Role Of Ordeals In Life

Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

In the life of genuine seekers and sadhakas, you can always find that a number of trials and ordeals stand before them as they progress in their pursuits. This is necessary because only when the harder and harder ordeals come up, will they get an opportunity to examine their hearts and minds and then find out what are the defects lurking beneath them. Unless the defects are properly discovered, how can you think of taking steps to remove them? Thus, trials and ordeals are always an inevitable part of a true spiritual life.

The puraanaas (mythological texts) and itihaasaas (epics) of our country are very singular and useful in this respect. Their intention is to inform and strengthen the minds of pious religious seekers, so that they may be able to bear any kind of trial and ordeal imposed on their path from time to time.

 Although these texts have the one sublime purpose of illustrating the hidden truth about the Self and the indispensability of fostering devotion to It, they, while dealing with their theme, often digress to tell us a number of stories and incidents like those of Sudaama, Yudhishtira, Nala, Damayanti, Seetha, etc. All these are personalities noted for their exclusive devotion to truth and the ideals they stood for. In order to preserve their devotion and idealism and make their minds unflinching and steadfast, they had to undergo a number of hardships, some of which were too exacting and painful to the human mind.

 On reading the life and history of these illustrious personalities, the reader will naturally realize that if trials and tribulations did not spare even those blessed souls, what would be the lot of the ordinary seekers and enquirers. The more and more a seeker is nursed by trials and ordeals, the more qualitative does his mind become. Every event of our life really marks a progression, never retrogression. This is the beauty of divine, spiritual life.

[An Excerpt from Poojya Swamiji’s Book ‘Brahma Vidya Abhyasa – Sure Way to the Inner Self’]

*  *  *