Why is Mahalakshmi Asthira

Narayana!

They wanted me to speak about Mahalakshmi. The most difficult thing in this world is to speak about Mahalakshmi or/and Sriman Narayana. You can talk about any other subject. Since all of creation comes under them, how do you explain that? It is not so easy. So now they have asked me few questions.

Question: Sri Sathguru said that having Lakshmi’s grace does not mean unbounded wealth but meant that one had all one needed and enough to give. Will Sri Sathguru explain this?

Sri Sathguru: Generally, when people pray to Mahalakshmi - it’s a bit disgraceful but that’s what they pray to Her; for getting wealth. Just for wealth, for nothing else. It is very sad to see it and most disgraceful also, but that is what they still do, however much they pray to other Gods, this (prayer to Mahalakshmi) will always be there because they need money. Since they need wealth, this will always be there. Then it is all else but not this (truly receiving Mahalakshmi’s grace). So that’s not the way it should be done. You see, this is why I said it does not mean unbounded wealth, or that you get plenty of money and any amount of wealth. That doesn’t make for happiness.

What they quoted me as saying that Sri Lakshmi’s grace does not mean unbounded wealth but meant that one had all one needed and enough to give is right. You see as long as your needs are met - you need - whatever you need, it is all given to you, what more do you need? How much do you want to take home when you go? That’s the real home (pointing finger upwards). When you go how much can you take? You can’t take anything. You have to leave it here and go. You earn all the money, keep it safely, put it into banks in lockers and things like that but what is the use? If you die suddenly, you leave the whole thing and go. That’s all. So there must be a certain amount of detachment towards all possessions and wealth.

She is giving all that. You must have not unbounded wealth, it's not unbounded wealth that makes for happiness but the one, you must get all that you need and more than anything else you must have some to give also. The important thing is that you must learn to give, not only take. Vivekananda said, that, if a room is locked up, all the windows and doors are locked up, there will be no free flow of air and the air that is in the room will start to become stagnant and unhealthy. So you must leave the windows open, there must be a free flow of air. In the same way when you get something you must be able to give. It is that giving that is most important. The more you give the more you will get. But you must give - without that you can’t get. If you get tied to your money then that is all you are going to get. You will get no more. This is the very important thing, that you must give.

I have seen a lot of people who have a lot of money. They buy the costliest things in the world. Just because they have money, anything that money can buy in the market they will go and buy it, just because they want to spend the money, spend and waste all that money but still they won’t like to give to anyone. They don’t like to give someone who is suffering, who is in trouble. That giving is most important. That is the thing that brings the punyam and you must not give just because you want to get that punyam, but because that poor person is suffering and a small thing like that will help them. You must give, that which is most important, that you must remember. Giving makes all the difference between any amount of wealth and poverty. If you give, you find that money comes back to you tenfold. But you must give. If you have enough for your own expenses, for your own life, enough for that, as well as if you have something more, you must give it.

Question: Why is Mahalakshmi Asthira?

Sri Sathguru: I will reply in brief because there is no time, you know.

They say Mahalakshmi is Asthira. She is not Sthiram. She doesn’t stay in one place always. This you can find from the impersonal things like the great rise and fall of nations. Huge, important, great nations in the world starting from ancient Greece and Babylon and all that till the Mughal empire. There were so many other empires in India. They all fell one by one. That is what can be described as Asthira. Because when they rise, and you know it ,along with that a lot of money comes in, and when money comes in, the person becomes spoilt. Money has got that quality, it can be good or bad. Use it in the right way and it will help you. But if you use it in the wrong way it is very, very bad. It can spoil your life altogether. Create distinctions, fights, quarrels even within the family. Have you seen, it is the money that makes the problems? So when this type of thing happens and they don’t care for money, they buy everything that money can buy. I have seen in many places people buy costly things, they use it and they don’t care to keep it carefully, they don’t do that, they throw it here and there. Forgetting that it costs money. They don’t bother about looking after it because they can buy again. They throw it anyway. And this is insulting Mahalakshmi, nothing else.

