Discourse & Satsangs

There is nothing besides and superior to Me, O Dhananjaya (Arjuna). In Me, all this is interwoven, like pearls in a thread.

After Nutan Swamiji’s Ayurvedic treatment, he was not supposed to tax his body too much with vigorous routines and hectic schedules. It was thus decided that this year’s Sadhana Shibiram in Delhi would have no residential Retreat, rather be more free and flexible in terms of timing. The main structured programme was the 8-day Bhagavad Gita discourse series based on Chapter 7.

Altogether it was two and a half weeks of intimate informal Satsangs, personal meetings, discussions with seekers of all ages, giving plenty of opportunity for devotees to join in various kinds of Ashram activities.

Right off, it was administrative business for Nutan Swamiji, looking into various aspects of the running of CIRD. From renovating the buildings (CIRD-Delhi has completed 25 years) to upgrading green-belt maintenance, sorting out staff issues and looking into the problems of the workers’ families. Every action or interaction was a lesson for us to see how a Saint lives and moves about freely in this world – with clarity, compassion and deep dispassion (vairagya).

Bhagavad Gita Discourse (10-13 & 17-20 Oct)

Chapter 7 of Bhagavad Gita is considered the beginning of the Bhakti section. If there was one message from Nutan Swamiji that stood out, it was that “Spirituality is not a regular exercise, but a perception – a wholesome perception”.

Throughout the 8 days, the focus was on changing our mindset, from that which is constricted and given to self-centred preference and prejudice, to the universal, all-embracing dimension of the Self. One must not differentiate between spiritual practice and secular activities. Also not wait for the chance discovery of the Self in meditation, but strive to bring in the Self-dimension in all moments of wakeful interactions.

We were told our personality consists of pañca-bhūtas and our mind, intelligence and ego. We have been told many times that the entire universe including our own body-mind-personality is nothing but an appearance in
Consciousness. But this time we were awakened to the fact that the Consciousness manifesting as the “jeeva” in association with the body-mind personality is what gives rise to the entire universal display (BG 7.5)! And this Consciousness is the substratum of all that we experience.

Beautifully relating every verse to various other verses from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Patanjali Yogasūtras and Yoga-vāsiṣṭha
Rāmāyaṇa among others, Nutan Swamiji showed us how the scriptures are to be read in a wholesome manner, and how every word is to be used as a sadhana to make our minds pure and expansive.

By highlighting how the essence of every perception is rooted in the Self, Bhagavad Gita through Nutan Swamiji’s guidance gave us a clear and simple way of connecting the divinity within to everything around.

Touching Lives

As always, the uniqueness of our programmes is the availability and accessibility of our Saints. Devotees got plenty of personal time with Nutan Swamiji during this Sadhana Shibiram. Swamiji’s love and grace brought light and lightness to troubled teenagers, middle-aged seekers and elders well on the path.

One day we went to visit Smt Silva Roy, one of CIRD Delhi’s most senior devotees. The sprightly 99-year-old beamed with bright-eyed devotion and child-like wonder at Nutan Swamiji’s presence in her elegant home. Mutual fondness was evident as Silvaji and Swamiiji reminisced about the past and caught up with the present.

Nutan Swamiji visited a few senior devotees of Poojya Swamiji.
With Smt. Silva Roy (99 yrs) & her son Rupak

Another day Swamiji felt concerned that for two days Uncle Bhatia (88-year-old father of CIRD-NA, President Pankaj
Bhatia) had not come in the morning to CIRD as he regularly does. In the evening Swamiji decided to go across the road to check on him, and was pleasantly surprised to see him actively exercising on his stationary bike. The old uncle was literally glowing to see Swamiji visit him.

Several times Nutan Swamiji met the children of the past workers and students of Cultural heritage class of earlier days. Some of these youngsters have been blessed by their association with the Ashram from early childhood. Swamiji would enquire with great interest about their wellbeing, understand their minds and hopes for the future, inspire and guide them, and do whatever was required to help them go forward.

Offering from the Heart

Everyday at forenoon there was Pushpa-samarpanam. Sublimity was pronounced from start to finish as one by one devotees received flower petals from Nutan Swamiji, to be offered at Poojya Swamiji’s portrait. Workers also would devotionally participate.

After the programme, Nutan Swamiji would spend some time in informal Satsang, some days teaching one or two ślokas, other days answering questions or having discussion after listening to the recorded Prabhāta-raśmiḥ. All was done with a sense of comfort and ease. Sundays drew a bigger crowd, particularly youngsters. Swamiji would ask them to chant, inspiring them to bring in the correct bhāva and tune into their voice and go deeper into the meaning of the shlokas.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Nutan Swamiji’s presence, with the Knowledge he carried and delivered, was a unifier, for parents and children, husbands and wives, devotees and other devotees. Through his love and compassion, he helped us understand that we all are One, not separate.

Mayi sarvam-idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva – In Me, all this is interwoven, like pearls in a thread (BG 7.7).

Just as ‘pearls’ skillfully made in a string using delicate knots in it, are nothing but that very string itself, whatsoever we perceive in Consciousness, is nothing but Consciousness, our Self itself.

Listening to these words of wisdom, our own faults were unearthed, and healing began. Devotees of CIRD-Delhi were blessed to have this opportunity to recharge themselves and move forward, guided by the flame of Knowledge.