Guest guest Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 Dear MODERATOR, Namaste! I would like to request a discussion on a new topic, " PURPOSE OF LIVING. " I am not sure if this topic has been discussed before. I would really appreciate, if you can help me/us understand the answer to this question. Thanks. Regards, Darshan Goswami ---------------------- FROM THE MODERATOR The following are the guidelines for Gita-Talk discussions. GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts related to Gitaji shalokas. Therefore, responses which further clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to substantiate your response. 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting sadhaka's time. 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other organizations. 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone number, address etc. 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual since the message is going to the entire group. 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed wherever possible. MODERATOR Ram Ram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! The purpose of living is implicit in correct understanding of life! It would seem that living in peace, harmony, love, joy, is intrinsic to our nature. If one is joyous, in peace, and loving, one would like to stay there as much as possible. No one would say " let me be unhappy now, I am bored being happy " . However, when one is in pain, unhappy, restless, angry, etc then one would like to push them away as soon as they can to be in happy state. This shows our true nature is that of being at peace, happy, and in harmony with our environment. SO the purpose is to live in this way, in line with what God intends us to live. All our pursuits are for being happy, be them for money, power, fame, sex, religious following, or whatever one is running after. One just doesn't know it and considers these pursuits as ends in themselves. Soon he/she forgets the purpose of living and attributes happiness in such objects. One gets attached to them, depending on them for his/her happiness, and starts possessing them at all costs. In this way one gets in conflict with others as each is doing the same. This is the beginning of suffering. To realize one's true nature being happiness itself, peace itself, harmony itself and thus doesn't depend on objects is of utmost importance. One has to discover the right address of peace and happiness as not being in objects but within oneself. One is complete as one naturally is made, lacking nothing. This brings happiness in absence or in presence of objects. One lives apparantly individually fulfilling one's role in life where he/she is placed by God, doing selfless karmas, guided by dharma and preparing for moksha. One lives this with full understanding that one is not an individual but rather part of totality that works through one's body-mind organism, an instrument to partake in Divine celebration, Leela. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF LIVING as I see it! Namaskar...Pratap (Pratap Bhatt) ---------------------------- My current opinion is life`s purpose is not `given` Everyone has been given the power to exercise his choice to select the purpose,and then work towards attaining it.Also as Gita says,You donot have a right to attain the purpose. At a deeper level,the values one selects to live by can be called a purpose.Is this the Dharma? Bhave. (Prakash Bhave) ----------------------------- Jai Sitaramjiki. Reference the above topic for discussion, I request the following:- It is a very important topic for discussion. However, can we please first have the comments of SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI as he must have spoken on this subject in his life time. Dhanyavad. Dhanyavad and Ram Ram. Bhavdiy SHER SINGH AGRAWAL ----------------------------- Namaste, The purpose of being on this earth, is to remove all VASANAS. But while living and exhausting vasanas, we also keep adding some more vasanas. This gives birth and death to several birth cycles (jalmas). The choice is ours. By perfecting our devotion (Bakthi) one can obtain the resolve (sankalpan) of God (Bagavan) to give us mukthi (salvation). B.Sathyanarayan ------------------------------- Namaste Is Atma which is present in all living beings is part of Parmatama (God) If yes then all living beings are connected with each other with strongest possible link Can we communicate with all living beings, other than man, with this link Regards Ramesh Suri --------------------------- , " sadhak_insight " <sadhak_insight wrote: > > Dear MODERATOR, > > Namaste! > > I would like to request a discussion on a new topic, " PURPOSE OF > LIVING. " I am not sure if this topic has been discussed before. I > would really appreciate, if you can help me/us understand the answer > to this question. > > Thanks. > Regards, > > Darshan Goswami > ---------------------- > > FROM THE MODERATOR > > The following are the guidelines for Gita-Talk discussions. > > GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: > 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts > related to Gitaji shalokas. Therefore, responses which further > clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. > 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to > substantiate your response. > 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the > extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas > 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting > sadhaka's time. > 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. > 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other > organizations. > 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone > number, address etc. > 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual > since the message is going to the entire group. > 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. > 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if content > is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. > 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, > westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to Sanskrit > words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit bracketed > wherever possible. > > MODERATOR > Ram Ram > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 I request SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI to comments and provide some guidance so that we can generate more opnions and awareness on this subject. Thanks. Namaste. Darshan Goswami ----------------------------- Dear Sir, I am a student of Gita. I am also a student of world history. The Purpose of Living is a constant theme of the Perennial Philosophy ie. Vedanta. I have always been inspired by the thoughts of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius who I believe was a true Vedantin in his approach to the question " What is the purpose of Human life " . I reproduce below his notes from his famous book " Meditations " . Hope it might be of interest to members of your cyber-satsangh. Best regds, daasan Sudarshan MK ************************** " Remember two things: 1. that everything has always been the same, and keeps recurring, and it makes no difference whether you see the same things recur in a hundred years or two hundred or in an infinite period; 2. that the longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose the same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since that is all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose. " The human soul degrades itself: 1. above all when it does its best to become an abscess, a kind of detached growth on the world. To be disgruntled at anything that happens is a kind of secession from Nature, which comprises the nature of all things. 2. when it turns its back on another person or sets out to harm to do it harm, as the souls of the angry do. 3. when it is overpowered by pleasure or pain. 4. when it puts on a mask and does or says something artificial or false. 5. when it allows its actions and impulse to be without a purpose, to be random and disconnected: even the smallest things ought to be directed toward a goal. But the goal of rational beings is to follow the rule and law of the most ancient of communities and states. ************ " Human Life: Duration: momentary Nature: changeable Perception: dim Condition of Body: decaying Soul: spinning around Fortune: unpredictable Lasting fame: uncertain Sum Up: the body and its parts are a river, the soul a dream and mist, life is warfare and a journey far from home, lasting reputation is oblivion. Then what guides us? Only philosophy. Which means making sure that the power within stays safe and free from assault, above pleasure and pain, doing nothing randomly or dishonestly and with imposture, not dependent on anyone else's doing something or not doing it. And making sure that it accepts what happens happens and what it is dealt as coming from the same place it came from. And above all, that it accepts death in a cheerful spirit, as nothing but the dissolution of the elements from which each living thing is composed. If it doesnt hurt the individual elements to change continually into one another, why are people afraid of all of them changing and separating? It's a natural thing. And nothing natural is evil. " ********************* Warm Regards, Sudarshan " A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is worth as much as life " . (Andre Malraux) - Dear friends, The purpose of life is to be Happy. Every one is trying to be happy. However, most people do not know what happiness is. Without the Knowledge of what happiness is how can one attain happiness. It is like someone who have never seen a mango and trying to buy one in a shopping center. He is totally dependent on others. There is a very good analysis of the purpose of life and the happiness in Gita Rahasya by BG Tilak. I strongly recommend the chapter on Happiness and Unhappiness in this book. My final conclusion is at the bottom. How you proceed in life and all the value system can be derived from what happiness is and how to achieve eternal happiness. Bhagvat Gita is an indispensable guide to attaining this eternal happiness. basant tariyal --------------------------- When I create a pot out of mud, the pot - (the creation) does not know the purpose for which it is being created. Only the creator knows why he made the creation. We are born to such and such parents (as we think of the body level), we are kept here through them for doing some of His karmas through this body. Actually we are never born and will never die from the Atma level. We humans think from the physical and mental level only that is why this confusion. vanaja nair -- , " sadhak_insight " <sadhak_insight wrote: > > Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! > The purpose of living is implicit in correct understanding of life! > It would seem that living in peace, harmony, love, joy, is intrinsic > to our nature. > If one is joyous, in peace, and loving, one would like to stay there > as much as possible. No one would say " let me be unhappy now, I am > bored being happy " . However, when one is in pain, unhappy, restless, > angry, etc then one would like to push them away as soon as they can > to be in happy state. This shows our true nature is that of being at > peace, happy, and in harmony with our environment. > SO the purpose is to live in this way, in line with what God intends > us to live. > All our pursuits are for being happy, be them for money, power, > fame, sex, religious following, or whatever one is running after. > One just doesn't know it and considers these pursuits as ends in > themselves. Soon he/she forgets the purpose of living and attributes > happiness in such objects. One gets attached to them, depending on > them for his/her happiness, and starts possessing them at all costs. > In this way one gets in conflict with others as each is doing the > same. This is the beginning of suffering. To realize one's true > nature being happiness itself, peace itself, harmony itself and thus > doesn't depend on objects is of utmost importance. One has to > discover the right address of peace and happiness as not being in > objects but within oneself. > One is complete as one naturally is made, lacking nothing. This > brings happiness in absence or in presence of objects. One lives > apparantly individually fulfilling one's role in life where he/she > is placed by God, doing selfless karmas, guided by dharma and > preparing for moksha. One lives this with full understanding that > one is not an individual but rather part of totality that works > through one's body-mind organism, an instrument to partake in Divine > celebration, Leela. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF LIVING as I see it! > Namaskar...Pratap > (Pratap Bhatt) > ---------------------------- > My current opinion is life`s purpose is not `given` > > Everyone has been given the power to exercise his choice to select > the purpose,and then work towards attaining it.Also as Gita says,You > donot have a right to attain the purpose. > > At a deeper level,the values one selects to live by can be called a > purpose.Is this the Dharma? > > Bhave. > (Prakash Bhave) > > ----------------------------- > Jai Sitaramjiki. > > Reference the above topic for discussion, I request the following:- > > It is a very important topic for discussion. However, can we please > first have the comments of SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI as he must have > spoken on this subject in his life time. Dhanyavad. > > Dhanyavad and Ram Ram. > > Bhavdiy > > SHER SINGH AGRAWAL > ----------------------------- > Namaste, > The purpose of being on this earth, is to remove all VASANAS. But > while living and exhausting vasanas, we also keep adding some more > vasanas. This gives birth and death to several birth cycles > (jalmas). The choice is ours. By perfecting our devotion (Bakthi) > one can obtain the resolve (sankalpan) of God (Bagavan) to give us > mukthi (salvation). > B.Sathyanarayan > > ------------------------------- > Namaste > > Is Atma which is present in all living beings is part of Parmatama > (God) > > If yes then all living beings are connected with each other with > strongest possible link > > Can we communicate with all living beings, other than man, with this > link > > Regards > > Ramesh Suri > --------------------------- > , " sadhak_insight " > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > Dear MODERATOR, > > > > Namaste! > > > > I would like to request a discussion on a new topic, " PURPOSE OF > > LIVING. " I am not sure if this topic has been discussed before. I > > would really appreciate, if you can help me/us understand the > answer > > to this question. > > > > Thanks. > > Regards, > > > > Darshan Goswami > > ---------------------- > > > > FROM THE MODERATOR > > > > The following are the guidelines for Gita-Talk discussions. > > > > GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: > > 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts > > related to Gitaji shalokas. Therefore, responses which further > > clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. > > 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to > > substantiate your response. > > 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the > > extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas > > 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting > > sadhaka's time. > > 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. > > 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other > > organizations. > > 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone > > number, address etc. > > 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual > > since the message is going to the entire group. > > 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. > > 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if > content > > is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. > > 