Ignorance is the inability to distinguish
between the atma and the body. Once this confusion about the atma and the body
ends, we have conquered the first hurdle in the way of our liberation.
Atma is myself. Anathma is - body, sense organs,
mind and should come under objective field which is a part of objective
universe. This is not to be treated as I, myself (the subject) but included in
the world, object. Vedanta talks about the similarities between the body and
the world. World is the object of my experience. That is to say, my body as the
object of my experience. Both the body and the world are made of the same raw
material (Space, Air, Water, Earth, and Fire). Both of them are endowed with
the same type of attributes Viz. Sabhda (Sound), Rupa (Form), Rasa (Taste),
Gandha (Smell), Touch (feeling). This commonness or similarity is called
sargunathvam in Sanskrit.
Can our thumb ever touch the tip of the index
finger, if the index finger does not bend to touch the tip of the thumb? Can
the thumb stretch itself to touch an unbending index finger? The answer is an
obvious negative. The thumb is like the jivatma and the index finger is like
the Paramatma. Unless the Paramathma chooses to liberate, liberation will not
be forthcoming. We must be embraced by the Lord, to attain moksha.
Often, we are proud of one or other of our
achievements. Whether it is our education, or our wealth, or our status in
life, none of these is lasting. None of these is really an achievement of ours,
and we will realize this, once we realize that all our blessings come from him.
Thus we have to move from our ignorance to
our path to realization and liberation and towards attaining moksha. We have to
move from being an ignorant soul to a realized soul sooner or later. We have to
search our souls and discover ourselves and get to know about “I” the
consciousness principle. The closer we come to self realization the better for
us in our path to liberation.
S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com
