Self-Development - I ; Pujya Gurudev

Four Pillars of Self-Development - I

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

(Translation of a discourse by Poojya Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharyaon Atmonnati Ke Char Adhara  delivered in 1980) Let us begin with the collective chanting of the Gayatri Mantra: 

“Om Bhur Buva Swa, Tatsaviturvareyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yona Prachodayat” || 

Sisters and Brothers, Our Yug Nirman mission has been organized as a laboratory. In a laboratory of chemistry, new chemicals and compounds are invented and presented to the world with a demonstration of their properties and use. Our mission is experimenting on the formulae, on the workable and viable plans for spiritual ascent and reconstruction of the world. Our Yug Nirman mission is a man-making odyssey. It is developed like a nursery to nurture good qualities, to produce enlightened talents. As you know, saplings of a variety of plants and trees are grown in a nursery and supplied to different gardens where they blossom with beautiful flowers and nutritious fruits. Our laboratory is like an agricultural farm where varieties of crops of better health-values are cultivated based on thorough research and the beneficial knowledge and technology is distributed for wider application. 

Our Yug Nirman mission is like a school for the training, development and chiseled refinement of personality. It is an academy to produce the future architects of a happier, harmonious, and integrated society. After all what is the society? It is a congregation, an ensemble of people. People make the society and their collective qualities and conduct shape up the character (reputation) of the society. Transformation of individuals leads to transformation of the society. Therefore, illumined ascent of men and women to a higher level of consciousness leads to transmutation of the society, thus altering the trends of time and creating a new, better, world. This is what Yug Nirman aims at.

The four definite steps to achieve this lofty goal are  vyakti nirma, pariwara nirmaa, samaj nirmaa and yug nirmaa (personal, familial, social and global transformation and evolution). We firmly believe in the pledge Hama Badalenge, Yuga Badalega; Hama Sudharenge, Yuga Sudhrega (When we transform ourselves, the trends of our times will be transformed. When we reform ourselves, the world will be reformed). It is obvious that we cannot experiment on the entire world; all the people across the globe cannot even be reached in feasible time. 

As we know, charity begins at home. So we have to begin with a small group, with our own selves, our families and friends. If all of you endeavor sincerely, the Gayatri Pariwar of our mission will become a model for others to follow. 

This way, gradually the ripples of change will encompass the whole ocean. So the first and most important task before us is self-refinement, self-development. For this we will have to first identify and focus our attention on the central root that directly or indirectly governs the course of our lives. Think and ponder over what really makes one what one is as a person? It is the force of intrinsic tendencies of the mind. The hidden desires activated by these tendencies drive the mind and generate the corresponding currents of thoughts and trigger the brain for matching actions. Although the conscious mind appears to be our decision maker and manager with the brain being its counterpart at the level of the physical body, the real ruler is our unconscious mind. The intrinsic impressions on it are so intense that these block even the voice of the soul. So, for self-refinement and self-transformation, it is essential that we first purify our inner self  especially the unconscious mind, reign in its passions and control its wayward tendencies that dominate our desires, thoughts and actions. Transformation of the central root will transform our life in no time.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma