The topic for the Hindi Satsang on Sunday, 16th June, 2013 was ‘Santosh.’ (Contentment).
Following is the transcript of the speech made by Smt. Hansaji Yogendra on the topic.
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Listen to the Audio:
“Santosh, in yoga philosophy comes under Niyamas. Yamas teach us how to manage with the outside world and Niyamas show us what we should do for our own development. The first of the Niyamas is Sauca – external and internal purity, purity of body and even of thoughts. The second Niyama is contentment which is related to purity of our emotions and feelings. Where there is discontentment, there is negativity and mistakes. To live a discontented life is very wrong because such a person can never be happy. They will always want more and not learn to be happy with what is already there.
It is important to notice what we have. There was a child who wanted the latest mobile, stylish shoes, etc. So he went to his father and asked for them. They were expensive things. They father agreed to get them provided the child made a list of whatever things he owned. The list was quite long. The father read the list and said that some things were missing. He began dictating and the boy wrote it down. “Your father and mother are alive, you have a home, food to eat, clothes to wear, a school to go to, a healthy body, etc.” When we look at things in this way, we will realize we have so much. Then contentment follows automatically.
When Shri Yogendraji began this Institute, he had only Rs. 82 in his pocket. He took a loan and bought this land. The Mayor came to inaugurate the place and when he found that Yogendraji had only this much money, he laughed and asked, “You will run this Institute with only this much?” Yogendraji said that what will happen will happen. And you can see what the Institute is today. Remain determined and continue doing your work. Make a decision in your mind and immerse yourself in your duty. As and when the work is done, people join in and there is progress. When I used to come here to learn there used to be nine or ten people in the teacher training course. Now we have around 100 students in the Hindi class and 80 in the English class. The point is that an Institute with began with so less has now progressed so much. This is brought about by the attitude of Santosh.
A discontented man can never progress fast because obstacles come in the way very often and the mind starts going in the wrong direction. There was a young poor boy who was very thin and weak. He dreamt of being a lawyer and at the age of eight he studied and worked hard but he didn’t have money for books. He realized that there was a retired lawyer living on the other side of the river, who might have some books on law. He crossed the river and pleaded with the lawyer to give him the books. The lawyer allowed him to sit there are read provided he did some housework for him. The boy went on with the work and studies. He was contented and clear. He kept on for years and later became the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
Many people think that there will be no progress if one is contented. But that is not the case. For progress, one needs determination which gives a direction to them in life. Contentment applies in our day-to-day situations, in what we have, in the people who are around us. If someone cursed at you, at least they didn’t hit you; if you didn’t get food, at least you got water – be content. Once this attitude is inculcated, a person becomes truly happy. Only a person who has true faith (Bhakti) can have this attitude of being blissful in every moment.
So we must inculcate this attitude in our personality and count our blessings.”