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, > > westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to > Sanskrit > > words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit > bracketed > > wherever possible. > > > > MODERATOR > > Ram Ram > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Dear Friend: This a question that has burnt me quite a bit … I lost sleep for many months on this … The purpose of The Life cannot be determined by us as we remain miniscule specs in the infinite ocean of Life. At best, we can say that the purpose of The Life is Itself. I consider the question as " what is the purpose of an individual in its life? " It is the survival program that creates this notion of purpose of life in us. The ego is created to generate an identity for an individual. The system is steered by the ego to enhance and protect this identity. That is the reason we always feel one with this body- mind cluster and always think that " I am this body/mind " . Obviously, the ego has to take a stand of being a guardian to safeguard this system in its duty. Its job is secured as far as there is a request for help from the system. The ego generates relations with the rest of the world to steer the system in the physical world and happens to understand the adversities around that continuously threaten the individual system's survival. The purpose of the ego is to nurture and safeguard the individual system at any cost. Therefore, to protect its own survival it craves to look forward for reasons how it can execute its job " save the system " . In a sense it assures " job security " to itself by imagining that it is the sole care-taker of the individual system and the relations it has established with the external world. As a result, it develops a sense of ownership and authority over the system, its relations as well as, the related objects. The apparent purpose of life of an individual is to establish, protect and enhance this ownership and authority. From ego's point of view, life ends in the absence of itself which is in a way true because it always interprets the life as its perpetual association with the individual body-mind cluster, its relations with the world and the related objects in the world. But, its true worry is its own oblivion as a result of the potential loss of life – which again is the body-mind cluster and its worldly possession that it owns in its understanding. The very notion of " the purpose of life " is generated for its ever- lasting and never-achieved quest for eternity within its authority. It poses this question to itself whenever there is a threat to life – that is its own existence. The quest in the background is " Is there any benefit for me? If so, let me encourage the environment. Is there is any threat for my existence? Then let me thwart the environment. If not possible, let me escape at least. " Basically, the purpose of life for the ego is a perpetual saga of diplomacy, fight and escape with reference to its environment. Due to the notion of existence it has created for itself it is perpetually chased by fears that threaten its growth and existence while it eternally chases the desires that show potential congeniality to its existence and growth. It believes that the only fuel that can be adapted in its journey to successfully achieve its ends – to acquire and safeguard ownership – is this notion, THE PURPOSE OF LIFE! It hangs on to it so dearly that no one can literally fight against it. One has to satisfy this guardian of all actions to take up any action – that is the authority ego has assigned to its own notion. Even in spirituality, one has to appease this gate keeper to explore any possibilities outside. The fellow is really sticky and won't let you free of itself all through your exploration just like Nakshatrika on King Harischandra's shoulder. In fact, the " purpose of life " is the biggest hurdle for the progress in spirituality since it is this notion that empowers the ego steadfast against a spiritual quest. Unless one faces it correctly, it is impossible to face the ego … and hence impossible to drop ownership … and hence impossible to attain The Bliss void of desires and fears. As spiritual seekers, we need to acknowledge and respect this fellow – the purpose of life – in proper light. In my opinion, the purpose of spirituality is to seek the same in this purpose of life to eliminate all the purposes of life imagined by oneself. The purpose of spirituality drops off automatically in the absence of the rest of the purposes. My understanding on this quest is: Do not try to look for the purpose. Become the purpose. Be the purpose. As Tilakji has beautifully observed – the pot never seeks the purpose of its creation ... why us? The pot instantly becomes the purpose … why not us? Respects. Naga Narayana. - my dear divine souls! my humble parnaams....... The purpose of Life is only... to Know Thy Self.. when we focus our energies in wordly pursuits.. we are in the Nature of Ignorance and do not understand the Meaning of life. We humans have reached the final stage of evolution where we have the mind, and we can the understanding of what is Ultimate good and what is evil in us. We in the very nature are God in disguise.. Ishwar is our true natue who is Love, Beauty, Power, Knowledge..Bliss (Ananda), but we are here not experiencing these attributes of God. so the purpose of Life is only to arrive at our True Nature.. Janam mritu jara vyadhi dukh doshanu darshnam.. A keen perception of the defective nature of the ordinary physical man and its aimless and painful subjection to birth, death, disease and age..bg.13 9 thanks... kuldip - The purpose of Life is to be useful to others, both animate and inanimate and help without any expectation of rewards and achieve the goal of NO REBIRTH. G.Vaidyanathan - If we all believe and to the Vedantic thoughts, then the purpose of life is to get redemption from the cycle of death, rebirth etc brought about by our limitless karmas. Gita clearly says that we are bound in this Samsara and unless we surrender to Him totally, (Chapter 18 Sloka 66) there is no way that we could obtain salvation on our own. He is the only one who has the Power to wipe out all our karmas (both good and bad) that would enable us to be in eternal bliss with Him. After this total surrender, we continue to live in a detached way leading a Dharmic life and simply wait for the final salvation until our time comes to depart from this world. " Detached " does not mean we do not look after our family or the society. It is performing our dharmic karmas without expectation of any reward. The outcome of our action is also surrendered to Lord krishna. I believe this is the essence and purpose of life. Since we have put our trust in Him, it is for Him to look after us during the rest of our life. Humble servant of the God G Rangarajan - Dear Sadhakas, Virtue and vice, happiness and sorrow are all attributes of the mind, not of Yourself, O All-pervading One! You are neither the " doer " nor the " enjoyer " . Indeed, you are ever- free!!! Dharma Dharmau Sukham Dukham Manasani na te vibho Na Karta-si na Bhogta-si Mukta evasi sarvada (Ashtawakra Gita Chapter 1 verse 6) As long as there is the EGO....this identity with the BODY, MIND & INTELLECT, will keep us all in the dualities of life. The sense of 'doership' and/or 'enjoyership' gives the feeling of good & bad, happiness & unhappiness, joy & sorrow. The moment....ego disappears....the identity also disappears and the true Eternal Blissful Self appears..where there are no questions or confusions. Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krsihna Hare Hare Abhinav Mehta Life loses its purpose unless guided by God. Many cultures have within their lore stories similar to Hänsel and Gretel, a tale of Germanic origin and adapted by the Brothers Grimm: people happy and cared for, subsequent misfortune, loss, apparent escape, even greater danger and final deliverance. When the children are lost in the woods we read these words: " ...as (Hänsel) walked through the trees, he left a trail of crumbs behind him to mark the way. " How often do we feel like these lost children, wandering through a life that seems dark with dangerous shadows, not only unsure of our destination, but uncertain which fork of the road to take. Perhaps it is job uncertainty, or career choices or relationship questions. Sometimes it is even doubt about God's love or leading. What are some crumbs on the path to mark our way? Author John Baillie writes, " I thank Thee that this Christian way whereon I walk is no untried or uncharted road, but a road beaten hard by the footsteps of saints, apostles, prophets, and martyrs. I thank Thee for the finger-posts and danger signals with which it is marked at every turning and which may be known to me through study of the Bible and of all history, and of all the great literature of the world. " God often directs us through the quiet voice of his Spirit speaking to the inner places of our own spirits, but He has also given us more visible crumbs along the way. It is of vital importance that we pay close attention to those crumbs. Bread crumbs don't seem like much, Lord, but sometimes those crumbs are all we have to follow. Thank you that through your Holy Spirit the crumbs can be magnified and thus visible to our seeking eyes. yeshu rathenam Adarniya Bhaktjan, Praman I am writing below about the Purpose of life which may be useful in doing spirituality. From a spiritual perspective, there are two generic reasons why we are born. These reasons define the purpose of our lives at the most basic level. They are: - To complete the give-and-take account we have with various people - - To make spiritual progress with the final aim of merging into God and therefore getting out of the cycle of birth and death. Completing our give-and-take account Over many lifetimes, we accumulate many give-and-take accounts that are a direct result of our deeds and actions. The accounts may be positive or negative depending on the positive or negative nature of our actions. As a rule of thumb, in the current era approximately 65% of our lives are destined (not within our control) and 35% of our lives are governed by our own freewill. All major events in our life are by and large destined. These events include our birth, the family we are born into, the person (or persons) we marry, the children we have, serious illnesses and the time of our death. The happiness and pain that we give and receive from loved ones and acquaintances are by and large simply a case of prior give-and-take accounts directing the way relationships unravel and play out. However even our destiny in the current lifetime is just a fraction of the accumulated give-and take account that we amass over many lifetimes. In our lifetime, while we do complete our give-and-take account and destiny earmarked for this particular lifetime of ours, we also end up creating more accounts by using our wilful action. This in turn finally adds up to our overall give-and-take account known as the accumulated account. As a result, we have to be born again to settle further give-and-take accounts and are stuck in the cycle of birth and death. Making spiritual progress The ultimate in spiritual development in any Spiritual path is merging with God. `Merging with God' means experiencing God within us and all around us and not identifying with our five senses, mind and intellect. This happens at the 100% spiritual level. Most people in today's world are at the 20-25% spiritual level and are disinclined to any spiritual practice for spiritual development. They also heavily identify with their 5 senses, mind and intellect. This is reflected in our lives when we focus mainly on our looks or are arrogant about our intelligence or success. By spiritual practice when we grow to the spiritual level of 80%, we are liberated from the cycle of birth and death. After this spiritual level, we can settle whatever remaining give-and-take accounts we have from the higher subtle realms of Mahaaloka and above. Sometimes however, people above the 80% spiritual level may choose to be born on Earth to guide humanity in Spirituality. Rahul Kinger - , " sadhak_insight " <sadhak_insight wrote: > > I request SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI to comments and provide some > guidance so that we can generate more opnions and awareness on this > subject. > > Thanks. Namaste. > > Darshan Goswami > > ----------------------------- > > Dear Sir, > > I am a student of Gita. I am also a student of world history. > > The Purpose of Living is a constant theme of the Perennial > Philosophy ie. Vedanta. > > I have always been inspired by the thoughts of the Roman emperor > Marcus Aurelius who I believe was a true Vedantin in his approach to > the question " What is the purpose of Human life " . > > I reproduce below his notes from his famous book " Meditations " . Hope > it might be of interest to members of your cyber-satsangh. > > Best regds, > daasan Sudarshan MK > > ************************** > " Remember two things: > > 1. that everything has always been the same, and keeps recurring, > and it makes no difference whether you see the same things recur in > a hundred years or two hundred or in an infinite period; > > 2. that the longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose the > same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since that is > all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose. > > " The human soul degrades itself: > > 1. above all when it does its best to become an abscess, a kind of > detached growth on the world. To be disgruntled at anything that > happens is a kind of secession from Nature, which comprises the > nature of all things. > > 2. when it turns its back on another person or sets out to harm to > do it harm, as the souls of the angry do. > > 3. when it is overpowered by pleasure or pain. > > 4. when it puts on a mask and does or says something artificial or > false. > > 5. when it allows its actions and impulse to be without a purpose, > to be random and disconnected: even the smallest things ought to be > directed toward a goal. But the goal of rational beings is to follow > the rule and law of the most ancient of communities and states. > > ************ > > " Human Life: > > Duration: momentary > Nature: changeable > Perception: dim > Condition of Body: decaying > Soul: spinning around > Fortune: unpredictable > Lasting fame: uncertain > > Sum Up: the body and its parts are a river, the soul a dream and > mist, life is warfare and a journey far from home, lasting > reputation is oblivion. > > Then what guides us? Only philosophy. > > Which means making sure that the power within stays safe and free > from assault, above pleasure and pain, doing nothing randomly or > dishonestly and with imposture, not dependent on anyone else's doing > something or not doing it. And making sure that it accepts what > happens happens and what it is dealt as coming from the same place > it came from. And above all, that it accepts death in a cheerful > spirit, as nothing but the dissolution of the elements from which > each living thing is composed. If it doesnt hurt the individual > elements to change continually into one another, why are people > afraid of all of them changing and separating? It's a natural thing. > And nothing natural is evil. " > > ********************* > > Warm Regards, > Sudarshan > > " A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is worth as > much as life " . > (Andre Malraux) > > - > Dear friends, > The purpose of life is to be Happy. Every one is trying to be happy. > However, most people do not know what happiness is. Without the > Knowledge of what happiness is how can one attain happiness. It is > like someone who have never seen a mango and trying to buy one in a > shopping center. He is totally dependent on others. There is a very > good analysis of the purpose of life and the happiness in Gita > Rahasya by BG Tilak. > I strongly recommend the chapter on