World 2

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2.85pt"> "Worldly men think they are quite happy because they get a few

ginger biscuits, some money and a woman. O, if they would just taste the nectar

of immortality, what should be the intensity of happiness they should feel!

Dear friend! The past now appears to you as a dream. Then why do you not

believe that the present also will appear as a dream in the near future? All

worldly pleasures appear as nectar in the beginning, but become virulent poison

in the end. This world is a Mela (a congregational performance as a diversion

or sport) for two days, and this body is a mere appearance for two seconds.

Even if you become the sole monarch of the whole world, you can hardly be in

the enjoyment of real Bliss and Peace. Life of man on earth is nothing but a

life of temptations and tribulations. Those who have real and intense Vairagya

and strong Viveka can hardly be tempted by worldly objects, by Mara and Satan.

Being much hemmed in on all sides and whirling in, different conditions in

this ever fluctuating world, you are ever whirling with delusion and afflicted

with pains like dusts of sand floating on a large stone. Now, reflecting upon

Time which is eternal in its true nature, you cannot but term as a moment the

100 years of your life. While so, how is that you estimate your life so greatly

and fall into all sorts of despondencies through the insatiable desires? Who is

there so debased in life as you who are spoiled through the gross-mind? Fie

on-your uneven life, which cannot be considered as of any moment. Comparing

this life to the countless universes, you cannot but consider it as

an atom. It is really surprising that you should rate high this universe full of

pains. Even the greatest of persons will in course of time become the lowest

of the low. All enjoyments, great men, and their kindred have appeared in

former times. Where then is the certitude of existence of all objects now? The

innumerable earths with their countless rulers and wealth have all perished

like fine sands; the Devalokas (celestial realms) with their Indras and wealth

have all disappeared: no limit can be imposed upon the number of universes,

Brahmas and Jivas that have come and gone. Where then are all the objects that

have vanished out of sight? Where then is the permanency of earthly life? It is

only by bestowing your desires on the illusion of the long dream of bodily

delusion in the sable night of the unreal Maya that you have debased yourself

to this ignorant state. Enough, enough

with all the deaths you had in previous times. Not one beneficent object exists

on this earth either in the beginning, middle or end. Are not all created

objects coated over with the varnish of destruction? You enact in your daily

life with your body dire sinful acts, painful deeds and illimitable vices. In

youth you are enveloped in ignorance, in adult age you are entangled in the

meshes of women; in old age you groan under the burden of Samsara and debility.

You eventually die. Being thus always occupied, when will you find time to

devote yourself to the commission of virtuous deeds? How came this Maya to play

and dance in this world? This ghost of your mind dances in the theatre of this

universe to the music of the organs. If in the opening and closing of the

eyelids many Brahmas are created and destroyed, what are you, a puny self,

before them? You cannot please the world, your wife and children. Remember

the

story of the old man, his son and the donkey. In the Sastras it is said "The

pure man is looked upon as a devil, the clever man as presumptuous, the man of

forbearance as weak, the strong man as cruel, the absent-minded man as a thief,

and the handsome man as lewd. Who can then please the world? There is no means

within knowledge wherewith one can satisfy all people. One's own good should,

by all possible means, be looked to. What can the myriad-tongued world do?"

To attain to this exalted state of spirituality, you should, in the first

instance, fully realize the glory of life in the Spirit, or the Soul. Then only

you will have the requisite strength to kick and spurn this world mercilessly

and take to a life of meditation on the Atman and the path of renunciation.

Constant remembrance, and meditation on the following verses of the

Bhagavad-Gita will help you not a little in the attainment of your goal.

"He, whose self is unattached to external contacts, and finds joy in the Self,

having the self harmonised with the Eternal by Yoga, enjoys happiness exempt

from decay." (Ch. V-21) "That in which he finds the supreme delight which

the Reason can grasp beyond the senses, wherein established, he moves not from

the Reality; which, having obtained, he thinks there is no greater gain beyond

it; wherein established, he is not shaken even by heavy sorrow." (Ch. VI-21,

22). "The Yogi who thus, ever harmonizing the self, has put away sin, he

easily enjoys the infinite bliss of contact with the Eternal." (Ch. VI-28).

"I shall declare that which ought to be known, that which being known

immortality is enjoyed; the beginningless supreme Eternal, is called neither

being nor non-being." (Ch. VIII-12) "When the dweller in the body has

crossed over these three qualities, whence all bodies have been produced,

liberated from birth, death, old age and sorrow, he drinks the nectar of

immortality." (Ch. XIV-20). Dear friends! Do not relax your efforts. Keep

the Divine Flame burning steadily. You are nearing the goal now. Thy Light has

come. There is Brahmic aura in your face. You have crossed many peaks and

insurmountable summits in the spiritual path by dint of untiring and patient

Sadhana. It is highly creditable indeed. You have indeed made remarkable

progress. I am highly pleased with you, O Yogindra! But you will have still to

ascend one more peak and go through

one more narrow pass. This demands still more patient efforts and strength. You

will have to melt your Sattwic egoism also. The Brahmakara-Vritti also should

die. Then alone you will attain the Bhuma, the highest goal of life. You can do

this. I am quite confident. " ----Sri Swami

Sivananda Sivaya Namah

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