Humility and Receptivity – Essence of Seeking

Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

Harih Om Tat Sat.  Yesterday we talked about the place and importance of a Knower in a seeker’s life. There was also the inquiry as to how a seeker would come to know a Knower.

I mentioned that, in reality, a seeker can know the Supreme Truth only from a Knower, and a Knower can be known only from his own words of self-revelation.

The Knower is generally valued for his words; and his words are always revealing. He will be revealing the Supreme Truth and a person who constantly reveals the Supreme Truth must necessarily know it himself. 

So, through close association, the seeker comes to know of the Knower’s mind and other behavioral aspects. Is it not equal to the Knower himself disclosing that he is a Knower?  I don’t think there is any confusion about it.

The seeker can ask the Knower straightaway: “I have come here to know the Truth. Have you realized the Truth?” He can also inquire about any doubt or conflict he may have regarding the Knower’s behaviour.  But the seeker must be humble and sincere in his approach.

I have a lot of fondness for A. When he came here first, in the course of a few days’ interaction with me and the people in the Ashram, I felt that he needed a lot of affection, support and guidance.  So the fondness started from there; it continues even now. But what I found was that my fondness remained my fondness. It was not able to have the desired effect because of the lack of receptivity on the seeker’s part. Later, he had written to me, “Swamiji, my problem is my ego”. 

I was wondering what is this ego! If a seeker strives with a lot of austerity and asceticism for a number of years to know the Truth and fulfill his quest, and if neither knowledge has dawned nor fulfillment gained, is there any ground for becoming egoistic? When will one have ego? Ego will rise when you are successful, when you have something to boast of. Here I don’t find anything to boast of. Nevertheless he is a very good boy; he has been very austere, very ascetic, capable and ready to do any work, trying to serve the Guru also very attentively. All these things are good qualities.

A number of very good qualities might be there. But, along with them, there are these gaps or shortcomings that spoil the entire scope for knowledge and fulfillment.

S was asking, what is the lesson to be learnt from this. The lesson is very simple: A seeker should not become egoistic – on the ground of his austerity or ascetic life, on grounds of his study of scriptures or the one or two decades of life he has spent in the company of his Guru. The mind should always be kept open and humble to receive the brilliant rays of truth.  If that openness is lacking and the mind is blocked, then one cannot improve.

Vaajasravas, the father of Nachiketas, performed a huge yajna. The yajna was holy. It should have been performed to produce sanctifying effects, to purify the performer. But it was actually performed in a vitiating manner by Vaajasravas, projecting the impurity and narrowness of his mind.   You may be a votary of Truth. You may be a great ascetic, very austere; but all these virtues will come to naught if you do not pursue them with a pure mind and intention. Take up a holy act and pursue it in an unholy manner; then what will be the result? Holy or unholy?

So, my dear children, the lesson is very simple.  Even in front of a Guru, if you are not able to conduct yourself properly with openness and humility, all your effort is going to be abortive. That is the lesson to be learned.

Do not become egoistic on account of anything whatsoever, either on account of your body or personality, or on account of your learning or wealth or ascetic merits. Over nothing you should have pride which will only hinder your safe pursuit and fulfillment.

Harih Om Tat Sat

[This was Poojya Swamiji's Prabhaatarashmih message on 2nd February 2001]

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