Miscellaneous - Religion   

Need for self-effort

CHENNAI: There is a saying that if a person attains Self-realisation generations of his lineage before and after him become blessed. It is logical to doubt how this can be possible as ignorance, which is the cause of bondage, afflicts every individual and to overcome it the concerned person must only gain Self-knowledge.

In his discourse, Sri P.M.Vijayaraghava Sastrigal said the merit (Punya) of the Self-realised person (Jnani) sanctified his lineage but a member of his family irrespective of whether he attained higher worlds like Brahmaloka because of that merit had to strive for his liberation. A Guru is indeed happy when a spiritual seeker approaches him with the ardent desire for liberation because it is one in a million who will develop detachment from the world to pursue the spiritual path.

The disciple’s family becomes honoured because such a pious progeny has been born in it, the rationale being that he has fulfilled the purpose of human birth which is to realise the goal of liberation. A spiritual seeker is indeed blessed as he is different from the majority who run after sensory attractions.

Sankara in his Viveka Chudamani has clarified that every individual has to work for his salvation, “There are sons and others to discharge the debts of the father. But there is none other than oneself to free one from worldly bondage.” Further he gives many examples to drive home the importance of self-effort in spiritual life.

If someone is carrying a heavy load on his head another person can help him by relieving him of the burden but not so his pangs of hunger; a hungry man has to eat food to appease his hunger. Another example is the case of a sick person. He will be able to regain health only if he takes the prescribed medicine and follows the recommended diet strictly. If one wants to know how the moon looks like it is possible only if one sees it with one’s eyes and not by another’s description. So also, knowledge of the Self (Atman), which removes bondage, must be gained by oneself. Sankara states emphatically that even if it is going to take innumerable eons only the individual can bring about his release from ignorance, desire and Karma, which are responsible for repeated births in the world.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cartoonscape
The Hindu Crossword 9054
Solution to Puzzle 9053
Need for self-effort
dated October 27, 1957: Kashmir debate
dated October 27, 1957: PEN conference
dated October 27, 1957: Communal clashes
Weather

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu