The Repellent
By H H Maa Purnananda
Winter is going…going….gone! Spring came in for a short while, but went away without much change! Summer is setting in fast! With the changing seasons, the plant and animal kingdoms too behave differently, suited to the surroundings. Cool breeze of spring turns into heat waves, fields and gardens begin to dry up! Animals start looking for cool shelters and water-bodies. Mosquitoes breed in plenty and play havoc all around; but one can use repellents to keep them away! Even the mankind goes through changes, both physical as well as mental. In short, change is inevitable in this ephemeral world.
The human beings are specially advantaged to make a choice, put effort and change for better……or for worse! In Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, Bhagwaan says that the Ashwattha Vriksh branches out both upwards as well as downwards. Similarly, man, propelled by his own inherent tendencies (Vaasna-s/Guna-s), either evolves (upwards) or devolves (downwards).
Be alert and agile towards your mind; your thoughts, words and deeds are the outcome of your mind’s quality. Else, it is very easy to run after your wants, desires and likes; which may pull you down! More often than not, the mind is constantly fishing out desired thoughts and activities from the ocean of deep-rooted Vaasna-s developed by past deeds and experiences of several lives. These might not be sufficiently encouraging for one’s evolution; rather they would be discouraging and obstructive on the path of mental transformation and evolution.
Insect repellent reminds me of Asang Shastra (not Shaastra!), (weapon of dispassion and hence detachment), a great tool and it surely works like a repellent upon the bug residing in the worldly web of attachments and aversions. Practice of Asang kills this bug of lower tendencies that creates the worldly web from within itself and keeps enjoying its own creation life after life. Thereafter alone can the Sacred path of Self-realisation be truly pursued. The bug gets all the nourishment and keeps on getting healthier if careful attention towards its growth and timely spray of the repellent are not carried out. This weapon, Asang Shastra, has great strength to ultimately even uproot the ‘seed of ignorance’ that is the very cause of delusory life-cycles.
While practicing dispassion, the seeker must keep in mind that he is not cultivating it to repel the things and beings of his dislike. It would be misunderstanding of the seeker and he needs correction. Asang is to be practiced after confirming to oneself of the falsehood of world of matter and therefore dispassion and detachment towards it. The learnings from Shaastra-s help the genuine seekers to cultivate the ability of steadying the understanding of discrimination between the ephemeral nature of the world and the Eternal Substratum behind it.
Once this understanding gets well engrained in the intellect of the seeker, the process of growing out of the dreaded worldly attachments and passions begins. Close and sincere observation of one’s own mind keeps it on the right track whereas complacency or callousness push the seeker back into the worldly web. Here is where the choice is! Even after getting to know from the Shaastra-s and Sree Guru Parampara, would it not be unfortunate for a seeker to once again fall a pray to his own lower tendencies! Be cautious, be careful, be concerned about your own evolution!
On this Maha Shivraatri, falling on 11th March’21, surrender at the Holy Feet of Lord Sree Sadaashiv, Who compassionately blesses the seekers with dispassion and detachment; and pledge to sincerely practice the same.