Theism, Spirituality, and Religion - 5
Friends,
Humility, Authenticity and Integrity are
Essential for Worthy Success:
Talents, deserving qualifications, and hard work
are important for success in specific endeavors.
But, you must remember that your success will
be worthy and long-lasting, and it would shower
happiness and cooperation from all directions
only if it is also supplemented by some spiritual
qualities such as —humility of your behavior,
purity of your mind, authenticity of your (spoken
or written) words, morality of your conduct,
integrity of your character, nobility of your aims,
etc. Also note that these qualities are essential and
generate respect and support even in the absence
of any specific skill or qualification.
So you must
endeavor tapa-s³dhan³ to cultivate and expand
these universal qualities of spirituality.
Many of you are well aware of these facts and
also attempt for tapa-s³dhan³. But somehow or
the other get defeated by the inner weaknesses
and outer circumstances. Most dominant of these
enemies within is egotism (delusive self-identity
and false self-pride), it does not let one accept
one’s own vices and blemishes hidden within;
it is also the source of arrogance, greed, selfish
obsessions, and related evils.
The demonic Ravana is rooted within us in the
form of egotism and sinful tendencies. Tyrannical
Kansa is sitting within us in the form of cruelty
and vicious lust. Villainous Duryodhana is also
hidden within us in the form of selfishness,
arrogance, and unchecked cravings, jealousy,
hatred, injustice, and wrong-doings. We cannot
uproot and get rid of them without the help of
God. We must beseech His grace to destroy
these mighty devils and to establish the divine
discipline. This gigantic ‘war’ for uprooting of
adharma and establishment of dharma has to take
place within our own minds and hearts. For this,
we need to recognize our own vices, weaknesses,
and untoward tendencies, and eliminate them
with firm determination using our faith in God
and willpower.
Simultaneously we also need
to cultivate righteous and positive thinking and
virtuous tendencies and adopt them in practice.
Friends, as many of you might have experienced,
if one is rude, snobbish or irritating, people
would often try to avoid him. On the contrary, if
one is humble and cooperating, and also speaks
with a sweet tongue, people would listen to
him and would also like to interact with him. It
would be easy for such a person to build friendly
communication with many people and get their
friendly cooperation.
Unless people trust you and accept your
authenticity and integrity, no sensible person
would like to join hands with you, assign you
major responsibilities, or follow you. Even if you
are able to somehow create a false impression, it
would not last for long. Authenticity and integrity
of a person are the key measures of his credibility
and importance in every walk of life. You may
understand it by some familiar example of
what you call ‘brand name’ of an institute or
organization. When you purchase something,
you go for the brand or type, which you trust
for quality-standards of your expectation. The
companies that are considered most stable in
the equity market are the ones that are most
trusted for investment.
Reliability and quality
of products, and services, wherever applicable,
are yardsticks to gain consumers’ trust. For
example, despite higher price of their products,
Japanese manufacturing companies are often
preferred for purchase of high-accuracy
sophisticated equipment; also for domestic
appliances to be used for long-term, qualityconscious
buyers choose their products even if
they are 10 to 30% costlier than the market price
of other competitive brands. This is because of
the fine quality and reliability of their products.
Similar is true for viable and honorable success
in other areas as well.
True respect of a person lies not in his social status
or worldly possessions, but in his conduct, behavior
and sincerity. Having a big house, expensive car
and other resources, may be ‘status symbols’
in some societies; this may attract some people,
make some other envy you, but no one will truly
respect you or be your well-wisher through heart
unless your behavior with them is respectful, your
character is good, and you have been caring and
fulfilling your essential duties towards the family
and society. People may honor your powerful
position, but it would be the honor of only ‘your
position’, not necessarily a respect for you. If a
person in power is corrupt, snobbish, or has loosecharacter,
people would certainly hate and curse
him on his back, even if they cannot disrespect or
criticize him openly out of fear.
Sincerity, sense of responsibility, dutifulness,
humility, kindness, authenticity, integrity and
other moral values are most vital qualities to
receive ‘respect’ in the world. Excelling growth
and success is not possible sans these qualities.
Not only on the worldly fronts, these virtues
also account for recognition (in terms of worthy
conduct and associated good deeds), in God’s
‘absolute system’ (of judging the karmas)
as well. These are the qualities that nurture
spirituality; these can transform an ordinary
mortal being into a great person.
