Life lessons from Om Swami Ji

Om Swami Ji completely transformed me with his approach, intellect and humor. The bitterness I was feeling in my life has somehow softened. It is ironic that to live comfortably in civil society, we feel compelled to lie every day. Sometimes to please others, and at other times for our own pleasure. I hope with all my heart that the day will come when I will bask in the beautiful cradle of Maa Durga. Om Swami Ji came into my life as the sweetest balm, guiding me on the journey to a successful life and showing me to have a deep respect for nature. 

The story as narrated by Om Swami Ji goes as follows:

Link of the video: https://youtu.be/KO5OaaYgs74

Once upon a time there was a Brahmin by the name of Devdutt. He belonged to the elites of the old society. He knew the Vedas, the arts and culture among many others.Unfortunately, he was childless. To obtain a child, Devdutt appealed to a sage named Gobhil to conduct a Yagna. During the Yagna, the sage had to take small pauses in order to breathe. The sage’s chant displeased him. 

He thus reproached the Brahmin for the lack of rhythm in his chanting. Devdutt humiliated the sage. The sage replied that he was no longer youthful and that he had to take pauses to catch his breath. The sage gave him a terrible curse; your son will be born a fool. The terrible words of the sage made Devdutt realize the fullness of his act. He begged and pleaded with the sage to take back his words. But once the curse pronounced, not even the sage could have revoked it. The sage took pity on Devdutt and granted him that the child will certainly be born a fool, but when he grows up he will attain wisdom.

Devdutt’s child was named ‘Utathya‘ meaning, “one who has no matter in him.” Utathya found it difficult to understand when others talked to him and he became the laughing stock of everyone. So he fell silent. He went into the forest, built himself a hut of leaves and took an oath, “I shall speak the truth in life.” Everything he will utter will be pure and simple truth. 

Gradually Utathya becomes famous and people start to call him Satyatapa (the one who meditates on the truth). Fourteen years later he was named Satyavrat (the one who speaks only the truth). 

One of these days Satyavrat was in meditation outside his hut. He was seated in peace. He didn’t know the sciences of mantra, yantra or tantra. His life revolved around silence and truth. It happened that a pig was struck by an arrow and ran to Satyavrat. He took pity and was struck by an indescribable melancholy that someone could attack and injure an innocent animal. Satyavrat gently drew the arrow, took care of the pig, cleaned its wound, applying turmeric and taking it inside the hut. 

When he stroked the pig he spoke softly to it murmuring Aee Aee Aee. 

Without modulation, this sound was the mantra (Vagbhava) for the goddess Saraswati, who became Aem or Aim.

He had hardly spoken the mantra 4 to 5 times. The goddess was appeased by Satyavrat’s sincerity and caused knowledge to flow within him. In the meantime, the hunter ran to Satyavrat. 

He asked: “Satyavrat, you must have seen my pig. Has he come to you? My family is hungry. I have to take it to feed my family.”

For Satyavrat this was a big problem. On one hand there was a starving family and on the other, the life of an innocent being. If he replied that he hadn’t seen the pig or that he didn’t  know, that would be untruthful. If he replied that the pig was inside the hut, then the pig would be killed. Which of these would be the greatest sin, lying or passive participation in murder?

This is beautifully sung by Om Swami Ji in the video:

“Tam uvacha dwijo vyadham sammukhastham dhanurdharam

Satyakamastu dharmatma shlokam naekam daya para

Ya pashyati na his brute ya brute sanapashyati

aho vyadha swakarya arthin, kim prichhyasi punah punah. »

Satyvrat responded in a shloka with compassion.

He said “Why are you selfish and keep asking me the same question? The eyes which can see do not speak. And the mouth that speaks does not see. So the eyes see their own truth, but the mouth speaks its truth. So this coming out of the mouth is inherently a lie. Because the mouth tells what the eyes have seen. But what the eyes have seen they cannot tell”.

And the same goes for continuity in the worship of the Goddess.

My obeisances to Om Swami Ji 🙏🏼.