Means to the Goal
Amaan
Delhi - NCR
Hari Aum Maa!
My prostrations at the Holy Lotus feet!
I take this opportunity, with kind permission, to most humbly make an attempt to submit my brief understanding of the Call Talk of 8th January’23 on, “Resolve to Evolve”.
Often it is seen that people make resolutions, be it in new year, birthdays, or other-wise, in order to try and change or correct their ways of living – but are these really made to evolve oneself? Is this ‘Resolution’ towards ‘Evolution’?
We were extremely fortunate to get guidance from Maa on this, yet another very important aspect of our lives, which for me was again an eye opener.
Having a goal (Lakshya) in life is very important, because if this is absent, there would be laxity in our journey towards evolution. To attain the set goal, we shall have to make certain resolutions. Hence we need to resolve to evolve - but how can this happen?
It shall be useful to know about this, with an understanding of the meaning of evolution, as is pertinent in this context. Evolution here, can be bifurcated into two:
For External Progress: For simple understanding, one can refer to the Darwin theory of evolution here, which mentions about biological evolution from ape to man and for which, no resolution needs to be taken.
For Internal Progress: For internal evolution, we need to resolve. In chapter two of Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, Bhagwaan tells Arjun to take a resolve to get up and fight. For a kshatriya, his Dharm is to fight in the battle, when the need arises. Thus, his fight is to evolve for which resolve has to be taken. So if Arjun were to win, he would get the kingdom, and that if he were to die, he would attain salvation. However, in spirituality, in the battle at the subtle level, what is going to be killed is the EGO. What one will win is the true nature of one-self, because Ego has been keeping one away from ones’ true-self. So we must try hard to annihilate our Ego, ourselves. It is important for us to realize and remember that evolution has to be internal, and that external evolution is a bi-product. We usually take to the false misunderstanding that internal evolution will make one useless in the world, and that first and foremost, we must concentrate on external (worldly) evolution. We tend to overlook the fact that the internal evolution is the added goodness useful in the world.
In chapter six of Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, we are told that to evolve, we must make a resolve to uplift our self by our Self, and that to never let ourselves down, as we are also our own enemy and that neither the world nor any being is our enemy. It is pertinent to note here that it is our mind which is our enemy – but the mind is also our friend as well, if we know how to keep it under our control. Evolution cannot take place over-night. It has to go through passage of time. When our mind is not put under our control, it is like an un-controlled missile. Resolve to have vigil over our mind is important because it affects our speech and actions.
In chapter 18 of Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, we are told to resolve to perform three karmas which are beneficial and important for our evolution. These are Yagyna, Daan and Tapa. To perform them we have to take a resolve to execute them from the beginning of the year. They help purify the mind leading to compassion and kindness, and helps sacrifice doer-ship. It is not sufficient to be good and helpful to others in life. As we evolve, we would be able to be helpful to others. However, we must also understand that by paying attention to our internal evolution, we will be useful. Our scriptures have to be applied internally and not externally alone. Gnyaan Yog, Karm Yog, Bhakti Yog, etc are all to be understood for internal evolution as well.
In summary, I can say that first we should know about our goal in life, which according to me is to be one with the Self, and then we should make resolutions to evolve accordingly. Evolving internally is with the help of scriptures and scriptural teachings, and should be considered as paramount. External evolution, according to me is also important, but can either come later if not simultaneously.
Maa, Your most valued guidance towards performance of daily austerities for self evolution shall remain as most helpful, and I remain thankful for the same.
Hari Aum and always seeking Your blessings Maa!