As a householder has relationship with the members of his family, in the same way God has relationship with all the creatures of the world equally, whether they are good or bad, virtuous or wicked. God has declared in the Gita – `Samoham sarvabhuteshu’ (Gita 9/29). `I am equally present in all beings’. He has relationship not only with all creatures, but with all circumstances, states and incidents etc., equally.
Now listen carefully to what I say. If a man possesses extraordinary ability, it does not mean that God has greater relationship with him. God has equal relationship with everyone without any distinction. Therefore, it is a mistake to believe that God can be attained by possessing certain special qualities and abilities. God declares in the Gita – `Naaham vedairn na tapasaa na daanen chejyayaa’ (Gita 11/53). Neither by the study of the Vedas, nor by penance, nor by charity nor by ritual can I be seen in the form that you have seen Me’. `Na tapobhirugraih’ (Gita 11/48). I cannot be seen even through austere penances. Then how can He be seen?` Tyaagaachhantiranantaram’ (Gita 12/12). He can be seen and attained through renunciation.
You have to renounce not only the worldly things such as money and ability but also the pride which you develop by having a possession over them. You have to renounce your sins, as well as, virtues. This statement that you have to renounce your virtues seems somewhat odd and thoughtless. But by having virtues you have pride which is a demoniacal trait. So it must be renounced. Real renunciation is the renunciation of pride, not of things. Without renouncing your pride, even if you become a hermit or an ascetic you cannot realize God. The delay in God Realization, or realizing the essential truth is due to holding on to our abilities, qualities, circumstances, possessions, individuality etc., to the extent that we are also holding on to renunciation, thinking that “I am a great renunciate”. This renunciation will also have to be renounced, or else God Realization will not be possible. Similarly, “I am free from worldly desires,” this too will have to be renounced, or it will become a bondage. Just as God has affinity with a detached person, so he has a affinity with a person who is filled with attachments.
Just as one does not to have a relationship with attachment, similarly one is not to have a relationship with detachment. God has an equal relationship with all objects, states, incidents, actions, and we will have to distance ourselves from all these. Let us be indifferent to them and have no inclination for them. On distancing ourselves from all these, our sins will perish and we will attain God.
In fact, we are moving towards displeasure and disinclination from all these things. How? When we get tired after performing worldly activities, our mind thinks about becoming disinclined towards the world and then we go to sleep. This sleep gives us rest, relief, good health, comfort and peace, and thereafter we feel refreshed. Not only that, even the enjoyment of worldly pleasures is also achieved through renunciation of these pleasures. However, since our attention does not go towards this, we perceive that the happiness come from indulging in sense pleasures.
In reality, happiness comes from separation from the union with worldly pleasures. For example, on eating a meal, one feels pleased, then in fact, the experience of pleasure is felt on renouncing the food, i.e. after having eaten a meal one feels full.
After having enjoyed sense pleasures and when one becomes disinterested in it, then one feels happy. When one is happy, then one becomes disinterested. Man in unable to recognize what takes place first. How ever, this renunciation, this disinclination for enjoyment gives joy. There is no doubt about this. Not in the least bit.
By having (union with) even the most valuable worldly things you cannot attain Him. All can attain Him equally, without any distinction of caste, creed and color. What is the criterion for this? It is that you should have only a keen desire to attain Him without the least worldly desire. The way to recognize your keen desire for God Realization is when you have desire for no other thing.
But when one desires God and also desires other things, then there can be no realization. The Lord declares in the Gita – `Nirdwandwo hi mahaabaaho sukham bandhaatpramuchyate’ (5/3). “Only he who has transcended the pairs of opposites is easily set free from bondage”. He further declares – Ichchhadweshasamutthen dwandwamohen bhaarat | Sarvabhutaani sammoham sarge yaanti parantap || (Gita 7/27) “Through the delusion of the pairs of opposites born of desire and hatred, all beings are subject to utter ignorance”. He goes on to state “Those who are free from delusion of the pairs of opposites, worship Me with a firm resolve” `Te dwandwamohnirmuktaa bhajante maam drudhavrataah’ (Gita 7/28).
From a worldly perspective your virtues may be far superior to vices, your abilities far greater than your lack of abilities. But it is not so that with these virtues one can acquire God-Realisation. Therefore he who wants God with a true heart, he gives up his current state, and becomes disinclined towards it. The moment he becomes disinclined, he realizes God.
Latching on to our current state, our individuality, our abilities or inabilities, is itself an obstacle in God Realization. Your attachment to all perishable things is the main obstacle to God-Realization. Therefore there is no one that is ineligible, inadequate, undeserving in attaining that Truth, that Divinity. It is only attachment to that which arises and later subsides (perish), which is the main obstacle.
If you are hungry you get pleasure by taking a meal. But do you continue to get the same pleasure with successive morsels? Do you get any pleasure after your hunger has been satisfied? No! So the worldly things can give you pleasure, only if you feel a void without them. But if you are not discontented without them, they cannot give you pleasure. So this world gives pleasure to the man who feels a lack of something, one who is sorrowful, and this pleasure leads him to his bondage. It is an error on your part to accept that it is the things that give you Joy. Rather it is the renunciation of things which lead to joy.
Now try to understand how to get joy by having a disinclination. You cannot renounce a thing without having disinclination for it, and you have disinclination by enjoying it continuously. When you get tired and your energy is exhausted from it, then you get pleasure and have disinclination for it. Actually that pleasure is the outcome of your tiredness. This pleasure is the same pleasure that you feel by taking a rest after running a long race. Therefore pleasure is nothing but the name given to the exhaustion of power or disinclination for things. A pleasure seeking person consumes things and degrades himself, while an ascetic does not do so. A man does not renounce the worldly things because he thinks that they give him pleasure. So he does not attach importance to disinclination for things and their renunciation. If he understands in the right way that bliss lies in detachment from them, he will not get entangled in them at all.
Narayan ! Narayan !! Narayan !!!
From book “Tattvik Pravachan” in Hindi and “Let Us Know the Truth” in English by Swami Ramsukhdasji
www.swamiramsukhdasji.net
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