|| Shri Hari ||
Uninterrupted Spiritual Practice
(Akhand Saadhan)
continued......
According to Indian culture, for the twice born “dwijaati” the instructions are that first he must follow a celibate life, then become a householder. A celibate is of two kinds ‒‒ 1. "Naishthik" celibate and 2. "Upakurvaan" celibate । A celibate student who on completion of student life, straight-away goes into the renunciation stage of life and ever remains a celibate uninterruptedly, is called a “Naishthik” celibate. and he who on abiding by the principles of a celibate life as a student, and on completing it, enters into a housholder life and
continues on with the other stages, is called a "Upakurvaan" celibate. Why are there two differences? These two differences came about because we have acquired a human body for attaining God, and he who desires God realization, has to renounce the world. When we hear talks of renouncing the world, we become frightened. But the meaning of renouncing the world is not to escape from here. If we go away to some forest, will there not be the influence of the world in the forest? And the body that we take along, is that body not the world? The meaning of renouncing the world is, that this body, the sense organs, the inner faculties, mind, intellect, life breath and in the various objects, the sense of “I-ness” (ahamtaa) or
“mine-ness” (mamta) is renounced. This itself is renunciation of the world. If you desire God Realization, then you will have to renounce the world i.e. you will not be able to hold on to a sense of “I-ness” and “mine-ness” with worldly objects. If you hold on to I-ness and Mine-ness, then God Realization will not take place - this is a certainty. When we renounce the world, then the obstacles in our path are the tendency for attraction to sense enjoyment, desire for hoarding, and attachment to pleasures.
The main obstacles to renunciation are seeking worldly pleasures, sense enjoyments, and attachment to pleasure of hoarding. In student life, as a celibate, if one thinks, that we must renounce this and take the path towards God, then through thoughts, discrimination, scriptures, lectures we wish to give this up, but what sort of compelling force is there, that is not letting us leave it, under no circumstances are we able to leave it. Then it is said that - ‘you tread the householder path, see - what things are and what they are like? However through inquiry and thought if we are able to leave it, then it is said - “you become a
“naishthik celibate” Therefore these two paths came about because there are two kind of people that are eligible. Why did the retention of householder life take place? Through thought and inquiry, we were unable to get rid off the attraction to those pleasures, but through gaining knowledge of them, experiencing them, understanding them, their real essence, and then renouncing it, was the reason for pursuing the householder life. In conclusion, to take on the householder stage of life is for the purpose of
renunciation, not for passion - not for getting entangled for ever. Passion is not in our culture at all.
From Book in Hindi "Ekai Saadhe Sab Sadhe" by Swami Ramsukhdasji
FOR MESSAGE IN HINDI PLEASE VISIT -
Date : 23rd September, 2013 -
(Akhand Saadhan)