The main duty of an aspirant is not to do anything that is opposed to his spiritual practice, in other words, give up deeds that hinder God-realisation. On giving up the deeds opposed to spiritual practice, the aspirant does not have to do spiritual practices (saadhan), rather they take place on their own. In the spiritual disciplines that takes place on its own, there is no pride of doership. In fact, spiritual discipline is natural and axiomatic. We have held on to the deeds that are contrary to our spiritual practice. Just as a child speaks the truth on his own, but when he accepts falsehood, that is, when he learns to lie, he has to make an effort to tell the truth. The spiritual practice that takes place with effort, can lead to pride of doership. The point is that just as God (The goal) is imperishable, in the same way, the spiritual discipline is also imperishable.* However, when the aspirant does not regard the spiritual discipline as imperishable, and accepts it as taking place due to his own effort, then pride of doership comes in him.
That which is not ours has come from somewhere, and that which comes will surely go away. Therefore, to believe it as ours and to not believe in that which is ours from eternity, is an action opposed to spiritual practice. Therefore, renouncing deeds opposed to one’s spiritual practice means you should not assume as your own the things that you have acquired. Reason being, the acquired things will surely depart – this is a principle. Therefore, whatever you have received, do not take it as your own, rather see it as belonging to the world, and utilize it properly.
A seeker must make proper use of the place, time, things, people, circumstances etc. that he has acquired. Proper use means not considering the acquired things as one’s own, rather believing these as belonging to the poverty-stricken, and without any selfishness, apply these to serving the poor. This is ‘Karmayoga’ (Path of Action).
An aspirant must honour what he knows, and give it weight. The meaning of giving weight to knowledge means believing and acting according to whatever one knows with discretion. Just as we have no relationship whatsoever with anything, person, situation etc. We didn’t have and we never can have any relationship, and at present too, we are constantly severing relationship with these things. In this way, an aspirant should accept his disconnection with them all. This is ‘Jnanayoga’ (Path of Knowledge).
An aspirant should have faith and trust in only the One God. Faith and trust mean that besides God, even by mistake no other thing should be accepted as your very own, and to not have faith and trust in anything else. This is ‘Bhaktiyoga’ (Path of Devotion).
As opposed to using the acquired things properly, it is far better to not mis-utilize the acquired things. Rather than to honour what you know, it is far better to not dishonour what you know to be true. Relative to faith in God, it is far better to not have faith in this world. The reason is, negating (meaning, renunciation) is better and more powerful than confirmation.
Process and confirmation are limited, whereas, renunciation (meaning, denial) is limitless. There can be something lacking in the process or method, and there can be pride in it, but in renunciation there is nothing lacking and no pride arises in it. Just as those who speak the truth can sometimes lie, and they may have the pride of saying that “I speak the truth”; however, whenever a seeker is careful and does not speak lies, he will always speak the truth or he will remain silent and he will have no pride of speaking the truth.
If an aspirant does not misuse his acquired things, circumstances etc, then ’Karmayoga‘ (Path of Action) will be accomplished. In other words, there will be nothing left to do. If he does not disregard what he knows, then ’Jnanayoga‘ (Path of Knowledge) will be perfected, meaning, there will nothing remain to be known. If he does not rely on the world, then ’Bhaktiyoga‘ (Path of Devotion) will be perfected, in other words, there will be nothing left to acquire. The mistake that an aspirant makes is that he uses the acquired things, circumstances etc. appropriately, and desires the things, circumstances that he does not have. He does not give weight to what he knows, and instead gives importance to the perishable. He does not rely on God, and instead relies on the world. Due to this mistake, something remains to be done, to be known and to be acquired, that is to say, he does not realize complete fulfillment.
If an aspirant does not mis-utilize the procured things, he will gain the ability to honour what he knows and by honouring what he knows, he will gain the ability to rely and have faith in God.
Having attained perfection in any one of the spiritual disciplines – Karmayoga, Jnanayoga and Bhaktiyoga, the remaining two disciplines will be accomplished on their own. But if an aspirant has insistence or pride about his own spiritual practice, there will be difficulty in this attainment ! Yes ! And if an aspirant does not have any insistence or pride, then the truth will manifest on its own.
