Assurance from the Lord Himself!
By H H Maa Purnananda
“Kshipram Bhavati Dharmaatma Shashvachchhantim Nigachchhati; Kaunteya Pratijaanihi Na Mey Bhaktah Pranashyati.”(Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta – 9/31)
People often ask about the usefulness of having religious belief, study of Shaastra-s and related subjects. At the same time, asceptical individual is often found to run to the Lord for refuge at the time of crisis. What makes a man believe more in the world and not as much in God? Could be several reasons.
The great Spiritual legacy we have inherited from the Saints and Seers since time immemorial, comprising the voluminous Shaastra-s such as the Ved-s, Itihas-s and Puran-s and so on, is the beacon for human life. These Sacred Works encompass the setbacks of academic education becoming irrelevant or outdated in ever-changing times. Therefore, at the time of crisis, even a non-believer leans on to the Almighty for respite.
Amongst some of the other Shaastra-s, Sreemad Baagwat Maha Puran revolves especially around Lord Sree Krishna, one of the most prominent and favourite Incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Unlike in Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, where we behold Sree Krishna as the Guru and hence, as His disciples, try to learn lessons for our lives from His advice, in Sreemad Bhaagwatam we worship His Incarnation as His ardent devotees, seeking refuge. In any which way we put our faith in Him and His advice, the given Shlok truly is the ultimate inspiration to move on in life despite adversities.
Assurance from the Lord Himself; what more can a devotee or a disciple ask for? No matter how downtrodden or ignorant one is, at any point of time and due to whatever reason, if he humbly takes refuge at the Holy-feet of the Lord, the Lord then assures him of deliverance. The Lord says that such an individual who has come to Him seeking shelter, he soon becomes a “Dharmaatma” (one who leads a righteous life) and thereafter he proceeds towards Eternal Peace.
When the Lord says “Kshipram”(soon), the restless devotee wants quick results of his meagre Sadhna and loses patience when no drastic change is seen or felt by him. So, we have to understand this word “soon”. The Lord is beyond time. We the mortals are conditioned in the realm of time and hence understand the word “soon” with reference to “time” only. Can we think of the term “soon” from a different perspective? The moment I think of the Lord, for that moment my mind is united with Him. Since the Lord is beyond time, so too my mind crosses the barrier of time while it is united with the Lord. As long as I can sustain to remain mentally united with the Supreme Divinity, at least for that long my mind is detached from the “objective” thought. Though temporarily, I do find peace when my mind is not attached to the world. This happens in deep sleep state as well, but in complete unawareness. In deep sleep there is no experience what so ever. But, in waking state if I am able to keep my mind well-united with the Lord, it surely helps to improve and transform my mind to superior quality.
The Lord has explained in the beginning of Sreemed Bhagawad Geeta that “Yog”(union with the Divinity) brings “Samatvam” (equilibrium of mind) and Samatvam in turn brings peace.In the above-mentioned Shlok, the Lord significantly calls Arjun as Kaunteya, son of mother Kunti. This address speaks volumes. The living beings are firstly attached physically to their mother, be it Mother Nature, the mother of an insect, an animal or the mother of a human being. It is natural to the creation and therefore harmless as long as it does not turn into possessiveness. When love turns into attachment and makes one possessive, then due to it, the mental equilibrium is lost. The pure and natural love of a mother, who is caring, concerned, forgiving, compassionate, kind, loving, sacrificial, selfless and so on, turns into attachment when she becomes possessive and her mind becomes contaminated due to expectations from her children as they grow up. This is the plight of human beings alone, and which is not possible in other living beings. The human mind gets deluded by possessiveness of innumerable places, experiences, objects, beings, and circumstances (Desh, Kaal, Vastu, Paristhiti). Moreover, the scriptures repeatedly tell us about our attachment at the subtlest level, to our own inherent tendencies (Guna-s). So, the story of “attachment” begins from the subtlest Guna-sand goes on getting stronger as we grow up; ultimately spreading deep, far and wide.
This culprit, “attachment” (Kaam), plays havoc in an individual’s life. “Yog”, mentally uniting with the Divine, is the only antidote to “Kaam”, mental attachments. For deliverance from the scare of this vice, Sree Bhagwaan blesses the humanity with His own assurance that His devotee never gets destroyed. But for sure, the relentless effort of the devout is required, to sincerely remain in “Yog” with the Divine to the utmost possibility, which in turn will transform the devotee into a “Dharmaatma”.
Sincerely seek refuge of Sree Krishna this Janmaashtami falling on 18th August 2022, and try your level best to revel in Him all through your thoughts, words and deeds (Manasa, Vacha, Karmana).