MUZAKRA – 2

TRUST NOT THYSELF

SOUL: I’ve heard of self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-realization; but

what can be the value of self-distrust, my Lord? Please explain this to me.

SELF: O My servant, I advise you to distrust all vanities and to carefully

consider My words before placing faith in yourself. First, you should know yourself to
be infinitesimally small and weak. Without My guiding hand, you are helpless. Etch this
truth on your mind and heart, for this is the first line of spiritual defense. Without self-
distrust, you have no hope of defeating even your weakest enemy or your least infirmity.

How strange that, though insignificant and quite helpless, you are self-righteous
and proud! Because you imagine My free gifts to be of your own accomplishment, you
wrongly conclude that you are important. Such a vain mentality is offensive, My child,
for I alone am the Cause of all causes. Whatever you possess is by My mercy. Without
Me, you could not have one good thought. False pride and self-confidence are
abominable to Me. They are vices that reflect a fallen nature and keep you bound in
ignorance. Unfortunately, these defects are so natural and habitual to the conditioned
soul that they are difficult for him to recognize, and even harder for him to give up.

SOUL: My condition seems hopeless, my Lord. What can I do? Please, dear
Lord, have mercy on me.

SELF: Do not be discouraged, My servant, and do not give up the fight. Your
humility is a gift from Me and a sign that your salvation is near. It is bestowed on those
who reciprocate My love. Sometimes it is imparted by holy inspiration, but more often
through severe afflictions and temptations.

When the conditioned soul throws up his arms in total helplessness, I immediately
extend My helping hand. Still, I expect you to try t help yourself, for it is a fact that I
help those who help themselves.

A good servant does not want to take service from his master, but, when there is
no other way, he does.

SOUL: What’s the difference, Lord? Since You are all-powerful, why should I
have to make such an effort?

SELF: Because you are a good servant, and you want to show your love.
Unfortunately, because everyone in the material world is serving unworthy masters,
everyone has distaste for service. No one wants to be servant; everyone wants to be
master.
 But when you become aware of the great privilege of serving Me, you will delight
in My service and spontaneously engage in thinking how to increase that service more
and more. That is the stage of pure, spontaneous devotional service. This will manifest
automatically later. For now, just make sure you try your best. The following may help.

First, you already know that everything exists for My pleasure and satisfaction.
Therefore, even though you may be a beginner in the ways of My love, you should
endeavor with great determination for My pleasure. Begin by meditating on your own
weakness. Reflect on the fact that, like a blade of grass in the field or grain of sand in the
desert, you are nothing in yourself. Without My help, you cannot accomplish the least
good nor move even an inch towards My Kingdom.

Second, you should constantly ask Me, beseech Me, beg Me, even cry to Me for
divine mercy and help. Open your heart and cry to Me, for such tears are the price I
sometimes demand. Confess your unworthiness and acknowledge that you can never be
worthy. Then, like a helpless child, throw yourself at My feet and beg Me to bestow My
grace upon you. This gives Me great pleasure. Rest assured, such a request will never go
unanswered. Have faith, and show that faith by waiting patiently. Although you may not
have yet attained your goal, persevere, confident of My help and satisfied in My will
alone.

Third, it is wise to distrust even your apparent strengths and to dread the
entrapments of the mind. Be especially on guard against “old sins” – temptations used
successfully by Satan for your downfall in the past. If you are not well protected with the
armor of the spirit – especially the loud invoking of the Holy Name – Satan’s great
subtlety, long experience, and materially superior strength will overwhelm you. Satan is
omnipresent, and knows your every weakness. Not only does he present himself in the
obvious enemies, but also comes as an angel of light, a devotee of the Lord, and thus lies
in wait, ready to ambush the unwary neophyte as he advances.

Always cling tightly to My feet and to those of My representatives, and you will
be protected from Satan. The bona fide spiritual masters are ever present, if not
personally, then in the form of their transcendent instructions. Meditate upon them
always, and always think of Me.

