THE MAGIC OF SURRENDER

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THE MAGIC OF SURRENDER

 

During the course of life each one of us passes through phases of joy and

sorrow, pleasure and pain, victory and defeat, and ups and downs of various

kinds. While most of us get agitated by the so-called negative phases, an

enlightened man lives in wisdom. He is not agitated by grief nor does he hanker

after pleasure. Such a man lives free from lust, fear and anger.

 

Most of us manage to get what we want, but we are always greedy for more. As

Mahatma Gandhi once said - this planet has enough for every one's need but not

enough for a single person's greed. In our desire for money, name, fame, power,

possession and riches, we become manipulative and vicious as we try to keep

others away from what we have obtained.

 

When we keep thinking about sense objects, attachment comes. This attachment

breeds desire and the lust for possessions, which when thwarted, burns and

becomes anger. Anger clouds the judgement and we make mistakes. We can no longer

learn from past mistakes. As a result of this we lose the power to choose

between wise and unwise and under such circumstances we make no progress on the

spiritual path. Life becomes an utter waste.

 

The mind is without doubt unsteady and difficult to curb. But it can be

controlled through practice. When we surrender completely at our Sadguru’s

feet we are in a state of yoga. Yoga is difficult unless the mind is under

control and is ceaselessly striving. This can be attained through practice.

 

If we cannot meditate we cannot be at peace. When we know no peace how can we

have joy? When we let our mind heed the call of senses they will carry away our

judgement as a storm drives a boat away from its safe chartered course to

certain doom. We must use all our powers to set the senses free from attachment

and aversion alike and live in the full wisdom of self.

 

A drop of water on a hot plate takes a little time to disappear. It makes some

noise and evaporates. Gratitude in our life seems to disappear even faster. We

seem to forget how much we have grown, how much we have received. The mind seeks

more and more. And in every wanting of more and more, it forgets the past very

easily. So today we cannot say that no one is grateful. Everyone is grateful but

for the moment and then it is over. But GRACE is that gratitude which remains

all the time. It is like the snow in the Himalayas that always stays.

 

Lord Shri Krishna in Shrimad Bhagwat Gita describes to Arjuna the behaviour of

an enlightened man. Such a man is not fettered by selfish attachments, he is not

elated by good fortune or depressed by bad. Such a man is a seer. He is like a

tortoise who draws in his limbs at will. An illumined man too draws his senses

within at will. He can go and live anywhere even in the midst of any agitation.

When the situation is serious he just says " withdraw " and the gates of the

senses are closed. That man is unshaken and firmly established in Sadguru's

feet. Gradually on the path of bhakti, the Sadguru helps the aspirant to quiet

the senses and the mind.

 

When we take up yoga and wish to concentrate on the divine, the ordinary motives

of the vital being are replaced by the spiritual motive, which then enables the

sadhak to work with the same force as before, no longer for himself but for the

divine. Initially there may be difficulties but then the divine power starts

working through him and uses his capacity and vital force for its ends.

 

So we must learn to be the instrument and accept Him as the master. Accept

yourself as a divine instrument and obey absolutely. There is no greater pride

and glory than to be a perfect instrument of the master. Meditate on Sadguru’s

feet for He will take us across the cycle of birth and death. This will deepen

our meditation, which will release more and more energy with which we can help

others. It will automatically impart us the supreme knowledge, which is nothing

but the knowledge of the Self. It will direct us to perform selfless actions.

 

So there are many paths to reach the supreme and Lord Sri Krishna has described

many such paths; but he also says that dearest to me are those who seek me in

faith and love as life's eternal goal. They meditate on thy feet and go beyond

death to immortality.