Call for the Internal War
Pujya Gurudevshri heralds a spiritual call to arms for the internal war, urging the true seeker to conquer the mind through the paradoxical valour of ‘doing nothing’. He guides the seeker to replace despair with the power of witnessing to attain liberation
The enlightened being resounds the drum – the drum of war! This is not a call to physical battle, but a summons for the internal war. To the coward, this sound is terrifying, but to the brave – the seeker of liberation who desires the inward journey – this call charges up his valour and fills him with joy.
The Master does not offer mere consolation; He offers a transition. To bring about a true transformation, the Master makes the disciple industrious. While a false teacher may lull a disciple to sleep, a true Master shakes him awake. Therefore, the association of a Master is compared to the beating of drums. Upon hearing this, the seeker of worldly enjoyment, the coward become disappointed, run away or make excuses. However, the heart of a true seeker gets filled with a unique enthusiasm and begins to dance upon hearing the call to inward journey.
Just as many people may undergo military training, but when the actual war drum beats, the coward fears and retreats, while in contrast, the brave one is filled with valour and does not retreat despite the possibility of death. Similarly, many people perform religious rituals, but when the drum of inward journey is played, only the true seeker moves forward; he is truly tired of delusion and makes every effort solely to break free.
When a soul realises the rarity of human birth, understands the great significance of association with the Master, feels the necessity of inward-leading spiritual practices, and recognizes the immense loss that can be suffered by missing this
opportunity through indolence, he becomes aware and strives to convert the opportunity. However, one who has not attained this realisation and remains indolent even in the company of a Master exhibits cowardice and misses this great opportunity.
External and Internal WarUpon the Master’s declaration of war, the true seeker becomes valorous and advances. However, this internal war differs significantly from external battles in three key ways:
1. The Enemy Within: The external war is fought against others, while the internal war is waged with oneself. It is easy to fight others, but difficult to fight oneself. Just as it is easy to apply medicine to another's wound but painful to apply it to one's own, it is easy to destroy another's ego but incredibly difficult to break one's own. In the internal war, one must strike at one's own ego. One must destroy the ego residing within oneself, by oneself – a task that requires one to step down from his own throne. Only a true seeker can accomplish this.
2. The Incessant Battle: External wars are timebound; they begin in the morning and end in the evening. The internal war, however, is incessant. It continues day and night, every moment, without a single moment of rest. It persists in the waking state and even during sleep. This is because the war is with the mind. In an external war, one fights a
visible body. In the internal war, one fights the mind – an entity that has no head or any external form. Fighting a formless enemy requires immense understanding and courage.
3. The Weapon of ‘Doing Nothing’: In external wars, a sword is wielded against the enemy. In the internal war, the sword is wielded upon one's own mind. But what does wielding this sword mean? It means ‘doing nothing’.
This doing nothing is the practice of choiceless, reaction-less awareness. Whether thoughts are good or bad, few or many, one must maintain the stance of a witness alone. The seeker should not focus on the quantity or quality of thoughts but must ensure that no identification is established with them. Do not run, catch or hit; just know. Knowing is our nature; it happens effortlessly. The discipline is not to react with attachment or aversion.
This practice of doing nothing demands great courage because it is the suicide of the sense of doership. Just as the sun's sharp rays cause a lotus to bloom but force eyes to close, the declaration of this internal war causes the seeker’s heart to bloom while frightening the non-seeker. The coward destroys his spiritual welfare by making excuses regarding time, karma, circumstances or eligibility.
Necessity of Great PatienceThis internal war demands great faith, dedication, understanding, and self-restraint. Above all, it requires intense desire and patience. Without intense desire, the war will not start; without patience, it will not finish.
Often strange karma unfolds, and internal bad habits cause a downfall. At such times, the duty of a seeker is to strive without disappointment. Since this war is against instincts ingrained over infinite time, keeping an eye on correct effort is more important than quick success.
Despair and HopeDespair is dangerous because life loses its ascent in the stream of hopelessness. It is an eternal law: that which does not rise, falls. Despair is the beginning of the descent into death. Hope alone awakens dormant powers and leads man on the journey of the unknown. Spiritual practices cannot be born in despair because despair is barren; no creative power manifests from it.
Enlightened beings say that humans become what they feel. A negative attitude creates a negative internal state, leading only to confusion. Despair acts as a chain stronger than iron, preventing even the aspiration for freedom from arising. However, this chain is breakable. Just as a lamp destroys dense darkness, the light of one’s pure nature, the Master’s compassion, and His teachings remove the darkness of despair.
IndolenceIndolence is defined as the halting of effort before attainment of the Divine. A despairing mind descends into indolence, making excuses for circumstances that
only worsen the situation.
In reality, no situation is favourable or unfavourable for realising the Divine. Disappointing situations also surrounded those who attained the Divine. Therefore, one should never use circumstances as an excuse. No matter how adverse the situation, it is never so hostile that it blocks the path of God – just as darkness can never be so dense that it prevents light from shining. There is no obstacle other than our own despair and wrong attitude.