Happiness and Unhappiness in > this book. My final conclusion is at the bottom. How you proceed in > life and all the value system can be derived from what happiness is > and how to achieve eternal happiness. Bhagvat Gita is an > indispensable guide to attaining this eternal happiness. > basant tariyal > > --------------------------- > When I create a pot out of mud, the pot - (the creation) does not > know the purpose for which it is being created. Only the creator > knows why he made the creation. We are born to such and such > parents (as we think of the body level), we are kept here through > them for doing some of His karmas through this body. Actually we > are never born and will never die from the Atma level. We humans > think from the physical and mental level only that is why this > confusion. > > vanaja nair > -- > , " sadhak_insight " > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! > > The purpose of living is implicit in correct understanding of > life! > > It would seem that living in peace, harmony, love, joy, is > intrinsic > > to our nature. > > If one is joyous, in peace, and loving, one would like to stay > there > > as much as possible. No one would say " let me be unhappy now, I am > > bored being happy " . However, when one is in pain, unhappy, > restless, > > angry, etc then one would like to push them away as soon as they > can > > to be in happy state. This shows our true nature is that of being > at > > peace, happy, and in harmony with our environment. > > SO the purpose is to live in this way, in line with what God > intends > > us to live. > > All our pursuits are for being happy, be them for money, power, > > fame, sex, religious following, or whatever one is running after. > > One just doesn't know it and considers these pursuits as ends in > > themselves. Soon he/she forgets the purpose of living and > attributes > > happiness in such objects. One gets attached to them, depending on > > them for his/her happiness, and starts possessing them at all > costs. > > In this way one gets in conflict with others as each is doing the > > same. This is the beginning of suffering. To realize one's true > > nature being happiness itself, peace itself, harmony itself and > thus > > doesn't depend on objects is of utmost importance. One has to > > discover the right address of peace and happiness as not being in > > objects but within oneself. > > One is complete as one naturally is made, lacking nothing. This > > brings happiness in absence or in presence of objects. One lives > > apparantly individually fulfilling one's role in life where he/she > > is placed by God, doing selfless karmas, guided by dharma and > > preparing for moksha. One lives this with full understanding that > > one is not an individual but rather part of totality that works > > through one's body-mind organism, an instrument to partake in > Divine > > celebration, Leela. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF LIVING as I see it! > > Namaskar...Pratap > > (Pratap Bhatt) > > ---------------------------- > > My current opinion is life`s purpose is not `given` > > > > Everyone has been given the power to exercise his choice to select > > the purpose,and then work towards attaining it.Also as Gita > says,You > > donot have a right to attain the purpose. > > > > At a deeper level,the values one selects to live by can be called > a > > purpose.Is this the Dharma? > > > > Bhave. > > (Prakash Bhave) > > > > ----------------------------- > > Jai Sitaramjiki. > > > > Reference the above topic for discussion, I request the following:- > > > > It is a very important topic for discussion. However, can we > please > > first have the comments of SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI as he must have > > spoken on this subject in his life time. Dhanyavad. > > > > Dhanyavad and Ram Ram. > > > > Bhavdiy > > > > SHER SINGH AGRAWAL > > ----------------------------- > > Namaste, > > The purpose of being on this earth, is to remove all VASANAS. But > > while living and exhausting vasanas, we also keep adding some more > > vasanas. This gives birth and death to several birth cycles > > (jalmas). The choice is ours. By perfecting our devotion (Bakthi) > > one can obtain the resolve (sankalpan) of God (Bagavan) to give us > > mukthi (salvation). > > B.Sathyanarayan > > > > ------------------------------- > > Namaste > > > > Is Atma which is present in all living beings is part of Parmatama > > (God) > > > > If yes then all living beings are connected with each other with > > strongest possible link > > > > Can we communicate with all living beings, other than man, with > this > > link > > > > Regards > > > > Ramesh Suri > > --------------------------- > > , " sadhak_insight " > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > Dear MODERATOR, > > > > > > Namaste! > > > > > > I would like to request a discussion on a new topic, " PURPOSE OF > > > LIVING. " I am not sure if this topic has been discussed before. > I > > > would really appreciate, if you can help me/us understand the > > answer > > > to this question. > > > > > > Thanks. > > > Regards, > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > ---------------------- > > > > > > FROM THE MODERATOR > > > > > > The following are the guidelines for Gita-Talk discussions. > > > > > > GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: > > > 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their doubts > > > related to Gitaji shalokas. Therefore, responses which further > > > clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. > > > 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures to > > > substantiate your response. > > > 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to the > > > extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas > > > 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, respecting > > > sadhaka's time. > > > 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. > > > 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other > > > organizations. > > > 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as phone > > > number, address etc. > > > 8. Please do not address the response to a particular individual > > > since the message is going to the entire group. > > > 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. > > > 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if > > content > > > is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. > > > 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, youth, > > > westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to > > Sanskrit > > > words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit > > bracketed > > > wherever possible. > > > > > > MODERATOR > > > Ram Ram > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 --- Message of Swamiji clearly brings out the purpose of life. G.Vaidyanathan. sadhaka sadhak_insight Tue, 8 Apr 2008 03:34:54 -0700 [sadhaka] Purpose of LIfe (April 8, 2008) :Shree Hari: 8th April, 2008, Tuesday Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, Vikram Samvat 2064, Mangalvar God, by showering His grace has blessed us with four things - 1) this human life, 2) the understanding 3) the means and 4) the capabilities. These four things have been given to us primarily for the purpose of realizing the Truth (attaining salvation, God or Self Realization). A very important point here is that the time, the means, the understanding and the competencies that we currently have, if we engage them all in realizing the Truth (God, Self) then perfection (realization) in human life can be achieved. We have already been provided all that is needed for God Realization. And if there is any thing lacking (deficiencies), then God will fulfill those deficiencies Himself. The kingdom of God is open at all times for everyone. It is said in the Ramcharitramanasa - " Kabahu kari karunaa ner dehi; Det is binu hetu sanehi. " (Manasa 7:43:3) In man there is a feeling of uncertainty, how can I realize God? However, this life, this birth is only for this purpose. There is no other purpose. Yet deep within us lingers this thought, this subtle doubt, that are we really capable ? Are we really worthy? This feeling of unworthiness, is the greatest obstacle in realizing God. Just like a mother always accepts her child in her lap, no matter how good or bad he is. The child is ever entitled to be in his mother's lap. Similarly we are all eligible for God Realization, no matter what we are. God says in the Gita " Api chetsuduraachaaro, bhajate maam ananya bhaak Saadhureva sa mantavyah samyagvyavasitohi saha " (Gita 9:30) Simply speaking, even if the worst of sinners becomes Mine, he should be considered a saint, because he is determined to turn towards Me, says God. Only due to his firm determination. Once this determination is made, can wrongful actions become obstacles in God Realization? Is God so very weak that He will be stalled by few actions? Pay attention to this verse. It is mentioned here that God, is a well- wisher without any motive, and simply by His grace He has bestowed this human life on us, so that we can become free from sorrows and attain Him. The implication here is that God intends for our upliftment, our benediction. So with a little effort on our part, His intention will come true. In summary the purpose of life is to serve others, to realize the truth (Self) and to believe in God as our very own. It is for these, that this human life, this human birth has been received. From Discourse in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji Ram Ram -- All life have one purpose but is different for different people. This purpose is liberation or MOXA but each one of us as per ones' swabhaav (innate nature) is near and far from this end goal, and therefore have different goals in short term. Life is a journey and as we go up in understanding, our attachments with world reduces and as we know the abstract, we get MOXA in step by step. MOXA is liberation and it is purpose of life. Liberation from disese, liberation from hunger, liberation from ignorance, liberation from unwanted controls, liberation to work as per own wish, liberation to work for self and family, liberation to work for community, and liberation for self and all. Scientists are doing work of inventing medicines, engineers build machines, saints do the preachng, soldiers do the war in defense, and so on. Each one is to do his/her 'niyat karma' as per given swabhaav (nature)because it is only justification of life at that moment. When swabhav (dharma) gets improved the work also changes, and you find a laywer like Gandhi becoming replica of Kabir. This is BHAGWAT GITA from begining to the end Regards Krishna Gopal -- dear naganarayan ji. there is lot of flora and founa arround us which no other species other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is and what is the purpose of such variety. Now all the living beings are born with their torso in line with the earth axis. Strangely it is the man only who has his torso perpendicular to the earth axis. Certainly a point to be probed and understood. Then, when it is the purpose of living and dying why to have discrimination and curiosity to know, all the art and sciences. Definitly all this indicate towards some spacial purpose of human birth. Not merely living a quality living. When you probe into the cosmic evolution you will see that from nothingness ( nirakar) cosmic projection of matter came into existence further development in the same evolution brought in the living species finally culminating at the birth of human life.. now history speaks that there is hardly any development in the living being that could be said to be some what superior to man. Thus you are at a status where the further evolution is almost stopped. This in itself indicates that man is at the threshold of finally merging into nothingness thus completing the cycle of evolution which started from nothingnees and goes back to the same nothingness. Which in terms of sprit is called self realisation, freedom from the cycle of reincarnation. i have tried to give you the totality of the purpose of human birth in nut shell. In case you want further clarification please feel free to communicate with me thanks and lots of love and blessings ck kaul -- dear all brothers and sisters on this forum my humble parnaams to ALL why to loose your sleep.. The Yoga means giving charge of your LIfe to The Supreme.. Let Her take care of you and Your fraility. But you need to Surrender; this is the Secret and the Key to the puzzle of Life Mystery is solved once you feel Her Hand in your Life.. why worry.. the Key to evolution is Dharma, Explore the true meaning of Dharma and follow the dharma. the first step of this Journey... thanks... kuldip -- Dear Friends, The purpose of life is to have a goal and work towards it. Even striving " to not have a purpose " is a goal and one obviously works for it. girish desai --- , " sadhak_insight " <sadhak_insight wrote: > > Dear Friend: > > This a question that has burnt me quite a bit … I lost sleep for > many months on this … > > The purpose of The Life cannot be determined by us as we remain > miniscule specs in the infinite ocean of Life. At best, we can say > that the purpose of The Life is Itself. I consider the question > as " what is the purpose of an individual in its life? " > > It is the survival program that creates this notion of purpose of > life in us. The ego is created to generate an identity for an > individual. The system is steered by the ego to enhance and protect > this identity. That is the reason we always feel one with this body- > mind cluster and always think that " I am this body/mind " . Obviously, > the ego has to take a stand of being a guardian to safeguard this > system in its duty. Its job is secured as far as there is a request > for help from the system. The ego generates relations with the rest > of the world to steer the system in the physical world and happens > to understand the adversities around that continuously threaten the > individual system's survival. The purpose of the ego is to nurture > and safeguard the individual system at any cost. Therefore, to > protect its own survival it craves to look forward for reasons how > it can execute its job " save the system " . In a sense it assures " job > security " to itself by imagining that it is the sole care-taker of > the individual system and the relations it has established with the > external world. As a result, it develops a sense of ownership and > authority over the system, its relations as well as, the related > objects. The apparent purpose of life of an individual is to > establish, protect and enhance this ownership and authority. From > ego's point of view, life ends in the absence of itself which is in > a way true because it always interprets the life as its perpetual > association with the individual body-mind cluster, its relations > with the world and the related objects in the world. But, its true > worry is its own oblivion as a result of the potential loss of life – > which again is the body-mind cluster and its worldly possession > that it owns in its understanding. > > The very notion of " the purpose of life " is generated for its ever- > lasting and never-achieved quest for eternity within its authority. > It poses this question to itself whenever there is a threat to life – > that is its own existence. The quest in the background is " Is there > any benefit for me? If so, let me encourage the environment. Is > there is any threat for my existence? Then let me thwart the > environment. If not possible, let me escape at least. " Basically, > the purpose of life for the ego is a perpetual saga of diplomacy, > fight and escape with reference to its environment. Due to the > notion of existence it has created for itself it is perpetually > chased by fears that threaten its growth and existence while it > eternally chases the desires that show potential congeniality to its > existence and growth. It believes that the only