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St. Francis of Assisi ends his world-famous prayer with
the words: "And it is in dying to the little self that we are born
to eternal life." Another mystic said, "Then shall I be free,
when 'I' shall cease to be." So, the essence of darkness, of bondage,
ignorance and slumber would seem to be the feeling that one is a certain
specific individual with a name and form, a date of birth, a height and
weight, with a certain personality and an ego. And, they say, until that
is got rid of, liberation is a far cry. Swami Sivananda himself said,
"Kill this little 'I.' Die to live. Lead the divine life. Within
you is hidden God; within you is the immortal soul, an ocean of bliss
and a fountain of joy. All this we are not able to perceive, but why?
Gurudev says that you are not experiencing the hidden God because you
are so much preoccupied with this little "I" and are so much
involved, entangled, overpowered and overwhelmed by it. It is like a fire
that is completely obscured by thick, black smoke. Thus Gurudev says that
due to so much preoccupation with the little "I" you are not
able to see the bliss and joy. So, once again, this little "I"
or ego must be killed. How is this to be done? By leading the divine life.
The two words that imply bondage are "I" and "mine."
As long as our nature is characterised and dominated by this "I"
especially if it is self-assertive, aggressive and violent, then such
a life is spiritual death. This is why the ancients said, "From death,
O Lord, take us unto immortality." This could not be a reference
to the body, because the body is not going to be immortal. What then is
the mortality and immortality that are being referred to? Mortality has
to do with the ego-ridden life, which actually constitutes spiritual death.
This ego-characterised human personality is the transient unreality. To
rise up from this to the Reality is to be aware of ourselves as part and
parcel of the cosmic soul-divine in nature, beginningless, beyond time
and space, without name and form, birth and death. This awareness is truth,
it is the reality, it is light and immortality, liberation, salvation,
enlightenment or any name you might give to it.
It is possible to attain God, to attain liberation if
the intense desire to do so occupies your heart as the first and foremost
of all desires and wishes that you long for. If liberation is your top
priority and it fills your heart, mind and intellect, and all other wishes
come after it, then nothing in this universe can prevent you from attaining
liberation in this very life. This is for sure!
Let us be practical. Does this mean that one should
cease wishing or working for anything else? It is not absolutely necessary,
and it is not absolutely possible either. As long as you are in this body,
you have to work for food, clothing and shelter-for the body has its hard
demands. So, taking care of the body's minimal wants is something that
no one can afford to totally deny or ignore. If you inwardly give up everything,
yet on the outer plane exert to attain what is essential to survive and
work out your liberation, then the body does not become an obstacle. Rather,
it becomes the boat to cross the ocean of transmigration, and your instrument
of liberation. Therefore view it from this angle. Even the secular life
can be made part of the spiritual. No part of your life is left out of
the spiritual life. One hundred percent of your life, twenty-four hours
of the day, becomes spiritual if viewed in the right way and lived in
the right manner. It becomes an integral part of a comprehensive movement
towards God.
That's the way Gurudev taught: have no dichotomy, make
no separation. Feel that all your life is only meant for sadhana, for
liberation. If thus, with all your heart, mind and soul, you long for
it, let me assure you that liberation is one hundred percent certain.
No power on earth can prevent you from receiving what you deserve. For,
by your very longing, you have earned it.
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