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क्या सबकुछ भगवान की मर्ज़ी से होता है? || आचार्य प्रशांत (2022)
243.7K views
2 years ago
Sahaj (Effortlessness/Spontaneity)
Struggle
Right Action
Choice
Grace (Anugraha)
Self (Atma)
Nature (Prakriti)
Responsibility
Description

Acharya Prashant clarifies the concept of 'sahaj' (spontaneous/effortless) action. He states that the right work will never happen easily and effortlessly. Natural bodily functions like sleeping, feeling hungry, or the way water flows, happen on their own. However, the right work is always accomplished through struggle. He explains that the word 'sahaj' is often misinterpreted. Its true meaning is not 'natural' in a physical sense, but 'of the Self' or spiritual. The popular advice to 'let life flow effortlessly' is a great misinterpretation of its meaning. This misunderstanding is prevalent because it is easy to accept. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that 'sahaj' does not mean easy; it means difficult. Moving towards the Self is 'sahaj,' and everything else is 'asahaj' (not effortless). He gives an example: a person might be breathing effortlessly while being deluded or intoxicated, but that state cannot be called 'sahaj.' Anything that is real demands struggle. There is no 'sahajta' (effortlessness) without struggle; the real 'sahajta' lies within that very struggle. He further explains that without struggle, there is no effortlessness. The right work is never done with ease; it is only through struggle. Natural actions will happen on their own. You will fall asleep, you will feel hungry, and if you spill water, it will flow on its own. But to mop it up, you will have to make an effort. He explains that the meaning of 'sahaj' is not natural, but spiritual. The meaning of 'sahaj' is of the Self. What you read about letting life flow with ease is a great misinterpretation of the meaning. That misinterpretation happens because it is very easy to accept. 'Sahaj' does not mean easy, 'sahaj' means difficult. He further clarifies that the state of incompleteness is the qualification for selfless action. When you are incomplete, you need completeness, so what do you have to do with the world? This is selflessness. You do not need eligibility for selflessness; you need the understanding that you will get nothing but stumbles here. There is no question of grace; it is a matter of choice. Grace is so omnipresent, so unconditional, that it is futile to even talk about it. It is like the air, it is everywhere. The choice is yours when to breathe. If you don't breathe and say, 'When the grace of the air is upon me, I will breathe,' is this an argument? You have forcibly stopped yourself by putting a clip on your nose and saying, 'I will not breathe.' Then you say, 'Now the grace of the air is not happening, how can I breathe?' We are not small; we have become small. The soul is our truth, the ego is our hypocrisy. Strength is our truth, weakness is our pretense.