Miscellaneous - Religion   

Ultimate goal of life

CHENNAI : From the example set by great devotees such as the Azhwars, the revered preceptors and many other realised souls who have preserved the tradition of worship that offers unconditional surrender to the Lord — Saranagati (unique to the Vaishnavaite system) — and handed it down as an invaluable asset to mankind in search of the ultimate goal of life, one can gain some knowledge of the theory and practice of this principle that promises sure salvation.

When exploring "the what", "the why" and "the how" of this principle one has difficulty in terms of comprehension and the amount of effort that Saranagati entails.

Yet it is not through instruction or tutoring alone that one can comprehend the full significance of the concept of surrender, but only when it is validated by one's own experience, said Velukkudi Sri Krishnan in a discourse.

The subtle distinction between knowing something and experiencing it firsthand is of vital importance especially in matters of spiritual quest.

Spiritual seeking begins with trying to probe the true nature of oneself, the world around and the infinite Supreme Being. The individual self is defined as Chit (essence of knowledge) while the objects in the world are Achit (non-sentient).

The individual initially mistakes worldly comforts and pursuits for the ultimate goal of life. Very soon, with the realisation that there is no permanent joy in these evanescent objects, the quest for something higher and more profound continues.

At this stage the knowledge of the dichotomy of the soul and body clarifies the true nature of the soul as immortal and unchanging and the body as perishable. Then the pursuit of that which is greater than the soul clarifies the presence of the Eternal Reality, also known variously as Paramatma, Brahman, Iswara, etc, that is the source of all, manifesting and actively supporting the entire universe while being independent and always in a state of Bliss. All else depend on this Supreme Being.

Surrender at His feet implies three steps — intuitive grasp of the goal of human endeavour (the highest Purushartha) as identical with the bliss of God realisation, search for the means of reaching it and making all efforts to attain it.

The quest being most demanding and difficult, one has to realise that divine grace is essential for attaining the goal.

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