Soul searching is the way to God

God confers benefits and boons spiritual as well as secular - on all His devotees, irrespective of their castes, classes or positions (held in life) All that He is concerned is about the sincerity and intensity of their devotion The distinctions of religious groupings and castes are applicable only to the body whereas the soul inside each God's creation is the same Of course, differences among people exist in accordance with the nature of duties they perform, customs and the laws governing personal conduct God knows of only one group -"Devotees".

God has declared that He resides in the hearts of those who sing His praise If one searches for His presence within oneself, God is bound to reveal Himself. Applying the collyrium of sincere devotion to the eyes, it will be possible to enjoy His vision, says an axiom. Many do not know this and run about seeking Him even as a muskdeer, not aware of the existence of the valuable scent in its umbilicus, searches all over the forest. Just as iron is attracted by a magnet, a devotee's mind is unaccountably drawn towards the Lord. God's impartiality is demonstrated by the compassion He extended to one born in a demon race but who took refuge in Him while He punished His brother who antogonised Him (Vibishana and Ravana). He gets pleased with those who obey His directives.

Saint Tulsidas, who went to a pilgrim centre, did not find God there but on return to his home was stunned to see him seated on the doorsteps. A devotee who reached Srirangam after travelling a long distance, was asked by God (there were days when He used to convey His decisions through priests) not to come inside the temple, within a trice, He presented Himself by the side of the devotee.

Sri K. V. Santhanagopalachariar, in a discourse, explained how child Prahlada, who had the privilege of developing deep devotion even when he was in his mother's womb and who defied his father for claiming himself to be superior to God, had said that hearing the stories of Lord Vishnu, chanting His names, remembering His deeds, waiting upon Him, offering worship, saluting Him, dedicating one's actions at His feet, cultivating friendship and placing ones body and belongings before Him, were the nine features of highest learning. Those who were engaged in worldly activities as their unsubdued senses continued to enjoy pleasures, would not get attached to Lord Krishna. The tortures suffered by Prahlada at the hands of attendants deputed by his father have been mentioned in the Bhagavatam and detailed in the Hari Bhakti Subodhayam.
                                                                      January 30, 1993

Attachment, root cause of ignorance

Since human beings alone are endowed with the faculty of thinking, compared with animals which also eat and sleep but do not possess or acquire knowledge, this unique gift should be used to the best of advantage in helping laymen rise to a higher spiritual level. There is a spark of divinity dormant in everyone which just needs to be ignited. Man is like a raw stone which in the hands of a sculptor turns into a beautiful idol. For an ordinary person to take to religious pursuits, the guidance of a spiritual teacher in necessary.

What prevents man from treading the path of progress is his ego, making him presume that he can do anything by his own freewill and that he has the capacity to achieve what he wants, forgetting the existence of an unseen superior force. A story is told of a person who at midnight woke up to have a cup of water to quench his thirst. Not finding any vessel stored with water, he went to draw it from the well but found the shadow of the moon and believed that it had fallen into it. He tried to retrieve the moon for 3 to 4 hours with rope and anchor and pulled some dead weight underneath. Just then he looked up and noticed the moon and jumped with joy that out of his efforts, he was able to bring the moon up. In a similar manner, invariably man claims "I have done this", "This is mine" and 'Because of me this has taken shape'. All these vain boasts are due to his ignorance and Lord Krishna in His Bhagavad Gita has given the prescription as how to get rid of this ego, how to gain superior knowledge and get away from darkness.

Sri Chinna Sriman Narayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami, in a discourse, said, the rootcause of his ignorance is his attachment, mistaking the body and soul to be identical. To give up attachment would not mean that he has to run away from his family and household activities. Many may express the view that they are disgusted with life and would feel happy to go to heaven but should, by chance, God arrive here to take them, they will vanish. The explanation contained in the Bhagavatham in the Jadabharatha episode where he tells King Rahuguna about body and soul needs mention here. It is a dissertation on the body-soul relationship, the body being subject to decay. Man will continue to revolve in the whirligig of worldly existence so long as he is not able to realise the true nature of the "Self", by discarding attachment, conquering the internal enemies and by resorting to the worship of the Lord.
                                                                      March 27, 1993

Spiritual guide frees one from despair

Man's desires are countless and limitless, If analysed properly, all of them may be classified under three heads, a feeling that he should excel all others, at all times and places, that he should possess extraordinary knowledge and thirdly, he should be ever happy and cheerful. Take any of the desires and it will be found that they will belong to one of these categories. History reveals the anxiety and agony of every human being towards the realisation of these basic desires But has anyone accomplished all of them? Only sages and saints have achieved this distinction while ordinary persons have miserably failed.