fuel that can be > adapted in its journey to successfully achieve its ends – to acquire > and safeguard ownership – is this notion, THE PURPOSE OF LIFE! It > hangs on to it so dearly that no one can literally fight against it. > One has to satisfy this guardian of all actions to take up any > action – that is the authority ego has assigned to its own notion. > Even in spirituality, one has to appease this gate keeper to explore > any possibilities outside. The fellow is really sticky and won't let > you free of itself all through your exploration just like > Nakshatrika on King Harischandra's shoulder. > > In fact, the " purpose of life " is the biggest hurdle for the > progress in spirituality since it is this notion that empowers the > ego steadfast against a spiritual quest. Unless one faces it > correctly, it is impossible to face the ego … and hence impossible > to drop ownership … and hence impossible to attain The Bliss void of > desires and fears. > > As spiritual seekers, we need to acknowledge and respect this > fellow – the purpose of life – in proper light. In my opinion, the > purpose of spirituality is to seek the same in this purpose of life > to eliminate all the purposes of life imagined by oneself. The > purpose of spirituality drops off automatically in the absence of > the rest of the purposes. > > My understanding on this quest is: Do not try to look for the > purpose. Become the purpose. Be the purpose. As Tilakji has > beautifully observed – the pot never seeks the purpose of its > creation ... why us? The pot instantly becomes the purpose … why not > us? > > Respects. > > Naga Narayana. > - > my dear divine souls! > > my humble parnaams....... > > The purpose of Life is only... to Know Thy Self.. > when we focus our energies in wordly pursuits.. > we are in the Nature of Ignorance and do not understand the Meaning > of life. > > We humans have reached the final stage of evolution where we have the > mind, and we can the understanding of what is Ultimate good and what > is evil in us. > We in the very nature are God in disguise.. Ishwar is our true natue > who is Love, Beauty, Power, Knowledge..Bliss (Ananda), but we are > here not experiencing these attributes of God. > so the purpose of Life is only to arrive at our True Nature.. > > Janam mritu jara vyadhi dukh doshanu darshnam.. > A keen perception of the defective nature of the ordinary physical > man and its aimless and painful subjection to birth, death, disease > and age..bg.13 9 > > thanks... > kuldip > > - > > The purpose of Life is to be useful to others, both animate and > inanimate and help without any expectation of rewards and achieve the > goal of NO REBIRTH. > > G.Vaidyanathan > > - > If we all believe and to the Vedantic thoughts, then the > purpose of life is to get redemption from the cycle of death, rebirth > etc brought about by our limitless karmas. Gita clearly says that we > are bound in this Samsara and unless we surrender to Him totally, > (Chapter 18 Sloka 66) there is no way that we could obtain salvation > on our own. He is the only one who has the Power to wipe out all our > karmas (both good and bad) that would enable us to be in eternal > bliss with Him. After this total surrender, we continue to live in a > detached way leading a Dharmic life and simply wait for the final > salvation until our time comes to depart from this world. " Detached " > does not mean we do not look after our family or the society. It is > performing our dharmic karmas without expectation of any reward. The > outcome of our action is also surrendered to Lord krishna. > > I believe this is the essence and purpose of life. Since we have put > our trust in Him, it is for Him to look after us during the rest of > our life. > > Humble servant of the God > G Rangarajan > - > Dear Sadhakas, > > Virtue and vice, happiness and sorrow are all attributes of the mind, > not of Yourself, O All-pervading One! > You are neither the " doer " nor the " enjoyer " . Indeed, you are ever- > free!!! > > Dharma Dharmau Sukham Dukham Manasani na te vibho > Na Karta-si na Bhogta-si Mukta evasi sarvada > (Ashtawakra Gita Chapter 1 verse 6) > > As long as there is the EGO....this identity with the BODY, MIND & > INTELLECT, will keep us all in the dualities of life. The sense > of 'doership' and/or 'enjoyership' gives the feeling of good & bad, > happiness & unhappiness, joy & sorrow. The moment....ego > disappears....the identity also disappears and the true Eternal > Blissful Self appears..where there are no questions or confusions. > > Hare Ram Hare Ram > Ram Ram Hare Hare > Hare Krishna Hare Krishna > Krishna Krsihna Hare Hare > > Abhinav Mehta > > > Life loses its purpose unless guided by God. > Many cultures have within their lore stories similar to Hänsel and > Gretel, a tale of Germanic origin and adapted by the Brothers Grimm: > people happy and cared for, subsequent misfortune, loss, apparent > escape, even greater danger and final deliverance. When the children are lost in the woods we read these words: " ...as (Hänsel) walked through the trees, he left a trail of crumbs behind him to mark the way. " > > How often do we feel like these lost children, wandering through a > life that seems dark with dangerous shadows, not only unsure of our > destination, but uncertain which fork of the road to take. Perhaps it > is job uncertainty, or career choices or relationship questions. Sometimes it is even doubt about God's love or leading. What are some crumbs on the path to mark our way? > > Author John Baillie writes, " I thank Thee that this Christian way > whereon I walk is no untried or uncharted road, but a road beaten > hard by the footsteps of saints, apostles, prophets, and martyrs. I > thank Thee for the finger-posts and danger signals with which it is > marked at every turning and which may be known to me through study of > the Bible and of all history, and of all the great literature of the > world. " > > God often directs us through the quiet voice of his Spirit speaking to > the inner places of our own spirits, but He has also given us more > visible crumbs along the way. It is of vital importance that we pay > close attention to those crumbs. > > Bread crumbs don't seem like much, Lord, but sometimes those crumbs > are all we have to follow. Thank you that through your Holy Spirit the > crumbs can be magnified and thus visible to our seeking eyes. > > yeshu rathenam > > Adarniya Bhaktjan, > > Praman > > I am writing below about the Purpose of life which may be useful in > doing spirituality. > > From a spiritual perspective, there are two generic reasons why we > are born. These reasons define the purpose of our lives at the most > basic level. They are: > - To complete the give-and-take account we have with various people - > - To make spiritual progress with the final aim of merging into God > and therefore getting out of the cycle of birth and death. > > Completing our give-and-take account > Over many lifetimes, we accumulate many give-and-take accounts that > are a direct result of our deeds and actions. The accounts may be > positive or negative depending on the positive or negative nature of > our actions. As a rule of thumb, in the current era approximately 65% > of our lives are destined (not within our control) and 35% of our > lives are governed by our own freewill. All major events in our life > are by and large destined. These events include our birth, the family > we are born into, the person (or persons) we marry, the children we > have, serious illnesses and the time of our death. The happiness and > pain that we give and receive from loved ones and acquaintances are > by and large simply a case of prior give-and-take accounts directing > the way relationships unravel and play out. > > However even our destiny in the current lifetime is just a fraction > of the accumulated give-and take account that we amass over many > lifetimes. > In our lifetime, while we do complete our give-and-take account and > destiny earmarked for this particular lifetime of ours, we also end > up creating more accounts by using our wilful action. This in turn > finally adds up to our overall give-and-take account known as the > accumulated account. As a result, we have to be born again to settle > further give-and-take accounts and are stuck in the cycle of birth > and death. > > Making spiritual progress > The ultimate in spiritual development in any Spiritual path is > merging with God. `Merging with God' means experiencing God within us > and all around us and not identifying with our five senses, mind and > intellect. This happens at the 100% spiritual level. Most people in > today's world are at the 20-25% spiritual level and are disinclined > to any spiritual practice for spiritual development. They also > heavily identify with their 5 senses, mind and intellect. This is > reflected in our lives when we focus mainly on our looks or are > arrogant about our intelligence or success. > > By spiritual practice when we grow to the spiritual level of 80%, we > are liberated from the cycle of birth and death. After this spiritual > level, we can settle whatever remaining give-and-take accounts we > have from the higher subtle realms of Mahaaloka and above. Sometimes > however, people above the 80% spiritual level may choose to be born > on Earth to guide humanity in Spirituality. > > Rahul Kinger > - > , " sadhak_insight " > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > I request SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI to comments and provide some > > guidance so that we can generate more opnions and awareness on this > > subject. > > > > Thanks. Namaste. > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > ----------------------------- > > > > Dear Sir, > > > > I am a student of Gita. I am also a student of world history. > > > > The Purpose of Living is a constant theme of the Perennial > > Philosophy ie. Vedanta. > > > > I have always been inspired by the thoughts of the Roman emperor > > Marcus Aurelius who I believe was a true Vedantin in his approach > to > > the question " What is the purpose of Human life " . > > > > I reproduce below his notes from his famous book " Meditations " . > Hope > > it might be of interest to members of your cyber-satsangh. > > > > Best regds, > > daasan Sudarshan MK > > > > ************************** > > " Remember two things: > > > > 1. that everything has always been the same, and keeps recurring, > > and it makes no difference whether you see the same things recur in > > a hundred years or two hundred or in an infinite period; > > > > 2. that the longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose the > > same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since that is > > all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose. > > > > " The human soul degrades itself: > > > > 1. above all when it does its best to become an abscess, a kind of > > detached growth on the world. To be disgruntled at anything that > > happens is a kind of secession from Nature, which comprises the > > nature of all things. > > > > 2. when it turns its back on another person or sets out to harm to > > do it harm, as the souls of the angry do. > > > > 3. when it is overpowered by pleasure or pain. > > > > 4. when it puts on a mask and does or says something artificial or > > false. > > > > 5. when it allows its actions and impulse to be without a purpose, > > to be random and disconnected: even the smallest things ought to be > > directed toward a goal. But the goal of rational beings is to follow > > the rule and law of the most ancient of communities and states. > > > > ************ > > > > " Human Life: > > > > Duration: momentary > > Nature: changeable > > Perception: dim > > Condition of Body: decaying > > Soul: spinning around > > Fortune: unpredictable > > Lasting fame: uncertain > > > > Sum Up: the body and its parts are a river, the soul a dream and > > mist, life is warfare and a journey far from home, lasting > > reputation is oblivion. > > > > Then what guides us? Only philosophy. > > > > Which means making sure that the power within stays safe and free > > from assault, above pleasure and pain, doing nothing randomly or > > dishonestly and with imposture, not dependent on anyone else's doing > > something or not doing it. And making sure that it accepts what > > happens happens and what it is dealt as coming from the same place > > it came from. And above all, that it accepts death in a cheerful > > spirit, as nothing but the dissolution of the elements from which > > each living thing is composed. If it doesnt hurt the individual > > elements to change continually into one another, why are people > > afraid of all of them changing and separating? It's a natural > thing. > > And nothing natural is evil. " > > > > ********************* > > > > Warm Regards, > > Sudarshan > > > > " A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is worth > as > > much as life " . > > (Andre Malraux) > > > > - > > Dear friends, > > The purpose of life is to be Happy. Every one is trying to be > happy. > > However, most people do not know what happiness is. Without the > > Knowledge of what happiness is how can one attain happiness. It is > > like someone who have never seen a mango and trying to buy one in a > > shopping center. He is totally dependent on others. There is a very > > good analysis of the purpose of life and the happiness in Gita > > Rahasya by BG Tilak. > > I strongly recommend the chapter on Happiness and Unhappiness in > > this book. My final conclusion is at the bottom. How you proceed in > > life and all the value system can be derived from what happiness is > > and how to achieve eternal happiness. Bhagvat Gita is an > > indispensable guide to attaining this eternal happiness. > > basant tariyal > > > > --------------------------- > > When I create a pot out of mud, the pot - (the creation) does not > > know the purpose for which it is being created. Only the creator > > knows why he made the creation. We are born to such and such > > parents (as we think of the body level), we are kept here through > > them for doing some of His karmas through this body. Actually we > > are never born and will never die from the Atma level. We humans > > think from the physical and mental level only that is why this > > confusion. > > > > vanaja nair > > -- > > , " sadhak_insight " > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! > > > The purpose of living is implicit in correct understanding of > > life! > > > It would seem that living in peace, harmony, love, joy, is > > intrinsic > > > to our nature. > > > If one is joyous, in peace, and loving, one would like to stay > > there > > > as much as possible. No one would say " let me be unhappy now, I > am > > > bored being happy " . However, when one is in pain, unhappy, > > restless, > > > angry, etc then one would like to push them away as soon as they > > can > > > to be in happy state. This shows our true nature is that of being > > at > > > peace, happy, and in harmony with our environment. > > > SO the purpose is to live in this way, in line with what God > > intends > > > us to live. > > > All our pursuits are for being happy, be them for money, power, > > > fame, sex, religious following, or whatever one is running after. > > > One just doesn't know it and considers these pursuits as ends in > > > themselves. Soon he/she forgets the purpose of living and > > attributes > > > happiness in such objects. One gets attached to them, depending > on > > > them for his/her happiness, and starts possessing them at all > > costs. > > > In this way one gets in conflict with others as each is doing the > > > same. This is the beginning of suffering. To realize one's true > > > nature being happiness itself, peace itself, harmony itself and > > thus > > > doesn't depend on objects is of utmost importance. One has to > > > discover the right address of peace and happiness as not being in > > > objects but within oneself. > > > One is complete as one naturally is made, lacking nothing. This > > > brings happiness in absence or in presence of objects. One lives > > > apparantly individually fulfilling one's role in life where > he/she > > > is placed by God, doing selfless karmas, guided by dharma and > > > preparing for moksha. One lives this with full understanding that > > > one is not an individual but rather part of totality that works > > > through one's body-mind organism, an instrument to partake in > > Divine > > > celebration, Leela. