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श्री हरिः
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A WILL |
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A HUMBLE REQUEST It is only due to the extreme grace
of Almighty God that the soul acquires a human body. Its only purpose is attaining God. But,
after obtaining this body, human being tends to forget his original purpose
and gets firmly attached to the body and starts believing in bodily pleasures
as being ultimate. By giving power and
importance to the body, he starts relating to it and hence is so attracted to
it that its name too becomes dear to him.
Of all the bodily pleasures, the most menial is respect-seeking. To attain this, he also indulges in vices
like falsehood, manipulation and dishonesty.
Due to the love for his body, he desires its praise and compliments
from others. He desires to seek self-aggrandizement
through-out his life and wishes that after his death, his name and fame
remains eternal. He tends to forget
that the name given to this body for worldly convenience does not have any
existence whatsoever after the body perishes.
All in all, this body worshipping, respect-seeking and eternity of
name is of least importance. But due
to widespread inner desire for bodily respect and eternity of name and fame,
humans behave in such a manner, not only with themselves and their near and
dear ones, but also with those who are the knowledgeable and thus following
the righteous path shown by the esteemed scholars and the scriptures trying
to attain their ultimate goal of being one with the Almighty. What more can be said when the body of such
an enlightened one dies, but in order to continue their remembrance, their
body is captured in pictures and with all the pomp and decorations (garlands
etc.) the body is taken to the cremation ground. In interest of immortalizing
the mortal name, they erect edifices like structures in the form of
memorials. In addition to this, they
write exaggerated and one-sided incidents of the deceased being and publish
them in the form of biographies and remembrances. On one side, they call themselves followers
of that enlightened one and on the other do exactly the thing that he
deterred in life! The essence of belief is
immortal. Hence, the belief must be in
the principle and words of such enlightened ones and not on mortal body or
name. There is only desire and not
belief in the mortal body and name.
But such misdeeds happen only when desires take the garb of beliefs.
Hence, giving undue importance to mortal bodies and in deterring to worship
and praise that eternal, immortal, divine and pristine Almighty Being not
only makes our life useless but it also is a great ‘ditching’ of self. If seen in its true perspective,
this body is only a machine producing urine and excretion. Given the best of
foods or even “prasad” of God, it shall leave the body through
excretion and given the best of drinks or even water of holy Gangaji, the same will be passed out as urine. This body is excretion and urine producing
machine till the time there is life and once the death prevails, even
touching it requires bathing. In fact,
this body is dying every moment. The
real and authentic consciousness which is present in the body cannot be
captured in pictures. Only the body
that is decaying every second can be pictured. That is why the body also does not remain
the same as it was, while the picture was taken. Hence, worship of photograph
is worship of “ASAT” (that which is not real, non-existent, transient, temporary).
In the photograph, the body remains lifeless, so the picture of this lifeless
collection of bones and tissues is more lifeless than the dead body
itself! Those whom we term as Mahatma
– the enlightened one – are Mahatma because of their total renunciation
of gratification and not because of their attachment to it. They consider this body as excretory
matter. Hence, showering respect over Mahatma’s
body is like respecting excretory matter!
Is this right? If someone says
that just like we worship God’s photograph, what is wrong in worshipping a Mahatma’s
photograph? Then saying this is also
not apt because God’s body is divine and immortal, while that of the Mahatama is made of destructible and perishable
matters that we call “panch-tattva”. God is Omnipresent, hence He is present in
the photographs also. But omnipresence (other than body) of Mahatma is
due to omnipresence of the God Himself.
God encompasses all the Mahatmas as well. Hence, worship of God
includes worshipping of all the Mahatmas. Hindrance shall be created in worship of
God, if the body and photographs of Mahatmas are worshiped and this is
strictly against the very principles of Mahatmas. A Mahatma has come to this world to
guide the people towards God and not towards himself. The one who guides the people to himself
(for worship) is anti-god. In fact, a Mahatma
is never limited to a body. Actual biography is the one which
depicts factual matters, meaning which puts forth the good and bad facts
(virtues and vices) of life in an objective and truthful way. Only the person himself can know the
factual incidents of his life. Others
shall only derive estimates about it as per their own intellect and this is
often not true. The biographies that
are written nowadays, more so conceals the faults and vices, and depicts only
unwarranted virtues. As a result, they
are actually not the factual, complete and real depiction. In fact, where can we find a better
biographical character sketch of any other, than Marayada
Purshottam Sri Ram? Hence, his
biography and character sketch must be given ear to and read and our life
must be molded and lived in accordance with it. We must try and live our life in accordance
with guidance and principles of those whom we consider as Mahatma. After
thinking over the points mentioned earlier, I would like to humbly make a
request to all my acquainted Saints and good people. I have made the points on a personal level,
meaning that I have prohibited my photographs, pictures, memorials,
biographies etc. The sole purpose of
this article is to clearly state as to what shall be your duties towards this
body at the time when I have become physically debilitated and my body had
finally rested. (1) When
this body becomes unfit to move around and in the opinion of doctors has no
chance of revival, then it is to be taken to the shores of Holy Gangaji. Do
not use any medications at such times; make use of only water of Holy Ganga
and Tulsi. During such period,
uninterrupted chant God’s name and praises and let the Holy Scriptures like Srimad Bhagavadgita ,
Shri VishnushahastraNaam, Sri RamcharitaManas
etc. be read and heard. (2) When
the body is dead, use only Gopichandan and Tulsimala, not flowers, scents or Gulal
etc. The body that is dead should be
