In the pursuit to betterment in life a seeker will
adopt the Jnana Marga (Path of Knowledge). The knowledge got from various
sources does help him overcome many questions that were lingering in my mind.
Unfortunately for some this Jnana Marga induces Aham (Ego) in the mind. In fact
knowledge should have been the fuel to burn out the ego, but in most of the
cases it becomes fuel to ignite it and keep it alive. This is spiritual
materialism. That ego can cleverly twist a well intended higher desire of enlightenment
to make a u-turn and hit the seeker where it hurts. Rather than making the
seeker a humbler, that ego can turn the desire for spiritual growth to pride
and vanity. Spirituality can be distorted into a means for material gains,
intellectual status, or also to escape from reality.
While an individual who would crave for worldly
materialism is like a bird imprisoned in an iron cage, a spiritual materialist
is one in a golden cage and for both the bondage surely exists. An individual
might focus much on self and become an obsessed self-improved seeker,
forgetting or least bothered about others around him. He never realizes that in
the venture to excel himself he has to play the part of trying his bit to see
that other also excel along with him.
The incident in the life of King Kaushika who later
on becomes Vishwamitra (friend of world) stands as an evidence. When the king
decides to acquire the wish fulfilling cow Sabala, forcefully from sage
Vashistha, he gets to know the unmatched powers, gained out of austerity.
Desired to obtain that power he forsakes his kingdom and does tapas (austerity)
and obtains it. Then with the so got spiritual powers he designs a parallel
world to King Trishanku when the later wishes to ascend the heaven with the physical
body, merely to show off his powers and loses them. There are numerous such
occasions where he loses the spiritual powers on triviality.
Kaushika again resort to austerity to regain the
power, it takes him enormous time and effort to evolve as a Rajarishi. In the
silence of his heart he forgets the material world as well as the spiritual
materialism and its mesmerism. Gradually his heart gets embellished by love and
compassion. It was at that time “Gayatri Mantra” the mother of all mantras
blossomed in him and he presented it to the entire world. He was called
VISHWAMITRA, (friend of world) from then on.
Srimad Ramanuja, the exponent of Vishishtadvaita was
initiated with the “Ashtakshara Maha Mantra” by Guru Thirukoshtiyur Nambi.
Further the guru informs that contemplating on the mantra would release him
from earthly ills and take him to Vishnuloka, but warns if revealed to others
he will go to Yamaloka. Ramanuja climbs up the temple tower and in the top of
his voice announce the mantra to all the villagers. When his furious guru
question about his action he simply says, “If this act of mine delivers
thousands to heaven, I do not mind going to hell.” Thrilled, the guru hugged
his disciple.
It is important for me to realize that though I am just
a speck of dust in the midst of this enormous universe, my individuality is
spacious enough to inspire others. If I am a grain of sand in this universe the
entire space is for my accommodation because I neither possess nor obstruct
anything. I just share this universe with others and this tremendous openness
comes to not by knowledge but only if I belittle the Aham (Ego) in
me...................Am I Right???
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