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF LIVING as I see it! > > > Namaskar...Pratap > > > (Pratap Bhatt) > > > ---------------------------- > > > My current opinion is life`s purpose is not `given` > > > > > > Everyone has been given the power to exercise his choice to > select > > > the purpose,and then work towards attaining it.Also as Gita > > says,You > > > donot have a right to attain the purpose. > > > > > > At a deeper level,the values one selects to live by can be called > > a > > > purpose.Is this the Dharma? > > > > > > Bhave. > > > (Prakash Bhave) > > > > > > ----------------------------- > > > Jai Sitaramjiki. > > > > > > Reference the above topic for discussion, I request the > following:- > > > > > > It is a very important topic for discussion. However, can we > > please > > > first have the comments of SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI as he must > have > > > spoken on this subject in his life time. Dhanyavad. > > > > > > Dhanyavad and Ram Ram. > > > > > > Bhavdiy > > > > > > SHER SINGH AGRAWAL > > > ----------------------------- > > > Namaste, > > > The purpose of being on this earth, is to remove all VASANAS. But > > > while living and exhausting vasanas, we also keep adding some > more > > > vasanas. This gives birth and death to several birth cycles > > > (jalmas). The choice is ours. By perfecting our devotion (Bakthi) > > > one can obtain the resolve (sankalpan) of God (Bagavan) to give > us > > > mukthi (salvation). > > > B.Sathyanarayan > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > > Namaste > > > > > > Is Atma which is present in all living beings is part of > Parmatama > > > (God) > > > > > > If yes then all living beings are connected with each other with > > > strongest possible link > > > > > > Can we communicate with all living beings, other than man, with > > this > > > link > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > Ramesh Suri > > > --------------------------- > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Dear MODERATOR, > > > > > > > > Namaste! > > > > > > > > I would like to request a discussion on a new topic, " PURPOSE > OF > > > > LIVING. " I am not sure if this topic has been discussed > before. > > I > > > > would really appreciate, if you can help me/us understand the > > > answer > > > > to this question. > > > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > ---------------------- > > > > > > > > FROM THE MODERATOR > > > > > > > > The following are the guidelines for Gita-Talk discussions. > > > > > > > > GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: > > > > 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their > doubts > > > > related to Gitaji shalokas. Therefore, responses which further > > > > clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. > > > > 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures > to > > > > substantiate your response. > > > > 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to > the > > > > extent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas > > > > 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, > respecting > > > > sadhaka's time. > > > > 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. > > > > 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other > > > > organizations. > > > > 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as > phone > > > > number, address etc. > > > > 8. Please do not address the response to a particular > individual > > > > since the message is going to the entire group. > > > > 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be posted. > > > > 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if > > > content > > > > is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. > > > > 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, > youth, > > > > westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to > > > Sanskrit > > > > words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit > > > bracketed > > > > wherever possible. > > > > > > > > MODERATOR > > > > Ram Ram > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Respected Ones : Thank you very much for taking interest in my utterance. I am grateful for that as well as your love and blessings. I need them. However, I am helpless but to note couple of things here. Pardon me for my prudence. But, my intention is purely to unveil my ignorance further for my own benefit. " no other species other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is and what is the purpose of such variety " I do not think I understand how exactly others truly observe and enjoy - not just flora and fauna, even humans. I have observed a tendency that I observe, experience and enjoy the best because I seem to know only that. Accordingly, we develop tendencies to respect what we believe and reject what we do not. We categorically claim to have comprehended what we believe and categorically reject what we do not comprehend. It is this tendency that is called Maya or Ignorance. Do we really have authority to judge how others observe and enjoy things?! Even so, is there any benefit for me in doing so? Even if no benefits are there, are not there any harms in doing so? I need to be careful here. " to have discrimination and curiosity to know, all the art and sciences … all this indicate towards some spacial purpose of human birth " Do the elements like curiosity, discrimination etc. make one superior? As a matter of fact, can any perceivable element make any one superior? Is such superiority complex the one that is one's major misery in this life? I understand that the urge to feel special is called pride which is the back bone of the human ego. If you think otherwise, pl. let me know. " there is hardly any development in the living being that could be said to be some what superior to man " The nature has blessed the human with apparently more powerful tools of survival in a general sense. Yet, humans suffer more than the rest! Why?! Instead of utilizing the thinking power it has been blessed with, the humanity has spent all its lives in self- superiority-promotion. I am not surprised by your urge for superiority. All humans do. I too do. All think that everything in the universe is created to felicitate human superiority. Humans can even imagine the gods to serve them. But yet, they suffer the most … meekly. Don't you think the humans abuse their so called faculties to acquire more opaque ignorance than flora and fauna around pretending to know under the canopy of ignorance? If not, why there are only handful of incidences of Vyasa, Shankara, Jesus, Paramahamsa, Ramana amongst the zillions of human lives that have been consumed in the ocean of life on earth? " you are at a status where the further evolution is almost stopped " I am certain that I have not understood the creation or evolution even a bit. I do not think that I can ever understand whether is has started or stopped or where it stands now. Certainly, I am not (and I can never be) the authority over it. Therefore, I have no comments on this. " …finally merging into nothingness " Finally, I feel you are talking something that is of use to me. Yes, if we utilize our faculties humbly to be one with that nothingness that you are speaking off … the life is worth it. But don't you see that The Nothingness is the invariant wherein no purpose of ours can withstand even for a moment? Don't you see that it is the " purpose of life " conceived by the human brain that has entangled him/her within this brain not allowing him/her to merge with The Truth, The Nothingness? In my opinion, all the purposes of our lives have been concocted by our egos to promote this notion of superiority over the rest directly or indirectly … some times hidden even in spiritual aspirations. Until the purpose of life exists in me, my understanding is that I am not willing to relinquish my ownership on actions, knowledge and experience. In that case, how can I ever attain The Truth with the help of any such purpose? I still reiterate the same that I uttered before … The ONLY Purpose that is useful in this life is to realize that all the purposes of our lives are just concoctions brewed within our tiny brains and experience that such concoctions are the very bondages that have imprisoned us within our perceived illusive and evasive worlds of notions and ideas. In other words, The Purpose of spirituality is to drop all the purposes, the associated ownership, bondage and burden of our lives altogether. This is my apparent understanding at this point of time. I may not be able to observe and recognize my ignorance in it, which is quite possible knowing the chains of ignorance I have unearthed in myself so far. Therefore, I request you to teach me if you think otherwise. Thank You. Respects. Naga Narayana. ---- Respected G.vaidyanathan ji.. My Gratitde for posting the Acharya Swami Ramsukdasji maharaj.. swamiji revealed the essence of His Knowledge in simple words.. our humble parnaams to Swami ji.. as Brother krishna Gopal wrote.. We are nityamukta.. we do not need Moksa (liberation)..as atma is nityamukta (eternally free).. we play bounded as IT IS HIS WILL.. As we are ready..His sanctions frees the soul to Do His Work in the world. you are mere nimitmaatram. (an instrument). " all that is done in the Universe It is Divine through His shakti is behind all action, but He is veiled by his Yogamaya and acting through the ego of the Jiva......' Nature cannot be satisfied with the present human evolutionary level.. as we are sanatan ansh (part , ray of) of Ishwara (God Consciousness). ck kaul , " sadhak_insight " <sadhak_insight wrote: > > Message of Swamiji clearly brings out the purpose of life. > G.Vaidyanathan. > > sadhaka > sadhak_insight > Tue, 8 Apr 2008 03:34:54 -0700 > [sadhaka] Purpose of LIfe (April 8, 2008) > > :Shree Hari: > > 8th April, 2008, Tuesday > Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, Vikram Samvat 2064, Mangalvar > > God, by showering His grace has blessed us with four things - 1) this > human life, 2) the understanding 3) the means and 4) the > capabilities. These four things have been given to us primarily for > the purpose of realizing the Truth (attaining salvation, God or Self > Realization). > > A very important point here is that the time, the means, the > understanding and the competencies that we currently have, if we > engage them all in realizing the Truth (God, Self) then perfection > (realization) in human life can be achieved. We have already been > provided all that is needed for God Realization. And if there is any > thing lacking (deficiencies), then God will fulfill those > deficiencies Himself. The kingdom of God is open at all times for > everyone. > > It is said in the Ramcharitramanasa - " Kabahu kari karunaa ner dehi; > Det is binu hetu sanehi. " (Manasa 7:43:3) > In man there is a feeling of uncertainty, how can I realize God? > However, this life, this birth is only for this purpose. There is no > other purpose. Yet deep within us lingers this thought, this subtle > doubt, that are we really capable ? Are we really worthy? This > feeling of unworthiness, is the greatest obstacle in realizing God. > Just like a mother always accepts her child in her lap, no matter how > good or bad he is. The child is ever entitled to be in his mother's > lap. Similarly we are all eligible for God Realization, no matter > what we are. > > God says in the Gita " Api chetsuduraachaaro, bhajate maam ananya bhaak > Saadhureva sa mantavyah samyagvyavasitohi saha " (Gita 9:30) > Simply speaking, even if the worst of sinners becomes Mine, he should > be considered a saint, because he is determined to turn towards Me, > says God. Only due to his firm determination. Once this determination > is made, can wrongful actions become obstacles in God Realization? Is > God so very weak that He will be stalled by few actions? > > Pay attention to this verse. It is mentioned here that God, is a well- > wisher without any motive, and simply by His grace He has bestowed > this human life on us, so that we can become free from sorrows and > attain Him. The implication here is that God intends for our > upliftment, our benediction. So with a little effort on our part, His > intention will come true. > > In summary the purpose of life is to serve others, to realize the > truth (Self) and to believe in God as our very own. It is for these, > that this human life, this human birth has been received. > > From Discourse in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji > > Ram Ram > -- > All life have one purpose but is different for different people. This > purpose is liberation or MOXA but each one of us as per ones' > swabhaav (innate nature) is near and far from this end goal, and > therefore have different goals in short term. Life is a journey and > as we go up in understanding, our attachments with world reduces and > as we know the abstract, we get MOXA in step by step. > > MOXA is liberation and it is purpose of life. Liberation from disese, > liberation from hunger, liberation from ignorance, liberation from > unwanted controls, liberation to work as per own wish, liberation to > work for self and family, liberation to work for community, and > liberation for self and all. Scientists are doing work of inventing > medicines, engineers build machines, saints do the preachng, soldiers > do the war in defense, and so on. Each one is to do his/her 'niyat > karma' as per given swabhaav (nature)because it is only justification > of life at that moment. When swabhav (dharma) gets improved the work > also changes, and you find a laywer like Gandhi becoming replica of > Kabir. > This is BHAGWAT GITA from begining to the end > Regards > Krishna Gopal > > -- > dear naganarayan ji. > there is lot of flora and founa arround us which no other species > other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is and what is the > purpose of such variety. Now all the living beings are born with > their torso in line with the earth axis. Strangely it is the man > only who has his torso perpendicular to the earth axis. Certainly a > point to be probed and understood. Then, when it is the purpose of > living and dying why to have discrimination and curiosity to know, > all the art and sciences. Definitly all this indicate towards some > spacial purpose of human birth. Not merely living a quality living. > When you probe into the cosmic evolution you will see that from > nothingness ( nirakar) cosmic projection of matter came into > existence further development in the same evolution brought in the > living species finally culminating at the birth of human life.. now > history speaks that there is hardly any development in the living > being that could be said to be some what superior to man. Thus you > are at a status where the further evolution is almost stopped. This > in itself indicates that man is at the threshold of finally merging > into nothingness thus completing the cycle of evolution which started > from nothingnees and goes back to the same nothingness. Which in > terms of sprit is called self realisation, freedom from the cycle of > reincarnation. i have tried to give you the totality of the purpose > of human birth in nut shell. In case you want further clarification > please feel free to communicate with me thanks and lots of love and > blessings ck kaul > -- > dear all brothers and sisters on this forum > my humble parnaams to ALL > why to loose your sleep.. > The Yoga means giving charge of your LIfe to The Supreme.. > Let Her take care of you and Your fraility. > But