A study of our age-long ascetic traditions points out that their distinction was due to their tutelage under a spiritual mentor. Looking into the nature, referring to the pages of history, reflecting upon them and getting satisfied with the fund of knowledge he acquires are the characteristics of man. At the same time, he regrets he has not learnt enough.

This shadow of discontent has been haunting man for so many ages. The spiritual guide frees him from this despair, enables him to enjoy the beatific vision of the shadowless light, grants him enlightenment and lights the path of his inward progress. This spiritual leader can take him on the difficult path to attain man's goal, which otherwise is impossible for him to reach, through the development of his intellect and acquisition of worldly experience.

Without this teacher's help he cannot get his basic desires fulfilled. Even securing such an outstanding luminary to be one's Guru should itself be considered as a privilege and the result of the virtuous acts in one's previous births.

There are numerous cultural and religious traditions but all of them acknowledge the need of a guide and the need to get initiation from him. The recitation of any portion of the Vedas begins with salutations to the preceptors. Swami Dattatreya propagated the 'Guru' tradition and Vyasa spread it in his Puranas.

In their heavenly abode, Parvathi requested Lord Siva to tell her about the distinction of such religious leader. Their discussion has come to be called Guru Gita. A person who aspires to be guided properly cannot select a mentor by himself, said Swami Ganapathi Satchidananda in a lecture.

They may be simple and unobtrusive but the spiritual guides will reveal themselves if there is an urge in a person to get released form shackless and a desire to experience Peace. In their presence, there will be a transformation in one's attitudes. To strive to receive the assistance from such qualified leaders is one's duty.
                                                                      June 7, 1993

Mind must be trained to think of God

Circumstances invariably exert their influence on individuals either making them pious or spoiling their lives. Many fall victims of indoctrination and similar external forces and behave contrary to established norms. Holy texts recount how some had cultivated hatred towards others without any reason. To enable people to strictly adhere to the Law of Righteousness, saints and sages have prescribed various steps to keep their minds pure, resisting the impact of evil forces because, when disturbed, the mind vacillates. It will take a long time to subdue or keep it in rest. The best way is to train the mind is to think of God, when it will get quietened. Then the mind, which is already calm, will become more stable.

The Bhagavatham spells out nine methods by which the purity of the mind can be ensured and devotion can occupy it. To illustrate how a mighty member of the demon race turned a terror, the text refers to the anger that Hiranyakasipu harboured against God for having punished his brother. His son became, on the other hand, an ardent devotee of the Lord because he had the unique opportunity to listen to the merciful deeds of God and His concern for those who take refuge in Him, even as a child, developing within his mother's womb. The boy's mind which was pure because of holy association could not be perverted by the persuasion of undesirable elements.

The nine features of devotion outlined by the boy (Prahlada) which indeed could form the highest education were: To hear the praise of God, to remember His deeds, to sing about Him and chant His names, to involve oneself in His service, to worship Him, eulogise His traits, to dedicate all actions at His feet, to try and understand that He can be one's comrade, and to offer total surrender to Him and to His attendants.

By virtue of the spiritual wisdom he had gained, the child devotee was immune to threats against his life by his father, said Sri N. Lakshminarasimhan in a discourse He continued to pin his faith on the Lord and so could remain unaffected by all acts of persecution perpetrated against him. The Lord saved him by slaying his father. Nothing would be impossible if one depends totally on God. Lack of this faith results in harbouring a feeling that we had been let down Since tranquility of mind is needed, sacred books have indicated how this could be achieved.
                                                                      October 8, 1993