Our Own Yearning Lead Us to Welfare
(Kalyaan ki Praapti mein Apni Lagan kaaran)
Shree Hari
Lord Krishna has specified in the Gita -
Uddharedaatmanaatmanam Naatmanamvasaadayet |
Aatmaivahyaatmano bandhraatmaiva ritpuraatmanah || (Gita 6/5)
"It is up to man to emancipate himself by his own self and not degrade himself, as man is his own friend and he is his own enemy."
It means that man himself is responsible for his elevation, as well as, his downfall and not someone else. Since God has bestowed man with a human body, then He has also fully given man all the resources for his salvation. That is why there is no need for anyone else for our salvation.
Only one's own inward surrender, dedication and obedience to guru, saints and God ensure him the way to spiritual progress and fulfillment of his aim of salvation. In absence of that yearning in the disciple, how could even Guru help him? If you yourself do not become a student, then what can a teacher do? Someone else may provide you with best of foods, but how would you enjoy it, if you are not hungry? Similarly, if one does not have the keen and sincere yearning, how would the discourses by Gurus and Sages help him?
The guidance of a Guru, Saint and God is always available. There have been a number of famous saints, teachers, Gurus, incarnation of God, but still we are not liberated. This proves that it is we who have not accepted them and we have failed to derive benefit from them. Therefore, he who feels that someone else is responsible for his uplifment, as well as, his downfall, he can never attain liberation (salvation).
Truly speaking man himself is his own Guru (master) - "Aatmano gururaatmaiva purushsya visheshatah" (Srimad Bhagwat 11/7/20).
So, we should guide and lecture ourselves. Instead of finding faults with others we should look at ourselves to find out our shortcomings and make adequate efforts to free ourselves from them. You only become your own master, your own leader and your own ruler. Meaning, salvation is neither by a Guru, nor by God, rather we can transform our life by our own yearning, perseverance and endeavor. Without one's own yearning, even God cannot do anything. If that was so, why are we still deprived of attaining salvation? The problem is that we are short of our efforts towards salvation while there is no dearth of Gurus, Saints, Sages and the Almighty. Spiritual enlightenment is not dependent on them but it totally depends on the seeker himself. When in absence of our own aspirations for our salvation, even the Supreme Lord cannot help us, then how can any human being lead us to salvation, if we don't have a keen desire? Any number of Gurus we might approach, it won't help us, on the other and if we have a true yearning in our heart, we would find a Guru, a Sage, God, good spiritual books and wisdom. How it would happen, we don't know but leave it to God, When a fruit is ripe, the parrot itself flies to eat it. Similarly if we are pure and real seeker, a true Guru would approach us himself. The keenness of a disciple to get his Guru is relatively less intense than that of the Guru to have a true disciple. If we get a fraud Guru, god would free us fro his clutches. It is a rule that when a person has the desire towards his spiritual progress, he does not get stuck anywhere. When a seeker finds the holy company of exalted souls, he holds on to it and he sticks to it.
If you are determined to rise to attain salvation, then there is nobody who can stop you and if you are not keen for it, then even a good Guru or a sage cannot help you in the attainment of salvation, If you are ready to attain self realization, then not only the saints would encourage you but even the thieves, frauds, violent creatures like lions, snakes etc., and the whole world would help you to intensify your pursuit. I have experienced that if the person who is whole-heartedly devoted to God but is engulfed with hardships, these hardships also prove to be helpful in his spiritual progress, Not only this, even if a person who doesn't accept the existence of God, attains true wisdom if he develops true aspiration for salvation.
From book in English "Is Salvation Not Possible without a Guru? " by Swami Ramsukhdasji.
Ram Ram
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If in doubt regarding the translation, please read the original Hindi message by Swamiji.
FOR MESSAGE IN HINDI PLEASE VISIT Date : 6th July, 2012 " Kalyaan ki Praapti mein Apni Lagan kaaran "
http://www.satcharcha.blogspot.in
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