Narayan asked Shri Nimishananda Guruji — “When it comes to crime, I find the concept of karma confusing. If we see a crime taking place, the natural impulse is to try and prevent it. When we do this, are we interfering with the process of karma? Are we also creating fresh karma for ourselves?”
Shri Nimishananda Guruji said: “Whenever you see wrong doing, do what you can to prevent it. But don’t be judgmental about any of the people involved there. If you allow emotions like hatred towards the culprit to arise within you, then you are definitely generating karma for yourself.”
Narayan’s wife Namita asked Shri Nimishananda Guruji — “How can we recognise people with evil intentions?”
Shri Nimishananda Guruji laughed and said: “In the earlier yugas (ages), Gods had special forms which proclaimed their divinity. Similarly, demons had characteristic features, which enabled human beings to recognise them. But in the present age, gods, demons and men, all appear in human form. Externally all of them look alike, but the vibrations they emit set them apart.”
Setting an example for your children, Sarita Chandran a lady in her mid -40s poured out her concerns at the Lotus Feet of Shri Nimishananda Guruji — “I’m finding it difficult to make my children follow a disciplined routine at home. If I tell them when to do things too frequently, I get the feeling that I’m nagging them. Please advise me about what to do.” Shri Nimishananda Guruji said: “First of all, today, as parents, we first teach our children to become indisciplined. For instance, when the children are very young, what do we do? Whether they are sleepy or not, we force them to take several naps a day. Children have the spontaneous ability to absorb vitality from the air, and do not require much food. But we force them to eat when they don’t need to. We upset their natural bio-rhythms and programme their minds by saying: “Sleep, sleep, sleep…. Eat, eat, eat….”In their teens, this programme in the subconscious mind takes effect and they begin to eat, eat, eat…. and sleep, sleep, sleep…. And then we complain that they are indisciplined.” Pujya Pujya Guruji’s face broke into a charming smile, which turned into laughter. All the devotees laughed at this incisive analysis.
After the laughter subsided, Sarita Chandran gently persisted by asking — “Is there any way we can make our children responsible?”
Shri Nimishananda Guruji said - “What is your response towards your own ability? That is one way of defining response - ability.
Set an example for your children, but don’t expect results overnight. When they have an example to follow, gradually their awareness builds up and spiritual culture is imbibed. Building an awareness in them is extremely important.”
(This article is taken from the book Pratical Spirituality for Enriched Living by His Holiness Shri Shri Nimishananda Guruji)