you need to Surrender; this is the Secret > and the Key to the puzzle of Life > Mystery is solved once you feel Her Hand in your Life.. > why worry.. > the Key to evolution is Dharma, > Explore the true meaning of Dharma and follow the dharma. > the first step of this Journey... > thanks... > kuldip > > -- > Dear Friends, > > The purpose of life is to have a goal and work towards it. Even > striving " to not have a purpose " is a goal and one obviously works > for it. > > girish desai > > -- - > , " sadhak_insight " > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > Dear Friend: > > > > This a question that has burnt me quite a bit … I lost sleep for > > many months on this … > > > > The purpose of The Life cannot be determined by us as we remain > > miniscule specs in the infinite ocean of Life. At best, we can say > > that the purpose of The Life is Itself. I consider the question > > as " what is the purpose of an individual in its life? " > > > > It is the survival program that creates this notion of purpose of > > life in us. The ego is created to generate an identity for an > > individual. The system is steered by the ego to enhance and protect > > this identity. That is the reason we always feel one with this body- > > mind cluster and always think that " I am this body/mind " . Obviously, > > the ego has to take a stand of being a guardian to safeguard this > > system in its duty. Its job is secured as far as there is a request > > for help from the system. The ego generates relations with the rest > > of the world to steer the system in the physical world and happens > > to understand the adversities around that continuously threaten the > > individual system's survival. The purpose of the ego is to nurture > > and safeguard the individual system at any cost. Therefore, to > > protect its own survival it craves to look forward for reasons how > > it can execute its job " save the system " . In a sense it assures " job > > security " to itself by imagining that it is the sole care-taker of > > the individual system and the relations it has established with the > > external world. As a result, it develops a sense of ownership and > > authority over the system, its relations as well as, the related > > objects. The apparent purpose of life of an individual is to > > establish, protect and enhance this ownership and authority. From > > ego's point of view, life ends in the absence of itself which is in > > a way true because it always interprets the life as its perpetual > > association with the individual body-mind cluster, its relations > > with the world and the related objects in the world. But, its true > > worry is its own oblivion as a result of the potential loss of > life – > > which again is the body-mind cluster and its worldly possession > > that it owns in its understanding. > > > > The very notion of " the purpose of life " is generated for its ever- > > lasting and never-achieved quest for eternity within its authority. > > It poses this question to itself whenever there is a threat to > life – > > that is its own existence. The quest in the background is " Is > there > > any benefit for me? If so, let me encourage the environment. Is > > there is any threat for my existence? Then let me thwart the > > environment. If not possible, let me escape at least. " Basically, > > the purpose of life for the ego is a perpetual saga of diplomacy, > > fight and escape with reference to its environment. Due to the > > notion of existence it has created for itself it is perpetually > > chased by fears that threaten its growth and existence while it > > eternally chases the desires that show potential congeniality to its > > existence and growth. It believes that the only fuel that can be > > adapted in its journey to successfully achieve its ends – to acquire > > and safeguard ownership – is this notion, THE PURPOSE OF LIFE! It > > hangs on to it so dearly that no one can literally fight against it. > > One has to satisfy this guardian of all actions to take up any > > action – that is the authority ego has assigned to its own notion. > > Even in spirituality, one has to appease this gate keeper to explore > > any possibilities outside. The fellow is really sticky and won't let > > you free of itself all through your exploration just like > > Nakshatrika on King Harischandra's shoulder. > > > > In fact, the " purpose of life " is the biggest hurdle for the > > progress in spirituality since it is this notion that empowers the > > ego steadfast against a spiritual quest. Unless one faces it > > correctly, it is impossible to face the ego … and hence impossible > > to drop ownership … and hence impossible to attain The Bliss void of > > desires and fears. > > > > As spiritual seekers, we need to acknowledge and respect this > > fellow – the purpose of life – in proper light. In my opinion, the > > purpose of spirituality is to seek the same in this purpose of life > > to eliminate all the purposes of life imagined by oneself. The > > purpose of spirituality drops off automatically in the absence of > > the rest of the purposes. > > > > My understanding on this quest is: Do not try to look for the > > purpose. Become the purpose. Be the purpose. As Tilakji has > > beautifully observed – the pot never seeks the purpose of its > > creation ... why us? The pot instantly becomes the purpose … why not > > us? > > > > Respects. > > > > Naga Narayana. > > - > > my dear divine souls! > > > > my humble parnaams....... > > > > The purpose of Life is only... to Know Thy Self.. > > when we focus our energies in wordly pursuits.. > > we are in the Nature of Ignorance and do not understand the Meaning > > of life. > > > > We humans have reached the final stage of evolution where we have > the > > mind, and we can the understanding of what is Ultimate good and what > > is evil in us. > > We in the very nature are God in disguise.. Ishwar is our true natue > > who is Love, Beauty, Power, Knowledge..Bliss (Ananda), but we are > > here not experiencing these attributes of God. > > so the purpose of Life is only to arrive at our True Nature.. > > > > Janam mritu jara vyadhi dukh doshanu darshnam.. > > A keen perception of the defective nature of the ordinary physical > > man and its aimless and painful subjection to birth, death, disease > > and age..bg.13 9 > > > > thanks... > > kuldip > > > > - > > > > The purpose of Life is to be useful to others, both animate and > > inanimate and help without any expectation of rewards and achieve > the > > goal of NO REBIRTH. > > > > G.Vaidyanathan > > > > - > > If we all believe and to the Vedantic thoughts, then the > > purpose of life is to get redemption from the cycle of death, > rebirth > > etc brought about by our limitless karmas. Gita clearly says that we > > are bound in this Samsara and unless we surrender to Him totally, > > (Chapter 18 Sloka 66) there is no way that we could obtain salvation > > on our own. He is the only one who has the Power to wipe out all our > > karmas (both good and bad) that would enable us to be in eternal > > bliss with Him. After this total surrender, we continue to live in a > > detached way leading a Dharmic life and simply wait for the final > > salvation until our time comes to depart from this world. " Detached " > > does not mean we do not look after our family or the society. It is > > performing our dharmic karmas without expectation of any reward. The > > outcome of our action is also surrendered to Lord krishna. > > > > I believe this is the essence and purpose of life. Since we have put > > our trust in Him, it is for Him to look after us during the rest of > > our life. > > > > Humble servant of the God > > G Rangarajan > > - > > Dear Sadhakas, > > > > Virtue and vice, happiness and sorrow are all attributes of the > mind, > > not of Yourself, O All-pervading One! > > You are neither the " doer " nor the " enjoyer " . Indeed, you are ever- > > free!!! > > > > Dharma Dharmau Sukham Dukham Manasani na te vibho > > Na Karta-si na Bhogta-si Mukta evasi sarvada > > (Ashtawakra Gita Chapter 1 verse 6) > > > > As long as there is the EGO....this identity with the BODY, MIND & > > INTELLECT, will keep us all in the dualities of life. The sense > > of 'doership' and/or 'enjoyership' gives the feeling of good & bad, > > happiness & unhappiness, joy & sorrow. The moment....ego > > disappears....the identity also disappears and the true Eternal > > Blissful Self appears..where there are no questions or confusions. > > > > Hare Ram Hare Ram > > Ram Ram Hare Hare > > Hare Krishna Hare Krishna > > Krishna Krsihna Hare Hare > > > > Abhinav Mehta > > > > > > Life loses its purpose unless guided by God. > > Many cultures have within their lore stories similar to Hänsel and > > Gretel, a tale of Germanic origin and adapted by the Brothers Grimm: > > people happy and cared for, subsequent misfortune, loss, apparent > > escape, even greater danger and final deliverance. When the > children are lost in the woods we read these words: " ...as (Hänsel) > walked through the trees, he left a trail of crumbs behind him to > mark the way. " > > > > How often do we feel like these lost children, wandering through a > > life that seems dark with dangerous shadows, not only unsure of our > > destination, but uncertain which fork of the road to take. Perhaps > it > > is job uncertainty, or career choices or relationship questions. > Sometimes it is even doubt about God's love or leading. What are some > crumbs on the path to mark our way? > > > > Author John Baillie writes, " I thank Thee that this Christian way > > whereon I walk is no untried or uncharted road, but a road beaten > > hard by the footsteps of saints, apostles, prophets, and martyrs. I > > thank Thee for the finger-posts and danger signals with which it is > > marked at every turning and which may be known to me through study > of > > the Bible and of all history, and of all the great literature of the > > world. " > > > > God often directs us through the quiet voice of his Spirit speaking > to > > the inner places of our own spirits, but He has also given us more > > visible crumbs along the way. It is of vital importance that we > pay > > close attention to those crumbs. > > > > Bread crumbs don't seem like much, Lord, but sometimes those crumbs > > are all we have to follow. Thank you that through your Holy Spirit > the > > crumbs can be magnified and thus visible to our seeking eyes. > > > > yeshu rathenam > > > > Adarniya Bhaktjan, > > > > Praman > > > > I am writing below about the Purpose of life which may be useful in > > doing spirituality. > > > > From a spiritual perspective, there are two generic reasons why we > > are born. These reasons define the purpose of our lives at the most > > basic level. They are: > > - To complete the give-and-take account we have with various > people - > > - To make spiritual progress with the final aim of merging into God > > and therefore getting out of the cycle of birth and death. > > > > Completing our give-and-take account > > Over many lifetimes, we accumulate many give-and-take accounts that > > are a direct result of our deeds and actions. The accounts may be > > positive or negative depending on the positive or negative nature of > > our actions. As a rule of thumb, in the current era approximately > 65% > > of our lives are destined (not within our control) and 35% of our > > lives are governed by our own freewill. All major events in our life > > are by and large destined. These events include our birth, the > family > > we are born into, the person (or persons) we marry, the children we > > have, serious illnesses and the time of our death. The happiness and > > pain that we give and receive from loved ones and acquaintances are > > by and large simply a case of prior give-and-take accounts directing > > the way relationships unravel and play out. > > > > However even our destiny in the current lifetime is just a fraction > > of the accumulated give-and take account that we amass over many > > lifetimes. > > In our lifetime, while we do complete our give-and-take account and > > destiny earmarked for this particular lifetime of ours, we also end > > up creating more accounts by using our wilful action. This in turn > > finally adds up to our overall give-and-take account known as the > > accumulated account. As a result, we have to be born again to settle > > further give-and-take accounts and are stuck in the cycle of birth > > and death. > > > > Making spiritual progress > > The ultimate in spiritual development in any Spiritual path is > > merging with God. `Merging with God' means experiencing God within > us > > and all around us and not identifying with our five senses, mind and > > intellect. This happens at the 100% spiritual level. Most people in > > today's world are at the 20-25% spiritual level and are disinclined > > to any spiritual practice for spiritual development. They also > > heavily identify with their 5 senses, mind and intellect. This is > > reflected in our lives when we focus mainly on our looks or are > > arrogant about our intelligence or success. > > > > By spiritual practice when we grow to the spiritual level of 80%, we > > are liberated from the cycle of birth and death. After this > spiritual > > level, we can settle whatever remaining give-and-take accounts we > > have from the higher subtle realms of Mahaaloka and above. Sometimes > > however, people above the 80% spiritual level may choose to be born > > on Earth to guide humanity in Spirituality. > > > > Rahul Kinger > > - > > , " sadhak_insight " > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > I request SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI to comments and provide some > > > guidance so that we can generate more opnions and awareness on > this > > > subject. > > > > > > Thanks. Namaste. > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > > > ----------------------------- > > > > > > Dear Sir, > > > > > > I am a student of Gita. I am also a student of world history. > > > > > > The Purpose of Living is a constant theme of the Perennial > > > Philosophy ie. Vedanta. > > > > > > I have always been inspired by the thoughts of the Roman emperor > > > Marcus Aurelius who I believe was a true Vedantin in his approach > > to > > > the question " What is the purpose of Human life " . > > > > > > I reproduce below his notes from his famous book " Meditations " . > > Hope > > > it might be of interest to members of your cyber-satsangh. > > > > > > Best regds, > > > daasan Sudarshan MK > > > > > > ************************** > > > " Remember two things: > > > > > > 1. that everything has always been the same, and keeps recurring, > > > and it makes no difference whether you see the same things recur > in > > > a hundred years or two hundred or in an infinite period; > > > > > > 2. that the longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose the > > > same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since that > is > > > all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose. > > > > > > " The human soul degrades itself: > > > > > > 1. above all when it does its best to become an abscess, a kind of > > > detached growth on the world. To be disgruntled at anything that > > > happens is a kind of secession from Nature, which comprises the > > > nature of all things. > > > > > > 2. when it turns its back on another person or sets out to harm to > > > do it harm, as the souls of the angry do. > > > > > > 3. when it is overpowered by pleasure or pain. > > > > > > 4. when it puts on a mask and does or says something artificial or > > > false. > > > > > > 5. when it allows its actions and impulse to be without a purpose, > > > to be random and disconnected: even the smallest things ought to > be > > > directed toward a goal. But the goal of rational beings is to > follow > > > the rule and law of the most ancient of communities and states. > > > > > > ************ > > > > > > " Human Life: > > > > > > Duration: momentary > > > Nature: changeable > > > Perception: dim > > > Condition of Body: decaying > > > Soul: spinning around > > > Fortune: unpredictable > > > Lasting fame: uncertain > > > > > > Sum Up: the body and its parts are a river, the soul a dream and > > > mist, life is warfare and a journey far from home, lasting > > > reputation is oblivion. > > > > > > Then what guides us? Only philosophy. > > > > > > Which means making sure that the power within stays safe and free > > > from assault, above pleasure and pain, doing nothing randomly or > > > dishonestly and with imposture, not dependent on anyone else's > doing > > > something or not doing it. And making sure that it accepts what > > > happens happens and what it is dealt as coming from the same place > > > it came from. And above all, that it accepts death in a cheerful > > > spirit, as nothing but the dissolution of the elements from which > > > each living thing is composed. If it doesnt hurt the individual > > > elements to change continually into one another, why are people > > > afraid of all of them changing and separating? It's a natural > > thing. > > > And nothing natural is evil. " > > > > > > ********************* > > > > > > Warm Regards, > > > Sudarshan > > > > > > " A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is worth > > as > > > much as life " . > > > (Andre Malraux) > > > > > > ------------------------------- -- > - > > > Dear friends, > > > The purpose of life is to be Happy. Every one is trying to be > > happy. > > > However, most people do not know what happiness is. Without the > > > Knowledge of what happiness is how can one attain happiness. It is > > > like someone who have never seen a mango and trying to buy one in > a > > > shopping center. He is totally dependent on others. There is a > very > > > good analysis of the purpose of life and the happiness in Gita > > > Rahasya by BG Tilak. > > > I strongly recommend the chapter on Happiness and Unhappiness in > > > this book. My final conclusion is at the bottom. How you proceed > in > > > life and all the value system can be derived from what happiness > is > > > and how to achieve eternal happiness. Bhagvat Gita is an > > > indispensable guide to attaining this eternal happiness. > > > basant tariyal > > > > > > --------------------------- > > > When I create a pot out of mud, the pot - (the creation) does not > > > know the purpose for which it is being created. Only the creator > > > knows why he made the creation. We are born to such and such > > > parents (as we think of the body level), we are kept here through > > > them for doing some of His karmas through this body. Actually we > > > are never born and will never die from the Atma level. We humans > > > think from the physical and mental level only that is why this > > > confusion. > > > > > > vanaja nair > > > ------------------------------- -- > -- > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! > > > > The purpose of living is implicit in correct understanding of > > > life! > > > > It would seem that living in peace, harmony, love, joy, is > > > intrinsic > > > > to our nature. > > > > If one is joyous, in peace, and loving, one would like to stay > > > there > > > > as much as possible. No one would say " let me be unhappy now, I > > am > > > > bored being happy " . However, when one is in pain, unhappy, > > > restless, > > > > angry, etc then one would like to push them away as soon as they > > > can > > > > to be in happy state. This shows our true nature is that of > being > > > at > > > > peace, happy, and in harmony with our environment. > > > > SO the purpose is to live in this way, in line with what God > > > intends > > > > us to live. > > > > All our pursuits are for being happy, be them for money, power, > > > > fame, sex, religious following, or whatever one is running > after. > > > > One just doesn't know it and considers these pursuits as ends in > > > > themselves. Soon he/she forgets the purpose of living and > > > attributes > > > > happiness in such objects. One gets attached to them, depending > > on > > > > them for his/her happiness, and starts possessing them at all > > > costs. > > > > In this way one gets in conflict with others as each is doing > the > > > > same. This is the beginning of suffering. To realize one's true > > > > nature being happiness itself, peace itself, harmony itself and > > > thus > > > > doesn't depend on objects is of utmost importance. One has to > > > > discover the right address of peace and happiness as not being > in > > > > objects but within oneself. > > > > One is complete as one naturally is made, lacking nothing. This > > > > brings happiness in absence or in presence of objects. One lives > > > > apparantly individually fulfilling one's role in life where > > he/she > > > > is placed by God, doing selfless karmas, guided by dharma and > > > > preparing for moksha. One lives this with full understanding > that > > > > one is not an individual but rather part of totality that works > > > > through one's body-mind organism, an instrument to partake in > > > Divine > > > > celebration, Leela. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF LIVING as I see it! > > > > Namaskar...Pratap > > > > (Pratap Bhatt) > > > > ---------------------------- > > > > My current opinion is life`s purpose is not `given` > > > > > > > > Everyone has been given the power to exercise his choice to > > select > > > > the purpose,and then work towards attaining it.Also as Gita > > > says,You > > > > donot have a right to attain the purpose. > > > > > > > > At a deeper level,the values one selects to live by can be > called > > > a > > > > purpose.Is this the Dharma? > > > > > > > > Bhave. > > > > (Prakash Bhave) > > > > > > > > ----------------------------- > > > > Jai Sitaramjiki. > > > > > > > > Reference the above topic for discussion, I request the > > following:- > > > > > > > > It is a very important topic for discussion. However, can we > > > please > > > > first have the comments of SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI as he must > > have > > > > spoken on this subject in his life time. Dhanyavad. > > > > > > > > Dhanyavad and Ram Ram. > > > > > > > > Bhavdiy > > > > > > > > SHER SINGH AGRAWAL > > > > ----------------------------- > > > > Namaste, > > > > The purpose of being on this earth, is to remove all VASANAS. > But > > > > while living and exhausting vasanas, we also keep adding some > > more > > > > vasanas. This gives birth and death to several birth cycles > > > > (jalmas). The choice is ours. By perfecting our devotion > (Bakthi) > > > > one can obtain the resolve (sankalpan) of God (Bagavan) to give > > us > > > > mukthi (salvation). > > > > B.Sathyanarayan > > > > > > > > ----------------------------- -- > > > > Namaste > > > > > > > > Is Atma which is present in all living beings is part of > > Parmatama > > > > (God) > > > > > > > > If yes then all living beings are connected with each other with > > > > strongest possible link > > > > > > > > Can we communicate with all living beings, other than man, with > > > this > > > > link > > > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > > > Ramesh Suri > > > > --------------------------- > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Dear MODERATOR, > > > > > > > > > > Namaste! > > > > > > > > > > I would like to request a discussion on a new topic, " PURPOSE > > OF > > > > > LIVING. " I am not sure if this topic has been discussed > > before. > > > I > > > > > would really appreciate, if you can help me/us understand the > > > > answer > > > > > to this question. > > > > > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > > ---------------------- > > > > > > > > > > FROM THE MODERATOR > > > > > > > > > > The following are the guidelines for Gita-Talk discussions. > > > > > > > > > > GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: > > > > > 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their > > doubts > > > > > related to Gitaji shalokas. Therefore, responses which further > > > > > clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. > > > > > 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other scriptures > > to > > > > > substantiate your response. > > > > > 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to > > the > > > > > extent that they further help in understanding the Gita > shlokas > > > > > 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, > > respecting > > > > > sadhaka's time. > > > > > 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. > > > > > 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other > > > > > organizations. > > > > > 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as > > phone > > > > > number, address etc. > > > > > 8. Please do not address the response to a particular > > individual > > > > > since the message is going to the entire group. > > > > > 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be > posted. > > > > > 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if > > > > content > > > > > is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. > > > > > 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, > > youth, > > > > > westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to > > > > Sanskrit > > > > > words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit > > > > bracketed > > > > > wherever possible. > > > > > > > > > > MODERATOR > > > > > Ram Ram > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 Hari Om Dear fellow Seekers of truth, It is a well known fact that human birth is special.. All exalted Souls have proclaimed this fact.. Our authoritative scriptures also have declared it & is also in lines with our limited experience in this planet.. The very reason why we are thinking about the purpose of life itself is the evidence of our speciality.. Humans alone worry about questions like these & yearn for something higher & nobler than mundane material existance & inturn they are alone blessed with the capablity to achieve those higher goals in their very life span. Evolution always continues & has never come to a standstill. Our creator alone knows where it is all heading to. But as far as our limited human perception is concerned, it is not incorrect to say human beings are the most evolved beings in this little planet of ours at this juncture & they alone are capable of evolving themselves to further stages. If we look back in history, we can very well see how humans have evolved in both material & spiritual levels.. Where as our brothers in animal & plant kingdom are still where they were 1000s of years back.. Had they been capable of this, we'd have seen them evolving too.. So no doubt, human birth is very special as they alone are gifted with a discriminative intellect, although it is again upto them how they make use of this valuable gift from their creator.. Again, if we look at plants & animals, we can see that their behavior is programmed by instincts. Humans alone are capable of being consciously aware of their actions, thoughts & tendencies & reprogram themselves. We are all able to discuss this matter in this forum only because of these abilities given to us. But if we reflect on why we are discussing it, we'll realise that it is due to some incompleteness we feel about ourselves at this stage, be it related to fear of death or uncertainity of the future or anything else.. And why should we be worried about it unless completeness is our very true nature itself.. Otherwise it should not have disturbed us.. Swamiji used to say that hunger itself is the evidence that there exists something that can satisfy the hunger.. It is also our experience that we all are always behind acquiring knowledge, which is another reason why we start discussing topics like this.. This again is nothing but our natural inclination to be full in knowledge.. And it is also our experience that all our actions & thoughts are propelled towards gaining happiness, which is again an attempt by the conditioned Jeeva to regain its natural state of happiness.. So there is this want to return to that original state of fullness in each one of us, whether we are aware of it at this stage or not... So in this conditioned state, we are no longer in our natural state of completeness or rather not aware of it & knowingly or unknowingly all our endevours are aimed to take ourselves to that original state which is described by scriptures as Sat Chit Ananda.. Hence all the great souls repeatedly tell us that such a special human birth is not to be wasted by living like mere animals & running behind material pursuits. We are to make use of these special abilities (available to us only when we are in this human form) to awaken that dormant divinity within each one of us & firmly resolve to return to our original state. So instead of idling around in this material world, let us all resolve to return back to our original abode that we had left long back & long since forgotten. Let us Hurry Home as Swami Chinmayananda used to say.. What else could be the purpose of this Human life? Hari Om Sarath (sasidharan sarath) --------------------------- Manushya does not mean two legged man or women. Manu- shya = born from Manah. Pashu is not four legged animal but those who oblige to bondage. Shiva is called PASHUPATI only because he cutts off the contracts and bondage of cobweb of thoughts. PASHU BALI is not sacrifice of animal but getting free from all obligations and stay undisturbed. Cow is therefore not PASHU and a businessman bundled with mobile phones and schedules is not MANUSHYA Naga ji in his statement said " no other species other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is and what is the purpose of such variety " . In fact, Tulsi das and even in the Bhagwat Gita and Durga Saptshati, the desirability of human is not high. Bhagwat gita addreses to Bhoot (or those in physical disguises). Humans have secondary memory and use a framework of common references and this faculty is not of use in animals. This has advantage and disadvantage. By this differentiating (aakash tatva), humans can have variations on higher as well as lower sides in extremes. Krishna serviced cow, Ram serviced monkeys, and Shiva snakes. Animals are less dangerous than humans, and are dependent on plants and animals for livelihood but whom it did not serve or care for and exploit it. Regards K G (Krishna Gopal) , " sadhak_insight " <sadhak_insight wrote: > > Respected Ones : > > Thank you very much for taking interest in my utterance. I am > grateful for that as well as your love and blessings. I need them. > However, I am helpless but to note couple of things here. Pardon me > for my prudence. But, my intention is purely to unveil my ignorance > further for my own benefit. > > " no other species other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is > and what is the purpose of such variety " > > I do not think I understand how exactly others truly observe and > enjoy - not just flora and fauna, even humans. I have observed a > tendency that I observe, experience and enjoy the best because I > seem to know only that. Accordingly, we develop tendencies to > respect what we believe and reject what we do not. We categorically > claim to have comprehended what we believe and categorically reject > what we do not comprehend. It is this tendency that is called Maya > or Ignorance. Do we really have authority to judge how others > observe and enjoy things?! Even so, is there any benefit for me in > doing so? Even if no benefits are there, are not there any harms in > doing so? I need to be careful here. > > " to have discrimination and curiosity to know, all the art and > sciences … all this indicate towards some spacial purpose of human > birth " > > Do the elements like curiosity, discrimination etc. make one > superior? As a matter of fact, can any perceivable element make any > one superior? Is such superiority complex the one that is one's > major misery in this life? I understand that the urge to feel > special is called pride which is the back bone of the human ego. If > you think