Daily Devotion - Feb 1, 2026 (English)- Illusion of Progress
Sādhak:
Maharaj Ji! I was on the wrong path earlier. But then I became associated with you and became a satsangi.
Shri Maharaj Ji's response:
You are wrong even now. You have not become right yet. You have merely begun to progress. You still become agitated over trivial matters.
A learned scholar once approached Shankaracharya seeking to become his disciple. Shankaracharya said that he was not qualified. The scholar replied, "Please forgive me. If you wish to test my knowledge, you may engage in a scriptural debate with me." Shankaracharya said, "You came to become a disciple, and now you are attacking me. Do this - come tomorrow. Until then, I will think about it."
The next day, before the scholar arrived, Shankaracharya instructed a sweeper woman, "A scholar is coming here. When he approaches, throw dust on him with your broom."
When the sweeper woman threw dust on him with her broom, the scholar hurled fifty curses at her, saying, "Are you blind? Can't you see? You have made me impure." He went to Shankaracharya from there. Shankaracharya told him, "You still rush to devour people in anger. How can you be qualified for the knowledge of Brahm? Go and do Govardhan parikrama, sing kirtans, and practice devotion to Shri Krishna, for one year. Return when your mind is purified."
After practising for a year, when he returned, Shankaracharya told the sweeper woman, "Now merely throwing dust will not work. While sweeping, touch his feet with the broom and say it happened by mistake."
She did so. The scholar looked at her angrily, grinding his teeth. He then proceeded to meet Shankaracharya.
Shankaracharya said, "Your mind is still impure. You still growl. You still carry pride in being a scholar and a Brahmin. Go and practice further."
Then, the scholar went back and cried continuously while singing and praying to Radha Krishna, saying, "Bless me so that my Guru accepts me." His mind became purified through sincere and constant practice. He practised diligently, unlike you. You all practice when you feel like it, think of worldly matters or devotees when you feel like it, find faults in others when you feel like it, and sleep when you feel like it. He did not do that. He practised twenty-four hours -
tailadhārāvadavicchinna, yathā gaṅgāṁbhaso'mbudhau -
continuously like the unbroken flow of oil, like the Ganga flowing continuously into the ocean.
This time, Shankaracharya instructed the sweeper woman, "This time, he will not become angry merely by the touch of the broom. Dump the basket of garbage over his head."
She did so, and the scholar fell at her feet, saying, "Mother! You are the one who brought me to my Guru!"
So, you have not yet become right. Never assume that you have, even by mistake. As long as you identify with the body and cannot calmly endure insults from others, you are not fully rectified. If one thinks, "I am completely reformed now," that itself proves one is not. The more you progress, the more you will feel "I can never be right." That feeling is the true sign of reform.
At present, you react immediately to words. You are at such a low level that you instantly retort back, even to your Guru. You possess many faults that still need to be corrected. Like students who study day and night just four days before exams, you have not made such sincere efforts even for a month. You suffer from a grave disease: the tendency to find fault in others. You constantly think, "This person is bad, that person is bad, this one is like this, that one is like that." This only inflates your pride, and you make no effort to stop it.
Many aspiring devotees in our country attempt to practice devotion independently, without surrendering to a Guru. Upon attaining slight progress and experiencing a trace of divine bliss, they become proud and begin declaring to everyone, "I have attained God." The form they imagined may have appeared extraordinarily beautiful, making them feel as though they had truly seen Shyamsundar. But that experience is merely illusory - it is called darshanābhās. Such experiences occur during the stage of bhāv-bhakti. If one's Guru is not genuine, he would confirm, "Yes, you have attained God." But an authentic guru will caution, "Do not be deluded. Continue progressing. The goal is still far away." At every step, the guidance of a genuine Guru is essential.
You are all progressing in devotion at a sluggish pace - like a python, the slowest-moving creature. You have not even reflected that death could come tomorrow. Otherwise, you would not sleep at all and would strive intensely day and night. The speed of your progress determines how soon you reach the destination. The only consolation is that you have chosen the correct path. If you remain on it, you will eventually reach the goal. However, none of you is presently progressing as required.
You are not sincere even during kirtans, and afterwards, you engage in useless conversations throughout the day. Whatever emerges from this material intellect will only lead to harm. This behaviour is not limited to the young. Even elderly people, who know death may come any day, indulge in such meaningless talk. If kirtan is not taking place, then engage in a higher form of devotion at that time - just sit quietly in one place and shed tears for God. Devotional practice is not confined to kirtans alone.
Sadhak's Question:
But even a glimpse of Shyamsundar is attained only through the Guru's grace, is it not?
Shri Maharaj Ji's answer:
It is true that even uttering one name of God is possible only through the grace of God and the Guru. However, it is your responsibility to properly utilise that grace to accelerate your spiritual progress. You must always remain conscious that it is only by Their grace that the mind, which has been spoiled over countless lifetimes, can even utter God's divine names. But that does not mean that God or Guru will directly grant you God-realization. It is your duty to practice devotion diligently to advance further.
Their first grace is that you received a human body. You were born into a family that was not atheistic. Then, you met someone who told you about God and gave you some books to read. Through these connections, you have reached the right place. There, you acquired philosophical knowledge. Then you begin a devotional practice. All of this is grace - the grace of God and Guru grace in every form.
This mind, which even yogis have given up on controlling, Shri Maharaj Ji has brought it to such a point that if, while travelling on a bus, someone stretches and casually says "Radhey", you are startled and drawn toward them. You become restless without speaking to them. This inner feeling is extremely significant. It is a milestone.
The greatest defect is finding faults in others and considering oneself superior. This flaw is so powerful that it destroys all virtues. To think ill of God or Guru is a grave offence known as nāmāparādh. But finding faults in fellow aspirants is also extremely dangerous. Using the same mind to contemplate others' faults that you use to contemplate God and the Guru is like washing clothes with detergent and then repeatedly dipping them in dirt. Giving free rein to the mind with the pride that "I understand everything" - formidable enemies that are constantly ready to drag you down. Yet you remain careless.
Otherwise -
kṣaṇaśaḥ kṣaṇaśo'vidyā। kaṇaśaḥ kaṇaśo'dhanaṃ -
Just as a greedy person carefully accumulates wealth penny by penny, you should strive to utilise every free moment in devotion, at least when you are free from worldly duties. Do not engage in useless talk.
One who does not constantly perceive God and Guru as being present is effectively an atheist.
Astītyevopalabdhasya tattvabhāvaḥ prasīdati -
If you lack the feeling that God is always watching, listening, understanding, and accompanying you, then atheism has already taken root within you.
Recommended books by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj related to this topic:
