Miscellaneous - Religion   

Surmount desires

CHENNAI: : When a spiritual seeker does not succeed in his quest, instead of reflecting on the reasons for his failure and taking necessary corrective steps, he becomes impatient or gets dejected that this path is not for the likes of him. This is a predicament faced by the majority as the spiritual path is arduous requiring immense endurance and sustained effort.

In his discourse, Swami Gautamananda said Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa threw light on this dilemma which every seeker faced. The aspirant must first understand the need for patience. He must not become demoralised but must continue with his spiritual practices (Sadhana). Progress and spiritual experience will not be there when desires are still there in the mind. There is no other way except controlling one's desires because whatever is related to the material world has its share of joy and sorrow, and hence the mind will not be satisfied even when the desires are fulfilled. When there is constant agitation in the mind how is it possible to develop detachment, which is paramount for spiritual progress? Lord Krishna cautioned Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita that desires carried away the mind of one who is unable to conquer his senses and hence he has to overcome them with repeated effort.

The saint also stressed the importance of divine grace, which generally manifests through a Guru. This was to dispel the anxiety as to how long one should strive for realising God and also the resulting depression that one may not be successful. If the seeker understands that he is not alone in his quest and that God is guiding him always he will be able to overcome dejection whenever he gets such doubts and fears.

Prayer is the key to elicit divine grace. The merit one accrues by Sadhana in several births can be attained within no time by God's grace. Even though the role of sustained effort needs to be repeatedly stressed, divine grace can work wonders in a trice. The example of lighting a lamp in a room that has been dark for ages will help to understand the operation of divine grace in human life. The darkness disappears the moment the lamp is lit. Similarly, the Karma of the bonded soul that has been acting as an impediment over innumerable births will be removed when God graces the seeker.

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