Tag: Vachanamrut
You Are Not Your Thoughts: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
Have you ever felt trapped in a storm of emotions — regret, anger, anxiety — as if you’re drowning in your own mind? We all have moments when our thoughts seem louder than life itself, when we can’t tell where we end and our feelings begin. But Bhagwan Swaminarayan offers a profound way out of this inner chaos. In Gadhada I-21, He explains that when the mind is disturbed by fluctuating thoughts, one should realize their true self as distinct from the body. This simple yet powerful insight can transform the way we experience life’s emotional waves. You are not [Read More…]
Seeing God in Everyone: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
What If We Saw God in Everyone? What would the world look like if we truly saw God in everyone?Not just in temples or sacred places, but in the everyday faces we encounter—the driver who cuts us off, the colleague who tests our patience, the stranger who asks for help, even the friend who betrayed us. Bhagwan Swaminarayan teaches that Bhagwan resides in all beings, to a greater or lesser degree, as their very cause and as antaryami—the inner controller. God is not confined to shrines or rituals. He is present in people—in their struggles, their stories, their strengths, and [Read More…]
Negative Influence in Satsang; Not Uttering Discouraging Words
The Power of Your Words: Eliminating Spiritual Negativity In our spiritual journeys, we often focus on grand philosophies, deep meditation, and complex rituals. Yet, sometimes the most profound transformations begin with something as simple as the words we choose to speak. Within the sacred fellowship of satsang, our speech can either build a fortress of faith or silently corrode its very foundations. This is the urgent, timeless message Shriji Maharaj delivered in the Vachanamrut Gadhada I-17, a discourse that serves as both a diagnosis and a cure for a subtle spiritual ailment. The Paradox of Negativity in Satsang A Cheerful [Read More…]
The Power of Courage, Faith, and Choice: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
When the Mind Feels Trapped Have you ever felt stuck in a habit—one that seems to quietly run your life?Maybe it’s the endless scrolling that swallows your evenings, the anger that flashes before you can control it, or the small compromises that eat away at your peace. We’ve all been there—wondering, “Is this just how I am? Can I ever really change?” It’s tempting to believe that our weaknesses are part of our nature or even our destiny. But Bhagwan Swaminarayan gives us a revolutionary insight: “Addictions and destructive patterns are not the result of destiny, but of habit. And [Read More…]
Finding Freedom from Swabhāvs…
In the serene training grounds of Sarangpur, a profound conversation unfolds—one that reaches across centuries to answer a very modern question: Why, despite our best intentions, do we remain trapped by our own negative tendencies? The answer, found in a concise yet powerful scripture, offers nothing less than a transformative path to inner peace. The Core Problem: It’s Not the Symptom, It’s the Disease We often believe our unhappiness is caused by external circumstances—a missed promotion, a harsh word from a colleague, or a friend’s success that overshadows our own. We focus on these surface-level symptoms, pouring our energy into [Read More…]
The Secret of Success lies in Steady Steps: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
The Hidden Strength of Small Steps From a Drop to a Lake, from a Brick to a Wonder A single drop seems insignificant—easy to miss, easier to dismiss. Yet when that drop falls steadily, patiently, it becomes a stream, then a pool, then a lake that reshapes the earth itself. The Great Wall of China, stretching over 13,000 miles, stands on the same principle. No one brick earned applause; yet brick after brick, laid faithfully across generations, formed one of humanity’s greatest marvels. Life—yours and mine—works the same way. We often search for quick breakthroughs or life-changing moments, but real [Read More…]
Engaging in Spiritual Dialogue: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
The Noise Around Us—and the Voice Within Every day, our senses are flooded with a constant stream of sound—notifications, conversations, commentaries, and advertisements. Much of it entertains, but little of it truly nourishes. Amid this ocean of noise, Bhagwan Swaminarayan offers a timeless remedy: “Lend your ears to the discourses of Purushottam Narayan (God) with shraddhā (faith) and prīti (love).” These are not ordinary words; they are divine vibrations—sounds that have the power to calm the restless mind, steady our focus, and dissolve cravings for worldly pleasure. In an age where attention has become fragmented, Bhagwan’s teaching calls us to [Read More…]
Inner Richness is Humility, not Pride: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
The Quiet Enemy Within Ego doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it whispers through our virtues, disguising itself as devotion, knowledge, or discipline. Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s teachings remind us that ego isn’t only about arrogance or pride in worldly success—it can also seep into our spiritual pursuits. Whether we take pride in our bhakti (devotion), vairagya (detachment), or dharma (righteous conduct), the sense of “I” can quietly take root. “I do not like ego—whether it arises from one’s virtues of bhakti, renunciation, understanding, or observance of vows.” These words pierce through the spiritual façade that ego often hides behind. Even noble qualities lose [Read More…]
Mastering your Influences
The Company You Keep: How Your Associations Shape Your Spiritual Destiny In the spiritual journey, we often wonder what determines our path. Is it our past karma? Divine grace? Or something more within our control? The ancient wisdom of the Vachanamrut reveals a profound truth about what truly shapes our spiritual destiny. The Eight Factors That Influence Your Life Shriji Maharaj identifies eight key factors that actively influence our present reality: Desh (place), Kaal (time), Kriya (actions), Sang (company), Mantra (words), Shastra (scriptures), Diksha (initiation), and Dhyan (thoughts). These aren’t abstract concepts but practical elements we encounter daily. Your Present [Read More…]
Finding true Fulfillment beyond Validation: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
There’s a subtle chain that often goes unnoticed in the pursuit of success — the need to be admired. It hides behind ambition, it dresses up as drive, and sometimes, it even disguises itself as self-improvement. But beneath it all, it’s vanity — a craving for validation, a thirst for recognition, a constant measuring of our worth against others. Vanity isn’t just about appearances. It’s not limited to how we look or how others perceive our style. It goes deeper. It’s the desire to impress, the itch to be acknowledged, the silent question that asks, “Do I matter more now?” [Read More…]