, let us never see Thee go. 7 Braj Bhoomi mine, every speck of Thy ground, Resounds with nothing but the call of purest Love, Whether by ear or deepest feeling, it is found, Only "Radha, Radha" rings from earth to skies above. 8 To Barsana's gates, let my tired footsteps roam, To be submerged and purified in this divine sweet grace, This is the final longing that guides my spirit home, To find my heart's true yearning in that sacred space. 9 Thou art the first, the end of all that is begun, In every sinner, and in every holy saint, Thou art in the earth, the sky, the moon, the sun, In every single fiber of the cosmic constraint. 10 Though Thou art all things, O Gopal, so grand and vast, Yet to me, Thou art my Nand's little child so dear, Kanhaiya, ask for naught else that forever shall last, But let Thy devotion be my only treasure here. 11 When I draw my final breath, and all is done, O Govind, let it be spoken with Thy sacred name, This is the final solace that my heart has won, This is the single burning wick of my soul's flame.

The Story that REVEALS Shree Ram’s Diwali Wisdom – How Faith removes Darkness by Swmai Mukundanand

The Story that REVEALS Shree Ram’s Diwali Wisdom – How Faith removes Darkness by Swmai Mukundanand

https://youtu.be/6rulwaWjt04

This video by Swami Mukundananda narrates a significant story from the Ramayana involving Lord Shiva, Sati, and Lord Ram to illustrate the spiritual lesson of faith versus material intellect and understanding the divine nature of God's actions, known as Lila (pastimes). [00:00] Once Lord Shiv desired to relish the Ram Katha ras (nectar of the story). So, accompanied by Sati, he went to the ashram of [00:11] Agastya Rishi. Agastya Rishi saw that the Lord has come, he welcomed Shiv and Sati. So Shiv was pleased with [00:23] the Rishi's devotion. However, Sati used her buddhi (intellect): "We are coming to listen to a Katha (story) from him, and he is [00:32] doing our puja (worship). What a bhondu bhatt (fraud) he is!" So Sati used her buddhi there. Now Shiv requested Agastya that [00:43] "I wish to hear the Ram Katha." So Agastya said, "Maharaj, if it is your wish, I will relate it [00:50] to you." So Agastya related the whole Katha to Shiv, and Sati was also sitting there, but Sati’s mentality had [01:01] got corrupted. In her mind was the doubt, "Look, what Katha will he tell us? What does he know? He [01:09] was doing our puja a little while ago." So she did not listen with faith. At the end of the Katha [01:21] Shiv was pleased and he said, "Maharaj, what dakshina (offering) can we offer to you?" Agastya said, "Maharaj, what dakshina [01:32] can I take from you? If you so wish, you please explain Bhakti Tattva (the principle of devotion) to me." So Shiv explained Bhakti [01:42] Tattva to Agastya and blessed him with devotion. And then Shiv and Sati passed by in the forest. Now [01:54] this coincided with the time when Ram was in the forest. So Ram had gone for His vanvas (exile) and in [02:04] the vanvas the Sita Haran (abduction of Sita) had taken place. So subsequent to the Sita Haran, Ram and Lakshman were going, and [02:17] Ram was yearning, "Where has Sita gone?" Ram’s yearning was absolutely supernormal. Now if somebody’s family member gets lost [02:32] they go and report to the police, announce on television, but nobody goes and asks a tree, "Mr. Tree, have [02:39] you seen my child running from here?" But Ram is experiencing such pangs of separation from Sita. He is asking [02:50] the trees and the animals: Hey Khag Mrig Hey Madhukar Shreni, Tum Dekhi Sita Mrig-Naini. (O birds, beasts, and rows of bees, have you seen the doe-eyed Sita?) [Lord Ram's lamentation quoted]. [03:07] Lakshman man samjhaye bahuti, poochhat chale lata tarupati. E vidhi khojat vilapat swami, manahu maha virah ati kaami. (Lakshman tried to console him many times, but the Lord continued asking the creepers and trees. The Lord wandered and lamented, like a man intensely desirous for his beloved wife.) [Continuation of Lord Ram's lamentation]. [03:25] Like a very desirous man searches for his wife, Ram was in that situation. He seemed to have completely lost His senses. He is asking the trees and [03:33] He is asking the creepers, "Where is my Sita gone?" Lakshman tries to explain, but Ram doesn't understand. In this [03:44] situation, Shiv and Sati saw Ram. So Shiv offered his pranam and said, "He is Sat-chit-ananda Para-Brahma Prabhu. What a Lila [03:57] you are doing!" So Shiv understood, "My Lord is doing a Lila. When He hides His almightiness, that is the [04:06] Lila. So my Lord is doing a Lila." Now supposing your neighbor says that, "Look, I am participating in a [04:16] drama. You come and listen to it/see it." And you go there, and in the drama that person is [04:23] acting like a crook, so you will not stand up from the audience, "What kind of acting you are doing?" [04:29] You will just stand and watch. So Shiv is watching the Lila of my Prabhu, but Sati’s buddhi was already [04:37] corrupted. Sati started thinking, "What kind of Bhagwan (God) is he?" [04:44] So she said, Kabahu yog viyog na jaage, dekha prakat virah dukh taage. (God is He who never suffers union or separation, but here He is openly showing the distress of separation). [Sati's corrupted logic]. [04:59] ...because God is everywhere, how can you have viyog (separation) from God? But Tulsidas says you can't even have [05:12] yog (union). Why yog? Because [05:19] day happens when there was night, and if there was no night, there will be no day as well. So [05:26] in the sun it is nitya din (eternal day). In the same way, Bhagwan has nitya yog (eternal union) with all living entities. But [05:38] the same Ram is suffering viyog from his wife. So Sati said, "What kind of Bhagwan