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To Experience Pure Love, Lead a Spiritual Life
Prema (Love) is like a most precious diamond. It will not remain even for a single moment with selfish persons. It will not stay for even half a moment with egoistic persons. It will not remain at all with ostentatious persons. Love is alien to persons who are selfish, conceited or ostentatious. Where, then, is this love to be found? This precious diamond can only be found in the Kingdom of Love, in the Street of Love, in the Shop of Love. It can be obtained only through a loving heart.
It may be asked, "Is not the whole world permeated with Love? Why then, is not Love readily available? "The love with which the world is considered to be filled is not real love. Prema cannot be associated with the body, the senses, the mind and the intellect. Anything associated with these is only Anuraaga (attachment). The Aatmic (spiritual) life alone is a Love-filled life. Therefore, people must lead a spiritual life, not a life subject to the body, the mind, the senses and the intellect. A life related to the body, the senses the mind and the intellect can never be free from selfishness, conceit and ostentation. |
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To experience real Prema there is no need to practice any kind of meditation, worship or rituals. That is because in the practice of all these there is an element of selfishness. Prema can only be obtained by complete absorption in spirituality. It was for this reason that Sri Krishna declared in the Gita: "Sarva Dharmam Parithyajya" (transcending all rules). Likewise, Jesus also declared: "I am the Path." Buddha, conveying the same meaning, declared, "Sarvam Sharanam Gachchaami" (I am surrendering everything). This means that the essence of all religions, the root of all scriptures, the goal of all virtues, is Sarvaathmika Bhaa vam (the experience of spiritual unity). The Gopikas exemplified such a spirit of surrender and oneness.
Restrain Selfishness and Self-interest
It may be asked whether in this mundane world it is possible to develop such a spirit of complete surrender. It may not be possible for all to be free completely from selfishness, self-interest and self-conceit. But there should be a limit to all of them. Nothing great can be achieved without restraint "Na Shreyo Niyamam vinaa." When the normal temperature of the body is exceeded, the fever is a sign of illness. Likewise, there is a limit to selfishness. When this limit is exceeded it becomes a disease. Ahamkaara (egoism) is a disease. Ostentation is a disease. Excessive Swaprayojanam (self-interest) is a disease. All these diseases have been described as Bhavaroga (the disease of worldliness). These are the diseases which are prevalent in the world today.
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When the Divine is present in everyone it is not fitting that one should fail to recognise this. One may have the faith that God resides within him, but this is not sufficient. It is not a great thing to feel that God resides within you. You have to see yourself in God. That is the true Prema Thathwa (principle of Love). As long as you do not see yourself in the Divine, you remain selfish and self-centred…
Selfless Devotion of the Gopikas
Today, in the name of Prema, men are playing a game of musical chairs with their hearts. The chair of the heart is being used for occupation by different persons at different times. The Gopikas, however, dedicated their hearts to one person alone. All their thoughts were centred on Krishna. All their senses were dedicated to the Divine. They spoke only about God. Their thoughts were centred on God. They listened only to the Divine words. Their hands were engaged in Divine work. All their limbs and senses were dedicated to the Divine. They did not consider anything as their own. Krishna was their all...
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Cultivate Love in its Purest Form
The Prema Thathwa (Love Principle) is the essence of Krishna Thathwa (Krishna Principle). It is associated with the Divine. Worldly love cannot be equated with Divine Love (Prema). The term Prema is used in ordinary parlance to describe what is really worldly attachment. People are attached more to names and forms than to the inner spirit of things. To get over this false attachment to external forms and names, it is essential to cultivate love in its purest form. There is no greater path to the Divine than this love. To manifest this love, the first requisite is to get rid of selfishness and self-interest.
- Divine Discourse in the Poornachandra Auditorium, 21 Aug 1992
- Heart2Heart Team
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