TO REMAIN CHEERFUL ALWAYS

Sher Agrawal

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[sadhaka] On Cheerfulness of Mind - Gita 17:16 (July 16, 2008)

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sadhak_insight Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 8:51 PM
Reply-To: sadhaka-owner@yahoogroups.com
To: sadhaka@yahoogroups.com
:Shree Hari:

16th July, 2008, Wednesday
Aashaad Shukla Trayodashi, Vikram Samvat 2065, Budhvar

"Cheerfulness of mind, gentleness, calmness and contemplation, self-
control, purity of thought - are called, the penance of mind."
(Gita 17:16)

Manah prasaadah saumyatvam maunamaatmavinigrahah
Bhaavasamsuddhirityetattapo maanasamucyate." (Gita 17:16)

Let us focus just on the first word - "Cheerfulness of Mind." It is
called "Manahprasaadah. Cheerfulness due to contact of persons,
things, country, time, situations, circumstances, incidents etc., is
not permanent. It cannot stay with you at all times; because that
which comes and goes, is not the kind that remains the same at all
times.

On leaving association of evils doers and actions, the ever present
and innate joy (inner cheerfulness, prasannataah) will manifest
naturally. This type of innate joy and cheerfulness remains at all
times. It seeps into the mind and intellect, and thereafter there
is never any loss of serenity and peace i.e. one remains joyful
(cheerful) at all times.

When does a man experience lack of peace, disturbances of the mind?
When he begins to depend on wealth, possessions, wife - son and
other perishable objects. Those things and persons that he is
depending on, are all the kind that are coming and going. It will
not remain stable with you. That is, in their coming together and
departing, the mind becomes restless. If the sadhak (spiritual
aspirant) leaves dependencies of those things that are temporary and
perishable, and depends only on Prabhu (God), who is Eternal and
Imperishable, then the meeting and departing of persons and things,
will not result in restlessness or loss of peace.

The method to remain cheerful (joyful) is -

1) One should remain free from attachment and aversion to persons,
objects, incidents and circumstances etc.

2) Out of egoism and selfishness, one must not be partial with any
one.

3) One should fill the mind completely and entirely with divine
traits, such as compassion, forgiveness and generosity etc.

4) One should have feelings of welfare of all beings

5) One whose diet is balanced and regular, whose nature favors
living in solitude, who on being asked, shares at times insights
that are spiritually beneficial, in other words, speaks very little,
he who is moderate in sleep and recreation. In this manner, that
which is in accordance to the ordinance of the scriptures, such a
spiritual aspirant, gains cheerfulness (Joyfulness) of mind, very
quickly.

From "Srimadh Bhagavad Gita - Sadhak Sanjivani" in English pg
1,800 and in Hindi pg 1,059 by Swami Ramsukhdasji.

Ram Ram

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