Prayer essential in all stages of life

Prayer and worship are necessary in a man 's life at different stages of development; when he depends on external supports, when he needs moral strength and when he offers his complete surrender to God for gaining spiritual knowledge. His ultimate plea to God is not to be reborn in this material world and get caught in the whirlpool of transmigration.

Every human being has two types of biographies; his external personality consists of his birth, growth, study and progress. But the accomplishments he gains are not of much importance because they relate only to the physical body. They are temporary and will be lost. The human frame will wither as age advances. These external achievements will all come to an end. Our scriptures tell us that any amount of such external achievements will not contribute to the growth of the soul or the individual.

What is important is the internal development or the growth of the "inner" personality which can be referred to as the second biography This growth consists in building of character and gaining maturity Hence tradition lays emphasis on man's inner growth Technological advancement may contribute towards the growth of external personality Religion plays its role and takes care of man's internal development To achieve that, we have different types of rituals For instance, observance of festivals like Sivarathri helps to strengthen our inner personality.

There are three levels of worship to the Almighty In the first stage of human life, people are dependent on external support to enjoy material welfare. The support from others like parents is necessary during life and hence at this lower level, prayer is necessary. Man wants protection in family life and he seeks God's grace for his survival. As he registers progress in life, he finds that it is not very wise to depend on worldly matters as they cannot be permanent.

It is at this juncture, man thinks of the "Imperishable", the Almighty and seeks His guidance. He starts worshipping a personal God like Rama, Siva or Devi. He wants to derive moral strength from God to get rid of all his emotional problems. Prayers provide this strength. Here man becomes dependent on God.

Swami Paramartananda in a lecture said, at the third level man offers his total surrender to God, when he becomes Self-dependent. Even at this stage he can conduct Puja, meditate and display his devotion. Thus at all stages man offers worship and prays The nature or type of devotion at the final level makes him Self-dependent and plead with God, "Let me not be reborn and get immersed in the sea of turmoil".
                                                                   February 20, 1996

Pious company helps in spiritual progress

The Hindu religion is a living force. Its uniqueness lies in its being based on the experience and spiritual realisation of a galaxy of sages and saints. They have built it on the firm foundation of the Law of Righteousness. The Hindu religious tradition has been upheld continuously by eminent seers and there is no doubt that for years to come the torch will be kept lit by many more to propagate its message. The different paths of approach to God's kingdom when practised will enable a person to elevate himself to a higher level and reach God. The Law spells out a charter of duties in the daily life of man to achieve spiritual progress.

The innumerable seers who had lived a life of piety, austerity and simplicity influenced and moulded the character of those who flocked to them. A saint trains many disciples, is ever helpful, does not expect or demand anything from others and holds to his principles tenaciously and his existence is only to guide men to realise the Supreme. In recent years, we have had Divine representatives like Ramakrishna, Vivekananda and Ramalinga Swamigal who had the vision of God.

One among such outstanding luminaries of the past, Sankara, appeared when conditions in India were in confusion and he acted as a unifying force. A philosopher, poet, mystic and a missionary, Sankara inspired the men of his days, urging them to do their duties. He did not confine himself to only philosophy but asked men to cultivate devotion. In one of his poems "Bhaja Govindam", Sankara explains that texts which one has read and mastered, the skills that one has acquired and the sciences learnt will not stand by a person when he is at the death's door. "Save yourself supplicating to Lord Govinda", he adds. The system he taught says that God is the sole Reality.

Ramanuja was a revolutionary leader who prescribed a well-knit system for administration of temples. His chief message was that God gives Himself to those who abandon themselves to Him. His achievements during his full span of human life of 120 years, were many-sided. His disciple was Koorathazhwar who sacrificed his eyes to save his master.

The third messenger, Madhwacharya and saints like Raghavendra who came later were also great reformers. Swami Ramakrishna and Ramalinga Swamigal were both not erudite scholars in that they had no regular schooling and were fatherless but their knowledge was acquired through their association with Godmen, said Sri Sukhi Sivam in a lecture. In the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord explains to Arjuna, the role of constant practice in the realm of devotion and mind-control. This in turn can be achieved by ever being in the company of pious devotees.
                                                                          March 19, 1996

Four stages of devotion

While it is said that a devotee is under God's loving care, it will be wrong to demand from Him that he should not experience any hardship. The Lord, is not only the most compassionate but also perfectly just. If a person had committed major transgressions in his earlier births, allowing him to go scot-free without any punishment in the form of sufferings will be a travesty of justice.

