Why would multiplying more of the same, that hasn’t satisfied you, give you perfect satisfaction? It doesn’t even make mathematical sense. How much satisfaction do you have right now? Zero. Zero satisfaction. You have pleasure, more or less pleasure, but zero satisfaction because you’re always looking for more. Even when you’re enjoying the best pleasures of this world, you’re not satisfied. You’re looking for more. So multiply those pleasures by a thousand times or a million times if you want to. Your satisfaction level is still zero. Your satisfaction level and Bill Gates’ satisfaction level are equal!
You think, “If I were as beautiful as that movie star, then I would be more happy!”
Your satisfaction level and the most beautiful movie star’s - nowadays, I don’t know who it is - some most beautiful movie star. you think,
“If I look like that, then I’d have more satisfaction!”
No. Her satisfaction level and your satisfaction level are exactly the same. And if you don’t believe me for this life, then take all your uncountable past lives where we have been everything.
So you have been that most beautiful movie star in some past life. You’ve been the richest person in the world in some past life. And still you weren’t satisfied. You lived your life like that. You died. You’re reborn. Here you are again, looking for more happiness. You know what the world has to offer. And that’s why we have some level of vairagya (detachment), some level of detachment from this world, which makes us somewhat open to listening to the saints.
The Saints are telling me that there is a state of perfect happiness where you get real satisfaction, and that happiness lasts forever.
“That sounds interesting. I’m willing to listen to more.”
And the Saints tell us that happiness is God. And to get that happiness, you need God’s grace, and to get God’s grace, you have to surrender.
And we say, “Okay, why doesn’t God just grace me right now then? Why do I have to surrender?”
Now we’re right back where we started with this quarrel between the souls and God.
God is saying, “Look, this is My rule. You have to surrender, then you’ll receive My grace.”
And souls say, “Well, I’m Your child. I’m Your stubborn, spoiled child and I don’t accept Your rules! Grace me right now! Give me Divine happiness right now!”
So then Saints tell us one more important aspect to understand - that Divine happiness for which we’re demanding,
“God, give me that happiness! Give me Your grace”
That’s a Divine power and since the happiness it gives is unlimited, the potency of that power is also unlimited.
So God says, “Where should I grace you?”
You say, “Well, can You give it to me in my hands?”
God says, “No. Grace is received in the heart. That’s where happiness is received, and that’s where Divine grace is received.”
So we say, “Okay, give it to me in my heart right now.”
And God says, “Your heart, your mind, is mayic (under the influence of maya, illusion), and it’s impure, and the thing I have to give you is Divine, not just pure in a material way. It’s Divinely pure and it has unlimited potency.”
So would you try to contain a nuclear reaction in a paper bag? No.
That Divine power God has is infinite times greater than any nuclear reaction. And we’re saying,
“Go ahead, grace me! I’m ready!”