is he?" But then [05:48] she thought, "My husband has done pranam. Shambhu gira muni mrisha na hoi, Shiv sarvagya jaan sab koi. (Shambhu [Shiva] cannot lie, Shiva is all-knowing and knows everything)." So he [06:01] must be Bhagwan. But Bhagwan is not like this. Bhagwan is Sarvagya (all-knowing), and He doesn't even know where [06:11] His wife has gone. So Shiv said, "Look Sati, you do what you want, I am telling you He [06:19] is Bhagwan." Shiv left, thinking: Hoi hai soi jo Ram rach rakha, ko kari tark badhahi sakha. (Whatever Ram has ordained, that is what is going to happen. Who can debate or argue with that?) [Shiv's resolute faith]. [06:31] So Shiv went off and he said, "Be careful how you behave." [06:40] But Sati’s buddhi was affected. She said, "Alright, let me take a test and I will find out whether [06:48] He is Bhagwan or He is not Bhagwan." So Sati, by her maya (illusory power), she took on the form of Sita [06:59] herself and she sat down there. "That if He is God, He will come to know. And if He is [07:09] not God, He will say, 'Oh, this is where you—we were looking for you!' And Lakshman will say, 'Arey [07:18] Bhabhi Ji (sister-in-law), we found you!' So it will be a great find." So now Ram, He was saying, "Ha Seete, Ha [07:29] Seete," and He saw Sati in the form of Sita. So He just ignored her: "Ha Seete, Ha Seete." Sati [07:39] thought, "Maybe He did not see me." So again she went and sat down in front. Ram is coming: [07:46] "Ha Seete, Ha Seete." And then He sees Sati in the form of Sita. He became extremely serious: "Mother, you [07:55] are sitting here, where is my Father?" Sati kapatu janeu sur swami, sab darasi sab antaryami. (The Lord, the master of the gods, who is the all-seer and the indwelling soul of all, knew Sati's deceit). [Ram instantly recognized her]. [08:12] For Sarvagya (the All-knowing), what is the problem in knowing whether this is Sati or Sita? Sumirat jah mit agyana (Remembrance of whom destroys all ignorance). So Sarvagya [08:24] Ram Bhagwan—He is Sarvagya, He knows everything. So in His Lila, Ram worships Shiv as His Ishta Dev (worshipable deity); He worships [08:38] him in Rameswaram. So because Shiv is His Ishta Dev, Sati is His mother. So He is addressing Sati as "Mother": [08:47] "Mother, you are here, where is my Father?" Sati said, "Oh, He has recognized me!" She ran from there. And [08:57] when she ran, wherever she looked she saw Ram, Lakshman, and Sita. She looked here: there they are, and devatas [09:05] are doing the puja. And she looked there: there they are. She realized that He is Bhagwan. Remember in [09:14] the case of the Lord, it is always a Lila. Whenever your mind starts getting confused, like Sati’s mind got [09:26] confused, remind yourself, "These are divine pastimes." The goal is not to engage the intellect there, but to engage [09:39] the mind and thereby be purified. This video narrates a pivotal episode from the Ramayana where Lord Shiva’s wife, Sati, attempts to test Lord Ram, revealing a profound lesson on the difference between faith (Shraddha) and skeptical intellect (Buddhi) in spiritual matters. 1. The Corruption of Intellect The story begins with Lord Shiva and Sati visiting Agastya Rishi to hear the Ram Katha. Shiva was pleased by the Rishi's devotion. However, Sati allowed her material intellect to corrupt her judgment.  When the Rishi, in his humility, performed their worship, Sati questioned his spiritual standing, thinking: "We came to learn from him, yet he is worshipping us. What authority does he have?" Due to this doubt, she listened to the sacred story without faith. 2. The Illusion of Suffering (Lila) Later, Shiva and Sati encountered Lord Ram in the forest during his exile, shortly after the abduction of Sita. Ram was experiencing intense, human-like grief and yearning (viyog), asking the trees and animals if they had seen his wife. • Shiva's Faith: Shiva, recognizing the Supreme Truth, immediately understood this suffering to be Lord Ram's Lila (divine pastime). He offered his obeisance, recognizing Ram as the Sachchidananda Parabrahma (Eternal, Blissful Absolute Truth) who was simply hiding His omnipotence as part of His divine play. • Sati's Doubt: Sati, however, could not reconcile this image of a grieving man with her concept of an all-knowing, omnipresent God who should never suffer separation. Her corrupted intellect compelled her to seek proof. 3. The Divine Test and Recognition Sati decided to test Ram by transforming herself into the exact image of Sita and sitting in Ram's path. Her plan was that if Ram was just a regular man, he would be fooled and embrace her as his wife. However, when Ram saw Sati in Sita's form, he stopped his lamentation. Instead of acknowledging her as Sita, he immediately addressed her with seriousness, saying, "Mother, you are sitting here, where is my Father?" Ram, the Sarvagya (All-knowing) and Antaryami (Indwelling Soul), instantly saw through the deceit. He called her "Mother" because, as Lord Shiva's wife, she was spiritually akin to his mother (Lord Shiva being Ram's chosen deity, or Ishta Dev). 4. The Final Conclusion Sati's trick failed. She realized she had been recognized. As she fled, she was granted a vision where she saw Ram, Lakshman, and Sita everywhere, along with the gods worshipping them. She finally realized the Truth: Ram is the Supreme Lord. The Spiritual Lesson: The Swami concludes that the Lord's actions are always a Lila (divine pastime). When our mind is confused by the apparent contradictions in God's actions, we must remember this truth.  The goal of spiritual life is not to engage the limited, material intellect to critique or understand the divine, but to engage the mind with faith (Shraddha) to purify it. https://youtu.be/6rulwaWjt04