For How Long Will I Run?
Shikha Tulshan
Chh. Sambhaji Nagar
My humble prostrations at the Holy Feet of Sree Guru Parampara.
As i attempt to pen down, my learning is reinforced (I pray in the right direction) from the valuable online Call Talk on "In Rat Race or Under God's Grace", by Her Holiness, Maa Purnanandaji. In the beginning of the Talk Chaitanya ji (Manishji) alerted us to check our positions in the race and seek guidance from Gurumaa to come under God's Grace. Beginning with a beautiful invocation prayer, the Talk took me to see within.
Just as a rat goes all over, nibbling everything that comes on it's way, so also, lives after lives, I am running like a rat biting into all that exists! Is'nt this sheer destruction of everything around me and of myself?? I generally attribute this rat race to peer pressure or pressure from work/ society etc, but it is actually the promptings of my own mind!
Our Scriptures symbolise Lord Ganesha riding over this "Rat" - the significance of which can clearly be found in Sree Ganpati Atharvsheersh Upanishad, where we learn to chant and pray to Lord Ganesha to let us come out of this destruction.
Our Scriptures have shown us, on whom the wealth of golden amlaks was showered? On that pious lady who possesed nothing for her own enjoyment and whatever least that she had, she humbly offered to Sree Adi Shankaracharyaji, with sadness in her heart that she could not give anything more to the little saint child then, who had come to her door step. On them always is the valuable blessings of the Saints, to cultivate the 'Virtues of Gold' to take them to the King of Kings, The Highest Glory, The Supreme, and not on the chaarvak attitude which I have come to thrive upon to let me eat n enjoy not only from what i grab, but even on credit and others' hard earned money! Such people who do not have wisdom, who do not observe austerity, who do not give in charity and who do not care for knowledge, culture, conduct towards others, who do not nurture virtues, who do not stand on principles, who do not perform the bounden duties are in the eyes of seers a load on Earth like biped animals, as we intellectual humans, instead of being the crowning glory of creation, stoop down to animalistic vrittis.
Lord in Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, teaches us that the way out of this, is to humbly bow down to Him, bring our minds to Him and offer whatever we do, whatever we eat, all the austerities like puja, sacrifice, charity etc all unto Him, as we are only the instruments in His hands. Lord Krishna is the True Self within us, and all the above practices, will bring about a change in our attitude. Our intent behind any karma will get purified and all our thoughts and actions will get aligned according to His Will and Divine plan. This will gradually take us towards Him.
May we pray to cultivate the virtues to be able to bow down to the sages, sadhus, saints, seers, gurus, sanyasis and brahmachaaris, to welcome them and seek from them the unflinching 'Faith' towards Sree Guru Parampara, to come out of this Rat Race and move under God's Grace.
I seek for forgiveness for all my mistakes due to succumbing to my lower nature.
My pranaam always at the Holy Altar.
Hari Aum.