Daily Devotion -May 5, 2026 (English)- The Fatal “Also”
There are two words in Hindi - 'bhi' (also) and 'hi' (only).
The marvel of these two words is that one word has been making you wander through eighty-four lakh life forms over infinite births. And this wandering is not like people going out for a morning walk; instead, it is roaming through prisons to endure punishment. It is making you undergo physical, mental, and countless other kinds of suffering. It is not just beings such as dogs, cats, donkeys, and mosquitoes that suffer greatly. Even human beings, who are supposed to have the best among the life forms, suffer endless miseries. Among humans, too, there are a few who possess great wealth - billionaires or trillionaires. Someone is the most beautiful in the world, while another is the best singer in the world. Some people excel in individual subjects. But all are nearly equally unhappy. Though some suffer less physically, as their body remains almost healthy for nearly a hundred years, yet mental afflictions like lust, anger, greed, and attachment remain virtually the same in everyone, whether one is a billionaire or a beggar - all are unhappy.
This is the wonder of just one word - 'bhi' (also).
You love God and Guru 'also', but you 'also' continue to love the world. When worldly suffering becomes unbearable, you look up toward God. Some people cry and pray to Him. Almost everyone, at some time or another, faces such a moment when they get so disappointed with the world that they either commit suicide or think of committing suicide. Some cry before God - or in other words, they believe in God. Many people also practice devotion to God, whether their understanding is correct or flawed; accordingly, some practice devotion for ten minutes, while others practice for ten hours. Followers of different religions practice their faith in various ways. However, they continue to love worldly relations as well. However, the Vedas, scriptures, Puranas, and all say -
tameva śaraṇaṃgaccha, tameva viditvā, māmekaṃ śaraṇama vraja
Surrender to me 'alone'. Surrender means to offer your mind and intellect, not merely uttering empty words claiming surrender.
It means ānukūlyasya sankalpaḥ - having only favourable 'thoughts' towards Hari and Guru. This includes obeying Their instructions, but most importantly, aligning your thoughts entirely with God and Guru. When you sit alone and reflect, you may ask yourself whether you have entertained any thoughts against God or the Guru; your intellect replies, "Not at all." But unless one has attained God, everyone bears unfavorable thoughts to some degree. That means all have applied 'bhi' - some at 1%, others at 99%. The difference lies only in the degree.
The word 'bhi' has ruined your life for eternity. Yet, you consider yourself highly intelligent. You must have never seen anyone who, when called foolish or ignorant, did not feel offended. Pride in one's knowledge, position, or status leads people to harbor ill feelings toward others. To think poorly of someone else implies considering oneself superior. Anyone who holds onto "bhi", whether Indra or Brihaspati, is a fool. All souls bound by maya are fools of the highest order, as they harbor vices such as lust, anger, greed, and jealousy. Many people know that getting angry is wrong and harmful, and that causing pain to others is sinful; yet they derive satisfaction from inflicting pain by insulting others. By doing so, they harm themselves. 99% of people feel hurt even when scolded by the Guru. However, a wise person perceives the Guru's rebuke as a profound grace - a sign of care and belongingness, an effort to guide them toward improvement. Conversely, when someone beneath you points out a mistake, you cannot tolerate it, even if you internally know they are correct.
One can be called Harishchandra only when one does not speak even a single lie. Pativrat - a devout wife - never thinks ill of her husband, even for a second. Similarly, Guruvrat - devotee of the Guru - will be called so only when one never 'thinks' against the Guru even once. If one has thought so at times, then how can they be called Guruvrat? So this 'bhi' has ruined your entire life from eternity until now. Now, if you replace this 'bhi' (also) with 'hi' (only), you will attain your goal.
A few people are trying to apply 'hi', but no one makes a full and complete effort; everyone forgets. If someone says, "You are a fool," you forget the philosophy in an instant and become angry, even though Guru Ji just explained. If someone gets angry, the worst he can say is that you are lustful, angry, greedy, attached - and all of that is true. He is actually your well-wisher. But you consider him an enemy, and think, "He called me characterless! I am the foremost among saints!" According to God's law, if one loves anyone other than God and Guru, even for a moment, they are considered characterless and sinful. To love impure beings, such as parents, cannot be pure love. True and pure love exists only when directed toward someone pure. God granted you a human body so that you love only the name, form, pastimes, qualities, abode of God, and the saints. Every scripture and every religion says this.
So you did not apply 'hi'. Some never even thought of doing it. Some thought of it and occasionally applied 'hi'. Some thought further and are practicing applying 'hī' for longer durations. And the day you surrender completely like Arjun - 'māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja' - you will attain your ultimate goal. Then, that 'hī' (only) will unite you with God.
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