But She gave all this to you and instead of being thankful to Her for it and accepting it with respect, instead of that because you have too much, you throw it, still you won’t give. If such abundance is there, you have too much, give! There are so many in the world who are suffering, give it to them and they will be so happy and you would have done something good. Instead of that if you keep it for yourself and then waste it, you have done a great wrong.

Waste is something which She will not brook. If you waste money and throw it around or if you waste any possessions, you will find, you can be sure, that She will go away. Tomorrow you will find yourself a poor person. She gave all that to you and you didn’t care. You threw it around. Instead of throwing it around when you have too much and you find someone who doesn’t have anything, you can’t keep it, you don’t want or need so much then give it to someone. That will please Her. That, doing, that Danam will please Her.

And another thing is cleanliness you see. Mahalakshmi is supposed to be the highest example of divine beauty, of divine administration; you know, She is the Shakthi of Sriman Narayana. The administration of the whole creation comes. The administration, organisation, orderliness, charity, kindness, and more than anything else, purity of heart. Unless you are a pure person you can’t expect Mahalakshmi to come anywhere near you. People don’t know these things; they think if they keep a picture there and do a lot of puja everyday and try to squeeze some money out of Her they can be happy. You don’t have to do it. If you live the way that you should do She will shower it on you. She will just shower it on you. You don’t have to ask. And if you give it to some poor people there will always be that Divine Blessing. This is something which is very, very important, that giving.

Another thing is there should be cleanliness not only in yourself but also around you. Cleanliness comes next to godliness, they say. So it should not be in your own body alone but the whole surroundings. They must also be kept clean because Mahalakshmi cannot stay where it is unclean. Alakshmi stays where dirt and untidiness exists. Mahalakshmi cannot stay there. If you do such things She will run away from you, that’s all.

When they say Mahalakshmi is Asthira that means they say She comes by the front door, waits for sometime, goes by the back door (waving showing hand). That’s why people who are very, very rich suddenly become poor. They get so much money they sit on top of a mountain of wealth and the next day you find them poor. You see, once they start getting money they start getting arrogant and conceited. They think it lasts for ever, but it won’t. It’s only momentary. You throw things around and show that you don’t care, then you will find next day She is gone. This is why they say Asthira. She never stays in such places.

All the time where She stays is where there is Godliness, that they say that She always says that there should be Narayana there. She says, if you pray to Narayana, I am there. You don’t have to pray to me specially, separately. When you pray to Narayana I am always there. You don’t have to give Me a special place or different from Him. She is not different from Him because She is His Shakthi. Sriman Narayana’s Shakthi. So you can’t separate that Shakthi from the owner of the Shakthi, which is Narayana! That is why you see both will be there together. There you can see (pointing to a LakshmiNarayana picture). I asked this morning I told him (a disciple) to get a picture for the puja. He said, shall I get one picture of Mahalakshmi alone? She said no. She doesn’t want such a picture. Get it with Narayana. That is why we got it framed specially you know. Can you understand? It is from Him that She gets all the power.

And that we must remember Her with gratitude. When She gives us something we must be grateful to Her and that with that little bit of excess money that we have we must take it and give it to the poor who don’t have anything at all. That’s why in all the Shasthras you will find, it is always said, after any function, the last thing that you have to do is Anna Danam. The last thing you have to do is Anna Danam. If that is not done it is not fulfilled. Whichever puja or function you performed is not fulfilled. Half done that’s all, it is not fully done. And will not have its effect. Anna Danam means there are so many who are hungry, and when you give them food, they are so happy. Their stomachs are filled and they are so happy. So that is why it is all said; in all the Hindu Shashtras it is said Anna Danam must be given. So when there is a situation when people have no respect - true respect for God, it just that you know they take it easy and they want to get things out of Him and so they pray, that sort of an exchange, it’s not Bhakthi. Bhakthi means true knowledge about who He is. Atleast we may not be able to understand that last stage but the beginning must be made, you know, He is not an ordinary person for you to treat Him like a human being. You must understand that.

