Tuesday, February 17, 2009

What is the use of getting liberated?

Swarup Chaitanya
joint General Secretary, IVS.


In this ever changing world we all are trying to invest best of ours to find fulfillment in our life. In this search we are more often misguided with the fact that by merely fulfilling the wants of our mind does not complete oneself, rather the fellow is then left with more complicated situations which generally does not seem to be controllable. So to ask the question - are we content? The answer if we judge neutrally is obvious- No. Why? That we can not answer, and in the process of expressing the reply we exaggerate our might and hide the facts.
I assume who so ever shall be going through these lines, understands that the path of deliverance always starts with the fact of inquiring with one’s self. The people in the path of deliverance is shown the way by the inquiry of –“who am I? Where do I come from?”
As is been told in the “Yoga Basistha”. This inquiry leads to the realization of the Atman or Bramhan which is the true identity of us.
International Vedanta Society is striving hard to manifest the divinity that is already within us by practicing the Upanishads. And under the divine presence of Bhagavan many people are enlightened.
Now as many of the people who got a touch of Bhagavan got enlightened, though not all. However every one of them undergone a wonderful experience of peace and bliss within. “What does that represent; does it bring any benefit to my personal life?” This basic question arises in our mind when we are met with hard line people who say goal of life is to be free from all types of bondage. Does getting liberated bring any change to the present grim scene of the world?
I remember one great event which may just fit here; it is from time immemorial a great conversation between Bhagavan Sri Krisna and his beloved friend Arjuna. If we are familiar with Srimad Bhagavat Gita, then we all know at the beginning, after seeing the great army of the Kaurabs, the opponent of Pandaba,Arjuna the greatest warrior did not wanted to fight ,he got trembled in fear, and hid his fear saying he does not want to fight, what does it get by fighting with own people? It is better to go to the woods and take alms rather to fight with the people who are his relatives, whom he loved so much.
Then came the greatest of blessing in the words of rebuke by Lord Sri Krisna, who said why you act like a meek , if you do not kill these people they shall be brought to their fates automatically, they shall die; it is a previlage given to you that you to fight for good and truth. So be an instrument to the almighty and fear not, fight, because it is your nature, it is your duty.
Actually whenever we are met with words which lead us beyond this material world we basically react by asking ourselves this question what benefit does this bring to my life or to the world?
Is it not true that great many deeds by great many people is just being forgotten, and however great work one has done does not leave a trace behind in this ever flowing time; everything is forgotten. What our great forefathers did, even we do not remember they did so many wonderful things; all are past and gone in the darkness.
Our Bhagavan once said.” Sei Ram o nei, sei Ajyodhya o nei” it means neither Great Rama is there nor his Great kingdom, where everything was so peaceful, so blissful.
Every thing gets fainted in this ever passing world. Nothing is permanent, so it is for my sake to get the eternal peace with in me, because a lighted lamp can only light another lamp and an enlightened person can only remove all the darkness of ignorance, and only the person who got eternal peace within his Self can only give peace to the world.

Steadfast


Charles Gibson, Spain

Be steadfast in your spiritual practice. It may seem at times that the mind is full of painful emotion and your thoughts are 'not spiritual' at all. The development of awareness and spiritual progress is not always apparent to us, so keep going, simply aware of all that is going on in the mind, without reaction or judgement.

We can put a lot of pressure on ourselves believing that we must do something, in fact it is through Gods grace that we progress spiritually. So keep on with your practice or 'non-practice' whatever it may be with full effort and determination but without that stress of thinking you are the doer. This detachment from the result of practice is the same as surrender to God or acceptance of your own state of mind. This detachment allows us to be steadfast in spiritual practice.