The birth is the root of unhappiness. Shri Samarth explains the reality of its’ sorrowful state, vividly. He shows, how the human being, has to suffer these types of tortures from the birth to death. He demonstrates it through, as if, a television. You should experience it yourself .
From taking birth in human form in this world, unhappiness starts. Shri Samarth explains the birth is the mountain of fear, | the mine of sins, | the lotus of greed, | the bondage of creatures, the cause of Death . | It is the forgetting of happiness. It is the enjoyer of sensual pleasures It makes one forget the God Almighty. | The birth takes place in complete dirty surrounding. | See yourself, the main root of body. | it is in the seminal fluid of menstrous woman. It is in the consolidation of menstrual flux, a mire, where the human being is born .| Apparantly it looks glorious, | but it is the bag of dinginess and bad-odour. | The tank can be cleaned and dirt removed, | but the dirt of human body cannot be removed, | even though washed and cleaned every day. | How is this body like? It is the cage of bones and flesh. It is affected by disease. It is full of worms, insects. The dirt of everywhere in intestine and whole body. The ears are injured, the eyes also drop gummy excretions, the nose pouring out, phlegum, the saliva, the spitting, the excreta, the face tarred by yellowish phlegum, though such face is described as a moon, is a reality. In such prison, an embryo has to suffer for nine months in the womb. How can the embryo in womb get the breeze? The embryo in formation without covering skin makes movements in body. Then the mother desires for a child. This ‘body-formation’ lying in excreta urine, vomits and bile, prays the God to relieve him from the mothers’ womb and once again it should not get trapped like this. By then it is time, its’ time for coming in the world. The mother gets the labour pains. The mother starts crying while at the time of birth, the opening for head gets closed. The mind gets afraid and uneasy. This agitated, formation makes movements in four directions. The breathing gets suffocated. Where is the road to come out? Outside, the people think that the child is stuck up and operation is necessary. A mistake happened and the child as well as mother died. However, due to previous good deeds the child in womb got the proper road to alight in the world, but again it got stuck in throat, shoulders and it had to be pulled out from outside. As a result of this struggle and strain the child died immediately. He forget everything. While in womb, the living organ was saying ‘I am the God’ , but once he is in the world, he starts enquiring, ‘Who I am?’. After suffering pain and strain in the womb, he came out with extraordinary efforts and then however he forgot the pangs of birth. His attitude zeroed itself. He got trapped in the Illusion. He passed through childhood, youth and oldage. Every living being, who has suffered such tormentation while in womb, forgets all that on taking birth. Thus, till the time there exists, desires, passions, temptation, this ‘formation’ continues to take a birth in a body form and die to be reborn again. There is only one class of human being which is wise, who remains aloof, disinterested, unaffected and who gets himself liberated from bonds of living among material worldly affairs and he then experiences the revelation of Devotion to God.
One heard the pangs of birth. After birth man goes on growing day by day. Samarth Ramdas has aptly described the difficulties faced by the child. The skin is tender in childhood. By pain it is hurt. He suffers but cannot speak. He simply cries then only the mother knows that child wants something. Mother caresses him, but she also does not understand actually what the child wants. Due to disease, the child is irritated. It becomes handicapped because of naughtiness. Just child started growing, then it is not ready to remain seperated from mother for a moment even. Meanwhile the mother expires and the child loses shelter and support. Child searches mother everywhere but in vain. By good fortune, the mother survived. The child grows further then forgets the mother. He is happy playing with his friends. Some time passes accordingly then child is attacked by diseases. His teeth are uprooted, the legs are broken. He suffers from smallpox, a tumour in the stomach and fell prey to many diseases. People start saying that the child is affected by ghosts. They call the doctor and given medicine. Some say that he was suffering the consequences of his sins. Poor fellow has forgotton the pangs of birth but is suffering due to three types of tortures.

