Smile Please by Rishi Vidhyadhar

We base our happiness on factors which are outside our control. Life is ever changing and full of opposites. Basing our state of mind on such factors outside our control leads to depression, frustration and unhappiness. For e.g.; If we are happy because of good health then we are sure to lose our happiness.As and when our health deteriorates,We would be unhappy.If we feel secure because we have money then its opposite is also not far away. If we are in high spirits being in love then whenever we are alone again due to death or separation from partner and without any assurance that the partner will ever come back, we are bound to be depressed. If we are contented because of our progeny, then losing our progeny to death or separation due to some other cause will lead to utter discontentment. If we are happy due to fame and power then their lack will also cause total unhappiness.

All these factors are outside our control and hence basing our mental state on any one of these is dangerous and is bound to end in unhappiness. The only happiness which is stable and free from external influences is the one which is what we feel when we do sudarshan kriya, which is without any reason.The happiness based on the 9 factors- pleasures based on 5 senses, fame, love, progeny and money is short lived and leads to pain whenever one of these factors is missing from our lives.

On 26th June, 2000, Gujarat lost 120,000 people due to earthquake but was back on track in an year's time. In 2005, in Tsunami, a lady in Nagapattinam lost both her sons and when she met Gurudev sometime after,she was smiling.This is the power of spirituality which allows us to come back from setbacks and be happy.

Imagine being in an environment which is stinking with smell of dead bodies some of whom are your relatives and loved ones, very very unpleasant to the eyes, a depressing scene. This is what Krishna stood amidst and was still smiling. This is the power of spirituality. When you can smile through all these situations in life - losing a loved one to separation or death, losing fame and status, losing money and there is no hope for any redemption, then that state is of a liberated person. This is enlightenment and this is the Art of Living".


I remember couple of instances related to this talk.Here you go.....

1.An experience sharing :-

Once Guruji was giving darshan in Bangalore Ashram, he saw a friend of mine being silent(worring about something),

Looking at him Guruji asked him "What is the sign of AOl Person ?"

Friend replied "SMILE"

Then Guruji said "I donot see that on your face...... !!!!!!!!"


2. An AOL Teacher once said "Guruji says "BE HAPPY ",you know It can be taken as an Order as well as a Blessing".

Courtesy -

http://keku13.blogspot.com/search/label/Swami%27s%20n%20Rishi%27s%20from%20AOL