Be firm in wisdom

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BE FIRM IN WISDOM

 

by Swami Sivananda

 

Viveka (wisdom) gives inner strength and mental peace. A viveki (wise

one) gets no troubles. He is always on the alert. He never gets

entangled in anything. He has far­sightedness. He knows the true value

of the objects of this universe. He is fully aware of the

worthlessness of these shallow toys. Nothing, nothing can tempt him.

Maya (illusion) cannot approach him now.

 

Associations with mahatmas (holy ones) and study of vedantic

literature will infuse viveka in man. Viveka should be developed to

the maximum degree; one should be well established in it; viveka

should not be an ephemeral or occasional mood in an aspirant. It

should not fail him when he is in trouble, when any difficulty stares

him in the face. It must indeed become part and parcel of his nature.

He should exercise it at all times without any effort. If one is

careless in the beginning, viveka may come and go. So the aspirant

should live in the company of sages for a long time till viveka burns

in him like a big steady flame.

 

Maya is very powerful. She tries her extreme level best to lead the

aspirant astray. She throws many temptations and obstacles on the

path of young inexperienced aspirants. Therefore the company of sages

and mahatmas is like an impenetrable fortress for the neophyte. Now

no temptations can assail him. He will undoubtedly develop true and

lasting viveka. He will then have permanent and spontaneous viveka.

 

Then only he is truly and perfectly safe. The dangerous zone is past.

Only a true viveki can claim to be the richest, happiest and most

powerful man in the world. He is a rare spiritual gem. He is a beacon­

light and torch­bearer. If viveka is developed all other

qualifications will come by themselves. From viveka is born vairagya

(dispassion).

 

Discrimination is the faculty which distinguishes between the real

and the unreal. The whole world outside and the universe that is

inside, are unreal. Earth, water, wind, fire, the sky, the ocean, our

bodies and the vital force animating them, our minds, our

consciousness of ourselves ­ all are but airy nothingness. The only

real thing is the atman (self) or Brahman, the absolute.

 

(Source: http://sivanandaonline.org/html/ )