Hartum tamaha sadasati:cha vive:ktumi:so:
maanam pradeepamaiva kaaruniko dadaati
Te:na:valo:kya krutinaha paribhunjate: tam
Tatraiva ke:pi chapala:ssalabhi: bhavanti
– Sri Rangaraja sthavam composed by Sri Parasara Bhattar
God (the controller) gives scriptures (vedas) to us out of compassion; whoever uses the Vedas like a lamp that removes ignorance (darkness) and brightens up with wisdom will construct themselves (atma ujjeevanam) and experience good fortune of all kinds;
Those who try to disprove them will end up destructing themselves (atma vinaasanam), like those insects which play with fire, and ultimately burn themselves.
Karthika masam (month) is the time when God wakes up. It is the right time to pray for His grace using a deepam (diya).
The prayer lights us up from within (internal realisation). Deepam reflects the internal wisdom which brightens up our surroundings (external environment). The essentials to light up a deepam for exterior brightness are: oil, source of fire, censer. What about the essentials to light us up from within? It is simply right prayer!
The prayer must seek God to help us remove ignorance from our hearts and light it up with wisdom that lets us differentiate between: right and wrong, truth and false, what exists and what doesn’t, what to take in and what to let go. When one achieves this kind of wisdom, it translates into bhakti – devotion to God.
Devotion means incessant love for God. When you love your acharya, the emotion is termed as ‘sraddha’. When you love your child, it is termed as ‘vaatsalyam’. When it is towards parents, it is called ‘gowravam’. It’s the same emotion, but when directed towards different people, it takes different names.
When this love outpours, it results in a series of activities offered towards the object of love. These activities are put under an umbrella word called ‘service’. When it comes to love for God, that service we offer is simply an automatic response of knowing His existence and His qualities.
God neither expects nor needs anything from us. But, He has given us the body with a heart, the senses, the intellect, friends and family, the nature. Utilize all that He has given and offer them in serving God.
Where do we go to serve God?
When you love someone, you understand the person and offer them what they desire through their body. For example: favourite delicious dish to your child by the time he comes back from school.
Similarly, when you love God – understand Him and serve Him through His body.
What is God’s body?
Rushis and Devathas state firmly that whatever we see around is part of God’s body,
jagath sarvam sareeram the:
Wherever you go, and whatever you do – if you react and respond to the needs of that situation using all the abilities you are blessed with, then you are serving God. But, if you restrict yourself only to your body’s comfort and needs – then you are not utilising any opportunity to serve God. Wake up (put an end to the ignorance) and light up the diya of serving God through every breath, every deed and through every step you take!
– November 11 th , 2019
– Koti Deepotsavam
– NTR grounds, Hyderabad
Swamiji appreciated Sriman Narendra Chowdary of Bhakthi TV who has been organizing Koti Deepotsavam event from the past 8 years. Swamiji also added, “this year Vikari (meaning good change) is truly memorable as we have seen great changes in the face of the nation beginning from Kashmir to Ayodhya! We hope to see some more good changes in the future”