He survived this stage also and become clever in daily life. He earned name and due to coaxing of parents, got married. But after marriage, due to attraction of wife, he started treating parents with contempt. He got involved in sexual pleasure and got trapped in the attractions of sensual pleasures. He started spending his precious moments in the company of woman. He gave up the thoughts of prudence. He removed the parents. He became greedy and dependent, because of wife. He forgot his religion, pilgrimage and self interest. He was deep in love with wife, when the wife suddenly died. He started showing his grief to all and started lamenting. ‘Now my family is broken’. He got disgusted with everything. This renunciation lasted for a very few days, but again he married and started merriment with second wife. He forget previous unhappiness, but now he became miser. He was ready to give up his life for the sake of money. He did not observe religious order. He started blaming saints and sages. He ran after money and gave up good thoughts. His behaviour became immoral. He did not like stroies of God ShriHari. He did not feel the necessity of omni present God. He thought that prayers after bath were useless. Whole life he spent being arrogant. He could not control his senses. The second wife was young, but this sensual greedy fellow did not care for anybody. He committed multiple sins. The body got affected by disease. He suffered from T. B. Body became thin and weak. Body showed the evil signs of disease. The man started trembling and started entreating to God. ‘I invite the death now! The life has become very much unbearable. My sins have come upto brim!’ When the man reached such a wretched stage, the thieves entered this house and looted everything. He neither got the success in the world, nor did he ensure place of respect in other world. Strange destiny face to face before him. He had to eat his own excreta. Then the doctors gave some medicine, and the patient survived. He called his wife back from her home. Once again family life started. He earned wealth. Now he started feeling the void of a child in the family life. He prayed God for getting son. He performed rigorous orders. He was unhappy because of sterility. By the blessings of traditional gods, a child was born. After days were passed in fondling the child, suddenly the child died. He was very much grieved. His sterility ended, but people started naming his wife as a woman eating the child as soon as it is born. Once again he urged their family Goddess, ‘OH! Mother! If we get a son now, then we will get him injected by hooks. The son will be at your service. Please satisfy our wishes’. He started asking many saints and hermits about getting the son. He started adopting those remedies, which came to his mind. Thereafter, family Goddess was pleased and blessed him with a son.
He got the son, but ‘wealth’ vanished. The home became crowded by increasing population of sons and daughters. The economic position of family got completely deteriorated. Once again the man got worried. Daughter in law arrived. He now started worrying about daughter’s marriage. People started asking, why did you give birth to so many daughters? Even though you are poor wretched? Why did you make a show for the sake of prestige, by borrowing from others? It became very difficult to get bread to eat. Normally a man eats the food, now reverse happened. The food started eating him. He borrowed money and arranged the marriage of his daughter. People said that the fellow has kept up the prestige of family. But situation further deteriorated. He went abroad for earning money. He toiled and moiled very much there. Then he remembered his relatives to return back to his country. Family members were in very tragic condition. They were anxiously awaiting him. He prayed God, why he has to face such odd times now? All were looking to individual happiness. No body was favourably disposed towards him. After seeing him, all members of family became happy. The wife was happy and started telling him to hand over the purse full of money. Now the porverty has gone. For a few days this joy continued, but once again started murmuring. Whatever money was brought was exhausted and once again family became unhappy. Members told the man, to go again to foreign country and bring the money. So once again he met his wife and started for abroad. The seperation was agonising but there was no other way. At that time he remembered his mother. He felt that, had his mother been alive, she would never have allowed him to go. The importance of mother was understood by him now. He pondered over in mind and knew that he has made himself dependent. The body is weaned away from God, one become prisoner of family bonds. For some time, he became uneasy and dejected. Once again got involved in net of Illusion. By remembering children, he once again went abroad.
After four years when he came back to his village, there was a drought, people were worst affected. After seeing the position of family members, he became sad. Sons and daughters pounced upon the purse. By taking the morsel of food in hand, some died on the spot. The mother of children also expired. They became wretched and helpless. All became very unhappy. Once again it rained. The condition of village improved. But there was no body to take care of children. Due to coaxing of people, he once again married. He spent his accumulation in this marriage. Once again he went abroad. He returned with the money, but now quarrel broke out with his step-sons. New wife now grew in age. Sons could not bear with her. The husband became weak. Sons could not stay together in joint family. In the mind, ghosts of doubts persisted. The sons and father quarrelled. Sons beat the father! The father was very sad, because of this ungrateful behaviour of sons. The Arbitrators and family partition followed. The father was given separate residence. Some time he spent in the company of wife. Meanwhile there was a commotion. The enemy attacked the village. They kidnapped his wife and looted all his wealth. Every where there were cries. He remembered his beautiful wife. At that time, he listened to the news that enemy has raped his wife. At the end he started repenting. He became old. No body helped him. The health deteriorated. Whole life was spent in selfish behaviour and it was all waste. At the end he suffered odd time. Once again he thought of surrendering to the God, Whom he forgot when he had entered in this world.
