SLOW AND STEADY
(Banat, banat, ban jai)

Like all God-filled seers, Sri Sri Lahiri Mahasaya (1828 – 1895) had the qualities of intense kindness and humility.  Along with these distinctions, the great saint also possessed the flowing virtue of encouraging his disciples through these wordings: banat, banat, ban jai, in order to boost them towards their spiritual goals.  Purely the literary calculation of this catchy phrase in Hindustani dialect means: slow and steady wins the race.

 

The phrase may be differing in evenness from person to person; but for a learner, such as me, it goes a long way and in many ways.  The root of banat, banat, ban jai, has the ever-lasting strength to pass on the enlightened vision, endless experience of: the house-holder yogi – Sri Sri Lahiri Mahasaya.  Each word combines to raise my own standard of perseverance and consistency – particularly at periods, or, points, when my spiritual progress is slowing, or showing signs of stagnation.

 

To a high degree, the web of responsibilities and duty towards our households never shrinks; the risks of being tossed into an ocean of challenges with family matters carry on right till the end of our lives. Sri Sri Lahiri Mahasaya’s famous, loving words are always echoing in my ears.  In the chambers of my heart, banat, banat, ban jai is etched, forever.  As a householder myself: psychologically, and logically, the sage’s saying gives out the meaning, the general gist in the following ways to me:

 

  1. Small steps of doing will take you to the final step of: Done!
  2. Keep up with the continuity!
  3. Never give up on your worthy goals!

 

The relevance and usefulness of banat, banat, ban jai comes perfectly in all my day to day activities.

 

Banat, banat, ban jai also moves me back to my childhood days when I rarely missed out on the glorious moral of the poem, ‘King Bruce and the Spider’, as well as on the story, ‘The Hare and the Tortoise.’


Geeta Chhabra

 

Glossary.
Banat, banat, ban jai – can be literally translated as: ‘Making, making some day, we will make it. Or, as: ‘Striving, striving, one day behold! The Divine Goal.’

 

 
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