Message:
We reap what we sow. Meaning we harvest what we plant. Harvest or sow symbolizes ones actions and reap refers to the results of such actions. If we sow poison from sinful or immoral actions then we will reap poison through suffering and pain. If we sow nectar by following the teachings of our Guru, we will then reap nectar through Guru’s blessings.
Follow your budhi, conscience, not your mann, mind. Our conscience tells when a thought, word or action is morally wrong, but often times we listen to our mind and ignore our conscience. When we follow our conscience it helps us discern and apply the knowledge of good and bad, which we learn from our Guru. Conscience helps us to follow Guru’s updesh, and in turn avoid evil. Those that follow their conscience do not suffer.
The Creator is in all of us and knows all of our thoughts and intentions. There is no need for us to prove our spiritual attainment to others without Paramatma’s hukam. Instead, we should save any spiritual blessings and collect them for when we will be in need or until our Guru asks us to spread those blessings.
Reflection:
“Jey Sohna mere dukh vich Razi Te mein Sukh nu Chulley Pawan”
(If my love is happy in my grief, I throw all of my happiness in the oven)
Here sohna is referred to as The Guru. The sevak says if my Guru is happy in my grief then what good is happiness to me.
Dharmaputra, Yudhisthira was asked why the Pandavas suffered so much in spite of having Bhagwan Krishan beside them. Yudhisthira, knowing that one lives the best life in Paramatma’s hukam answered that if Bhagwan’s intentions were to have them suffer, then they were happy with the grief; it was what Bhagwan had chosen for them.
The Pandavas suffered immensely. They lost everything in a gamble including their wealth and kingdom. They were sent into exile by Duryodhana where they spent twelve years of exile in the jungle and the thirteenth year in incognito. During the thirteenth year, if their identity was discovered the exile would begin again.
During all their hardships they were content because they knew everything was in Bhagwan’s hukam. They were steadfast on dharma and had complete faith in Bhagwan. While the Pandavas were in exile they performed meditation and met with Brahmans and sages who finally had peace because they were protected from demons. The Pandavas received many blessings from the Sages, one of which was that their kingdom would be restored. The Pandavas had to lose the gamble in order to travel in the jungle and protect the sages, perform deep meditation and thus increase their tapasya, austerity.
Suffering can be used as an instrument for transformation that helps us change and grow, making way for spiritual growth. Just as the Pandavas trusted Bhagwan’s power to transform them, the best way to respond to suffering is to stop and ask what lessons we can take from our grief.