He who moves forward with enthusiastic valour never fails. In the path of God, failure is an illusion. Failure is success delayed, not success denied.
Authored by: Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji
The enlightened being resounds the drum – the drum of war! This is not a call to physical battle, but a summons for the internal war. To the coward, this sound is terrifying, but to the brave – the seeker of liberation who desires the inward journey – this call charges up his valour and fills him with joy.
The Master does not offer mere consolation; He offers a transition. To bring about a true transformation, the Master makes the disciple industrious. While a false teacher may lull a disciple to sleep, a true Master shakes him awake. Therefore, the association of a Master is compared to the beating of drums. Upon hearing this, the seeker of worldly enjoyment, the coward become disappointed, run away or make excuses. However, the heart of a true seeker gets filled with a unique enthusiasm and begins to dance upon hearing the call to inward journey.
Just as many people may undergo military training, but when the actual war drum beats, the coward fears and retreats, while in contrast, the brave one is filled with valour and does not retreat despite the possibility of death. Similarly, many people perform religious rituals, but when the drum of inward journey is played, only the true seeker moves forward; he is truly tired of delusion and makes every effort solely to break free.
When a soul realises the rarity of human birth, understands the great significance of association with the Master, feels the necessity of inward-leading spiritual practices, and recognizes the immense loss that can be suffered by missing this
opportunity through indolence, he becomes aware and strives to convert the opportunity. However, one who has not attained this realisation and remains indolent even in the company of a Master exhibits cowardice and misses this great opportunity.
External and Internal WarUpon the Master’s declaration of war, the true seeker becomes valorous and advances. However, this internal war differs significantly from external battles in three key ways:
1. The Enemy Within: The external war is fought against others, while the internal war is waged with oneself. It is easy to fight others, but difficult to fight oneself. Just as it is easy to apply medicine to another's wound but painful to apply it to one's own, it is easy to destroy another's ego but incredibly difficult to break one's own. In the internal war, one must strike at one's own ego. One must destroy the ego residing within oneself, by oneself – a task that requires one to step down from his own throne. Only a true seeker can accomplish this.
2. The Incessant Battle: External wars are timebound; they begin in the morning and end in the evening. The internal war, however, is incessant. It continues day and night, every moment, without a single moment of rest. It persists in the waking state and even during sleep. This is because the war is with the mind. In an external war, one fights a
visible body. In the internal war, one fights the mind – an entity that has no head or any external form. Fighting a formless enemy requires immense understanding and courage.
3. The Weapon of ‘Doing Nothing’: In external wars, a sword is wielded against the enemy. In the internal war, the sword is wielded upon one's own mind. But what does wielding this sword mean? It means ‘doing nothing’.
This doing nothing is the practice of choiceless, reaction-less awareness. Whether thoughts are good or bad, few or many, one must maintain the stance of a witness alone. The seeker should not focus on the quantity or quality of thoughts but must ensure that no identification is established with them. Do not run, catch or hit; just know. Knowing is our nature; it happens effortlessly. The discipline is not to react with attachment or aversion.
This practice of doing nothing demands great courage because it is the suicide of the sense of doership. Just as the sun's sharp rays cause a lotus to bloom but force eyes to close, the declaration of this internal war causes the seeker’s heart to bloom while frightening the non-seeker. The coward destroys his spiritual welfare by making excuses regarding time, karma, circumstances or eligibility.
Necessity of Great PatienceThis internal war demands great faith, dedication, understanding, and self-restraint. Above all, it requires intense desire and patience. Without intense desire, the war will not start; without patience, it will not finish.
Often strange karma unfolds, and internal bad habits cause a downfall. At such times, the duty of a seeker is to strive without disappointment. Since this war is against instincts ingrained over infinite time, keeping an eye on correct effort is more important than quick success.
Despair and HopeDespair is dangerous because life loses its ascent in the stream of hopelessness. It is an eternal law: that which does not rise, falls. Despair is the beginning of the descent into death. Hope alone awakens dormant powers and leads man on the journey of the unknown. Spiritual practices cannot be born in despair because despair is barren; no creative power manifests from it.
Enlightened beings say that humans become what they feel. A negative attitude creates a negative internal state, leading only to confusion. Despair acts as a chain stronger than iron, preventing even the aspiration for freedom from arising. However, this chain is breakable. Just as a lamp destroys dense darkness, the light of one’s pure nature, the Master’s compassion, and His teachings remove the darkness of despair.
IndolenceIndolence is defined as the halting of effort before attainment of the Divine. A despairing mind descends into indolence, making excuses for circumstances that
only worsen the situation.
In reality, no situation is favourable or unfavourable for realising the Divine. Disappointing situations also surrounded those who attained the Divine. Therefore, one should never use circumstances as an excuse. No matter how adverse the situation, it is never so hostile that it blocks the path of God – just as darkness can never be so dense that it prevents light from shining. There is no obstacle other than our own despair and wrong attitude.
He who moves forward with enthusiastic valour never fails. In the path of God, failure is an illusion. Failure is success delayed, not success denied.
Authored by: Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji
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