Prerequisites of Spiritual Endeavors:
No doubt, many of you do mantra-s³dhan³1,
especially the s³dhan³ of the great Gayatri
Mantra, as this is supposed to lead to spiritual
elevation. But, how will the Gayatri Mantra
be effective if you do not follow the devout
disciplines of s³dhan³? How will your japa2 be
proper if your tongue is not purified? If you tell
lies, if you abuse, insult, or hurt someone by your
words, if you use it for pompous show of ego or
self-praise, and other wrong things, your tongue
would be so dirty that your chants of mantra and
your recitation of prayers through such a tongue
would also be maligned. No matter how many
times, and for how long you do the chanting of
God’s name, or a mantra, it would have no effect.
Your efforts would be futile like — dropping few
drops of the holy water of the Ganges in a dirty
drain and expecting the drain water to become
like the Ganges.
So purify and discipline your tongue for mantras
³dhan³ as an essential step along the path of
spirituality. You seem to pay more attention to
counting of mantra-chants rather than controlling
your tongue and purifying yourself to ‘qualify’
to receive the sublime power of bio-electrical,
mental, and spiritual energy generated by
s³dhan³ of the divine mantras like the Gayatri
Mantra.
Many people think that listening to some
discourses on religious texts, or singing some
devotional songs is what amounts to spiritual
endeavors. But, due to superficial participation,
these kinds of “satsanga” often turn out to be
only as some different kinds of ‘get-togethers’.
You should know that sw³dhy³ya3 is also
necessary with satsanga3. These two, if practiced
sincerely, motivate your mind, condition it for
self-discipline, and thus help you in your spiritual
endeavors.
The linkage of your inner consciousness with the
sublime energy currents generated by the japa
of the Gayatri Mantra depends upon the depth
of your mental and emotional engrossment in
meditation during japa. This is what leads to your
spiritual progress. But this will not happen unless
your mind is purified of all vices and its untoward
tendencies (esp. those driven by ego, avarice, and
selfish attachments) are controlled.
Your spiritual endeavors should be aimed at such
level of self-refinement and transformation that
your character, behavior, and deeds become role
models for the seekers of spiritual light. Saints,
Siddhas, great Spiritual Masters are evolved only
through such devout endeavors (s³dhan³s).
Where Does Spiritual Progress Lead To?
Many people seek spiritual progress to awaken
extrasensory faculties (of the mind and body)
and acquire supernatural potentials. Ironically,
their ultimate aim is to gain enormous wealth,
fame and other materialistic success after such
astonishing powers! What a pity! This way, their
selfish outlook and mean mentality degrade even
the ultimate enormity of their souls. Their aims
attempt to ‘shrink’ even the Omnipresence of
God and project it into the narrow peripheries of
egotism and sensory pleasures.
Such aspirants of quick acquisition of ‘astonishing
powers’ often go after some so-called ‘black
magic’ practices or they go to graveyard and
attempt the so-called ‘ghost-charming’ practices,
and what not. People who confuse spirituality
with spiritualism also wrongly associate spiritual
endeavors with some occult practices; such people
spread misconceptions. Please note, all such
efforts in the name of spirituality are absolutely
wrong. A true seeker of spirituality must never
get carried away by such misinterpretations,
delusions, distorted knowledge, or ambitions of
supernatural attainments.
I have already explained you the core meaning of
spiritual endeavors. Spiritual endeavors (s³dhan³)
begin with unflinching efforts of self-refinement,
and self-awakening. This refinement and
awakening gradually awakens the extrasensory
potentials of the s³dhaka’s consciousness-force
that otherwise remain dormant in the inner self;
the seeds of supernormal talents hidden in the
s³dhaka’s inner being also get naturally nurtured
and activated. Thus, attainment of extraordinary
(To be concluded in the next issue)
potentials and exceptional talents is a natural
outcome of substantial progress on the righteous
path to spirituality.
This path leads to ultimate realization - unification of
the individual self (jºva or ³tm³) with the omnipresent
eternal Supreme Self (Brah®, Param³tm³). This is
what generates absolute experience of unalloyed,
beatifying blissfulness This ultimate realization is
referred in the Vedas and Upanishads as - “Soaha®”
, “Ayam³tm³ Brah®”, “Tatvamasi”, “Pragyana®
Brah®”, “Aha® Brahmasmi”.
So, stop searching God outside. That Almighty,
Omniscient, Absolute, Eternal Divine Force, is
there within your own self. Listen to His pure
voice in your own conscience. Purify your mind
to strengthen His divine light and illuminate your
mind (and intellect). Let the nectar of spirituality
beatify every moment of your life and let its
blissful glow expand and spread widely through
your noble deeds.
Notes:
1. Mantra-S³dhan³:
2. Japa: Repeated, rhythmic, meditative chanting.
3. Sw³dhy³ya: Self-study and self-training in the light of sagacious thoughts and teachings of
elevated souls. Satsang: Attending enlightening discourses, discussions; being in the company of
great personalities.
Write Your Comments Here: