by Sri Bmal Mohanty
VOL No. 16
Jan. 2002

CHAPTER Seventeen- PRINCIPLES OF DIVINE MANAGEMENT - Part -1

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

And in this process your love for the Lord will swell like a snowball. And that love shall provide the very foundation for sadhana.

Secondly let us think about this very topic of Divine management. How the lord manages his creation, how is it relevant to a simple sadhaka ? To appreciate this we must think of the fact as to why this creation around us is there? What purpose is it serving? This is a topic on which volumes can be said. But for the time being let us understand that this universe around us is there to assist us in all possible ways in our own spiritual development. Have you ever stopped to marvel at this great truth?

Every phenomenon, every action that takes place, every thought that crosses our minds, the movements around us , the results of every interacting objects, all these send out discrete signals to us all the time for us to learn the lessons, understand the hand of the Lord and assist us in our spiritual evolution. This creation is like a class room, a laboratory in which the Jiva or the individual being attains its highest evolutionary state. It is as if every thing around us is there for me, for you, for her to teach and help.

With this arrangement it is for the man - the highest intellectual and mental being the nature has produced so far, to use its intellect and mind and make best use of this classroom or this laboratory.

If that is our purpose, then it becomes plain and simple that we must understand the principles of working of this class room or laboratory. Otherwise how do we make the best use of it. If you do not know how a seed is planted, how a sapling grows and produces grain then how will you produce food for your stomach? The need to know is an inseparable and integral part of sanatana philosophy. In no other philosophy you will find upanishads like kena meaning by whom, prasna meaning query. One of our epics the Bramhasutra, begins with "Athato Bramha Jinyasa" , meaning let us start enquiring of The Bramhan. As a matter of fact all our upanishads are nothing but questions and answers. An aspirant must keep on asking. Jigyansa is recognised as one of the four characteristics of sadhana so specifically in sanatana philosophy.

Further there is also another reason for being knowledgeble about the principles of working of the creation. All of us desire one thing for certain. We all want peace.We begin our prayers and end them with the chant Om Shantiih, shantih, shantih. Om peace peace peace. Many of us ofcourse mechanically mouth this part of all mantras. But do try to analyse what is this shanti or peace I am desiring? Is it a comfortable family or business life, is it disease-free health? Is it freedom from poverty? Is it death to our enemies?

Wise men say: none of these bring peace. They bring a state of temporary lull. But the unhappiness arising out of these comes back with greater vengence.

So what is true peace? True peace is simply a state of conformity with the divine principles and acceptance of the outcome that results from the interplay of the divine principles. That only brings peace because the divine principles make everything happen for the good of all- always and every time.

But when man refuses to accept the divine principles and brings in an element of defiance or non conformity- the result is lack of peace. Because anything that is not for the good of all, can not happen and does not exist in the creation. Any opposing action is ruthlessly acted upon by nature and brought back to a state of dynamic equilibrium.

So what does a wise person supposed to do under these circumstances? He must thoroughly understand the principles behind every action, every happening, and orient himself to conform to these principles. There in lies his peace. You conform and you remain happy, you challenge and buy unhappiness.