And there are a lot of people who keep, as I told you, all the pictures they may keep there in their puja rooms, but will keep, they are sure to keep Mahalakshmi’s picture. It is only because of this. It’s very wrong to do it you know. You think you can fool Her. But you must remember you can’t do, it is just not possible. You can’t fool Her. She knows why you are praying. It is not out of bhakthi nor love for Her. You are doing it because you want to get something out of Her, She knows it. She is willing to give it to you because She is so kind and compassionate and gentle. She is willing to give it to you if you will change. Change your attitude and have true Bhakthi instead of this.

So in a house where it is clean with a Godly atmosphere, a kind charitable atmosphere that’s the place She will stay. Where there is purity not only in your own mind and body but also in the surroundings. She lives where there is purity. So in such a place alone She can stay. If that is not there then She moves away. You are sending Her off. It is not Her fault. She can’t stay there anymore. You are forcing Her to go. So who is the loser? We are losers in the end.

Question: The PhalaShruti of the Vishnu Sahasranamam speaks of achalaam sri and Andal speaks of the attainment of Neengatha Selvam-prosperity that does not depart from us. Will Sathguru please explain this?

Sri Sathguru: That is once She is there and She is pleased with you, you don’t have to think about tomorrow. It will be showered on you. The only thing that when you have so much and you find it is too much for you, take from that and give it. Don’t let it go to waste. That is a very important thing. We shouldn’t waste. Throw things around and waste you know - Let things get spoilt. You know suppose it is very good food-you had enough and more of it, then you just leave it like that and it goes bad. What do you do? Throw it out! Before it goes bad, take it and give it to someone. Someone who needs - You just go on the road and you find so many people begging. You can give it to them. So that will always be there-Neengatha Selvam will be there always as you live like that. Nothing should be wasted. Where there is waste, Mahalakshmi will not stay. Give it away to someone whether it is clothes, whether it is food, whatever it is that you have an excess of. By the Grace of Mahalakshmi you have got it. And then you find it is too much for you. She is showering so much you don’t know what to do. Alright, give it to someone. Give it to so many who don’t have it. That is the only way that you can- I mean go on the right path to please Her.

When She sees that you are doing this Danam, She feels very happy. Again She will pour on you. The more you give, the more She will give you. It is very bad to think that people who are stingy can store up their money and keep it for some --- something happens and the whole money goes. You will find. Whereas if you put your trust and faith in God. That is, if you are praying to Mahalakshmi, do it in the right way-to LakshmiNarayana! He is always there. At any time you want, however much you want is showered on you. You don’t have to ask. Only remember this one point-that you should not waste. You should not treat it with contempt or treat it with indifference-I mean despise it in any manner. You have any extra clothes -give it to someone who doesn’t have. Don’t use it and throw it. I have seen many people doing it. That is why I am telling you. Just throw it in any old way and it goes and gets dirty-that also will be thrown. Finally they take it and throw it in the dustbin. You can give it away when it is in good shape-give it to someone. Somebody who would have used it. That is what you should remember. There is no question of wasting. You waste, you will not get it again. That is sure. That’s

what they say-She is Asthira-Asthiram-nothing else. As long as you are living like that you see, attainment of Neengatha Selvam, it will always be there. It is not that She doesn’t want to stay with you or She wants to go, you are sending Her out. You are making it so hard for Her. How could She stay in such a place? Dirt and filth-all these things don’t go with Mahalakshmi. Cleanliness, shining and pure, that is Mahalakshmi. And the hand that goes on giving will always be filled. You can be sure about it. The more you give, the more you will get. People think that we must make arrangements for the future and go on stocking money and things like that. What is the use? Suppose you don’t live for it? What happens? They don’t think like that.

For a person who depends totally on God, on Him and Him alone, LakshmiNarayana, every thing that he wants will be met. He will be looked after, provided you live within the circle of Dharma-that is Truth. Dharma and also Truth. Where there is Asathyam Mahalakshmi will not stay. Satyam, Dharmam. And the same way, Purity-Sauchyam. Sauchyam of all types, not only in your mind and your body but also around you and in all your actions, in all your aspirations, that is if you want to get something, it should be a good, true thing. There shouldn’t be anything wrong or bad about it. Ambition must be in the right way. And it must be very flexible. God wants me to have it, well and good. If not, it doesn’t matter. You don’t get broken down just because what you wish or want you didn’t get. It may ---- If you had surrendered to God you will understand that it was not given to you because it may not be good for you. That you must understand if you have surrendered correctly. Saranagathi means that. Before you do any action, or even speak, always think. Is it good-what I am going to say, what I am going to do. Is it good? And do it only if it is good. Otherwise don’t do it.

