Spiritual Virtues associated with samashti sadhana

virtues_samashti_Sadhana

        The true goal of human life is God-realisation. Efforts made to imbibe spiritual virtues in the self for individual spiritual progress is termed vyashti sadhana (Individual spiritual practice). While making efforts to imbibe virtues as per the present times, it is not enough to be satisfied with self endeavours. In Kaliyug (Era of strife) the proportion of sattvikta (Sattva-predominance) in the society has declined to a great extent, and hence, to increase the sattvikta of the society, it is necessary to get sadhana (Spiritual practice) performed by the society. This is termed samashti sadhana of those who make such efforts. Today, anti-Hindus and traitors to Dharma (Righteousness) are openly denigrating Hindu Dharma, Hindu Deities, Saints, National heroes and Holy texts. Protecting the Nation and Dharma from anti-national elements and traitors to Dharma and trying to unite Hindus have very much become aspects of samashti sadhana. To be able to spread Dharma and unite Hindus, it is essential that seekers have virtues like organisational skills, leadership, expansiveness, less ego, foresight, attitude to serve, being dutiful, being principled, kshatravrutti (Warrior attitude), patriotism, pride in Dharma, unconditional love, so also virtues essential for inculcating sanskars (Subconscious impressions) in children, virtues associated with social interactions, spiritual virtues essential for ideal administration practices etc. Let us try to understand more from this article.

1. Organisational skills (Efforts required to develop team spirit)

  • Owning up mistakes and giving credit of the success to others with a firm conviction and acting accordingly.

  • Moulding the mind and intellect to remain in a state of contemplation about the welfare of others and over a period making it your attitude.

  • Appreciating each other’s difficulties and always being ready to help.

  • Pointing out mistakes of seekers with love and trying to help them improve.

  • Perceiving the form of Guru in every seeker and being in a state of love for them.

  • Maintaining bhav (Spiritual emotion) that ‘all the aforementioned actions by me are aimed at accomplishing my vyashti sadhana’.

  • Increasing the emotion of gratitude and surrender and offering doership to others.

        Wherever there is equality and unity, there is God’s grace. At such a place, Chaitanya (Divine Consciousness) becomes active to the extent of 30 percent, and the individual obtains benefit from it depending on its yearning (for God-realisation). Hence, O seekers, develop team spirit! This will reduce your distress due to negative energies and simultaneously increase your mental strength, and you will make rapid spiritual progress, and constantly be showered with Divine grace.

2. Expansiveness

A. Expansiveness is essential for merging with God :

  • Meaning of expansiveness : Expansiveness means thinking more about others than the self.

  • Level : Virtue of expansiveness is first seen at the psychological level and then it manifests at the level of action.

        When expansiveness is at the psychological level, the proportion of introversion is less and the proportion of emotion of love is also less than or equal to 10%. Psychological level of expansiveness occurs when one is at spiritual level of 50%. Also at psychological level, one offers prayers than performing actions. Comparatively, when the expansiveness is at the level of action, there is more introversion, the person is action-oriented, and proportion of emotion of love is also equal to or more than 30%. Corresponding spiritual level of the person is 60%. Bliss obtained in being expansive at psychological level is less than that obtained in the level of action.

B. It is essential to have a bhav that ‘every house is my Guru’s Ashram’ : Instead of having a bhav that ‘every house is my home’, develop a bhav that ‘every house is my Guru’s Ashram’. As a result, the Guru’s presence will be felt in every house (Ashram), leading to showering of His grace on every individual in the house and thereby, bringing about its spiritual progress. If activities are carried out with such a bhav, distress due to negative energies will reduce by 15% and devotion will increase by 5%.

C. Trying to perceive the Divine Principle in every component of the universe : If you have a bhav that the Divine Principle exists in all individuals in the universe, then you will realise that you have to shower love without expectations on every component and object, and your mind will turn towards all objects which contain even a fraction of divinity. With such a bhav, Chaitanya will become active in every component and the individual will benefit from it. Since Pralhad, who was a great devotee of Shrivishnu, perceived the Divine Principle even in a pillar, God incarnated as Deity Nrusinha (4th Incarnation of Shrivishṇu) from the pillar and protected him.

D. Since Gurutattva is omnipresent, efforts should be made to search for it in everyone : Try to look for the Gurutattva in everything (animate and inanimate objects). Since Gurutattva is nirgun (Non-materialised) and in Sat-Chit-Anand form, it can get activated any moment at any place. For it to get activated, while performing any task, awareness of the bhav underlying the task is essential. Hence, one should develop a strong bhav that ‘every task I perform is in the interest of the Guru’.

E. Need to develop a bhav that the entire universe is my home : If you want to develop expansiveness in yourself, first try to develop a bhav that ‘The entire universe is my home’; otherwise, your narrow-mindedness will increase.

4. Virtues essential for inculcating sanskars in children

A. Only if sanskars are inculcated in children now, the future kingdom will be enriched with sanskars : Think about the future and try to inculcate good sanskars in yourselves and your children immediately. Today’s child is an important component ofthe future Divine Kingdom. Hence, developing a child also amounts to performing sadhana. Sixty five percent of seekers try to improve others; but are unable to inculcate good sanskars in their own children.This is due to their careless attitude. This may cause loss of 10% sadhana and may lead to development of an attitude of unrighteousness in their children.

B. Efforts required to inculcate good sanskars on the minds of the children :

  • Ensure consistently that every activity performed by you and your child originates from Sattva-enriched thoughts.

