Swami Aparajitanandaji's Lecture on "Bhakti"

Swamiji started the session by teaching “Om namah Shivaya” Bhajan followed by a talk on

“Bhakti”

Food for thought:

• How many factors in the external world are required in keeping you alive in this planet? Infinite
• How many factors inside the body keeps you alive? Infinite
• How many factors are in our control? Nothing
• If simply means somebody else have given this life with infinite compassion. So it does not belong to us.
• How does your fingers move?
  How many cells gets activated? How nervous system gets activated? Which part of the brain works?
  In a nutshell, you are given the ability to move but you do not know the logical reason behind how you move. Same principle applies for tasting, speaking, hearing etc.
• Life is not ours but it has been given to us.
• Abilities & talents are not ours.
• Any knowledge or abilities that are given to us can be taken back anytime.

Four fundamental principles that you need to keep in mind throughout life are

Oh Lord

1. I am nothing!
2. I have nothing!
3. I know nothing!
4. I can do nothing!

But by your grace

• I am something!
• I have something!
• I know something!
• I can do something!

When the lord has given so much of talents, abilities, all that he expects from us is righteousness. Infact he takes avatar only to establish dharma which is emphasized in 

Bhagawad Gita - Chapter 4; Verse: 8

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām
dharma-sansthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge

For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age.

Lord establish the righteousness by protecting the good people and destroy bad or atharmic people.
So, what should we do as obedient children of God?
Follow the path of  righteousness or dharma. Even if you deviate, he does not punish but keep warning you.

4 things in Vishnu’s hand to establish righteousness are

1. Shanka - voice of consciousness inside
2. Chakra - destroys all negativities in mind and mind becomes pure
• Kama - intense desire
• Krodha - Anger
• Lobha - greed
• Moha - delusion
• Mada - Arrogance or pride
• Matsarya - envy, jealousy 
3. Gada - knocking down all the negativities
4. Padma - makes you one with himself

God is not our wish fulfilled; he is our well wisher.

Whenever you pray, he answers in one of the 4 ways

1. Yes 
2. No
3. Wait
4. Take something better 

Example:

If teacher gives a homework and ask you to submit it by tomorrow.

• 1st day - Good children will submit the very next day by listening to their inner voice and the teacher would make other children to stand-up on the bench
• 2nd day - Some of the children who stood on the bench would have completed and teacher would take others to the principal.
• 3rd day - Some of the children who were warned by the principal would have completed and still there might be some exceptions. Teacher will now have no choice by calling the parents.

As and when your mistake increases, the intensity of the punishment increases. 
In short, if you cannot realize your inner voice now, listen to your parents, teachers, eventually you will be disciplined & can start realizing the inner conscience.

Motivational Real Life Story:

Swamiji told the emotional, motivational, real life story of Arunima Sinha, the national volleyball player who made all the way from Death Bed to Mt.Everest through her hardwork & perseverance to accomplish the goal that has deep rooted in her heart by winning over the physical disability and all the oddities that she faced.

If your mind is fixed in Lord, you will overcome all your problems.
Whatever you need, He will provide!
Whatever you have, He will preserve it.