The Riddle of the World

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THE RIDDLE OF THE WORLD

 

by Swami Sivananda

 

You yourself have made your life complex. You have entangled yourself

in this quagmire. You have multiplied your wants and desires. Every

day you are forging new links in the chain of bondage. Simplicity has

vanished. Luxurious habits are daily developed. People are dying of

starvation; there is depression and unrest everywhere. There is

devastation by earthquake. The divorce courts are increasing. One

nation is afraid of another nation. Life has become a matter of

uncertainty. It has become a mass of confusion and bewilderment; it

has become stormy and boisterous.

 

You can escape from these troubles and difficulties if you lead a

life of dispassion, self­restraint, purity and selfless service, if

you develop cosmic love, if you make a habit of developing the right

point of view, right thinking, right feeling, right action, with the

right mental attitude and if you practise meditation and devotion.

 

If you have no sustained vairagya (dispassion) you will find no

improvement or progress in spirituality. Vows, energy, austerities

and meditation will leak out like water from a cracked pot. You have

spent eight hours in sleep and the rest in idle gossiping, telling

lies and deceiving others. How can you expect spiritual good or

immortality if you do not spend even half an hour in the service of

God, in singing his name and in divine contemplation?

 

Is there pain or pleasure in this world? If there is pleasure then

why do young educated men retire into the forests? If there is pain

why do young men run after wealth, position and women? Mysterious is

maya (illusion)! Mysterious is moha (delusion)! Try to understand the

riddle of life and the riddle of the universe. Acquire viveka

(wisdom). Have satsanga (holy company). Enquire into the nature of

the atman. Study the Yoga Vasishta and the Upanishads. Then you will

have a comprehensive understanding of the problems of life. There is

not one iota of happiness in this world.

 

Real freedom is from birth and death. Real freedom is freedom from

the trammels of flesh and mind. Real freedom ­ is freedom from the

bonds of karma. Real freedom is freedom from attachment to the body,

etc. Real freedom is freedom from desires and from egoism.

 

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