| Sublimation through Introspection |
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Yesterday we had a discussion here. Both R and A were finding
it difficult to accept that to see God everywhere would also
mean to have a devotional attitude towards everything. They
raised their objection, "Swamiji, when there is an instance
of cruelty displayed by man, and how we can have a devotional
attitude towards it?" But, why not? In front of that
man who can even look at cruelty as godliness, will not the
cruelty tone down?
What did the sapta-maharsis (seven sages) do when they were
confronted by the dacoit Ratnakara? They looked at him with
gracefulness and gentleness. He was very cruel and harsh towards
them. But they were not. In that wonderful interaction, the
cruel man got transformed. Were they not looking at him in
a divine and devotional manner?
Whenever you find an instance of cruelty, torture, or injustice,
as much sympathetic and compassionate you are towards the
victim, so much or even more considerate and compassionate
you should be towards the culprit. Man does all kinds of mistakes
by aviveka (lack of discrimination).
Everything is God. It is God's creation. And the creation
consists of cruelty on the one hand and gentleness on the
other. Otherwise how do you explain the cruelty of the eagle
towards the snake? The eagle is mostly living in the air,
the snake is crawling on the ground - why should there be
enmity between them? In the case of man, you may blame him;
in the case of the eagle, whom will you blame?
This is where devotion emphasizes absolute surrender and acceptance
of God and godliness in everything. Ravana is as much an incarnation
as is Rama. Rama is a gentle and noble incarnation; Ravana
is a cruel and ignoble incarnation. Perhaps the lessons from
Ravana are more readily absorbed and incorporated than the
lessons from Rama. In Ravana we can see the hand of cruelty
and its outcome and we can readily learn to avoid such tendencies.
But the lessons of greatness and renunciation from Sri Rama
are more difficult to absorb. That is why Bhagavadgita says:
Seeing no agent other than the gunas, and also knowing that
which is superior to the gunas, one attains my state. (14.19)
Whether it is the holy austerity of a brahmana or a sage,
or whether it is the deluded and aggressive cruelty of a dacoit,
understand that both are the handiwork of gunas and that these
gunas belong to Prakrti, the Nature. Don't see any activity
other than that of nature and see equally the Soul that is
beyond gunas and beyond nature. When these two perceptions
work in parallel, says Krishna, that devotee attains my Nature.
So, let anything take place in the world. Let the crime be
of any dimension, however detestable and abominable an act
it may be. From the devotee's mind
only sympathy and consideration are called for. In
fact, you should be even more sublimated by the presence of
cruelty than by that of gentleness. It should be so. It is
to sublimate the mind of a devotee that the creation remains
so various and infinite. Examine your own mind and find out
whether this sublimation is actually taking place.
This examination is far more effective than mere chanting.
Chant by all means, but let every chanting of yours be purposeful,
ennobling and purifying. Search your heart and find out whether
the right attitude is there. If it is not there, cultivate
it; if it is there, preserve it.
Introspection done in this manner brings about the right effect.
Through this introspection, the effect becomes deeper and
deeper and at one time it touches the very Soul.
Harih Om Tat Sat. Jai Guru!
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