Miscellaneous - Religion   

Enduring bliss

CHENNAI : The pursuits of human life are either for the sake of material prosperity or spiritual progress. Man engages in action with the expectation of deriving happiness. The joy he derives from various sensory pursuits is relative as one maybe short-lived while another might give him happiness for a longer duration. But nothing in the world can give enduring happiness and it is the quest for eternal joy that leads man knowingly or unknowingly to the spiritual goal.

In his discourse, Sri K. Srinivasan said only the bliss of Self-realisation was ultimate and incomparable. Lord Krishna began His teaching in the Bhagavad Gita when Arjuna surrendered to Him saying that he would not fight because even after obtaining undisputed sovereignty, and an affluent kingdom on this Earth and lordship over the celestials, he would not be able to get over the grief of having won them in a fratricidal war. Arjuna was thus in the right frame of mind to receive spiritual knowledge as a seeker must have dispassion towards the ephemeral joys of the material world. Though two goals have been outlined for human life, pursuit of both will eventually lead to liberation from bondage. This has been illustrated at the outset in the Bhagavata Purana through the example of the sons (Prachetas) of the creator, Brahma, who proceeded to meditate. So he sired the Prajapatis to engage in the world (Pravrtti) for creation to proceed. While only a few have the dispassion to pursue the spiritual path directly (Nivrtti), the majority will have to engage in action in the world and develop detachment after getting tired of sensory pleasures.

That the choice has to be made by the individual was reinforced by the Lord when He concluded His teaching in the Gita for He told Arjuna to reflect on what He had taught and act according to his judgment. His final teaching (Charama sloka) advising Arjuna not to grieve and surrender to Him has thus been interpreted as renouncing the fruit of action to God (Karma yoga), which would result in purification of mind necessary to receive spiritual knowledge.

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