You cannot expect the Grace and Blessings of the highest -- remember -- She is the greatest Shakti ruling all creation. And yet the most gentle, kind - the kindest. The most loving and forgiving. But that does not mean that She is weak, I mean She will not brook any wrong of any type, or Adharma. You all know the story of-you were singing Namastestu Mahamaye Kolhasura Bhayankari-that is Mahalakshmi. Understand that. One side of Her when She was put to --- the asura came and he was killing everybody-She was there. She had a big fight with him and killed him. That is Mahalakshmi, that is righteous indignation that is called. That is most necessary.

The same thing as in the KurukShetra. It is not a personal fight in KurukShetra, fight on principles. it was fought on principles. You must be able to understand the difference. A personal fight you get angry with somebody and you have a personal fight that is different. Fighting on principles is much, much higher. The KurukShetra war was fought on that. So one side of Mahalakshmi can annihilate also-the evil of the worst type, like that. She has got the power, but it is very rarely used. She prefers to be kind, understanding, compassionate, charitable, unless driven to. Neengatha Selvam, that means prosperity that does not depart from us. It won’t depart from you as long as you don’t do things that make it go, make Her go away. That you shouldn’t do and then She will always be with you. You know, at all times, you can go through very, very bad times and they take your horoscope and tell you that you have got even a chance of being a beggar. To that extent you can be brought to. But a person who has got Mahalakshmi’s Grace, even if their Poorva Janma Karma is making them suffer like that, in spite of that if they have got that Grace, you will find that the person always has sufficient to eat, sufficient clothes and whatever is necessary. And some to give to others also. This is only for those who have trust and faith and belief in Her and live such a clean, good life. That is very, very important. Your life must be led on the highest principles. Then She will never leave you. That is Neengatha Selvam, you see?

Forever She will be with you. You don’t have to plan for tomorrow. You live today in the right way. Too much of planning is not expected from you.It is expected that you should act with faith, to do your duty and think of the future with faith and surrender. As a part of your duty as a householder, part of your duty, you must plan but not too much that’s all. But even that up to an extent, not more than that. But more than that if you start planning, you know, great things take so many years to come and there are so many ways of doing it, that’s all a big waste of time and finally you will find that it will be a big failure.

Live today correctly, purely and truthfully with maximum non-violence, manasa, vacha, karmana, in thought, word and deed. Not only physically you are not going to be beating up or hurting people, not only that. But manasa, vacha, karmana-in your mind you shouldn’t think evil, in your speech you should not talk bad about other people, ill about other people, hurt other people. That is papam, you know that? Don’t do it. If they get angry they say what they want about others. What happens is, this comes back to us. A clean good mind and a clean good tongue and your heart, this makes Mahalakshmi permanently stay with you, looking after you. However bad the times are, you will find that you have sufficient - sufficient to eat, sufficient to clothe yourself and then more than anything else, to give others a little also.

So it is all based on that one principle-that God is everywhere in everything and in this case it is shown as Sriman Narayana’s Shakti. She is the one who puts in a word to Sriman Narayana,“Your devotee is crying, help him, help him.” It is She who says it because of the great kindness and charity of the mind that She has got and forgiveness. She is willing to forgive a hundred times over. This is what I said, we must remember all these things and pray to God that He will “make me humble and worthy of it”. Because in one split second we can unthinkingly go wrong. In that particular time, you would have done some papam also. You do some punyam on one side and this other side (gestures with hands) you do papam-that cancels the other out. So you must think well, suddenly God gives you such a lot, She showers money on you, showers things on you, take it and keep it, no harm. No harm in that. She is giving it. But then use it in the right way. Give it to others who are suffering, poor people, you know the suffering, handicapped people. God knows in their last birth what they did to be born like that in this birth. People who are blind, handicapped, who are suffering so much. Money that comes to you, take it and keep it for yourself, no doubt. After keeping it for yourself, what you have in excess you should give. And you find that She gives you again. The more you give you know, the more She will give you. She will shower it on you. But you must be worthy of it. Your worthiness matters a lot.

