Browsing CategoryThe Art of Satsang Simplified

What makes us remember Maharaj (Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan) always? Does retiring from day to day works make you remember Maharaj more? Does accepting a renounced life helps you remember Maharaj better? None of them actually helps. Only by discarding the attachment to worldly-things and worldly-relations makes you remember Maharaj more…

Everyone performs their activities by keeping something at the center of that activity. We keep Dharm (fulfilling our duties and responsibilities), Arth (earning money), Kam (fulfilling the desires) as the centers of the activity. The devotee of God always keeps God at the center of all the activities. They take…

Maharaj said that Greatness or smallness of a devotee is measured on how much he is serving God and Saints and not on worldly scale. Maharaj separated devotional activities from Seva. There is a devotee who does devotional activities like chanting, puja of God, reading scriptures, visiting temple for Darshan…

To find mistakes in the Devotees is the quality of demons. We should not find mistakes neither in a real devotee nor in real devotion. If we find mistakes in them, then we gradually find mistakes in God as well. Sishupal always found mistakes in Lord Krishna. He used to…

Without believing in the Murti (definite form) of God, we cannot offer aarti to God, we cannot offer tasty food to God, and we cannot get blessings of God. Maharaj had a firm stand that God has a definite and beautiful form (Murti). Firm faith in the Murti of God…

All the religious and spiritual activities we do every day should be done with one and only one intention of pleasing Maharaj. Gopalanand Swami in his Swami Ni Vato mentioned that most people do religious or spiritual activities with a moto to achieve name or fame, to be counted among…

We may leave this body at any moment: even today or this very minute. We are supposed to leave it for sure. Nishkulanand Swami says that it is good for you if you understand and get detached from the worldly desires and worldly people from mind. Otherwise, Yamdev is anyhow…

By performing devotion like chanting, dandavats, puja, and all other activities, we become closer to Maharaj. But only devotion is not sufficient to remove the Vasana (inner materialistic desires). Sometimes, devotion in itself may cause the rise of inner desires. It might increase the desire for better name among the…

As the roots of a tree keeps it green and fresh, sense objects keep the soul in the cycle of life and death. Maharaj compares life of a person with a banyan tree. If there is a banyan tree with many branches, and all the roots are disconnected to the…

The real Satsang happens when you have faith and trust with a single-minded Saint. Like we have faith and trust in a friend, we should have trust and faith in a Saint. If you are close to a friend you get access to all his possessions, all his connections, and…

As we progress on devotional path, we gain many prosperous benefits, opulence, capabilities (siddhis) like Vachan-Siddhi (whatever you say would happen), ability to see future, etc., These are the by-products of your devotion. Some examples: Vyapakanand Swami made a dead horse alive by transferring the soul of a mosquito. Bringing…

Eternally in all our lives (past and present) we had been rolling in worldly affairs and we became the master of it. Only in this life we got into Godly affairs. Does it take eternal time to remove all our worldly stains as we were eternally in it? No. Like…

In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna mentioned that there exist four types of devotees. 1. Devotee in distress 2. Devotee with desires. 3. Devotee with inquisitive mind 4. Devotee with knowledge. Among them, Lord Krishna said that Devotees with knowledge is very dear to Him. All the four types have extreme…

The churning of the ocean was performed by the combined efforts of demigods and demons. They divided all the precious things that came out of the effort equally until the ultimate drink of immortality – the nectar was brought out by Lord Dhanvantari in a golden bowl. The demons immediately…

Gunatitanand Swami said that virtues define God and a Saint. Not opulence. Demons too had opulence. Demon Hiranyakasipu was an Antaryami. If anyone in his kingdom chanted “Narayana”, he would at once know and punish them severely. When we were in Rajkot Gurukul, we used to take children on a…

When Bhagubhai of Bhadran asked Maharaj, “Maharaj, how does a soul achieve its ultimate good. How could it be free from the cycle of birth and death and reach Akshardham?” Maharaj replied, “God comes to earth in two forms: As a Saint or as a King.” Not all kings are…

Nishkulanand Swami’s “Kalyan-Nirnay” scripture explains a beautiful case: Let us say there is a fake Saint, and a real devotee submits to him. The fake Saint is so clever that he hides his pretense and makes sure that it is never revealed. The real devotee does sincere worship of the…

Sadgun Swami asked, “Swami, among Satsang and Kusang, which is the strongest?” Let us say there is a fight between Satsang and Kusang. Who wins? Let us also say both Satang and Kusang are equally strong. Does Satsang win or does Kusang? Maharaj said that Satsang always wins over Kusang.…

Kakabhai asked a question to Nityanand Swami, “Swami, what is that thing that drives us towards worldly desires, and what is that thing that drives us towards Maharaj?” Nityanand Swami replied, “The thing that drives us towards worldly desires is our mind. The thing that drives us towards Maharaj is…

Jeeva Bhai of Jaska village asked Nityanand Swami, “Swami, how do we strengthen our faith in Maharaj?” Nityanand Swami replied, “If we do Satsang by leaving the Kusang, then we gradually develop firm faith in Maharaj.” Maharaj replied, “If you do Satsang for your ultimate good, your faith would be…

What is the difference between performing devotion to God and actually loving God? Offering food to Maharaj, chanting the names of God, performing Puja of God, and serving God are all actions representing devotion to God. Loving God is different. If the father has only one son, he cannot live…