|| Shree Hari ||

Everyone is Equally Entitled to Liberation

मुक्तिमें सबका समान अधिकार

continued.....

The same point has come with respect to the subject of Lord Ram. When His mind was attracted towards Sitaji,  then he understood that she is not someone other than His very own;  because His relationship was meant to be with her ‒

रधुबंसिन्ह   कर  सहज  सुभाऊ ।

मनु कुपंथ पगु   धरइ   न  काऊ ॥

मोहि अतिसय   प्रतीति मन केरी ।

जेहि सपनेहुँ     परनारि न हेरी ॥

                                                         (मानस १ । २३१ । ३)

He who regards himself to be of a particular “varna”  or “ashram” (stage of life), he is entitled to the does and don’ts as described in the scriptures.  If he renounces the forbidden,  and fulfills his duty, then he will surely progress.  If he does his duty without selfish desires, and changes his ego, that I am not of a particular “varna”  or “ashram”,  rather I am only a “yogi”,  or a seeker of truth, or a devotee of God, then he will become entitled to liberation.  

The creation of Brahmin,  Kshatriya and the various varnas is nature-based, according to the various qualities (modes);  just as with the predominance of “sattva-guna”  (mode of purity) workings of a Brahmin come about.  And with the secondary importance of “sattva-guna”,  workings of a Kshatriya come about.  And with the predominance of “rajo-guna” (mode of passion) and the secondary importance of “tamo-guna” (mode of inertia),  there is creation of a Vaishya;  and with the predominance of “Tamo-guna”, workings of a Shudra come about.  Where there is pride and insistence of Brahmin-like,  due to his state being in the mode of nature,  his end is in lower and higher births, and such a one will not become liberated  ‒‘कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु’ (गीता १३ । २१) । How can he who has pride of qualities rise above the three modes of nature (gunateet) ?  He cannot !  On rising above the three modes of nature,  the pride of varna-ashram and its insistence does not remain.   Therefore leave the pride and insistence of your varna-ashram, and outwardly abide in the code  of conduct as per your varna-ashram and from within, have the feeling that “I am only God’s,  I am not of any particular varna-ashram” -  having such sentiments is very essential.     

When an aspirant’s aim,  becomes one of wanting to attain only God,  then he considers himself to be only a Yogi,  only a seeker of Truth, or only a devotee of God.   By believing so,  he becomes a genuine aspirant “sadhak”, and through him,  only spiritual practices take place.    If along with assuming himself to be an aspirant, he also sees himself as “ I am a Brahmin, I am a Shudra, I am a householder, I am a renunciate, I am a woman, I am a man,  I am a child, I am old,  I am sick,  I am healthy, “  etc. , then there will be something lacking (lack of firm conviction) in his spiritual practice,  which will be an obstacle in his salvation.   He should want that he becomes so immersed in his spiritual practice, that the aspirant himself does not remain,  only the spiritual practice remains, in other words,  the Yogi does not remain,  only “yog” remains;  the seeker does not remain, only the seeking remains,  the devotee does not remain, only devotion remains.   It is only when the spiritual practice remains, that the practice and the Goal (God) become one,  that is,  one realizes God.   

to be continued.......

   From book ‘Tattva Gyaan Kaise Ho?’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji