October 21, 2024
Om tat sat!
My humble pranaam to the feet of Sri Devi Maa!
I didn’t grow up in a family that reads scriptures or had authentic knowledge of their own religion or spirituality. Things were passed down to them and they passed it down to me as per their own capacity. I immensely thank my parents for giving me a basic first hand experience to the path that has eventually become the very breath of mine. I have grown up in times when Hindus were made to feel less and all the social media and ‘educational’ curriculum restricted the topics related to Sanatana Dharma to fancy idols, pollution, bias mindset etc. I also thank Devi, my destiny maker, who Herself pulled me back to the path leading to Her.
I proudly say that I am a Sanatani first and then anything else. From being hesitant about being a ‘brain washed idol-worshipper’ to a proud woman who willingly decorates her own temple and even attempts to eat each meal mindfully like prasad, I will agree that I have come a long way! This wasn’t too easy but neither was it undoable and I am still walking on the same path as shown by Sri Maa but like a traveler in her own journey, I have learnt a few lessons. I may gather more lessons in time coming up, maybe I will keep on learning till my last breath, but here, let me share a few lessons that Devi or Nature has taught me till now.
1. You can’t escape work
Whether you are weary of society or you have bubbling ideas of leaving the society to go high up in the mountains for absolute peace, dear friend, since I have swung on that pendulum of mind too, I can confidently say, escaping won’t lead you anywhere. Wherever you go, you will be as peaceful as your current self in middle of a nasty traffic about which you can’t do anything much. Furthermore, if you take the hand of spirituality in hope of having peace, know that you won’t have peace without becoming peaceful yourself and Nature will throw challenges or situations as per your own capacity for you to brave through in order to have that peace, which is verily inside you. Isn’t it awesome that each one of us is trying to find peace which is synonymous of the Divine present in each one of us?
You may be initiated by the best of the Gurus, you may have blessing poured by their words but dear friend, you will still have to work. The Divine in the self emerges by the appropriate work we do whether in society like a family oriented being or by living like a monk. Swami Vivekananda chose the path of monkhood whereas Sage Agastya chose the path of a family man who was married to Sage Lopamudra! I am thankful that Sri Maa shows me the right guidance!
Quoting from Swami Rama’s Perennial Psychology of the Bhagvad Gita, an excerpt from the explanation to verse 18.49
Sri Krishna explains that one should always try to understand his own character, abilities, and capabilities and that all duties should be undertaken according to one’s own character. One should not abandon his own duty and attempt to do duty of others, no matter how beneficial it might seem, abandoning one’s own duty is unhealthy.
Dear, you gotta work!
2. Abandoning the spiritual path
Initially, spiritual path feels good and jolly but in the brahmacharya phase (as per SD), many people choose to drop out. Or maybe they choose to hop from one Guru to another only to realize that Brahmacharya is the fire one ought to walk on in order to grow spiritually within! Yeah, in case you find a fake Guru who will caress your ego and you end up liking it, well, may Divine help you!
Quoting from Swami Rama’s Perennial Psychology of the Bhagvad Gita, an excerpt from the explanation to verse 18.66
Students are many, but disciples are rare. A student can join a school and can also leave it. He comes to a spiritual teacher, studies with him for some time, and then leaves forever, but when spiritual commitment is made by both the teacher and disciple, it is impossible for teacher not to impart to his disciple all the secrets that he himself has realized. The true disciple always remains eager to learn the subtle secrets that fulfill the purpose of his spiritual commitment.
More points will be shared in an upcoming post.
— With Love
Chitra Om