For those who worship Me with love and devotion,

Meditating on Me with intense emotion,
I preserve what they have and supply what they lack,
Making sure they advance and never fall back.
 Bowing to My beautiful Deity, ceaselessly changing My Hole Names, attentively
hearing My wonderful transcendental pastimes of love, and always serving My devotees
– these are some of the practical means of always thinking of Me.

Fourth, when you neglect the instructions of My representatives and thus commit
an offence, you must diligently examine yourself to find and correct the defect.
Sometimes I permit you to fall, just to give you a deeper insight into the truth about
yourself and about Me. In this way, you can gain a greater appreciation and realization of
the beauty of the pure spirit-soul, as well as recognize the filth of the material body and
bodily consciousness.

It is only illusion that causes you to think, “I am this body – I am male, female,
rich, poor, black, white, intelligent, stupid,” or any other bodily designation. These
designations have nothing to do with you, the soul, but they cause you to miss the beauty
and blessedness of the knowledge that you are from Me, full of knowledge and bliss.

This is your real identity. However, when influenced by Satan, you accept these
miserable temporal designations as yourself. Thus, due to your misidentification with the
material body, you suffer the pains and pleasures of material bondage endlessly.

You should despise the material entrapment and distrust your conditioned identity.
One who clings to the material conception of life can never gain real freedom or give Me
pleasure. Therefore, you must sharpen your intelligence with spiritual knowledge and
become humble like a blade of grass. You must desire to be liberated and situated again
at My feet, fully engaged in My loving service.

SOUL: This must be the meaning of the dictum, “Know thyself.” But this is
not always easy, is it, Lord?

SELF: Certainly, many obstacles and snares confront one on the path to spiritual
realization. But consider the great prize awaiting one who perseveres: He who gains self-
realization knows all things in their true relationship with Me.

On receiving this Truth, you’ll joyfully know

That all living things from Me verily flow.

By serving My representative, the bona fide spiritual master, one can receive
transcendental knowledge and know that all things emanate from Me. Only such an
enlightened soul can know himself thoroughly and be at perfect peace.

SOUL: Yes, my Lord, I already know that. I’ve heard it many, many times.
 SELF: You may have heard it with your external ears, but have you embraced
its meaning with your heart? Beware, my dear servant, of the sin of pride. Had you
really heard My words, there would have been a great change in your life. Realizing the
Truth, you would act like a spirit-soul and exhibit the qualities of spirituality: eternity,
knowledge, and bliss.

False pride is always destructive and contrary to your best interest. Do not pursue
the path of foolish, which depend on knowledge born of the senses. For them, spiritual
vision awakens only after they are plunged into a most abominable, shameful condition,
whereby I crush their illusions and false pride.

Due to this terrible sin of pride, I sometimes even have to smash an apparently
advanced devotee. By thus correcting him, I prevent a worse fall. This is a sad
experience, and one that I do not enjoy. A loving parent does not enjoy correcting a
wayward child. Still, it is necessary. Whom one loves, he corrects and chastises. An
outside cannot chastise, because such a person’s concern is not born of love alone,
everyone resents it. Therefore, chastisement is a sign of divine favour. Do not resent it.
Besides, I seldom use severe measures unless gentler means have failed.

SOUL: Your love for me must be very great, O Lord!

SELF: Yes, it is. I love my servants more than their own parents. But it is
important for you, My servant one, to know that as often as you commit an offence, you
must examine yourself immediately with minute scrutiny. Is your consciousness
absorbed in thoughts of Me and My pleasure? Or is it absorbed in the consciousness of
self-will and false ego?

If there is some fault, earnestly beg My forgiveness and further enlightenment.

Pray that you never make the mistake again. Strive to see yourself as I see you, and give
up false ego. Otherwise, you will not learn from your mistake, and will again commit it
or perhaps a greater one, which might keep you away from Me.

Above all, always think of Me, dear one. With unflinching faith and devotion,
constantly invoke My Holy Name.

That will make you truly happy, I promise you this, for you are very dear to Me.