An aspirant should be careful that actions opposed to his spiritual practice do not take place through him. By not performing deeds that are contrary to his spiritual practice, an aspirant progresses on his own; whereas, by performing deeds that oppose his spiritual discipline, an aspirant takes a fall on his own. This means that man has an inner impulse to do things. If he does not perform deeds that are elevating, he will end up performing deeds that will lead to his degeneration. Because it is the nature of this life and this world to continuously keep changing and not remain still. An aspirant will either elevate himself or take a fall. Therefore, whatever may be the race, colour, sect, stage in life, community etc. of an aspirant, he will have to renounce deeds that are opposed to his spiritual practice. In other words, he will have to renounce the following three – mis-utilizing the acquired things, dishonouring what he knows to be true and faith in the world. The fulfillment of his spiritual discipline lies in renouncing deeds that are opposed to his spiritual practice.
Question : What is at the root of actions that are contrary to spiritual discipline ?
Swamiji : At the root of actions that are contrary to spiritual practice is attachment to enjoyment of pleasures. In God-realisation, the attachment to pleasures is a grave obstacle. When there is excess attachment, its renunciation appears difficult, rather impossible. However, an aspirant is independent in renouncing this attachment to pleasure and with thought and resolution he can renounce it. He must think that ‘I want that pleasure in which there is nothing lacking and that never extinguishes’.
An aspirant should have faith and trust in only the One God. Faith and trust means – that besides God, even by mistake no other thing should be accepted as his very own, and to not have faith and trust in anything else. † This is ‘Bhaktiyog’ (Path of Devotion).
Yam labdhvaa chaaparam laabham manyate naadhikam tatah I (Gita 6/22)
Tam vidyaad duhkhsamyogviyogam yogasangitam II (Gita 6/23)
यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः | यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते ||६- २२||
तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् | (गीता ६ । २२ – २३)
On experiencing the eternal joy, all desires come to an end, and there is nothing lacking whatsoever. And on becoming established in which, he remains unaffected by the worst of worst pain. (Gita 6/22).
This disconnection from contact with the worst of worst pain. This should be known by the name Yoga. (Gita 6/23)
Even the demigods do not have as much power as humans when it comes to the power of thought. If man does not think, it is his mistake and lack of vigilance.
By enjoying sense pleasures, the object enjoyed is destroyed and the enjoyer takes a fall – this is the rule. Just as when one who is deeply attracted to wealth, indulges in it, then he exhausts the wealth and also destroys himself. When there is importance of wealth, then desires, greed, infatuation, inertness, slavery come about, which immediately leads to destruction. When one eats food with great relish, the food is destroyed and the one eating regresses. As infatuation and attachment to food increase, the one relishing the food declines.
What to speak of enjoyment of worldly sense pleasures, even the enjoyment of spiritual practices can lead to an aspirant’s downfall ! If the peace that comes from renunciation is enjoyed, it no longer remains an act of sacrifice (meaning, renunciation), and the aspirant goes to ruin. Even in your spiritual practice, the enjoyment of pleasure has the ability to bring to life the dead ego. In other words, individuality is awakened and it becomes unyielding, which is the cause for much futility and the cycles of birth and death. As long as the aspirant has the feeling that he is good, that there is something special in him, till then, the individuality does not get destroyed. In other words, a sense of having to do with a single body remains in him. Therefore, even on reaching an advanced state in his spiritual practice and believing that he is a liberated soul, or having risen above the three modes of nature (Sattva, Raja and Tama), he should not enjoy its pleasures. On this subject, it is extremely essential for an aspirant to be always cautious and alert.
* इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् । (गीता ४ । १)
‘इस अविनाशी योगको मैंने सूर्यसे कहा था ।’‒यहाँ भगवान्ने योग (साधन) को अविनाशी कहा है ।
† एक भरोसो एक बल एक आस बिस्वास । एक राम घन स्याम हित चातक तुलसीदास ॥ (दोहावली २७७)
Narayan ! Narayan !! Narayan !!!
From book in Hindi ‒‘Jin Khoja Tin Paayiya’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji
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