How to celebrate Raksha Bandhan

(Speech by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on Raksha Bandhan)

Today is the  auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan.  Raksha (Protection), the protector, and the one who is to be protected.  These three things need to be understood. Who is the protector?  Who needs to be protected?  What is the meaning of protection?

The Vedas say that there are only two personalities who are sentient.  One is the Supreme soul, God and the other is the individual soul.  One is all-knowing and the other is ignorant.  Among these two, who is the protector and whom will he protect?  The protector has to be capable. Only the one who is powerful can provide protection. Who does one  need to be protected from? That is also a question.  

Every individual soul is under maya since time immemorial.  Maya is the name of a power of God.  The Vedas say that God has countless powers.   Of these, two powers are primary.  One is para shakti and the other  is apara shakti. This is stated in the Gita,  Quotation – “Arjun, I have two powers –  that is, two material energies. One is para (the superior power), that is the individual soul  and the other is apara (the inferior power) that is maya.”  

Its other names are kshar and  akshar.  Apara is called kshar and para is called akshar. They have other names too, kshetra and kshetragya. Maya is called kshetra;  individual soul is called kshetragya.  So these are His two powers. Between God and the soul, one is mayadhish (the controller of maya) and the other is mayadhin (controlled by maya).  The difference is just one syllable. ’Sh’ applies to God, ‘n’ applies to the individual soul..  God is mayadhish;  and individual souls are mayadhin. Maya is continuously tormenting the individual soul. Continuously, at every moment!

The individual soul is incomplete and yearns to become complete. It is ignorant and it yearns to become all-knowing.  It has limited powers, and yearns to become all-powerful. In other words, the soul yearns for everything that God has, because it is a part of God. It will attain completeness once it reaches its origin.  

Maya has been dominating us since time immemorial.  It did not just happen one day.  Don’t forget this. Someone may comment, ”Maya must have taken control of us one day”  No, not all all.   Maya can’t take control of the one who is free from  maya.  God has two kinds of fractions  (ansh).  One is swansh,(the personal expansions of God),  the other is vibhinnansh (the separated parts of God).   All swansh are God Himself –  for example Brahma, Vishnu, etc. They are governors of swaroop shakti. They govern swaroop shakti.  

But there are also  two types of vibhinnansh. One type of vibhinnansh are those who are eternally liberated from maya. They were never under maya’s influence. But they are His separated parts. They are God’s divine associates. They are the eternal servants of God. They are eternally liberated. The other type is under maya’s control since time immemorial, but if they wish to, they can become free from maya. 

They have to do something to be free from maya.  What do they have to do?  Do they have to acquire special powers? No, No. There is no power that can liberate you from maya.  No power.  Even the greatest of powers, celestial gods like Surya, Agni, Indra, Varun, Kuber, etc. are great powers.  Brihaspati predominates in intelligence, Indra in majesty, Kuber in wealth.  All these great powers are also under maya.  So how can they liberate you from maya?  Even if you become powerful like them, you still can’t challenge maya.  

Nobody can challenge maya.  Saint Tulsidas challenged maya –   “Oh maya!  Go to the person in whose heart Nandkumar (Shri Krishna) does not reside.  ”I have Nandkumar in my heart.”  “Nandkumar(son of Nand) is in your heart?  Did you mean Dashrathkumar (Ram, the son of Dashrath)?  Tulsidas says, “Oh, they are both the same.” I used the name Nandkumar deliberately, to dismiss any doubt in people’s minds. That I have accepted Nandkumar to be non-diferent from Dashrathkumar.”  

But Tulsidas has made this challenge based on God’s strength. ”Oh Maya, I challenge you on the basis of God’s strength!” Why don’t you use your own strength? Oh no!  Based on one’s own strength.  (Spiritual verse) – Everyone is scared of maya.  No one can challenge her. Maya belongs to God, after all, so only the one who takes refuge in Me alone can be free from maya by My grace. In other words, God is our only means of protection against maya’s torments. This is the conclusion. 

Whom do we want protection from? – Maya.  Who will provide protection? – God and only God.  Or the saints.  Who are these saints?  Saints can offer protection using God’s strength, but they don’t have their own power.   

Now you must have understood.  Who needs protection?  – the individual soul.  Who will provide protection? –  God.  What will he give protection from?  – From maya.  So let’s ask God, “Oh Lord, please protect me!”  Until today, we have not asked God to protect us.  Who did we ask?  The sister asked her brother, a son asked his father.  We want protection from the foolish people of the world. These poor people can’t protect themselves; how will they protect us?

Firstly, they are themselves under maya’s control. They are not able to protect themselves. Secondly, only one who is always with you can provide protection. Is there any father that always stays with his son?  Is there any husband that is always with his wife?  Is there any brother that is always with his sister?  But God is such a father, brother and son that He always remains with us.  He never leaves us alone even for a fraction of a second.  

He is with us every moment. God is always sitting in our hearts.  He doesn’t come and go. The individual soul lives right inside Him. The Vedas say so. The individual soul resides within the Supreme Soul. See how the light is emanating and fans are moving.  What is all this?  It is called electricity. This electricity is connected to the powerhouse. It doesn’t come and go, otherwise lights would have gone on and off. So as long as it is connected, we are receiving light.The moment it gets disconnected from the powerhouse, it gets dark. 

God continuously imparts consciousness to the sentient soul.  That is why we remain conscious.  If he stops imparting consciousness, we will be dead, just like this pillow.  So God always protects us. We remained hung upside down in our mother’s womb. Imagine someone hanging you upside down like this for two weeks. Upside down, with your legs and head down!  Even a wrestler would die in this state! We had such a tender body. And we remained hanging upside down in the mother’s womb, but He kept protecting us.  

He looked after us. As soon as we were born, He protected us again.  He generated milk in our mother’s bosom. He made the world and protected us again by providing foods and drinks. He stays with us at every moment, imparting consciousness. He keeps an account of our actions of previous births, and dispenses their consequences. He is taking note of our present birth’s actions.  

He is protecting us in so many ways.  Yet, we don’t trust Him.  A woman accompanied by her husband feels confident that he is protecting her.  A hooligan could just slap him and knock him out.  How will he protect you?  A girl feels safe being accompanied by a 10-year old boy. “I brought him along,” she proudly says. What is he going to do? How will your 10-year old brother protect you?  Even if he is 50 years old, what will he do?  No one is able to protect himself. 

So, out of ignorance, we try to get protection from one another.  No such protection exists.  This is all just a big joke.  So, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, we should seek protection from Hari-Guru and surrender to them, thus ensuring our protection.

*A brief introduction of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj*

(Known by His devotees as Shri Maharaj Ji)

The original title of Jagadguruttam (Greatest Spiritual Teacher of the World) was bestowed upon Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on January 14, 1957, by Kashi Vidvat Parishad (a council of 500 greatest scholars saints of India). He composed divine texts like Prem Ras Madira, Prem Ras Siddhant, and Radha Govind Geet to lead us on the right path of devotion. He also gave priceless monuments as gifts to the world which include Bhakti Mandir located in Bhakti Dham, Mangarh, Prem Mandir located in Vrindavan Dham, and Kirti Mandir located in Barsana Dham. Shri Maharaj Ji also built hospitals for the impoverished, the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Vrindavan, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Barsana, and another one in Pratapgarh. All three help millions of underprivileged to gain free access to medical care. His Kindergarten, School, and College for impoverished girls Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education is located in Kunda and provides completely free education.