That is true-Andal talks about Neengatha Selvam. That is true. It will always be there. Till the last minute She will be there with you. Provided you keep within the bounds (gestures with thumb and forefinger encircled). You don’t break those rules. She can’t stay with you if you do these things, go against Her. So that is the only way which you can keep Her, is to live the way She is happy and pleased. You get something, you have a little. Then you have a lot of problems. But the money is not sufficient. Well, whatever you get, you keep some for yourself and out of that when you see somebody suffering, you can take some of it and give it to the suffering one. What does that mean? It means that you are going to sacrifice something, some of your comforts you are sacrificing to give that to somebody else. You know how much that means? Mountains of punyam when you sacrifice what little you have.

You don’t have much. But with what little we have if we sacrifice that and give it to somebody else, then only we will have that. It is not like if you have plenty of money, out of that you take and give. That is not charity. Out of the excess that you have you are giving. But suppose you have very little, out of that you sacrifice something and give it, then it is real, REAL punyam. So many instances in which you can see how that Divine Grace has been showered on people who do that. That sacrifice, small little sacrifice it may be, may seem small. But for that person who had only very little, out of that very little if they took it and gave it, that’s a very great gesture. Something that pleases God so much. This is where, where She gets pleased for what you did, you didn’t do it to get something in return, you did it feeling sorry for that person. You find that it was completely nishkamya . Everything that you did, that money that you gave multiplied a hundred times more will be showered on you. But as Vivekananda said, your attention should not be on that. HE said, your attention should not be on that-getting it back. It is just because it is right and proper and good and gives you happiness, gives God happiness if I do that, that’s all. Must stop there. So whenever you give, if somebody comes and asks you, you have some money but somebody comes and asks you and you want to give but you feel that there won’t be anything left for you. It is a worthy cause. Somebody really needs it and is suffering. Take it and give it without fear. Don’t worry about it. Give it. You find it comes back to you. But again, as I said, the attention should not be on getting it back. You are doing it for the sake of giving it. It will come back to you. There is no doubt about it. I have seen it a hundred times myself.

The trouble is when a lot of money comes, you know, you will become arrogant and conceited. That is wrong! Something happens to you, the foundation is pulled down. What happens to you then? So don’t build on that. That is what the important thing is. Mahalakshmi can give everything in creation, not in this world alone, in all the worlds. See the orderliness of it. She runs the universe. There are so many planets. See, one doesn’t go and collide with another, can you see that? What is the order? Some great order is ruling the world. When you do things that are terribly wrong, nowadays people do unthinkable things, wrong of any type, cruelty of every type-so the other day they were asking me about, in the school that I went to, about the destruction of nature, I told them that what is happening is people have stopped being human beings. They have become rakshasas or asuras you know. Their nature is different now. Not a human nature. So because of that they want to do things which are unthinkable and the whole world has changed. Nature has changed.

And that is the very reason why you find so many natural disasters taking place. Things that should not be done, they are taking happiness in doing it. So because of that you will find that terrible natural disasters, whether it is earthquakes or volcanoes or Tsunamis or whatever it is -can you see what happens? She looks away. That is why all this is happening. When all this is happening She looks away. She doesn’t bless anymore. How can She bless? Can anybody bless this cruelty? Human beings, as I told you, are not human beings anymore. They behave like rakshasas. You can’t bless a rakshasa. That’s why She turns away. It is not that She is not there or that She will not come if you call Her. She is always there.

But you must live within the confines of those rules there. Live a clean good life, for even where Krishna is concerned, YATHO DHARMAS THATHO KRISHNA. He is there where dharma is. The same way, when you lead a good, clean dharmic life, you will find any amount of prosperity, provided once you get it, it should not go to your head and you should not misbehave. Live in the right way. And you will find that She is always with you. Till your last breath, She will be with you. You must remember that. Remember to live like that, you know, and be humble and worthy of Her.

Narayana!