Your Questions Answered

by Swami Krishnananda

Chapter 65: The First Thought and the Great Thought

Visitor: The most difficult moment in the whole day, like my conditioning, my fears, or whatever, comes up very strongly after waking up. Then, I get up and begin the day, and it goes away. And I have been talking to people, and I have seen that for many people, it is the same. I was wondering if it has to do with what happens in dreams, or the unconscious processes. I do not know, but I just find that day after day, when I wake up.

Swamiji: What is the first thought, generally, that occurs when you wake up in the morning? The moment you wake up, what do you think first, usually?

Visitor: The first thought? I do not know.

Swamiji: You should observe it.

Visitor: Yes. I have to observe it.

Swamiji: Tomorrow morning, you observe it – when you wake up, suddenly, what do you think?

Visitor: Yes.

Swamiji: The first and the last thought of the day. Both are important. And the last thought is very important in many other ways, for unthought-of reasons. Do you know why the last thought is important?

Visitor: Why is it?

Swamiji: Suppose one goes to bed, and does not wake up in the morning; the future will be determined by the last thought. If any hodgepodge thought was the last thought, the future will be accordingly something not very pleasant. And who can guarantee that there will be a real waking in the morning? Is there a guarantee?

Visitor: No.

Swamiji: Then how can one be so foolhardy as not to be careful about the last thought? So, here comes the importance of the last thought – some trouble can be there in the next birth.

He who is last shall be first in heaven, and he who is first may be the last one. If nobody wants you, there will be somebody who will want you. If everybody starts wanting you here, then the prize you have got is here itself, so, don't expect any further prize. When everything goes, all things shall come. If all things have to come, everything should go, also. These are all mystical truths.

When everything is renounced, then everything will come also at the same time. If there is a vacuum, the entire air of the space will rush into that place. "Empty thyself and I shall fill thee," the great master said. But if you are already full with something, the question of filling does not arise.

It is the small person who wants to pretend that he is great, and wants appurtenances. Any demonstration of one's importance is not necessary if the person is really important. Royal paraphernalia is used for demonstrating one's greatness. You can be a pauper in the eyes of people, and you may be one of the greatest people in the world.