  • If the child is going astray, initially correct it at the level of action. If no change is visible, make efforts at the psychological level by resorting to punishment.

  • Try to constantly remain in Sat; for example, by attending satsang to enhance sanskars in yourself as well as in your child.

For more details, refer to the website : Hinduism for kids

5. Virtues associated with social interactions that are essential in a seeker

A. Not having expectations from others : When you have arrived on the earth alone, you will depart alone. Why do you expect anything from others in the intervening period ? None accompanied you in the beginning, so will it be at the end. Then, why do you expect others to accompany you, take care of you, nurture you, and love you ? Why are you making yourself unhappy ? It is just because you constantly expect from others that you have remained a human being, else you would have attained the stage of God-realisation. Leave all your earlier desires behind and tread without any expectations while concluding the journey of your life. That is the secret to the real Paramanand (Supreme Bliss). Quit this habit of expecting from others and lead a self-reliant life.

B. Self-reliance : Remember, you will have to work hard within a very short period to set your life in order. Hence, become self-reliant. If you depend on others for everything, the loss will be entirely yours.

        Even today, seekers at a high spiritual level wait for instructions from others before they do something. Instead of progress, such thinking is leading to their spiritual decline. Hence, seekers should develop leadership qualities, and by having bhav that God is always watching them, come forward and take initiative to carry out the samashti mission. This is not the time to be dependent on others, but to function by being self-reliant. Hence, give up the idea that, ‘I will do something only after other seekers allot seva to me’. Guru’s seva is not restricted to a few individuals; rather, it encompasses the entire universe. Therefore, perform seva of your own volition. If you are not allotted seva by other seekers, try to get some seva yourself and take advantage of the transition period. All the grace of Shri Guru will be showered upon seekers who make efforts in this direction.Such a seeker will complete sadhana of 13 lives in this very life. Make the most of this Divine opportunity. If this attitude is maintained, the benefits will be as follows.

  • Decrease in the proportion of personality defects and increase in loyalty unto the Guru.

  • Elimination of doubts pertaining to others.

  • Feeling of attachment towards the Guru’s mission and love towards the Guru.

  • Enhancement of leadership qualities.

  • Increase in spontaneous efforts towards remaining blissful and happy.

C. Performing sadhana with full faith in God : Every seva should be performed keeping the goal of ‘performing sadhana’ in mind. Only if a seeker performs sadhana, God will take care of the seeker and protect him.

D. Having an attitude of always remaining in Anand : Introspect constantly if every act of yours is making others happy and change yourself accordingly. Making others unhappy for your own happiness, hurting others mentally etc. are signs of a demoniacal attitude. These demoniacal acts add to demerits. Avoid such acts while your efforts are taking place to develop seekership qualities. With each thought, make efforts to impart Anand to others. Provided ahead are the benefits of making efforts to impart Anand to others.

  • Personality defect removal process takes place in an exceptional manner.

  • Decrease in the proportion of ego.

  • Increase in Priti (Unconditional love)

E. Understanding others : Since every moment is precious, instead of contemplating on the next moment, make efforts to enhance the level of Priti. For this, try to understand your co-seekers every moment.

Efforts required for developing an attitude of understanding others

  • Remaining in a state of always thinking (well) about others instead of the self.

  • Making efforts to resolve the problems of others.

  • Pondering on ‘How much happiness I am giving to the individual in my company through my thoughts and acts’.

F. Forgiveness : Making others aware of their mistakes with love and guiding them to improve amounts to true forgiveness. A seeker who has a forgiving attitude is loved by all. He who has a forgiving attitude is in a state of love, Anand and Shanti (Peace; Serenity). Everything is attracted to such a seeker. Therefore, it is said- ‘क्षमाहिपरमं बलम् ।’, meaning, ‘Forgiveness is the greatest strength’. Hence, one should remain in a state of forgiving others every moment.

G. Helping attitude : Everyone feels God’s support. All know that, if they call God with yearning when in distress, God rushes to their rescue. Likewise,other seekers should be able to develop confidence in you. This too is another facet of merging with God. Hence, develop an attitude of helping each other and thereby, develop confidence about yourself in others.

H. Priti : True Priti is when we merge with each other’s thoughts or when we think more about others than ourselves. Love everyone with a bhav that ‘I am a child and the individual in front is my mother’. Mother-child relationship is the supreme relationship in the world. Wherever there is motherly power, no dangers or obstacles of any type can arise. Waves of motherhood are the most supreme waves in the world. Motherly love is greater than a mountain, cooler than the shade of a tree and sweeter than nectar. Therefore, seekers should try to develop Priti by perceiving the mother’s form in others.

Efforts required :

  • With a bhav that ‘every order given by an individual is an order of Goddess Parvati’, obey them.

  • Think about others continuously and act accordingly.

  • Do not have expectations from others.

  • Stay firm in your loyalty towards the mother.

6. The effort to eliminate personality defects

is the most important virtue amongst all samashti virtues

Samashti virtues important to attain a place in the higher subtle-regions Importance (%)
Prompt action 7
Not competing 7
Discipline 7
Attitude of studying aspects 8
Listening attitude 9
Attitude of asking before doing 9
Learning attitude 10
Helping others enhance their sadhana 10
Making continuous efforts to obey without expectations 13
Being constantly aware about eliminating personality defects 20
Total 100

Reference : Sanatan’s Sanstha Holy text ‘Virtues essential for Samashti Sadhana’.

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