Once again he remembered, the pangs of birth, very difficult trap of family affairs, and he felt that this cycle of birth and death should be halted. While pondering, he realised that in those circumstances, what is the remedy other than singing songs of God? He just kept on thinking in his mind. Samarth Ramdas Swami has thus described, by his minute abservation, how a common man spends his life.

Now Swamiji is explaining in detail the tortures of three types, faced by an individual, during his life. We have to see, how, such tormented person, surrenders to God and is eager to protect his self interest. On his own he moves in the direction of revelation that ‘I am the Brahma’. The man, affected by three tortures, gets the peace of mind in the company of saints, just as hungry person gets pleased after taking full meal. There are three types of tortures 1. Adhyatmik - Pain in and relating to senses in body. 2. Adhibhutik - Pain caused by connection of external environmental factors comprising of five elements of nature. 3. Adhidevik - The pain inflicted after the death, as a consequence of misdeeds in this life.
Whatever pain and pleasure is experienced, through the medium of body, senses, and oxygen life force. In short, the body suffering from the diseases is ‘Adhyatmic Torture’. By giving the names of various diseases, Shri Samarth Ramdas has explained this beautifully. Now see what is called ‘Adhibhutik’. Man stumbles and injured, a needle is pricked in body, the beasts bite and causes untold suffering. The wall, the shelter collapses and injures. Some compel one to drink poison, the legs are burnt in fire, some fall down from fort. In the childhood many abuses, beating, torturing keeping a man weak and hungry by not giving him food. Lot of harassment at inlaws beating, burning, absence of control over crying all these are the instances of ‘Aadhibhutik Torture’. One loses, forgets, keeps, spoils, breaks, topples, does not find any object as a sample of such torture. One has to suffer the pain, one is sad because of unhappy state, this is ‘Aadhibhutik’. The king punishes the prisoner such as, ‘watching the movements’ ‘Thrashing by hunter’ ‘standing in hot water’ piercing the arrow’ ‘hanging’ ‘removal of eyes’ ‘pennis’ ‘penetrating the needle in body’ ,are instances of Asdhibhutik Tortures. In the childhood loss of mother, in the youth the loss of wife, in the oldage the loss of son are ‘Aadhibhutik pains’. Samarth Ramdas has described many such types. That shows his deep observation and at that time the type of dieseases affecting body, injury afflicting beasts and punishments awarded to people are straightway before our mind screen. It also shows how the life of an individual had become strange, fearful, insulting and humiliated.
Third type of torture is "Aadhidevik". Due to good deeds or misdeeds, after the death, man has to suffer tortures. To experience, heaven or hell is ‘Aadhidevik Torture’. The proud and arrogant committed several sins without any balance of mind. As a result he had to suffer, the punishment of death God. He misuses his power, commits bad actions, gives up justice and morality, goes on doing what he ought not to do. He has to suffer tormentation after death. In order to keep society within limits of justice and equity, this punishment after death is prescribed. To keep a man on hot sand, to pierce a burning log of wood in the stomach, to catch the body in scissors, to give thrashing to body, are definite punishments suffered by the man after death, who has committed sins. These are samples of ‘Tortures after the death Aadhidevik’.

Ramdas Swamiji, recommends, that a human being should bear in mind always about the tortures after death, the ultimate truth of death and live his span of life meaningfully. One truth he is telling us that whosoever may be the living being, Who has got birth is bound to have death . This death does not distinguish between men and men. Good, bad, gentleman, wicked, king, pauper, brave, valient, coward, superior, woman, man, brahmin, accomplished, saint, powerful, weak, yogi, ascetic, poet, versatile, scientist, none of these can overrule the death. Samarth says, the truth of death should be fully understood by every individual and he must endeavour his best to live a meaningful life. Time passess from moment to moment. Anytime should be spent in meaningful use of life. One must be ready, at any time, death will attack the man. One should make conscious efforts to be famous even after the death . This thought motivates a man to live his life with positive, constructive efforts.