Judge who refuses to penalise a murderer on the plea of kindness will indeed be doing a disservice to society. He may however take into consideration his repentance and reduce the quantum of sentence for the crime. Likewise, God being always fair may alter the nature of punishment to the extent possible.

There is just nothing that a devotee has to make known to God, which He is not already aware of. Further, when a devotee requests Him to fulfil his wants, how can he be said to have total faith in Divine dispensation. The will of God is infallible. It is well-known that people feel happy when they obtain what they desire and regret when they do not. Those who attune their thoughts to that of the Lord will have no reason for dissatisfaction. How can grief make devotees get upset and lament if they cultivate the attitude that pain too is in their best interest.

There is no reason why anyone cannot cultivate devotion to God. To think of Him is not difficult, for, one can mentally keep chanting His names and dedicate all actions and thoughts to Him. The company of devotees is helpful in developing devotion. At first, when an aspirant tries to fix his mind on Him, he may not have concentration but there need be no despair. Constant practice will fetch him the results and he will start experiencing peace.

A portrayal of the different stages of devotion has been given by Adi Sankara in "Sivanandalahari". In the first stage a devotee somehow approaches God, just as the seed of the Ankola tree gets attached to the trunk of its tree. Thereafter , the effect of Divine grace will be experienced and the devotee feels attracted to God. In the third stage both (the devotee and God) are close to each other and their love is mutual. Finally the devotee enjoys total communion.

On the occasion of the Aradhana of Sri Abhinava Vidhya Thirtha Mahaswamigal (the 35th head of the Sringeri Sarada Peetam), scholars recalling the advice tendered by him pointed out how he had described the conduct of a spiritual aspirant who acts with the knowledge that he is an instrument of God. He will view success and failure with equanimity and will abstain from misdeeds. Treating the scriptures as the directives of God, he will faithfully carry out the duties which are pertinent to him.
                                                                          October 5, 1996

Repose faith in Divine dispensation

Very often, man stands at the crossroads wondering what he should do next to reach his goal. Likewise, when problem stare at him and his mind is in a state of utter confusion and he is stricken by remorse, he may not be able to act in a particular manner or desist from doing so. Even among those who have studied the holy texts such a dilemma may arise when confronted with ticklish situations.

It is under these circumstances that men should seek Divine guidance, when prayer to God, will surely give light. What is required is faith in His power. How can one know that God will extend His mercy? Imagine a person thrown amidst darkness when lights go off during midnight. What will be his joy if a torch suddenly illumines his path. If there is no such relief, he will have to sit at the same place dreading the situation in which he is thrown in.

Another question that may arise in the minds of men is how to repose faith in one whom they have not seen and how to depend on such an invisible force and totally depend on Him. To clear this doubt a story is told of a person who fell from a cliff Down below was a deep valley But as he was falling, he managed to catch hold of a branch of a tree and was hanging precariously His shouts to save him from this peril went unheeded Suddenly there was a Divine voice from among the clouds "I shall protect you if you leave your hands." Here faith was necessary because the assurance came from a source not seen and at the same time, there was no guarantee as to what would happen if he gives up his hold on the branch. Faith in Divine dispensation alone is the answer. God will never fail to rescue His devotees.

Equally important is to approach a spiritual leader or a Master when a person experiences grief or is in need of proper guidance and obtain his advice A real teacher will show him the right path and give him encouragement. There is no shortcut in religious pursuits, said Swami Tyagananda in a lecture. The way in which Arjuna made a sudden change in his approach during the Kurnkshetra battle and the confidence that Lord Krishna infused in him are brought out in the Bhagavad Gita.

