P 121 123 From the Time When You Get Aware of It, then it Is Alright

(..to start with the proper upasana).                           

 [The gist of the upadesha given by Sri Charan (Guru Dev) one day at Prayag]

Nowadays people often consider blind faith as their own stupidity – primarily on the path of paramartha (highest goal of human life). But if we look closely we find almost all actions in this world are driven only by blind faith and that blind faith is the basis of nearly all worldly and heavenly knowledge.

When a teacher says to pupils, this is the shape of the letter ‘ka’ and this is the shape of the letter ‘kha,’ the student must accept this without hesitation. If he argues “what is the proof that this is the very shape of ‘ka’?” and doesn´t blindly accept that it is, he will remain illiterate. Only by accepting the words of the teacher will he advance and become a scholar. In the same way, if we consider carefully it becomes clear that all knowledge or customary actions are ultimately based on blind faith.

It is the same on the path of paramartha. One should practice having blind faith in the words of the Guru. Without blind faith, one will never progress on the path of paramartha.

When man starts practicing a little, his own experience becomes the proof for his path ahead. But in the beginning we must accept the words of the Guru as proof. Remember this once you make someone your guru, because he is experienced by his own on the way of paramartha and has knowledge of the shastras (holy scriptures). He in whom we give the control of our welfare should be absolutely perfect in every way.

If he himself has gained true experience by his own practice, he can give true experience to the disciple, and if he has the knowledge of the shastras he can remove the student’s doubts and make him firm and persevering in his spiritual practices.

People who think, for whatever reason, that they have strayed from the path should not despair. They should not think that they cannot get back on the right path or that they cannot improve themselves. Human life is very precious. We cannot grasp how precious every moment is. It is a very big mistake to continue uselessly wasting precious time by making capricious decisions.

It is necessary for the people to know that when they think they have lost the right path they should try to find it again.

And when they have found a sad guru (real guru) and have learned from him the correct spiritual practices, they should begin immediately to do upasana on Bhagvan. Those people, however, who do not seek to attain Bhagvan should know that they are not moving on the right path.

With spiritual practices, wrong actions get reduced, bad vasana (latent tendencies) decrease and slowly inner purity starts to increase. In a short time the same man becomes a man of good qualities. But it is necessary that no time be wasted.

Regardless of one´s situation in life, one should engage in spiritual practices as soon as possible. But by doing just mental repetition of mantra, patha (recitation of sacred texts) etc. or by praying to Ishvara (God), doing kirtan (chanting) etc. as per one’s own discretion, one will not get real benefit. If you learn the method from some experienced guru and do exactly what he instructs you will make extraordinary progress.

This is a matter of great importance. In whatever situation you find yourself, you should start to brighten the path to the highest world.
There is no certainty of life. We know not when breathing will stop. The only way to make human life fulfilled is to get the experience of ultimate truth while life remains, and for this the only means is to start the proper upasana as soon as possible.