Though it is a good thought for a man to think of certainty of death and do continuous work, it is very difficult to practise the same in day to day life. The poisonous serpent in the form of sensual temptations in mundane family affairs in chasing the man to bite. The living being deep in hell, wants to be rescued, but is unable to do so, because of his pride and prejudice. In the whirlpool all creatures are washed away. Whoever survive are devotees of Go. Ascetics, non desiring type of persons. The God is hungry to meet the devoted seekers. At the time of danger, God protects the devotees. He destroys the unhappiness of material affairs. One finds the correct lane leading to salvation, due to company of saints. The devotee who sings the songs of God with love and affection, uplifts his ancestors. This human form of life, got after many births becomes a medium to meet God. The man who suffer unhappiness in family life, gets pinnacle of pleasure due to prudent actions. Whoever has urge to know the God, he gets his bliss. He is content with permanent happiness. He behaves in his life with a renounced outlook. With mind completely fused with God Shriram, men of such renounced outlook have made appropriate use of this medium of human body and have become famous for ever. One cannot understand what sort of times he will have to face. The birth fly away in ten directions. By giving up all, one should attempt to get his ‘self interest’. The living being’ himself suffered lot of pain and strain. Where were all others at that time? Similarly the man has to proceed further alone. Parents, relatives, all met him according to his previous deeds. In this life also, you train of living time, will go ahead . Everybody will get down, when his destination arrives. God Shriram , protects all and everybody. By forgetting him, if one gets attracted towards sensual temptations, it is not in his self interest. By greed calling everything as one’s possession, one simply gets tired. Whoever likes the fatigue should think of sensual pleasures only. Whoever longs for happiness should pray and sing the songs of God Raghunath. One should give up temptations of clinging to attachment of relations, which are the rootcause of unhappiness. So Samarth Ramdas explains, that the sweetness of sensual pleasure is momentary and later on bitterness captures one. So one must desire for God Shriram. At that time, devote askes swamiji, "Tell me, in what way one can be free from this material world’s temptation? Which is the rootcause of all unhappiness?" The speaker advises that you should concentrate and chant, sing the songs of Prabhu Shriram, from the bottom of heart. This will give a man natural peace of mind. Now, the listener enquires, from Swamiji, please tell us. How to sing the song of God?

Shri Samarth Ramdas narrates nine types of devotion, Every type has its importance. Everyone has to make efforts, to become god, from the man, in accordance with everyone’s emotional outlook and approach towards God. Listening, discoursing, chanting the name of God, serving the feet of God, worshipping, saluting, servantship of God, friendly behaving, and self surrendering are these types of Devotions. The sumtotal of these devotions is a bliss of joy, the experience of state ‘I am Brahma’, which one enjoys. Due to this, human being is rescued from birth and death cycle. Once self statement stage is reached, man is liberated. Look at the influence of cult of devotions, one would experience, four types of liberations- known as ‘Salokata-in the forefathers’ abode; "sameepta-in the neighbouring abode," swarupta- in the domain of God’s , manlike, shape and virtues; ‘Sayujyata’ - in the fusion of man into God himself’. Commencing from devotion full of praising Gods, ‘Face and virtues and shape’ like that of man to the God, the virtueless, the shapeless, the faceless; beyond these limited parameters of human body.

In order to meaningfully utilise this human life, the Guidance of Preacher is necessary. Loudly proclaim the victory of Good Guru. The importance of Guru, just cannot be told. Due to Blessings of Guru, the disciples, gain the rare benefit of perceiving, Brahma, the absolute truth . Brahmin is the preacher of all. God Narayan has arrived on the earth for Brahmins, protection. Whoever had born twice, in this life, is Brahmin. As per the directions in Vedas, the Brahmin, who is well versed in the Vedanta-philosophy, is reverred by all. Brahmin is, the replica of Vedas. By his speech, the desires, wishes of men, are fulfilled. Gods salute Brahmins. Then what to talk about human beings.