Arjuna came to the battle-field with confidence that he would win the war but at the eleventh hour, anguish and sentimental pity overtook him and he conjured up a vision of the terrible ravages of war He was suddenly over-powered by weakness. This man, a hero of many battles said," Instead of aiming flowers at the feet of my grandfather, the teacher and other elders, I am asked to dart forth arrows." Then comes Krishna's glorious words of encouragement, the need to do one's duty and the message to mankind.
                                                                          October 10, 1996

Scriptural tradition must be upheld

The greatness of Hindu religion lies in its appeal to even the layman who may not be able to follow the rigorous spiritual exercises and not well-versed in scriptural texts. No one is infallible since his thought, word and deed will not be identical. Man is prone to commit sins but to enable him to approach God, an easy method has been prescribed, viz. to visit temples and submit his appeal before the idols enshrined therein. They are made of stone or cast in metal but they are co-eval with God.

The idols assume sanctity when they are duly consecrated by Mantras, whose meaning if known, will enable devotees to realise how the compassionate Lord will not let them down. When the' Aradhana ' (puja, religious rites) is being conducted, if the significance of the mantras are told, worshippers will appreciate their significance better. The priests should be qualified to worship the idols and should be pure and disciplined.

Azhwars and Acharyas who had visited the temples enjoyed the vision of God and have extolled His qualities. If the contents of their hymns are understood, people can share the ecstasy which the former experienced. The priests in some of the very ancient temples have not only mastered the Agamas (texts on temple procedures) but have received practical training from their forefathers and maintained tradition.

How worship of idols fetched spiritual and secular benefits and how it was necessary for the students of scriptural traditions to seek the help of masters with faith were illustrated by Sri R Madhavachariar in a lecture. While on tour, a sage accompanied by his disciple, saw a prince sporting with women in a tank. "Let him live long" , blessed the sage. Next they witnessed the son of a Rishi performing rigid austerities. "Let him die," was the sage's benediction.

The disciple was all the while wondering whether he had made a mistake in choosing a wrong Guru. Next the teacher said, "let him live and die," when he saw a man performing the worship of an idol underneath a tree. To the baffled disciple, the Guru explained that the prince had committed sins and so will have to go through many births for his act. In the case of the second, the young man was near God and therefore would reach His feet after death. The third was doing both, good and bad acts, as worship would fetch him rewards but he was wrong in choosing a public place.

Devotees should remember the ecstatic sentiments of Azhwars in their hymns. Temple priests should be qualified and knowledgeable in the Agamas, procedures, regulations, and must be disciplined and pure.
                                                                          May 5, 1997

God, man's sole guide and protector

The human body can be compared to a rented house. When the occupant is required to vacate it, he should do so. Likewise, before one's departure from this world on the expiry of the fixed period, one should gain the necessary spiritual strength to build a home of one's own so that when asked to quit the existing temporary shelter (the body), one can happily do so and go to live in the palace of eternal bliss.

All of us are God's children. When we travel we may feel that all our fellow passengers are our well-wishers. But They will leave us, at their respective destinations. In life too, none can be called one's real kinsmen. The only permanent relative of ours is god. A dog biting a hallow bone enjoys the blood that trickles but little does it realize that the same comes from its own wounded gums. We are also imagining in the same way. When we enjoy sensual objects, we derive momentary pleasure and think that our joy and strength are derived from them. But in reality, we are dissipating our energy. If the mind is balanced, one can bear any amount of happiness or grief with equanimity. Even worldly worries will not cause burden. Sorrows will cease to exist.

When thinking of the eternal bliss attainable through God-realisation, we will not be upset by any jolt. While walking down the road carrying a load on the head, the mere thought that the resting place is near will make the weight seem les. But if one knows that the destination is far away, that very thought will make one weary. So too if we know that God is with us, the burden of the life will be lessened. Having got into a boat or a bus, why should carry the luggage on our head? When we dedicate all our acts to God, he will take care of us.

Some people regret that even though they have been praying to God for many years, they continue to suffer. This is because, their prayers were prompted by desires, explained Mata Amritanandamayi in her lecture. Because of our desires, we seek God as an agent who works for us. Though the lord himself says that he is a servant of his sincere devotees, yet to Him as an instrument to get our desires fulfilled, is not a right approach.

Knowing that He is our sole guide and protector, we should try to escape from this worldly of sorrows with as much earnestness as one rush out of a burning house. Only after developing the power of discrimination between the ephemeral and eternal, we can lead a perfect householder's life, regardless of difficulties encountered. We must be aware that bliss is within us, and when our selfish motives disappear, we will become a fit vessel to receive God's grace.
                                                                          December 11, 1997