Swadhyay - 1

Ever since I started going to Swadhyay sessions in March 2014, I wanted to make some record of the teachings of Shri Pandurang Shastri Athavale; or Dadaji as he is fondly called; whatever little I could absorb and retain from these sessions.

Swadhyay Parivar is a very closed organisation. They do not make the discourses of Dadaji public. I wonder why; since such a treasure should be made public for the benefit of humanity in general and for Hindu civilization in particular.

So this blog is a humble effort to reproduce whatever little I could jot down during my sessions.

The first session I attended was on the importance of celibacy or "Brahmacharya".
 Not just celibacy, brahmachari means the one who carries the "Brahma" and does work for him. Rather conducts himself in such a way that he attains the state of Brahma. This is through self control, discipline of the senses and love of the divine. Brahma means Prabhu or the divine. Brahmachari is also the one who roams in search of God and knowledge.

" Dhyeyanishtha"

To have a meaningful purpose which will help one attain the state of Brahma and to follow that purpose with a totally focussed state of being one with and doing the deeds which enables one to serve the divine purpose.

This is Dadaji's favorite word. In each of the sessions that I have attended, this word is used atleast 2 to 3 times if not more in the 40 minute discourse by him.

People remember God in tough times more than happy times. Helplessness is a crippling state. Whenever we feel the need and support of someone and no one is available or those available are not capable of help and support, we inevitably pray to God. This is not wrong. Even remembering him and praying makes us feel stronger if we have faith. If we maintain this state of having faith and trust, the stress of our life will reduce. We will be inspired to do good deeds. This will be the work which we feel will be appreciated by God as his work. This is true brahmacharya. The state of "aacharan" which enables to attain brahma.
In Ramayana, Laxman is addressed as a brahmachari. Inspite of being married to Urmila, Laxman is called Brahmachari as he is doing the needful for the Lord/

Why austerity and restraint? Because in austerity, we are closer to our true self. We feel closer to the divine force within us when we practice austerity. Celibacy, fasting, negating physical comforts etc results in an elevated state of being. This is what Dadaji calls "Atma Gyan".

Here Dadaji recited a story. Once a sage gave a bird to one of his disciples and asked him to kill it when he thought no one was watching. The disciple took the bird deep into the forest away from the ashram and its inhabitants. Then he saw other birds and animals so he did not kill the bird. He took him deeper into a clearing where there were no other animals or birds. He was about to kill it when he realised that himself along with his conscience were present and watching. There can be no place where there is no one watching. This is the realization of the self.
He returned with the live bird and surrendered.

What is that feeling that drives one towards the divine?

After relentless pursuits of material things, we realise the brevity of the happiness it offers. Also, the enthusiasm for such pursuits is often externally stimulated and short lived.

Those pleasures which come with immorality create a sense of helplessness and distress; even disgust with self at some point in time. When you reinforce the belief that God is within you, you stay away from immorality and hence are sure of his support. Free from guilt and generally free.