Couplet 17
‘Mai Teri’ Bhulun Bhi To Govind Radhe
Tu Mera Yah Kabhu Na Bhula De
Shree Maharajji relentlessly continues to drive home the point about the human mind’s forgetfulness of God.
In the previous couplets, there were ample instances where Shree Maharajji reminds us about how easily the soul has forgotten God and his grace. He also reminds us that constant sadhana is required to keep our habit of remembrance strong and sustained.
In couplet 17, Shree Maharajji twists the same philosophy slightly and comes up with this gem.
Even if I forget that ‘I am yours’, please do not let me forget that ‘you alone’ are mine.
This couplet is another example of Shree Maharajji’s astonishing poetic mastery. Knowing that the soul is ever forgetful of God and Saints, he carefully reiterates the same points as before, but with a fresh perspective.
The devotee prays to God that he (his mind) is likely to forget him and even if that happens, please ensure that I never forget you! The devotee has no confidence or faith on his own mind (and its memory). Hence, he places all his faith and trust on God by pleading with him to never let his mind forget that ‘God alone is mine’.
In a situation where the mind can remember only one thing – ‘God alone is mine’, then the mind will begin to contemplate and act towards that direction. This will be the saving grace for any devotee, if he always contemplates on God.
Various faculties exist within the mind – intelligence, judgement, prudence, moral consciousness, etc. The memory that we possess is also an aspect of the mind. The heart, with which we feel various emotions like love, affection, fear, hatred, jealously, etc., is a part of the mind. The brain is only the physical aspect of some important faculties like intelligence, judgement and memory.
All these elements are collectively referred to as the mind. All the feelings and sentiments that we experience in our daily lives are largely inside our mind. External events do occur and affect it, but it is the mind which decides to feel or not feel them.
For ex: We all see and hear about so much destruction every day. Do we all start feeling very sad about it for days and months at end? We might feel for a few minutes or hours, but then forget about it and continue with our lives. The mind has forgotten about it.
In the same way, with the grace of God, we come close to him during prayer and sadhana. We experience a lot of bliss but soon forget about it as we get engrossed in our daily tribulations.
That is the reason God and saints always cautioned humans to be wary of the mind, as it is the greatest impediment in the quest for God-realization. The scriptures repeatedly say,
‘The mind is the cause of bondage or liberation.’
Even if the mind forgets, the devotee relies on God’s grace to ensure that the mind remembers only one thing.
God alone is mine.
