Pause… Pilot and Progress
Shikha Tulshan
Aurangabad (Maharashtra)
Hari Aum!
I was blessed to be a part of the online Call-Talk "Steer your Senses Sensibly" by GuruMaa, on the auspicious occasion of Sree Vasant Panchmi.
My gratitude to Manish ji, for giving this opportunity.
Every Call-Talk, Maa gives us a focus to contemplate upon; this time, on how important it is to steer our senses, so that they are in the Hands of the Divine. This step is definitely unavoidable for an aspirant on the Spiritual path.
GuruMaa brought our attention to “Life” and its contrasting nature through a verse from ‘Bhaj Govindam’ and urged to ponder upon its unstable nature and the pendulous sorrows, alternating with fleeting happiness.
नलिनीदलगतजलमतितरलं तद्वज्जीवितमतिशयचपलम् ।
विद्धि व्याध्यभिमानग्रस्तं लोकं शोकहतं च समस्तम् ॥
"Life is trivial, passes fast within split seconds, as quickly as the droplets of water on the slippery surface of the delicate petals of a lotus. From this fast-running life, what other than grief and sorrow can be expected, from the life that is infested with ego and diseases!
And how ardently I hold on to it with clinging attachment, with barely any thought given to how I should actually be living! This tragedy is met with, when the instruments of contact - the mighty senses, have been neglected for want of right Knowledge and allowed to dissipate and disintegrate. This is where the need to ‘Steer Your Senses Sensibly’ was explained so elaborately by Her Holiness, quoting various examples from our Scriptures.
Only when Arjun surrendered the reins of his senses in the Hands of Lord Krishna to guide him, the toughest battle which was his field of duty, became the field for Self evolution!
I pray that even my mind, intellect, and senses be handed over to the Lord to be guided by Him. For this I need to learn, practice, be extremely devoted, faithfully dedicated and be completely surrendered to Divinity, so that my mind can blossom with devotion.
Maa helped us understand this better by quoting a verse from Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, chapter 2, verse 58 – where Lord gives an example of a tortoise folding away its limbs into the shell to save itself from the dangers of the world outside. In the same way, I must also learn to withdraw my senses and steer them in the right direction, so that the intellect becomes fertile with divine thoughts. Otherwise saturated with worldly thoughts, I can never get out of the cycle of transmigrations. Mind perceives data received by the sense organs and directs it as well. So for the mind to perceive information in the right purview, purity in thought, word and deed is absolutely necessary! Through the prayer,
ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रुणुयाम देवाः । भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः ।
स्थिरैरङ्गै स्तुष्टुवां - सस्तनूभिः । व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः ॥
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृध्दश्रवाः । स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ।
स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो-अरिष्टनेमिः। स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥
ॐ शान्तिः । शान्तिः । शान्तिः ॥
May I invoke that Divinity in me, to bless me with the virtue of Purity, so that the senses can manoeuvre this life to get back to my True Self, than fall into the cycle of birth and death.
Offering prayers to the sublime form of Mother Goddess Saraswati, will take us to purification. Maa is seen holding the Veena in two hands depicting the tuning of the mind by way of Introspection, Concentration, Contemplation, Reflection, Meditation. Mata Saraswati holds a Japa mala in the 3rd hand, teaching us that repeating the name of the Lord with devotion and sincerity will purify our minds. And the 4th hand blesses us with the power of discrimination, which is also indicated by “Hamsah,” ‘Sah – Aham’. That true Self of mine, which can be reached through the power of discrimination.
How can I pray even for the welfare of the world or help anyone, if I am myself indulgent and driven by desires, to get dissipated! Only the one who is steering his senses and purifying his mind by self-evolution can be the fit instrument for the highest kind of service to humanity and Lord.
Sincere prostrations to Sree Guru Parampara for giving shelter and guiding our minds to purity and intellect to become fertile, so that it is only executing and offering at the Holy Feet, which is our true Self.
I will always miss our dear Pablo, who was a divine soul himself. He had come only to teach us to go towards purity, innocence, unconditional love, complete surrender, discipline, loyalty; from the manipulations of the mind. He taught, that no matter whatever be the restrictions of the body, always live the invaluable virtues uncompromisingly. I feel blessed to have met such a divine soul in this lifetime.
I pray for that strength and direction to steer my life towards evolution.
I prostate and salute to Her Holiness, and offer my pranaam to Manish ji. In the shelter of such auspicious souls, I pray to be a worthy aspirant.
Hari Aum!