He is respected by world. The disciple asks a question. If one gets God, from Brahmin, then what is the necessity of preacher, good guide? Samarth Ramdas replies, that the treasure of knowledge of self, cannot be obtained without Good Preacher.
For following religious practices, by one, a Brahmin, deserves, worship. But the true knowledge cannot be obtained except from Good Guru. In order to remove the darkness of Ignorance, it is necessary to surrender to Good Guru. Several persons, perform religious rigours, rites, and distribute alms to obtain blessings of God. They do fasting, do loyal service, follow regularly good deeds, inspite of strain and hardship. He gets the fruit of his actions but principal doctrine is forgotton. One studied all fourteen educational disciplines. One achieved the blessings of ‘powers’ - ‘Riddhi and siddhi’. Still without the blessings of Good Guru, one has to suffer the tormentation of Death God. Meditation, Retention, Gestures, Postures, Devotion, singing the song of God, all this is futile, until one gets knowledge of self, under the guidance of Guru. By the protective hands of Good Guru, the God arrives and appears before man and man’s agony and pain from material world gets vanished totally. Many superior saints came on the scene. They also stayed in the world, till they got the blessings and guidance of Good Gurus and obtained the joyful state everywhere. It is not possible to attain salvation without Good Guru. This is alright, but question arises as to how do these Good Gurus look like? How to identify them?

Some perform miracles. Some keep meeting spell bound by chanting ‘Shabari-mantras’. Some teach the way of getting the thing desired, by use of ‘Mesmerism’. Some teach literature, music the knowledge of classical compositions. Some make one fit to earn his livelihood. Our parents and above teachers, are all our Gurus, but they cannot be called Good- superior Preachers. Our family priest teaches the hymns of Gayatri. Still without true knowledge of self, one cannot cross the ocean of material world’s temptations. He is the Great Guru, who enables, the meeting of living being with the God. He makes it easy for fusion of Devotee with God. The Tiger, representing temptation of material world, jumps and sepeartes the cow and the calf from each other. But Great Guru, once again brings them together. The one who rescues the man, trapped in Illusion, is the real Guru. The blessings of Good Guru destroy the difficulties, the pangs of birth, wishes, desires, hopes and bond of temptations of life. Good Guru, is that person who, equips human mind with full indepth knowledge of Vedic philosophy, and motivates him to make efforts on his own towards progress of his elevation.
Samarth Ramdas Swami makes us understand that whoever has a greedy mind, such person takes pleasures in his selfish desires. He can not be a Guru. He is a deceiver, a beggar. The one who does not get his disciples to follow the moral elevating rules and practices. Who does not teach them to control their senses, cannot be a Guru. Such persons even if available at cheap rate, one must give them up. The Guru, who in the presence of his disciples, behaves shamelessly is really crooked, thief, fraudulent, greedy of money. Just as the ill-behaved doctor, deprives everything from his patients and gives them false hopes, the Guru, cannot be called Great Guru, Can we? All must understand one thing, that the preacher, who teaches the philosophy of Vedas, who is himself virtuous and most important is that who enables the disciple to get self experience of Brahma. The absolute truth, is taught by Great Guru. The Great Guru, has himself experienced revelation and is able to teach his disciples to get such experience for themselves. How can one call a person Preacher Guru, who uses the powers he has gained by practising, continuous efforts, worship of God, for the sake off protecting and enhancing his Egoselfishness? The main quality of Great Guru is that he must know the truth in its purest form. He should have satisfaction of knowing the Absolute truth and he should be engrossed and one with ‘self-state’. The attitude of True Guru in full or renunciation and neutral. He preaches, discourses the stories of God Hari’ and permanently goes on explaining the truth to all. He makes devotees, progress on the steps of nine types of devotion, practise their worship and penance, but where there is deficiency, it is filled in by the Guide the preacher and his blessings. When one praises such Guru, the Brahmin gets angry. Now if one tries to protect Brahminism, then there is the anger of Guru. So man has to face difficulties at both sides, while accepting Guru.
