by Sri Bmal Mohanty
VOL No. 19
May. 2002

SYMBOLISM ASSISTS UNDERSTANDING

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

"QUESTIONS FROM READERS"

Question 1 from Sri Debashish Bose - Varanasi

(paraphrased) People nearing old age want to take leave from this worldly life of running after money only and want to take SANYAS so that they can seek GOD through Yoga-Sadhana. They wish to live in an ashram like a destitute after leaving everything worldly here. I want to take guidance from you in this regard where I can do Yoga-sadhana after taking sanyas and can live a truly peaceful & yogi life.


Answer :

We often wish to go away somewhere to become a Sanyasi. We should ask ourselves this question "Why do I want to do this?" We say we want to seek God? Then ask again "In all these many years if I have not sought God, what has prevented me from doing so? Is it simply because, an outward state of sanyas (including frugal living, ashram life, yellow robes a Guru etc etc) which was missing or there is a deeper reason? We say we are after peace. Then what is the real reason that prevented us from being at peace with ourselves in all these years? We say we do not want to run after money. Why did the Lord make us run after money all these years? Did He have a purpose behind our life which we have failed to understand? Is there a different cause that made us live differently than the way God intended according to our interpretation?

The exalted state of Sanyas as Sanatan philosophy teaches, is a grossly misunderstood concept by most people in this world. It is more sought after as an escape route, an act of running away instead of an act of austerity( sadhana) which it is meant to be. Why am I not seeking God right now, amidst whatever I am doing and remaining within the ambit of my present environment? If plunging straightaway into Sanyas is the best alternative, it would appear that the entire knowledge imparted by Lord Krishna to Arjuna was all in vain. What has The Bhagavad Gita taught us?

Entering into the state of Sanyas should be understood in its right perspective

Sanyas is not an alternate route to God realisation. It is a logical stage which comes after right and successful performance of one's conducts or Karma leading to sanyas. The pandavas did not embark upon their renunciation until after The Mahabharata war was successfully fought. The lord made sure that Arjuna could not run away without completing his task.

Ofcourse, different people are at different stages of their mental and spiritual consciousness. Hence all my comments may or may not be applicable to all, There is no intention of hurting anyone's feelings. But for general audience, old age does not necessarily and automatically becomes a time for sanyas. Many who have taken to sanyas without preparing themselves first, have ended up in a state of confusion and deeper darkness .(bhuyah tamah).

Taking sanyas should be a natural entry after the previous purusarthas ( mandatory actions in life ) have been rightly conducted. One should first contemplate on the past years and must be reasonably satisfied (I say reasonably because no one is perfect) that one has truthfully discharged one's family, social and community obligations and is not running away from obvious unfinished duties and without playing his assigned role. The divine system has a chalked-out role for every single created being in Lord's grand design. The nature does not allow cheating the system. If the Lord has given money and position, have these been utilised in helping others in their spiritual development? One should also satisfy himself - and this is very important- that one has spent a reasonable amount of time in acquiring adhyatma jnana, (spiritual knowledge) before entering into pure tapasya, or austerity practices and knows what he is after.

( Please look for a series of articles titled "Preparations for Sadhana" soon to appear in Ahwan).

If on any count the viveka (the discerning mind) has doubts, one should rededicate oneself to leading a righteous life, within the very ambit of this world. It has to be an intelligent and conscious decision before any thought of renunciation is embraced.

If one forces upon oneself or take casually the life of a sanyasi, the burden of shortcomings will not only create obstacles in this life but will also goad him in next lives. This will be a setback in one's spiritual evolution.

Sanyasa should come with due preparation. There are six steps for this preparation elaborated in the articles "Preparations for sadhana". These are sankalpa (determination), swasthya (physical ability to undertake sadhana). Swadhyayana (self study of scriptures) samsuddhabuddhi (clarity of thought),shraddha ( faith) and samarpan (surrender). Even those true sanyasis who have skipped all purusarthas and taken sanyas in an early life, that too is a logical extension of preparations made in the previous lives.

There is no hurry at all as long as right steps are being undertaken. If not in this life, then in the next life, life after next, the spiritual evolution takes place without pause. Many people get too restless for a peaceful ashram life or for the advent of a Guru or for a quick pill of adhyatma. Know for certain that our every action is being lovingly watched by the mother of all mothers - the Bramhan himself. When we have acquitted ourselves well and we have made ourselves ready, there happens inevitably a change of life, a transformation of mind, a Guru seeks us out and comes along, and the Lord takes us in his lap. Have that kind of trust in The Lord. Go in for serious reflection before such a vital decision is taken. Listen to your inner voice The permission to take sanyas comes first from within, The transition to sanyas has to be conscious, logical and smooth, Only then one can hope for moksya.

Question 2 from Ms GiselaSchlemann

What is the meaning of Ahwan?


Answer

Although we have explained this earlier, we keep on getting this particular querry regularly. I repeat here the answers to a similar question which appeared in one of the past issues of Ahwan. I hope this will help.

