At the outset we should understand that a master can only help us. What we need to do is to get to the truth ourselves. Similarly a scripture can help you when you go through the same. To reach a destination sign posts are required. Sign posts are means to an end. Your own efforts will take you there (destination) finally.
You could be in the proximity of a great master. You could read all spiritual literature. It will help you to gain Knowledge. You have to put in the effort to reach the goal and that effort is called Wisdom. Knowledge stays with you for a while and you forget it. What exactly is required is knowledge with wisdom.
Truth is manifested everywhere and yet we miss it. We have no idea what the truth is. Try to understand what our difficulty is. What is the problem we are facing? By doing this we get to know the truth. Knowledge is different from Jnana (realization), say the scriptures. Jnana or the truth is not related to the number of books one reads or expands philosophical arguments.
Thousands may struggle to attain perfection, but maybe one among them is successful; but even among these perhaps one is able to realize God, says the Lord (Krishna). The realized soul experiences the presence of the divine in everything.
Take three mud pots with colour green, blue and red painted on them. The pots can be given any colour and any shape but they all contain the brown powder which is the mud. Colour, Shape and form are perishable aspect. Mud is beyond this. Mud itself is stable. If we take away the mud, there is no colour and no shape of the pot. Thus we see the perishable aspect of imperishable Truth. You are involved in seeing the name and form in everything. If you take away the reality there is no name and no form. We have to think constantly of something higher, something nobler and try to become an Adikari. Adikari is a person who is qualified for worship in a temple. Thus we see that the entire universe is the truth while the different names and forms of the beings and creatures in it are manifestations of it. The world and the inert objects exist because of the Lord.
If we take away the string there is no necklace. {Jewelry consisting of a cord or chain (often bearing gems) worn about the neck as an ornament (especially by women)}. Similarly there is nothing higher than “Brahman” which is the eternal Truth. We see the necklace but we fail to see the string which holds the necklace. Similarly we see the Colour and the picture in a painting. We forget to see the Canvas which holds the painting. We are able to see the manifestation of Truth. We are not able to see the Truth that enables the manifestation because our faculties are not capable of this insight. Even the body, and the faculties of speech, sight, hearing, touch, etc., functions only because of this truth.
We are carried away by the beauty of the expression. We are not interested in what supports the expression. We miss the supporting factor. The supporting factor is the concept of understanding the truth. You can’t capture the truth with your feelings and perception. It enables you to feel and perceive it.
In pole vaulting, the participant uses a long flexible pole to swing himself up and over a very high crossbar. The pole helps him to a certain height after which he has to heave himself over the hurdle. Thus we can see that he runs a certain distance and leans himself to a particular height and discards the pole and jumps. Similarly when you have to reach that height you have to put enormous effort to reach that point. To achieve this you have to purify the feelings, clarify your thoughts, actions, perceptions. Physical body is given to use your experience to lead you to something higher and not to satisfy your demands. Hence you have to do something higher i.e. something nobler in life. The physical and mental faculties have to be used to heave ourselves up to understand the higher reality.
In the 12th chapter of “Bhagavad Gita” there is a discussion on Bhakti. Out of the 35 qualities of a Bhakta the first and Foremost is the One who hates nobody. Who hates No creature. This is a quality of Bhakti and the Lord doesn’t talk about going to a temple.
You can hold a Brass vessel which is looking bright in your right hand and another brass vessel which looks dull, dark, tarnished in your left hand. You can use a polish and can make the dull one Shiny by rubbing with a brasso and dissolving the dirt on it. It is not the polish which gave it the brilliance. Brilliance is covered by the dirt of ignorance. Similarly the essence of anything is truly divine. That is ‘Atman’, ‘Brahman’. Symptom of divinity is covered by our ignorance. Thus the difference between a polished brass vessel and an unpolished one is only in its unpolished state. Otherwise they are identical. Our self is covered by the dirt of ignorance and once this dirt is removed the Self shines in its original glory.
In Upanishads it is mentioned that you should have a strong mind and intellect. As long as you live you must be active. You must be filled with full of energy. It is your inability to understand the world (Truth); your inability to understand your true nature. You have to look at this world with that understanding of the truth; that principle which supports everything. World is a projection of your own thoughts. It is not the world that distress you but how you relate to it. If you don’t have a strong personality, you can be influenced. If you have a sharp intellect you can’t be hypnotized.
Through countless births, it has (our self) acquired inherent tendencies (Vasanas) and carries them through various births. Layers of Vasanas have enveloped its true nature and the Self is unable to identify itself as eternal, pure and full of bliss. Vasanas are inherent tendencies in you which make each person different from the other. Your own past actions, feelings, and thoughts has become your present Vasanas. You wake up when you meet consequences.
You are the combination of three qualities Viz. Satva which is the highest quality; you are calm, Mature and objective. Rajas which is the medium quality; you are dynamic, active, enthusiastic in this world but with agitation you do your action. You have lot of desires. Tamas which is the lowest quality; you are Lazy, Lethargic, Indifferent.
At every birth the Self identifies with the particular body it has taken and gets involved in the business of living in full earnest without a thought about the Self and its nature. The law is ‘as you think so you become’. Every human is composed of spirit (the ultimate reality or truth called ‘Brahman’) and matter. You have to identify the Gunas in you and go through the consequences of the gunas.
Let me focus on Gunas and enable me to change the consequences of the gunas. I have to identify something beyond the gunas which is the Truth.
Hope you enjoyed reading this post.
Be blissful.
S.Sekar
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