If a living being goes on doing what he likes, he will be corrupt himself. Whatever are excellent qualities, they are present in the Good Guru. There are many types of Gurus. Guru for teaching ‘hymns’, science of mechanical applications, teaching technology, teacher of kings, God almighty, mother and father, preacher of the whole world, initiator Guru, Guru in photoframe. Whereas some consider themselves a Guru, Professional teachers and there are many such Gurus, but Guru guiding for attaining salvation is peculiar.

Rapid progress is made because of blessings of Good Guru.
We heard about Good Guru. But when one is the loyal disciple of Good Guru, the progress takes place rapidly. The disciple succeeds in achieving his ambition. By giving apt illustrations Shri Samarth Ramdas explains the importance of Good disciple. "Fertile soil is found out; true! | but insects ate the seeds sown. | A good seed was sown | But the soil was found rocky. | The good disciple is good eligible | but Guru teaches him trifle ‘hymns’ | As a result disciple does neither get this world nor other world | Even if the disciple is very good | "With the help of so many such instances of comparison, he explains the importance of pair of Guru-Disciple. He further elaborates. "The farm was ploughed, seeds sown and crop sprouted | Without its proper maintenance, everything is futile | Without untiring efforts, everything is in vain | This is the state of seekers of truth | " Till the crop is ripe | It has to be protected | After it is ready for harvesting also | It has to be protected |"
Even after getting the true knowledge of self whether the disciples should continue their efforts or not, is beautifully explained in this way. "Even if one gets the knowledge of self | One continues to practice one’s efforts | Even if once a man has taken full meals | One has to take meals everyday |" pure emotion, Good deed, Good action, self-religion, good company, the regulations of bahaviour are required for ever. It gives a man pure knowledge, without it, in the society, heretic behaviour spreads The society becomes corrupt.

The true Guru, eradicates the blamishes of disciples. So satguru is required. Now let us know more about Good disciple. The main sign of Good-Disciple is that he believes in what his preacher teaches. He always remains humble with loyalty to Guru with single minded devotion. Disciple should be pure, off good behaviour, ascetic, loyal, clever, systematic, industrious very much alert. Disciple should pass through the pursuit of truth as quickly as possible. The disciple should pass the test of helping the others, willingness to gift, perception of sum total, the behaviour of alertness, intelligence, continuous balanced thinking on substance and shallow etc. He should be totally pure within, the possesser of all virtues. Mere rich, unreasonable, imprudent, disciple will not do. One who has sufferred from three tortures, one who is sad, because of unhappiness of material world, becomes eligible for pursuit of absolute truth. Who suffers, considerable pain, ultimately gains the path of truth. Because of travails of family bonds, one develops the renunciation outlook. He then, confidently expects the blessings of Sat-Guru. Therefore, who ever has got a firm belief, he should be considered as leading medium for getting the ability to achieve salvation. Sat-Guru is benevolent than the God. The self of satguru is eternal, while the God have an end at the expiry off epoch. Then where is the strength of Gods- ‘Hari & Har’ (Vishnu & Shankar)? The man, with little intelligence should give up comparing the Gods with Gurus. The God is the imagination of man. The hymns’ in vedas, bring the Gods. One cannot imagine about Satguru. It gives one actual experience and blessings of Satguru gives a man, experi ence, revelation that "I am Brahma" We have seen the qualities of Good disciple. Thereafter, Samarth Ramdas has beautifully explained, what type of disciples, won’t do. He says that the one who is engrossed and happy with sensual pleasures, who feels monotonous for pursuit of truth, who is very eager for material world, such man is beast of burden of his family carrying on his life. Samarth says further, "The donkey rolls in the dirt | What does it care for fragrance? | The owl runs in the darkness Majestically | What do the swans in row understand? | There was a meeting of majestic Swans | There came a wild crow | By watching the morsel of excretion | He calls himself a swan !| " Wretched, unreasonable, wicked, hyprocrat, false, crooked, sinful, malicious disciple can never be considered appropriate, eligible for blessing of Good Guru. Such people repent only at the end of their life. The good disciples however, enjoy the fruits of knowing the reality, eternal truth . Those in whose mind, the doubts creep in, those who are blind by their obstinacy for the maintenance of traditional respect of family, such people become unhappy in their ‘family life’. Samarth tells everyone that they should encourage the pursuit of real truth to some extent at least. It is not proper to totally sink the search for spiritual elevation.