carried in mere cloth as per the saintly traditions and not on the Vaikunthi made of wood etc. The
way that I have been prohibiting in my living days the feet touching, dandvat pranam, parikrama, garlanding,
chanting of my name etc., similarly, after my body’s dies, consider feet
touching, dandvat pranaam,
parikrama, garlanding, chanting my name etc., as prohibited. I
altogether condemn taking photographs of this body in its living, dead or
last rites state. (3) In
the event of its death in some other place or village, it is my hearty wish
that the body be kept on a vehicle and brought to the shores of Holy Gangaji and its last rites be done there. In case
due to some unavoidable reasons, it is not possible to do so, then, the last
rites must be completed in the presence of the Sun (during the daytime), towards
the forest or a pathway that leads out of the city, where cows rest etc., in
the city or village where the body became lifeless. When
this body becomes still, there should be no waiting for anyone. After the last rites only devotional songs
and loud chanting of the Lord’s name, Divine Name repetition (Naam Japa)
etc. alone should be done, and the last rites must be completed with absolute
simplicity. (4) During
the last rites, all the utilitarian goods (clothes, shoes etc.) should all be
burnt with this body and the “avashishth”
things (books, kamadalu etc)
should not be kept in prayer room or in the form of remembrance at all. Rather these must be used. “saamanya.” (5) The
place where this body’s last rites are done, nothing should be created there in
the form of a memorial, to that extent that I even object to you placing
stones etc. in that spot. As the place
was before the last rites, it should once again be the same after the last
rites. After the last rites, the ashes
and all other “avashishth” things should be
offered into Gangaji. Neither
“goushaala” (cow protection shed), school, “chikitsaalaya” etc., or any service organization
must not be formed in my memory. While
the body was living, I have not encouraged and built any structures,
buildings etc. for me, and for this I have not inspired anyone either to do
so. If any individual, anywhere,
shows a building as being created due to an inspiration from me, then
consider that to be entirely false. (6) After
this body becomes still, let there be no “satrahavin”,
festival or a celebration etc., and during those days let there be no sweets
etc. Just as the sages and ascetics
have been bringing “bhikshaa” in front of me
so far, in the same way they should continue to do so. If good house-holder out of their own will
bring “bhikshaa” daily meals, then that very
same “bhikshaa” should be accepted, in which
there are no sweets. If some ascetic
and good families come from out-of-town then in the arrangements and
preparation of their food, let there be no sweets, and their meals too,
should be ordinary. (7) When
this body becomes still, let there be no grief or a gathering for mourning
etc., rather for seventeen days let there be “satsang”, singing the glories of the Lord and
chanting of His divine name, and Divine Name repetition (bhagvat
naam japa),
recitation of Gita,
recitation of Ramcharitramanas, reading of Saint’s divine speeches, reading of Srimad
Bhagwat etc. Only spiritual undertakings “adhyaatmik
krtya” must be carried on during this
period. In Sanatana Hindu Sankriti (Hindu culture), during these days, these above
“krtya” are main. (8) When
this body becomes still, on the seventeenth day or any other occasion if some
gentleman wants to give money-clothes, etc., or anything as a gift, then it
should not be taken, in other words, there should be no gifts accepted from
anyone, of any kind whatsoever. If
someone says that we donate a certain amount to the temple, then consider
this sort of thing to be in vain, you must object and oppose this
person. If a person sends any gift
from some other place, through any one then it must not be accepted at
all. Rather, refuse it entirely. Not only must no gifts be taken from
anyone, but there should also be that alertness, caution, to not give sheets,
rent, money etc., to anyone. When
there is objection of taking or doing anything for seventeen days, then what
to speak of annual events etc. These are all to be understood as something
that I object to. (9) When
this body becomes still, anything related to this body, any incidents, “smaarika” remembrance etc., must not be revealed
in any form. Lastly,
I humbly request all those saints and good family members that I have encountered,
that those things that I have objected, they should not be done in any
situation or circumstance. When this
body becomes still, the actions and conduct that is opposed to what I have
shared, or any form of arguments “vivaad”,
opposition “virodh”, differences of
opinion, fights, frivolous controversy “vitandaavaad”
etc. by introducing an inexpressible state
“avaachaneeya,” he should not become
a sinner, or a partner in the sins. Rather with total stead-fastness, love,
simplicity, mutual trust, and relating without any deviousness, following the
previous instructions, reciting and chanting the holy name of God, the final
rites must be completed. When and wherever,
there is an opportunity, the instructions provided with regards to this body should
be followed by all those associated that are present at that time. During
my lifetime, through my body, speech, mind, knowingly, unknowingly, if anyone
experienced any kind of difficulty, then I humbly from my heart and profusely
beg your forgiveness. I earnestly hope
that you all will forgive me with much generosity. Ram ……….. Ram ………. Ram ………… Prior
to this, I have written my Humble Request (A Will) three times : (1)
Magh Shukla Panchami,
V.S. 2036, dated 22 January 1980; (2)
Vaishakh
Shukla Tritiya, V.S. 2037 dated 17 April 1980 and (3)
Magh Shukla Panchami,
V.S. 2046, dated 31 January 1990. But, I am not entirely satisfied with them,
hence, after due research, this fourth Humble Request (A Will) is being
written down. So, the previous three
Humble Requests (A Will) may be considered as void. I
have got this current Humble Request (A will) written by Rajendra Kumar
Dhavan and I have read and understood its contents. Dated
Margashirsh Shukla Ekadashi (Geeta Jayanti)
V.S. 2054, dated 10 December
1997. Ram ……
Ram ………Ram …………… |
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Swamiji’s
WILL |
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Last Discourse (29th June,
2005; 4 pm) |
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Last
Bhajan – Tumko Laakhon
Pranaam |
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Place where Swamiji resided (in the last few years) |
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Essence of Gita |
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