FAULTS AND SHORTCOMINGS -------(4) PRAYER

We should pray to God repeatedly during our daily chores with heartfelt sincerity. There is nothing like definite time in prayer. Whenever we feel the need to say something, say it with the spirit of the prayer and heartfelt sincerity. If these successive prayers are done and are a result of intense mental anguish, there will be definite inclusion of and cooperation from the heart. You may know the parable of Gajendra-moksha (deliverance of an elephant by God Vishnu). On one side the crocodile is trying to pull the elephant in the water and on the other side elephant is trying all the might to prevent from being taken into the water by a crocodile. When the elephant is on the verge of giving up, calls the God to help him. God by His grace saves him from the clutches of crocodile.
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Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Mandaan
Edition 3; Page 143.

FAULTS AND SHORTCOMINGS ------(3) ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP FROM GOD IN-SPITE OF FIRM DETERMINATION

Sometimes we experience the feeling of defeat in-spite of firm determination to remove our faults. We should be able to find the reason for that to happen. There is a necessity to gather strength from somewhere to fight off bad qualities within us. The soul that depends upon his strength and gets defeated while fighting, feels extreme mental anguish and if that soul prays to God for His grace and help with humility and sense of urgency, gets the grace and help from God. There is no reason for us to fear. Is there any reason for the soul to be fearful if it has heartfelt conviction that he has the support and help of a very powerful entity? An assistant to rich billionaire trades millions of dollars and sometimes looses it and yet feels relaxed after notifying his boss. If that assistant is honest, faithful, industrious and if he has gained love and faith of the boss over the years, gets a pass in-spite of a mistake done due to negligence. Similarly if we do self narration at thy lotus feet with humility and do it completely without any omissions and corrections; meaning showing Him our positive and negative aspects in all the fullness, He will take care of our lives.
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Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Mandaan
Edition 3; Pages 142 - 143.

FAULTS AND SHORTCOMINGS --------(2) FIRM DETERMINATION TO REMOVE IT

By accepting the responsibility for the sin or a bad quality within us, our hearts get worry free, mind gets peaceful and chitta (ચિત્ત) becomes joyful; at the same time we should have a clear vision and awareness towards our firm determination and efforts to remove it, just like clear vision of our imperfections. We need to win over this negative aspect with constructive energy and effort. Without the awareness of this constructive energy in our heart, the awareness of the only faults will sink us in the whirl of despair and we will be discouraged. The firm determination (do or die) of not living with our faults and bad qualities has tremendous energy and strength and it is not going to go away. The determination cemented with the efforts of heart and mind can never stay idle. It wakes us up, makes us move and continues to give us the strength to live life. If you experience these happenings then believe that it is true determination. These are the signs of true determination.
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Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Mandaan
Edition 3; Page 142.

FAULTS AND SHORTCOMINGS ----- (1) ACCEPT WITH HEART ( SINCERITY )

                                                                    HARI OM
Kumbhakonam,
April 6, 1951.

  " I have lots of faults and shortcomings and I want to identify it and remove it. I can see my faults but the mind refuses to accept it. This leads to suppression of major faults and appreciation of a minor good quality in me". This is what you wrote in your letter to me. We need to develop the strength to accept our faults openly without any hesitation. By doing this, our minds get trained to feel separate from the faults and shortcomings to some extent and it also feels disgust and at a minimum do not like it. It is a kind of self narration (atm nivedan, આત્મનિવેદન) to accept whatever needs to be with ease, sincerity, clarity, honesty and without hesitation. There are many requirements and conditions for sadhana and this one is very important and unavoidable. It is not enough to just accept the faults. For clearly appreciating the negatives in the soul doing the sadhana, all these negatives will come up so he can see it. It is a great grace of God for us to see, understand and experience the faults. Our faults and shortcomings are not going to budge until it really cause uneasiness, mental anguish and are throughly evaluated with awareness. It is very important for us to be aware of our faults and its acceptance with all the heartfelt sincerity in the form of self narration and pray for its removal from us with the bhava of self narration.     ----------------- continued next blog.
                                                         
Pujya Shree Mota                                      
Jivan Mandaan
Edition 3; Page 141.

HELP FROM GOD

Swajan:  Mota, How come God helps His devotee and not the one who wants to be a devotee? Even though I do naam-smaran, it is not possible to be free completely from the clutches of vrutties. When vrutties attack I get irritated and even forget to do naam-smaran.

Pujya Shree Mota: God help his devotees but not the ones who want to be His devotees. He is not enslaved to help His devotees. We have not become  devotees yet. We want to stay and play in the mud of vrutties and to demand that God must help is futile. 

God is very eager to help people get rid of desires but we do not want to get rid of it. It is like "holding on to the trunk of the tree and claiming that tree is not leaving us". One can be saved from the attack of vrutties if naan-smaran is done with sincerity. Even if one falls, the recovery from it is very rapid. It never helps to do naam-smaran by bargaining with God. Our duty is to serve Him with love. It is not our job to anticipate the results. In any field the result is always good if the effort is made with focused concentration and good intent. It is also true in the field of spirituality. The main defect is of our naam-smaran. It is of not much use if it is done mechanically like a parrot. There needs to be a prayer with enthusiasm, perseverance and care. The process of Naam-smaran, longing, denial and offering need to be done at the same time. 

Pujya Shree Mota

Sant Hradaya

Edition 3; Pages 43 - 44.