If you throw a pebble into a pond, it creates small bubbles. If you throw a small stone, it will cause ripples. A bigger stone will cause bigger ripples. If you throw a huge boulder with all your might into the pond, not only the water but also the dirt and mud beneath splash on your face. Remember all this happened in the otherwise calm pond that was without any movement. Frankly, we don’t need stones to cause the movement in the lake. Even if a tiny leaf falls in the water or there is a small wind, the water moves.

There is no rule or guarantee that you and your surroundings will always remain calm. A stone may fall from any direction. Stones like bad company, bad habits etc. can fall anytime! The mind that has been calm so far will get disturbed and the dirt called ashanti (absence of calmness) will splash on it.

To prevent such dirt from splashing or to clean the dirt that is already there in the mind, mantra chanting and spiritual practices are very important!

All of you who have received initiation into mantra should not neglect your spiritual practices. Only this can give you the mental peace. It will also keep your surroundings clean.

—-Bhaktimala June 06