== WHO DOES NOT WANT ==
Namaskar,
Every human being wants to be successful. Whether in the realm of art,
law, medicine, schooling, business, literature, science, or architecture
- or any other field or endeavor - everyone wants to be successful.
Knowing how to be successful then is an important recipe.
By Baba's grace He has given us His special guideline. Because in one
Hindi discourse, Baba reveals that the 'Seven Secrets of Success' apply
not just to spiritual life, but to worldly life as well.
Let's then investigate how these work.
UNIQUE ASPECT OF SHRADDHA'
Of course all the aspects of the Seven Secrets of Success have their own
unique utility. So we shall take a look at how they all apply in this
special circumstance. At the same time in His Hindi discourse Baba gives
marked importance to the point of shraddha'.
As He tells us, there is no direct English translation for the term
shraddha', yet in its more traditional usage, Baba describes shraddha as
the following.
Baba says, "When one ascribes everything to one’s goal, or one’s object,
or to the Supreme Subjectivity appearing as one’s object, and moves, or
rather directs one’s everything towards Him, then that movement is
shraddha'." (AV-3)
So in the spiritual realm, shraddha' means pointing all one's energy and
love towards Parama Purusa, and not toward any number two or number
three object. Everything is goaded towards Him. This we all know.
The interesting thing becomes, how does this apply to worldly life.
In His Hindi discourse, Baba neatly describes how shraddha' manifests in
worldly life. Suppose there is a father and a son. The boy wants to
study engineering, but the father is pressuring him to study medicine.
Yet the boy has little or no interest in becoming a doctor. In that
case, if forced to pursue medicine, the boy will not get success.
Because Baba's entire point is that to get success in worldly life, one
must have inner inspiration or inner motivation for what they are doing.
Then and only then can one get success. That is the key point.
TRAGEDY OF TODAY'S MODERN SOCIETY
Unfortunately, in today's materialistic society, where money is the
be-all and end-all, so many people in so many lands engage in work or
jobs that they do not care about. They have little or no interest in
their day-to-day endeavour. But they do it to earn money, for prestige,
to please their parents, or to just survive etc. This is the way in
so-called first world and various so-called third world nations.
There are innumerable cases of this round peg in a square hole
phenomenon. That means, there are so many people who have a keen
interest in one realm, but spend all their time doing something else -
either to earn money, or due to family pressures etc. Haven't we all
gone into a shop or office and noticed that the people working there
appear to be going through the motions like robots and have no real
interest in what they are doing. The same happens in student life as
well when children are pushed by their parents in a particular direction.
In that case, according to Baba, that worker or that student cannot get
success. Because as Baba guides us, one can only be successful if they
have inner motivation and inspiration for what they are doing. That is
the special point Baba is making in His Hindi discourse about how the
Seven Secrets of Success apply to worldly life.
THE OTHER POINTS ARE ALSO MEANINGFUL
Here then are how the other spiritual elements apply to achieving
success in the mundane sphere.
Vishva's: In spiritual life this means have firm determination for one's
Goal. Yet Baba guides us that in worldly life this is also needed. If
before studying for an exam, a student thinks that, "I will never be
able to pass", then they are doomed. Certainly they will not be able to
get success. Similarly, if an adult walks into a job interview thinking
that, "I will not be able to get this job - it is beyond my
qualifications", then they will have little or no chance of getting that
job. So vishva's in worldly life is a big point. It refers to having
confidence and a positive outlook before pursuing any endevor.
Guru Puja: In spiritual life, Baba guides us that this means
surrendering to the will of the Guru. Then one can serve and attain Him.
And in worldly life this point of Guru Puja has great importance: It
means having respect or reverence for one's teacher. Yet in the modern
world, there are so many loopholes and so much rampant hypocrisy that
students & citizens alike lose respect for their teachers and leaders.
Either their teachers punish them unduly or their teachers preach some
ideal such as abstinence or non-smoking, when they themselves are
indulged in that. Likewise, various social leaders preach noble values
yet they themselves are caught up in scandalous affairs. This is a daily
occurrence, and this undermines one's ability to get success. Because
one loses faith in their teacher or societal leader, in which case they
cannot learn from them.
Samitabhava: In spiritual sphere, this means complete mental balance.
And this same type of psychic equanimity is needed in worldly life. For
instance, if a student or interviewee is very nervous or shy, then they
will not be able to perform well. A student may become so nervous that
they even get easy questions wrong, because they have lost their mental
composure. Likewise, a professional seeking employment or putting on a
presentation may be so shy that they are unable to convey their
skill-set or knowledge to others in the room. And there are so many
other examples. For instance, one's marriage may end in misery, if one
constantly gets angry or acts in an erratic manner toward their spouse.
So mental balance is highly needed in all aspects of worldly life.
Indriyanigraha: We all know how control over the motor and sensory
organs is needed for success in spiritual life. And same is the case for
worldly life. If a student drinks too much whiskey or beer or wine at a
party, then they will be inattentive in class the next day. Or, they may
sleep through class entirely. Likewise, if a big business executive
indulges in too much gossipy talk, then they will not be prepared for
their meeting or they may underestimate their competition. Because loose
talk diverts the mind from important obligations. It is also commonly
seen how important politicians show sexual weakness and this can
undermine if not ruin their entire career. So having proper restraint
and control regarding the ten indriyas is highly needed to gain worldly
success.
Pramitahara: Just as proper attention to diet and food is needed in
spiritual life, it is also needed for mundane success. If a student
overeats then they will not be mentally sharp for their examination.
Similarly, if a person grossly overeats time and time again, they will
become obese, in which case they will suffer from all kinds of ailments
from shortness of breath to heart disease, and that will keep them from
discharging their duties properly. So food and drink must serve to keep
one healthy and fit. Then only can one get success in worldly endeavors.
No Seventh Factor: The same is true in worldly life as in spiritual life.
Baba says, "There is no seventh factor. That is, if you practise these
six factors, you require no seventh factor." (AV-3)
LIVING IN TODAY'S ULTRA-COMPETITIVE WORLD
Today's world is more competitive than ever. Getting success is not
easy. The standards are high and the competition is tough. Whether it be
the global economic market, the political arena, student life, or any
other realm, day by day the requirements for getting success get stiffer
and stiffer. There is no such thing as an easy victory anymore. There
are too many people gunning for the same thing. So if we are slack in
any of the above points, then someone with a more pointed vision will
come forward. In that case, success will not be ours. Because living in
today's world is not a joke.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace He has blessed us all with great teachings which lead us
to success. And in His Hindi discourse, Baba has given us the way to
utilize the Seven Secrets of Success in our worldly endeavours. So we
should pay heed to this doctrine not just in spiritual life but in all
our worldly dealings as well.
Baba says, "You, boys and girls, should remember the points and do
accordingly. It will help you in your all-around success." (AV-14)
Namaskar,
Hariish
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Desire For Money is Dangerous
Baba says, "Suppose there is a very elevated person who often ideates on
the Supreme Consciousness, but who has some greed for wealth. He does
not, however, express it openly to the Supreme, nor does he even think
of it directly. He thinks indirectly, "Oh, since I am a devotee of the
Supreme Consciousness, He will certainly give me enormous wealth and
make me immensely rich." Those who harbour this sort of covert desire
are reborn asyaks'as." (YP, p.78)
Note: Yaksas are one type of negative microvita. Those unfortunate
beings who got degenerated and took on a form less than human,
sub-human. Not only that but they got caught up in that bondage of
punishment for thousands of years. And only then after their extreme
punishment did they again get opportunity for human life.
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