True Humanity, Trust in the Divine Plan, and the Path of Righteousness

 

Question & Answer Series with Shri Shivanand Maharaj

Student: Maharaj ji, someone once said, "A person whose heart holds true humanity will always think, 'May no one else suffer the pain I have endured, and may everyone experience the happiness I have received.'" Is this the essence of Sanatan Dharma?

Shivanand Maharaj: Yes, my child. That statement captures the very soul of Sanatan Dharma - selflessness, empathy, and universal love. The Mahabharata, especially in the Shanti Parva, emphasizes that the greatest virtue is not causing suffering to others, even when you have suffered yourself.

This quality is what we call Karuna (compassion) - and it is said in the Bhagavata Purana that one who practices Karuna for all beings is closest to the Supreme.

Student: But Maharaj ji, is it truly possible to forgive those who hurt us deeply? Should we always smile and walk away?

Maharaj: Forgiveness is not weakness — it is inner mastery. The Manusmriti says: "Kshama dharmah satam shresthah" — Forgiveness is the highest virtue of the noble.

Your power lies not in reacting, but in choosing not to carry poison in your heart. Just like the Ganga, which purifies even those who pollute her, your soul becomes pure when it lets go of hate.

In the Yoga Vashistha, it is said that the one who forgives not once but again and again becomes like God Himself.

Student: But isn’t it natural to feel sad when others hurt us or deceive us? Why does Sanatan Dharma ask us to not be saddened?

Maharaj: Of course, it is natural to feel. But our Dharma teaches us to transcend emotions, not suppress them. The Kathopanishad explains that sorrow arises when the mind clings to the ego. You are not your pain. When you rise above it, you realize  - the one who hurt you is also a child of the same Creator. He too is walking his own path.

The Bhagavad Gita (2.14) says: "Matra-sparshas-tu kaunteya, shitoshna-sukha-duhkha-dah..." O Arjuna, the contact of the senses with their objects causes cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go, and one must learn to tolerate them.

Student: Maharaj ji, you once said, “If parents can plan a child’s whole life, imagine what the Creator has planned for us.” Can you explain this from our scriptures?

Maharaj: Ah, yes. This thought flows from the Isha Upanishad, which says: "Ishavasyam idam sarvam" - All this, whatever exists in this world, is pervaded by the Lord.

The Divine doesn’t create and abandon. He nurtures. Just like a potter shapes clay with both firmness and softness, the Creator shapes us with both joy and hardship - both are part of His plan.

The Ramayana tells us that even Lord Rama, the Supreme Himself, faced exile and loss - to demonstrate that life’s hardships are not curses, but divine lessons.

Student: So, should we not stress or worry about anything at all? Is it wrong to plan for the future?

Maharaj: Planning is not wrong. Attachment to outcomes is. As Lord Krishna teaches in the Bhagavad Gita (2.47): "Karmanye vadhikaraste, ma phaleshu kadachana..." You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.

When you surrender the results to the Divine, stress disappears. This surrender is not laziness - it is clarity. The saint is the one who acts wholeheartedly and let go completely.

Student: And what about those who, even after being cheated or hurt, never lose their honesty? Are they really remembered by God?

Maharaj: Indeed. Such a soul becomes dear to the Divine. The Bhagavad Gita (12.15) describes this person: "Yasmān nodvijate loko lokān nodvijate cha yah..." He by whom the world is not agitated and who is not agitated by the world, who is free from joy, envy, fear, and anxiety - he is dear to Me.

Victory is not measured by material gain, but by staying Dharmic in the face of Adharma. These are the people whose names are remembered for centuries - Bhakt Prahlad, Harishchandra, Yudhishthira - their honesty was their offering to God.

Student: Har Har Mahadev! Such strength of spirit is rare...

Maharaj (smiling): Yes, and it resides in all of you. Dharma is not a mountain to climb; it is a flame to keep alive in your heart.

Student: Maharaj ji, in today’s world, being honest and kind often feels like a weakness. People say that if you don’t fight back, the world will trample over you. How can we stay Dharmic without being taken advantage of?

Shivanand Maharaj: That is an age-old dilemma, my child. But remember - Sanatan Dharma does not teach submission, it teaches balance. In the Mahabharata, Yudhishthira is Dharmaraj, yet even he must go to war when injustice threatens the greater good.

Kindness is not weakness. It is your strength. The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 16) speaks of the Daivi Sampat - the divine qualities: "Abhayam sattva-samshuddhih jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih..." Fearlessness, purity of heart, self-control, and truth - these are the qualities of the Divine.

So, speak truth, stand firm, but do not become bitter. Even when you must protect yourself, do it without hate. That is Dharma.

Student: You spoke of victory being certain for the one who walks the path of truth. But Maharaj ji, in real life, such people often suffer more. How do we understand this?

Maharaj: Victory, dear child, is not always visible to the eye. The Upanishads teach us that the soul’s evolution happens beyond this one life.

In the Garuda Purana, it is explained that one who upholds Dharma, even under great pain, rises higher in consciousness and rebirth. Their soul is refined like gold in fire.

Moreover, the Ramcharitmanas says: "Dukh kalesa bhay daridra nasah" - Where there is Rama's name, all sorrow, fear, and poverty vanish.

Do not look for worldly validation. Your sincerity is already your victory.

Student: Then is everything truly predestined, Maharaj ji? If everything is already written, what role does our effort play?

Maharaj: Excellent question. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad offers a profound answer - that destiny is the result of past karma, but present action writes future destiny.

Yes, some things are predestined - like the family you are born into, your body, your lifespan. But how you live, how you respond, and what you become - that is always your choice.

Think of it like a game of cards. The hand you're dealt is fate. How you play it - that’s free will.

Student: And what of suffering, Maharaj? Why must good people suffer if they’ve done no wrong?

Maharaj: Suffering is a teacher, my child. As the Chandogya Upanishad says: "Tat tvam asi" — You are That.

Suffering strips away the ego, so you may recognize your true Self. It humbles and prepares you for wisdom. Even Sage Valmiki, who gave us the Ramayana, was once a highway robber. His transformation came from suffering and reflection.

So, never curse your pain. Offer it to the Divine, and it becomes your path to liberation.

Student: Can we really find peace by simply trusting the Creator’s plan? How do we do that when life seems unfair?

Maharaj: Peace is not the absence of challenges - it is your acceptance of Divine timing. Trust is built when you stop trying to control what is beyond you.

In the Bhagavata Purana, Bhakta Dhruva, a child of five, was denied his rightful place by his stepmother. Yet, he turned inward and meditated on Narayana. In return, he was blessed with a kingdom greater than the Earth itself.

Do your duty, my child. Surrender the rest.

Student: And finally, Maharaj ji, how can we live like this in daily life? Can you give us a small practice to start with?

Maharaj: Certainly. Begin with these:

Morning remembrance – Offer your first thought to the Divine. Say: “Whatever comes today, I accept and offer back to You.”

Daily kindness – Make one person’s day better - a smile, a kind word, a listening ear.

Evening reflection – Ask yourself: “Did I hurt anyone today? Did I honour the truth?”

Forgive one person - each day, in silence, release one grudge.

Chant a mantra – Even a simple “Om Namah Shivaya” will begin cleansing your heart.

These are not rituals. They are bridges to your true Self.

Student: Thank you, Maharaj ji… this has been life changing.

Maharaj (gently): That is the power of Sanatan Dharma. It doesn’t impose -  it awakens. It doesn’t ask for blind faith - it invites inner discovery. Follow it, and you'll discover the light that was always within you.

Har Har Mahadev!