We often hear people saying,”Oh, the suffering were so in abundance that they disappeared themselves just as a fatal disease gets cured of its own if a patient leaves worrying and caring for it.”
Further the pains are welcome because they remind us of our sacred task of self realization, in the present birth that we have millions of other forms of life. An English woman always put some pebbles in her shoes so that she is constantly reminded of God due to the pain. The human life is utilised by the wise for penance, ‘tapas’ and Yoga practice. Every moment, they aspire to spend in the company of ‘Sadgurudev’ reciting the ‘Guru Mantra’. Pious, sincere and true in their efforts they move ahead swiftly unallured by the worldly charms.
Great Yogis, saints and other noble men of the past had all worldly pleasures at their command (Ridhis & Sidhis). But they instead passed a life of obstacles, devoid of heavenly comforts for still higher goal. Moving on the path of ‘Karma Yoga’(Nishkam Karma-executing all duties without a wish of fruit), Gyan Yoga(perception of God through attainment of true knowledge) and Bhakti Yoga(finding God after a total surrender and recitation of holy names)with a wonderful blend of the three they were able to break all worldly bondages.
All as mentioned above is a great task, a tough job compared to walking on the blade of a sword with every danger of falling astray at every step. It is an acid test with open fierce jaws of difficulties ahead and alluring sensual pleasures pulling backward. It is only with great determination and protection of Sadgurudev that one can cross all this to find himself in the realm of all pervading Divinity.
Great mythical heroes of the past Raja Harish Chander, Raja Bali, Lord Ram and Lord Krishna etc. had to pass through great rest to become really great. Mira Bai, Tulsi Das, Surdas, Nanak & Kabir never looked towards worldly pleasures. They became realised souls through total surrender and devotion to their favourite gods and Sadgurudev. Great kings Alexander, Hitler, Nepolean and Porus could live in comfort and luxury but they chose the path of challenges to become immortal in the history, otherwise nobody would have known them.
Sardar Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Raj Guru and Chander Shekhar could easily fail in the line of common men to enjoy sensual pleasures but they preferred to sacrifice their lives to live forever. Thus it is evident that all great men possessed the power to win the common human weakness of going down. They chose for themselves a path full of hurdles.
Now if an individual has automatically been trapped in difficulties, it should be welcomed rather than cursed. It should be assumed that almighty is very kind and it has come for some ultimate good though it may appear to be unpleasant and unfavourable like a bitter medicine. During this period we remember and sincerity. We have known friends who feel very happy when they are ill. The provides them with selusion and as the temperature grips the body they constantly recite the ‘Guru Mantra’ and enjoy the concentration. Such persons with their determination and faith not only easily cross this period but also rise above all sorrows and joy and feelings of pains.
Thus we have observed that intense pains give rise to intense happiness, a state of sublimity where all distresses disappear. It is a state of subtle equilibrium where a steady calm prevails. All worldly disturbances get absorbed and nullified just a flowing flooded river enters into a realm of extreme gravity the ocean.
Generally the common men in the world love themselves. They may possess religious thoughts and may worship God in a routine way. The might be living in a sacred peaceful place in the company of their spiritual guide or Sadgurudev but even then at any cost they don’t want to lose their identity. They cling to themselves, their personality with great attachment. You may call it a form of ‘ego’. Their aim is just to pass a sacred, pious and charitable life. In some cases, it is , probably to gain reputation or a social status or to keep away from worldly difficulties in a sense of ‘escapism’. They don’t have in their mind a higher goal. They are satisfied consoled and convinced with what little they have got. Because otherwise they will have to part with themselves, their ego, and will have to prepare themselves for a total disintegration of their personality in order to get transformed in to ‘Divine Personality’. They have to dissolve, fuse and melt themselves to get justified. Though the body will remain the same but it will be totally changed from within. It will be perfectly cleaned and washed by the ‘Sadgurudev’ in case they are ready for it with utmost preparedness. A wise should never miss taking a bath in the ‘Ganges’, if it is flowing at one’s doorsteps.
Also the pains might have appeared due to one’s gradually drifting towards allurements by pulling away from divine duties under his feet due to some self interest, misfortune or misguidance. It must be remembered that when out of deep love and reverence we intend to go to our Sadgurudev and take one step in the direction, his mercy blessings and benevolence move ahead by thousand steps and if it is the reverse only the God can save you. Such is the grace of Sadgurudev. Anyhow whatever might be the cause of difficulties, you must atonce rush to his divine feet and reveal everything. Letters can be written for conveying the message. Revelation and confession or transportation of thought waves should be practiced through concentration and meditation. And to your surprise, a miracle will of peace and bliss in the mind and a perfect calm in you will indicate that a storm has passed without hurting you the least.
Thus we have seen that pains and troubles are not so awful as they seemed to be in the beginning. Specially when they pass over, we laugh at ourselves as to why we felt so much depressed and doomed. The life and its charms bear a special significance now. Sometimes the difficulties are so in continuation and bulk that they become non existent as the person turns his backs towards them. The confidence that develops in his purifies him as melted gold. Tolerance, forbearance, patience and utmost stability is achieved by the sufferer. And very soon he gets rid of the gloom and sorrow as if it had never come. The feeling of discompassion (vairagya) and increased will power the soul energy diminishes the mountain of pains to mole.
Again it should be borne in mind that pain and agony are associated with the intense fooling a person possesses. Man is something in flesh and blood and so various activities physical and mental are associated with it as its limitations. But through practice of Yoga a perfect control of all sorts of passions can be obtained and then only the man attains the lost divine glory and peace that ‘Adam’ had lost when astrayed by ‘Eve’ by tasting the forbidden fruit and then only all pain, grief and miseries will disappear.
Non restraint, truthlessness, greedyness, suppression, uncleaning of body and mind and desires are main causes for the worldly pains. Abstaining from pleasures and unshakable faith in Sadgurudev helps a lot. Ignorance creates restlessness. Jealousy, lust add fuel to fire. Discord, disharmony in thoughts is the enemy or peace. Mind if lost in enjoyment is the cause of bondages and if it abstains from them becomes a tool for ‘liberation’. Therefore right thinking is key to happiness. It is sinful to give shelter to bad thoughts in the mind, when attacked by such thoughts, abstraction and shifting of mind to some other field should be practiced. Concentration, the inward turning of mind is purely mental process and in without any muscular strain and is practiced in a comfortable relaxed pose to achieve the stillness of mind by cutting the thought waves and becoming indifferent to the whole process of thinking. Sometimes chanting Gurumantra, Pranayam, brisk walking in open air, thinking just the reverse, helps a lot of shedding mental tension. Practise the feeling of joy in the absoluteness of soul. Prolong it through concentration. In due course of time everything sets right with the grace of Sadgurudev and joy becomes the permanent feature of an individual. Intelligent thinking and power of reasoning help as a counter balance.
In short if the disturbances mentioned above are delicately handled and properly nurtured by the grace of Sadgurudev the individual, can achieve perfection and the soul finds in real Absolute Radiant Divine Brightness millions of time more dazzling and bright then the sun and pains really prove a blessing disguise.