Adhik No Swami

The Master of Abundance

In the Katha of Adhik Maas, it is said that Purushottam Bhagwan Shri Vishnu became the Swami — the presiding Lord — of the Adhik Maas. He claimed it as His own and bestowed upon it abundant glory, fame, and Punya.

The deeper meaning of this Purana Katha is this: Bhagwan is the Swami of all that is "Adhik" — all that is extra, all that is additional.

As human beings, whatever we have received that is additional, extra, or special compared to birds, animals, and other creatures — that "little extra" — its true Master is Bhagwan.

The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in Vibhooti Yoga tells us: "Wherever there is excellence in creation, wherever there is extraordinary power or glory — that portion belongs to Bhagwan." The Shastras say: Jantunam Narah Janma Durlabham — among all living beings, human birth is exceedingly rare. This rare gift of human life has come to us effortlessly. That which is extra, that which is additional — it belongs to Bhagwan. This understanding must awaken within us.

Whatever advantages and privileges we have received in life — whatever extra we were given compared to other humans, whatever special or different thing came our way — we were not made disabled, but differently abled. After taking birth, all that we received and earned — its true owner is not "I." The Swami of all this abundance is Bhagwan. This is the teaching that ought to reach us.

Our very first and greatest error is this: we make ourselves the owner of everything. "I am the owner" — this misunderstanding takes deep root within us. Starting from childhood toys, extending to all material things — wealth, property, cars, bungalows, our own body, and then even our spouse, friends, children, servants, students — and going further still, we even claim ownership over knowledge and renunciation!

From this misplaced sense of ownership springs countless ugly manifestations in the lives of individuals, society, and nations. Endless chains of problems arise — possessiveness, entitlement, rights, control, regulation, remote-control governance, backseat driving, influence, circles of obligation, envy and jealousy, dishonesty and complexity, generation gaps, stubbornness in parenting, rigid decisions about education, tensions and conflicts in partnerships, marriages, and households, power struggles, friction in relationships, five-star Sadhus and Sannyasis... and more... and more. All this springs from a false understanding of ownership, and it casts shadows over countless lives.

A human being received a beautiful, healthy, disease-free body. Functioning Jnanendriyas (sense organs) and Karmendriyas (organs of action). A powerful and sensitive mind. Buddhi capable of discerning right from wrong. O Bhagwan the true Master of all of this is — You and You alone. If this training could be received during this Adhik Maas, what a gift that would be.

No matter how poor a person may be, he still possesses the beautiful human body given to him by Bhagwan. To someone who complains of poverty — offer them lakhs of rupees for each organ: their eyes, kidneys, heart — and they will refuse. Because even in their own estimation, this body is precious beyond price. That we are human beings — this itself is a matter of great pride. This human body is the living, breathing Temple of Bhagwan. He Himself has come and taken His seat within it. This is the most extraordinary honour imaginable. The moment that Master leaves this body, the body is no longer fit for living — it becomes fit only for burning. It becomes a corpse.

Beyond our name and form, all those extra adjectives we attach to our identity — wealthy, learned, famous, powerful — the true Swami of all this decoration on our visiting card is Bhagwan. This truth must never be forgotten. What we received beyond what animals and birds have, and what I received beyond what other human beings have — whose is it? That must never slip from memory.

If you left some silver utensils in someone's care, and when you went to collect them back, they told the utensils had "given birth" — multiplied — and you happily accepted the extra ones without questioning, then when those same utensils "die" and disappear, you must accept that argument too! If you do not ask who gave the extra, you lose the right to ask why you lost what you had.

Everything is given by Bhagwan. And if so, then the One who gives that extra — the Adhik — must be loving us with a special care and is showering great Krupa upon us. Bhagwan is our lifelong Partner. Without Him, no "business" of ours can run. And Bhagwan is not merely a silent, sleeping partner. He is the active, working, energy-giving, financial Partner. Without Shakti, Smriti (memory), Shanti (peace) bestowed by Him, we cannot live. Without His existence, without His sovereignty, without His presence — our life would not even be called a life.

There is a beautiful Kavya drawn from the Maharashtrian Sant tradition:

"With eyes that see, and ears that hear each sound, With feet that walk, and tongue that tastes each flavour found, With sweet words spoken, and hands that do their share, Then rest — and sleep in peace — and rise again with care, All this — know well — is the Krupa of Ishwar."

We must never allow ourselves to forget the true Master and the Krupa of Bhagwan. For His boundless grace, a constant feeling of Krutagyata (gratitude) toward Him is essential.

When Vaishnavas offer Shiro, Ladudi, or a full Thal of food to Bhagwan, they place a single Tulsi leaf upon it. Now it has become Bhagwan's — it has been surrendered to Him — and therefore it becomes Prasad. With this Bhav, they then accept it. This practice of the Vaishnavas is profoundly thought-provoking. Similarly, among Vaishnavas, there is the practice of wearing the Tulsi Kanthi (necklace) and undertaking Brahma-Sambandh. The Bhav behind wearing the Tulsi mala is this: "Prabhu, now this body, this life too, is Yours. Use it as You wish, for Your work. Nothing is mine. I am at Your feet. I am Yours. Krishna Tavasmi — You alone are my Master."

O Purushottam Bhagwan, supreme guardian of all that is Adhik! May our lives, too, be surrendered unto You — this is our Prarthana.