In this inspiring clip, Ma Gurupriya ji talks about the priceless goal of surrendering to the Lord.  Listening to Ma’s narration about her own past days of seeking and experiences, one is convinced that surrender is possible only through relentless self-effort. 

“We might read the Bhagavad Gita everyday” says Ma, “But how often do we focus on the concepts and associate it with ourselves? We need to make an effort to focus on the qualities presented there and see whether we have those in us”.

मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय ।

निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥ (12.8)

Repose your mind on Me (the Supreme) alone, and then establish the intelligence too in Me. From then on, you will certainly abide in Me (the Supreme), no doubt.

Discussing this verse, Ma asks, “How do we surrender completely in Him? The answer is given in the next verse. It says अभ्यासयोगेन (By Abhyasa – constant practice)”.

This abhyasa is extremely important in one’s sadhana. In the midst of all activities, one needs to take a step back and remember the qualities of the Self, the meaning of the attributes and how to actualize them.

In the context of abhyasa, Ma recounts the words of Swami Atmananda ji (of Siddha Yogashram). He had told her about an old lady who had been in extreme pain because she was in the last stage of cancer. She passed away calmly and peacefully chanting her Mantra. It became possible only because of the constant abhyasa of chanting the Mantra throughout her life.

Ma says,“Swami Nirvisheshananda Tirtha ji’s mother was suffering from Alzheimer’s. As it progressed, she did not remember her family or anything else. She was left with only one thing- ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, which she kept chanting”.

This is Abhyasa Yoga. It is our responsibility to put in the effort to elevate ourselves.

Talking about ‘Surrender’ Ma says, “We talk about surrendering to God, but our surrender is not complete. To really surrender we have to apply persistent self-effort. You have to cry and weep for God (Truth) knowing fully well that fulfilment can be had by that alone. You need to have constant interaction with the indweller”.

Speaking about her early days of intense seeking and dispassion, Ma recalls a time when she was standing at a window looking out into the darkness comparing it to the darkness in her own mind. She suddenly thought, “O Lord, are you not there in the darkness also? You are there in both brightness and darkness. In my mind too, where there is darkness, there is your touch. I can never lose your touch”.

“My Gurudev (Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha ji) always said, ‘Accept all bhaavas (emotional notes) of the mind’. That day I fully understood what he meant”.

This epiphany also reminded Ma of the words from the 18th chapter of Bhagavad Gita, तमेव शरणम् गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत …(Seek refuge in Him alone, with all your emotional notes—bhaavas. By His grace, you will attain supreme peacefulness).

In conclusion, Ma reads out the words from her diary that are pregnant with meaning and significance. 

“Surrender is alone the abode of fearlessness; it is Mukti. In the bright sky outside, dawns the darkness of night. Both are his eternal forms. In the sky within, goes on the eternal play of light and darkness. Both are he Himself. In this world there is no other existence than the Lord Himself. He is there in Sukha; He is there in Duhkha also”.

***

The post Abode of Fearlessness appeared first on Global Gita.