|| Shree Hari  ||

Sense Enjoyment and Union

भोग और योग

continued.......

If you see from the angle of grace of God, then there is more grace flowing in pain (unfavorable times).   Just as when children are playing and when one of the mothers out of love,  distributes “ladoos” (indian sweet dish) to all the children;  however, if the children are misbehaving,  she cannot slap all the children,  rather she can only slap her own child.   The point is,  the feeling of mine-ness that is there in slapping, such feeling of mine-ness is not there in distributing “ladoos”.    In the same way,  when pain and suffering comes,  one must think, that God has a feeling of mine-ness with us.  The extent of pleasure in the feeling of mine-ness, that much displeasure is not there in the slap (pain).    If you see towards the sense of mine-ness,   then even the pain can be the kind to bring joy !   Therefore, when sorrow comes  one should rejoice, that God has showered His immense grace !

From the perspective of “vivek”, it is a simple, straight-forward point that we are present,  in both pleasure and pain,  therefore do not look towards pleasure and pain, see towards your “self”  (swaroop),  that we, the “self” are the same.    We remained the same even on the arrival of pleasure-pain,  how were we (self) harmed, isn’t it ?  The self that was present during pleasure,  that very same self was present at the time of pain; and the self that was present during pain,  is the same self that is present during pleasure.  Our “self”  is the same (in equanimity) during both pleasure and pain ‒‘समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थ:’ (गीता १४ । २४) ‘Samadhukhahsukhah Swasthah” (Gita 14/24)   “Remain balanced in pleasure and pain, established in the self” (Gita 14/24).   Pleasure and pain comes and go, but the self doesn’t go or come anywhere, rather it remains as-it-is.  Neither pleasure stays, nor pain stays,  but we the self remain as-it-is.   Then why do we become sad and happy with the coming and going?  If impressions of pleasure and pain fall on us, we become happy and sad. When we become bound by the temporary changes,  then we (self) are not situated in the "self".   We do not stay “swasth” (situated in self, free of any dependencies),  rather we become “aswasth”  (bound,  dependent) ! Just as when we are standing on the doorway,  and seeing the cars on the street we become pleased,  and not seeing the cars, we become sad, then this is such foolishness !   What did we gain if the cars come ?  And how were we harmed if the cars did not come?   In the same way, if your son comes home, then what?  If the son dies, then what?  All are the kind to come and go.   Thus the power of discrimination (vivek) must be awakened in all of mankind, that pleasure and pain are the kind to come and go,  and we are the ones to remain situated in the “self”.   Why should the one that remains, become pleased and displeased with the one that comes and goes?   Therefore, whether seen from the perspective of sins-virtues, or seen from the perspective of God’s grace, or seen from the perspective of discrimination (vivek),  we are not to become happy and sad.  Once you resolve not to become happy or sad,  even if the impressions of pleasure and pain fall on you, then the you should not fear, and must not accept defeat.  If the impressions have fallen on you, then so be it, you must simply disregard it.   The pleasure and pain experienced due to past influences, have not come, rather they are going away.   You should decisively think that if influence  of pleasure befalls on him, then so be it,  but I do not want to indulge in sense pleasures and enjoyment.   I do not want to become an enjoyer of pleasures “bhogi”,  rather I want to become a “yogi”.   To become pleased and displeased in pleasure and pain is a “bhog”   and to not become pleased and displeased and remain in equanimity,  is “yog”.  ‒‘समत्वं योग उच्यते’ (गीता २ । ४८)  “Samatvam yog ucchyate” (Gita 2/48). “Equanimity is called Yog”.  If an aspirant thinks determinately that I do not wish to become pleased and displeased, based on the union-separation taking place in this life, then so will it be !   The reason being that the real self (Essence) is free from both pleasure and pain.    There, is neither pleasure nor pain,  rather there is the one self-evident and natural “bliss”.  This bliss has been called in the Gita by the name ‘अक्षय सुख’ ‒

बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम् ।

स     ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा         सुखमक्षयमश्रुते ॥

                                                       (५ । २१)

bāhyasparśēṣvasaktātmā vindatyātmani yatsukham.

sa brahmayōgayuktātmā sukhamakṣayamaśnutē    (Gita 5.21)

"He whose mind remains unattached to Sense-objects (perishable objects) , derives Sattvika joy which dwells in the Mind; then that Yogi, having completely identified himself with Brahma, abides in (experiences) Eternal Bliss."  (Gita 5/21)

Narayan ! Narayan ! Narayan !

   From book ‘Jin Khoja Tin Paayiyaa’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji