Hindu Article-Guard against sensory pulls

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Guard against sensory pulls

 

CHENNAI, JAN.24 . It is essential for a spiritual seeker to

consciously safeguard himself against the sensory attractions of the

world because there can be the proverbial slip between the cup and

the lip during the process of his spiritual evolution. That even men

of dispassion have faced such setbacks have been highlighted in the

hagiographies of saints to enable spiritual aspirants to be on guard

till they realise the goal of liberation. The reason for such

transgressions in the case of devotees is the pull of the latent

tendencies (Vasana) of earlier births. Tulasidasa is a case in point.

In her discourse, Srimathi Jaya Srinivasan said the turning point

which made him blossom into a great devotee came about when his wife

chided him. Born to pious parents he was precocious as a child and

the environment at home was thus conducive for his spiritual growth.

Though he showed sings of progressing spiritually by dint of the

Karma of his earlier births he became a slave to his passion, which

went to the extent of lusting after his wife to the neglect of his

duties in life. The king held him in high regard as his father had

earned his respect by his hard work and devotion. But the son stayed

away from work on days, as he did not have the heart to be separated

from his wife.

Once the king sent for him and when he went he found he could not

concentrate on his job. Excusing himself saying that he had forgotten

to tell his family about some important matter he ran home with

thoughts of his wife only to find to his bitter disappointment that

she had gone to her father's home. Without heeding his mother's

admonition to go the next day as it was raining heavily he went

posthaste to her home.

The river he had to cross was in full spate and even that did not

deter him. In that pitch darkness blinded by ardour he mistook a dead

body floating on the river for a log of wood and catching hold of it

he crossed over to the other side and reached the house. Without

waking up others at midnight he climbed in through a window by

catching hold of a creeper, which actually was a cobra. The sight he

presented took his wife aback; but she was a dutiful wife and so she

made him change into dry clothes, fed him and advised him that if he

showed even a fraction of such zeal towards the Lord his life would

not be in vain. The turnaround in his life was instantaneous. His

devotion became total and he composed the Ramacharitamanasa that

brought him immortal fame.

 

 

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