The Lord has created each one of us as an indispensable unit to serve the purpose of his creation. The entire creation all around us is His grand enterprise to assist every single one to evolve towards a higher mental being and finally towards Satchidananda. (The ultimate truth, its realization and the ensuing bliss.) This is a grand endevour- The Mahayajna.

Every individual life is also a yajna in itself contributing to this Mahayajna or the grand endevour. His call reverberates in the universe aimed at all of us to be a part of this evolutionary process.

Ahwan, which means "the call" in sanskrit is this call to the inner soul of each individual to rise above a life of futile existence and explore for one's own sake as well as for the sake of all around him the higher purpose of life. A purpose not unknown yet paradoxically ignored in our ignorance.

Cutting across all narrow contradictions the movement of "Spiritual Approach to Life" is to make spirituality the guiding principle for every aspect of living.

Question 3 from Sri Paresh B. Rasania, Gainesville

Why it is hard to control anger? Anger comes naturally by its own. Please guide me in this matter. Thanks.

Answer :

At least most of us agree on one thing, that anger is a dangerous emotion. So much so that The Bhagavad Gita enumerates three gates that lead straight to hell. One of them is Anger (Krodha). Anger is a state of temporary insanity (sammoha). An angry person has mental blackout of reasoning. Lord Krishna says

Krodhaad bhavati sammohah sammohaat smriti vibhramah;
Smritibhramshaad buddhinaasho buddhinaashaat pranashyati

From anger comes temporary or partial insanity; As an insane person loses all bearings of memory so also a man in anger. With no memory to guide him, he does not know what is right or what is wrong - no discrimination- and when the knowledge of right or wrong is absent verily it is a one way street to self destruction.

Some psychologists argue also that anger comes as a natural outburst of a suppressed feeling. And if it is not vent out, it harms. In some way they are right too.

What is a spiritualist's view in the midst of all this? Knowing the destructive power of anger it simply aims to know the source of such an emotion and make sustained efforts to eliminate all contributory factors that give rise to anger. Not suppression but elimination of the birth of anger itself. Try to eschew it before it takes root.
The root cause of anger in the spiritualist's view is anticipated pleasure from sensual objects.

Dhyaayato vishayaan pumsah sangas teshupajaayate;
Sangaat sanjaayate kaamah kaamaat krodho'bhijaayate

When a man thinks of such objects, attachment to them arises; from attachment desire is born; from desire anger arises.

Desires of all kinds are really promises of gratification of one sense or other. Whether desire is for material, mental or even intellectual objects, all feed the senses in one form or other.

What do we learn from it? The moment we allow ourselves to be a slave to sensual gratification we open the door for anger. Therefore the remedy is in being masters of our emotions and not letting emotions to be masters.

How do we do it? By understanding the nature of all desires. Animals can not control it. But human beings endowed with intellect can quickly see that every desire may give temporary pleasure but ultimately has an end and leaves you craving for more. When you do not get more you get angry.

But then , all emotions whether they are good or bad, noble or evil, they all come naturally depending upon our nature. The golden rule is, noble and good feelings come naturally to a person who is endowed with knowledge. Knowledge of things is the key. Bad and evil emotions cling to a person as long as he is enveloped in ignorance. That is why our attempt should always be search of knowledge- the true knowledge - and thereby remould our nature so that good emotions become our habit. Spiritual sadhana is the means to acquire that knowledge.

It takes long practice to master anger. Even our great seers were also victims of anger at times. But by sheer practice the control over emotions has been possible for many and so is possible for all of us. By practice you can let a alarm bell trigger off everytime you feel anger starts swelling up inside.

Constant Bramha chintan (thoughts of the Lord who guides every action and thought of ours) has a direct effect on predominance of positive emotions over negative and is a very practical remedy for emotion control. Relate every activity and happening around you in home, office, market place, somehow to the Lord. Believe sincerely that everything, whether pleasant or unpleasant has a divine purpose. Negative emotions will remain at a distance.

Is it at all possible to root out anger and negativity? That is the ultimate objectivity, fulfilment or Siddhi. People have done it and so can we. Ofcourse that comes after arduous effort. So what? If our efforts continuously lessen the burden of negativity and increase positivity, and thereby make our lives that much richer is not the effort worth? As long as we move towards a better and better existence we truly do justice to our human birth. Yoga sadhana is all about that.

(P.S. One spiritual practitioner I knew had this simple tip. He had conditioned himself such that the moment he used feel a pinch of anger inside him he used to utter 'HariOm.'. It was almost involuntary. That was his signal and he used to keep mum until no more angry)

Question 4 from Ms Deepika Hemmige Sitaram Iyengar

Could you tell me what is the adherence to be followed in one's quest to be spiritual?

Answer:

As I understand it , the question calls for as to how one should prepare oneself for his or her spiritual quest. In this context a couple of articles titled "PREPARATIONS FOR SADHANA" are soon to appear in the forthcoming issues of AHWAN. These are recommended for reading.

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