Miscellaneous - Religion   

Ego impedes knowledge

CHENNAI: Faith and humility are indispensable in the spiritual path. The Bhagavad Gita advises the path of Karma, Bhakti and Jnana and claims that it is steady practice that can lead to enlightenment. A seeker can gain from the practical tips that have been suggested, namely, listening to the teachings of Sastras (Sravana), reflecting on what is heard (Manana) and practising profound and repeated meditation (Nididhyasa). This is the training that can slowly open the awareness of the ultimate truth in one’s consciousness.

With carefully chosen examples to describe the cosmic essence of the Supreme Being, Lord Krishna makes it clear that transcendental knowledge is attainable to those who seek it with determination and with the right spirit, said Swamini Satyavratananda in a lecture. One needs to take refuge in the Primal Being with the fundamental understanding that all the seeming activity springs forth from Him. While all beings are mortal, God is immortal. It is His power that is responsible for the brilliance and radiance in the common sources of light — the sun, the moon and the fire. His energy enters the earth, sustaining and nourishing all that lives.

The general tendency to view the mind, body and senses as one’s own is what prevents one from understanding the truth. Because the individual is subject to Prakriti, there is the accompanying delusion that prevents identification with the Atma. To withdraw from the identity with the body and become one with the soul is the way to throw off this delusion. In the course of countless births, every Jivatma, who is in reality a part of the Supreme Being, continues to live in embodied form endowed with the senses, mind and intellect. While a realised soul is able to view this sequence in a detached manner and rise above the influence of the modes of nature, etc., the foolish are caught inextricably with the worldly pulls and fail to understand the eternal self.

The Kenopanishad illustrates how easily ego can pull the blinds on this basic truth by quoting the example of fire’s pride in its power to burn objects. Fire was made to realise that this power is not its own but given by God when it was unable to burn a mere blade of grass.

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