otherwise, pl. let me know. > > " there is hardly any development in the living being that could be > said to be some what superior to man " > > The nature has blessed the human with apparently more powerful tools > of survival in a general sense. Yet, humans suffer more than the > rest! Why?! Instead of utilizing the thinking power it has been > blessed with, the humanity has spent all its lives in self- > superiority-promotion. I am not surprised by your urge for > superiority. All humans do. I too do. All think that everything in > the universe is created to felicitate human superiority. Humans can > even imagine the gods to serve them. But yet, they suffer the most … > meekly. Don't you think the humans abuse their so called faculties > to acquire more opaque ignorance than flora and fauna around > pretending to know under the canopy of ignorance? If not, why there > are only handful of incidences of Vyasa, Shankara, Jesus, > Paramahamsa, Ramana amongst the zillions of human lives that have > been consumed in the ocean of life on earth? > > " you are at a status where the further evolution is almost stopped " > > I am certain that I have not understood the creation or evolution > even a bit. I do not think that I can ever understand whether is has > started or stopped or where it stands now. Certainly, I am not (and > I can never be) the authority over it. Therefore, I have no comments > on this. > > " …finally merging into nothingness " > > Finally, I feel you are talking something that is of use to me. Yes, > if we utilize our faculties humbly to be one with that nothingness > that you are speaking off … the life is worth it. But don't you see > that The Nothingness is the invariant wherein no purpose of ours can > withstand even for a moment? Don't you see that it is the " purpose > of life " conceived by the human brain that has entangled him/her > within this brain not allowing him/her to merge with The Truth, The > Nothingness? > > In my opinion, all the purposes of our lives have been concocted by > our egos to promote this notion of superiority over the rest > directly or indirectly … some times hidden even in spiritual > aspirations. Until the purpose of life exists in me, my > understanding is that I am not willing to relinquish my ownership on > actions, knowledge and experience. In that case, how can I ever > attain The Truth with the help of any such purpose? > > I still reiterate the same that I uttered before … The ONLY Purpose > that is useful in this life is to realize that all the purposes of > our lives are just concoctions brewed within our tiny brains and > experience that such concoctions are the very bondages that have > imprisoned us within our perceived illusive and evasive worlds of > notions and ideas. In other words, The Purpose of spirituality is to > drop all the purposes, the associated ownership, bondage and burden > of our lives altogether. > > This is my apparent understanding at this point of time. I may not > be able to observe and recognize my ignorance in it, which is quite > possible knowing the chains of ignorance I have unearthed in myself > so far. Therefore, I request you to teach me if you think otherwise. > > Thank You. > > Respects. > > Naga Narayana. > -- -- > Respected G.vaidyanathan ji.. > My Gratitde for posting the Acharya Swami Ramsukdasji maharaj.. > swamiji revealed the essence of His Knowledge in simple words.. > our humble parnaams to Swami ji.. > as Brother krishna Gopal wrote.. > We are nityamukta.. > we do not need Moksa (liberation)..as atma is nityamukta (eternally > free).. > we play bounded as IT IS HIS WILL.. As we are ready..His sanctions > frees the soul to Do His Work in the world. > you are mere nimitmaatram. (an instrument). > " all that is done in the Universe It is Divine through His shakti is > behind all action, but He is veiled by his Yogamaya and acting > through the ego of the Jiva......' > Nature cannot be satisfied with the present human evolutionary level.. > as we are sanatan ansh (part , ray of) of Ishwara (God Consciousness). > ck kaul > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > Message of Swamiji clearly brings out the purpose of life. > > G.Vaidyanathan. > > > > sadhaka > > sadhak_insight@ > > Tue, 8 Apr 2008 03:34:54 -0700 > > [sadhaka] Purpose of LIfe (April 8, 2008) > > > > :Shree Hari: > > > > 8th April, 2008, Tuesday > > Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, Vikram Samvat 2064, Mangalvar > > > > God, by showering His grace has blessed us with four things - 1) > this > > human life, 2) the understanding 3) the means and 4) the > > capabilities. These four things have been given to us primarily for > > the purpose of realizing the Truth (attaining salvation, God or > Self > > Realization). > > > > A very important point here is that the time, the means, the > > understanding and the competencies that we currently have, if we > > engage them all in realizing the Truth (God, Self) then perfection > > (realization) in human life can be achieved. We have already been > > provided all that is needed for God Realization. And if there is > any > > thing lacking (deficiencies), then God will fulfill those > > deficiencies Himself. The kingdom of God is open at all times for > > everyone. > > > > It is said in the Ramcharitramanasa - " Kabahu kari karunaa ner > dehi; > > Det is binu hetu sanehi. " (Manasa 7:43:3) > > In man there is a feeling of uncertainty, how can I realize God? > > However, this life, this birth is only for this purpose. There is > no > > other purpose. Yet deep within us lingers this thought, this subtle > > doubt, that are we really capable ? Are we really worthy? This > > feeling of unworthiness, is the greatest obstacle in realizing God. > > Just like a mother always accepts her child in her lap, no matter > how > > good or bad he is. The child is ever entitled to be in his mother's > > lap. Similarly we are all eligible for God Realization, no matter > > what we are. > > > > God says in the Gita " Api chetsuduraachaaro, bhajate maam ananya > bhaak > > Saadhureva sa mantavyah samyagvyavasitohi saha " (Gita 9:30) > > Simply speaking, even if the worst of sinners becomes Mine, he > should > > be considered a saint, because he is determined to turn towards Me, > > says God. Only due to his firm determination. Once this > determination > > is made, can wrongful actions become obstacles in God Realization? > Is > > God so very weak that He will be stalled by few actions? > > > > Pay attention to this verse. It is mentioned here that God, is a > well- > > wisher without any motive, and simply by His grace He has bestowed > > this human life on us, so that we can become free from sorrows and > > attain Him. The implication here is that God intends for our > > upliftment, our benediction. So with a little effort on our part, > His > > intention will come true. > > > > In summary the purpose of life is to serve others, to realize the > > truth (Self) and to believe in God as our very own. It is for > these, > > that this human life, this human birth has been received. > > > > From Discourse in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji > > > > Ram Ram > > -- > > All life have one purpose but is different for different people. > This > > purpose is liberation or MOXA but each one of us as per ones' > > swabhaav (innate nature) is near and far from this end goal, and > > therefore have different goals in short term. Life is a journey > and > > as we go up in understanding, our attachments with world reduces > and > > as we know the abstract, we get MOXA in step by step. > > > > MOXA is liberation and it is purpose of life. Liberation from > disese, > > liberation from hunger, liberation from ignorance, liberation from > > unwanted controls, liberation to work as per own wish, liberation > to > > work for self and family, liberation to work for community, and > > liberation for self and all. Scientists are doing work of > inventing > > medicines, engineers build machines, saints do the preachng, > soldiers > > do the war in defense, and so on. Each one is to do > his/her 'niyat > > karma' as per given swabhaav (nature)because it is only > justification > > of life at that moment. When swabhav (dharma) gets improved the > work > > also changes, and you find a laywer like Gandhi becoming replica of > > Kabir. > > This is BHAGWAT GITA from begining to the end > > Regards > > Krishna Gopal > > > > -- > > dear naganarayan ji. > > there is lot of flora and founa arround us which no other species > > other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is and what is the > > purpose of such variety. Now all the living beings are born with > > their torso in line with the earth axis. Strangely it is the man > > only who has his torso perpendicular to the earth axis. Certainly a > > point to be probed and understood. Then, when it is the purpose of > > living and dying why to have discrimination and curiosity to know, > > all the art and sciences. Definitly all this indicate towards some > > spacial purpose of human birth. Not merely living a quality living. > > When you probe into the cosmic evolution you will see that from > > nothingness ( nirakar) cosmic projection of matter came into > > existence further development in the same evolution brought in the > > living species finally culminating at the birth of human life.. now > > history speaks that there is hardly any development in the living > > being that could be said to be some what superior to man. Thus you > > are at a status where the further evolution is almost stopped. This > > in itself indicates that man is at the threshold of finally merging > > into nothingness thus completing the cycle of evolution which > started > > from nothingnees and goes back to the same nothingness. Which in > > terms of sprit is called self realisation, freedom from the cycle > of > > reincarnation. i have tried to give you the totality of the purpose > > of human birth in nut shell. In case you want further clarification > > please feel free to communicate with me thanks and lots of love and > > blessings ck kaul > > -- > > dear all brothers and sisters on this forum > > my humble parnaams to ALL > > why to loose your sleep.. > > The Yoga means giving charge of your LIfe to The Supreme.. > > Let Her take care of you and Your fraility. > > But you need to Surrender; this is the Secret > > and the Key to the puzzle of Life > > Mystery is solved once you feel Her Hand in your Life.. > > why worry.. > > the Key to evolution is Dharma, > > Explore the true meaning of Dharma and follow the dharma. > > the first step of this Journey... > > thanks... > > kuldip > > > > -- > > Dear Friends, > > > > The purpose of life is to have a goal and work towards it. Even > > striving " to not have a purpose " is a goal and one obviously works > > for it. > > > > girish desai > > > > -- > - > > , " sadhak_insight " > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > Dear Friend: > > > > > > This a question that has burnt me quite a bit … I lost sleep for > > > many months on this … > > > > > > The purpose of The Life cannot be determined by us as we remain > > > miniscule specs in the infinite ocean of Life. At best, we can say > > > that the purpose of The Life is Itself. I consider the question > > > as " what is the purpose of an individual in its life? " > > > > > > It is the survival program that creates this notion of purpose of > > > life in us. The ego is created to generate an identity for an > > > individual. The system is steered by the ego to enhance and > protect > > > this identity. That is the reason we always feel one with this > body- > > > mind cluster and always think that " I am this body/mind " . > Obviously, > > > the ego has to take a stand of being a guardian to safeguard this > > > system in its duty. Its job is secured as far as there is a > request > > > for help from the system. The ego generates relations with the > rest > > > of the world to steer the system in the physical world and happens > > > to understand the adversities around that continuously threaten > the > > > individual system's survival. The purpose of the ego is to nurture > > > and safeguard the individual system at any cost. Therefore, to > > > protect its own survival it craves to look forward for reasons how > > > it can execute its job " save the system " . In a sense it > assures " job > > > security " to itself by imagining that it is the sole care-taker of > > > the individual system and the relations it has established with > the > > > external world. As a result, it develops a sense of ownership and > > > authority over the system, its relations as well as, the related > > > objects. The apparent purpose of life of an individual is to > > > establish, protect and enhance this ownership and authority. From > > > ego's point of view, life ends in the absence of itself which is > in > > > a way true because it always interprets the life as its perpetual > > > association with the individual body-mind cluster, its relations > > > with the world and the related objects in the world. But, its true > > > worry is its own oblivion as a result of the potential loss of > > life – > > > which again is the body-mind cluster and its worldly possession > > > that it owns in its understanding. > > > > > > The very notion of " the purpose of life " is generated for its > ever- > > > lasting and never-achieved quest for eternity within its > authority. > > > It poses this question to itself whenever there is a threat to > > life – > > > that is its own existence. The quest in the background is " Is > > there > > > any benefit for me? If so, let me encourage the environment. Is > > > there is any threat for my existence? Then let me thwart the > > > environment. If not possible, let me escape at least. " Basically, > > > the purpose of life for the ego is a perpetual saga of diplomacy, > > > fight and escape with reference to its environment. Due to the > > > notion of existence it has created for itself it is perpetually > > > chased by fears that threaten its growth and existence while it > > > eternally chases the desires that show potential congeniality to > its > > > existence and growth. It believes that the only fuel that can be > > > adapted in its journey to successfully achieve its ends – to > acquire > > > and safeguard ownership – is this notion, THE PURPOSE OF LIFE! It > > > hangs on to it so dearly that no one can literally fight against > it. > > > One has to satisfy this guardian of all actions to take up any > > > action – that is the authority ego has assigned to its own notion. > > > Even in spirituality, one has to appease this gate keeper to > explore > > > any possibilities outside. The fellow is really sticky and won't > let > > > you free of itself all through your exploration just like > > > Nakshatrika on King Harischandra's shoulder. > > > > > > In fact, the " purpose of life " is the biggest hurdle for the > > > progress in spirituality since it is this notion that empowers the > > > ego steadfast against a spiritual quest. Unless one faces it > > > correctly, it is impossible to face the ego … and hence impossible > > > to drop ownership … and hence impossible to attain The Bliss void > of > > > desires and fears. > > > > > > As spiritual seekers, we need to acknowledge and respect this > > > fellow – the purpose of life – in proper light. In my opinion, the > > > purpose of spirituality is to seek the same in this purpose of > life > > > to eliminate all the purposes of life imagined by oneself. The > > > purpose of spirituality drops off automatically in the absence of > > > the rest of the purposes. > > > > > > My understanding on this quest is: Do not try to look for the > > > purpose. Become the purpose. Be the purpose. As Tilakji has > > > beautifully observed – the pot never seeks the purpose of its > > > creation ... why us? The pot instantly becomes the purpose … why > not > > > us? > > > > > > Respects. > > > > > > Naga Narayana. > > > ------------------------------- -- > - > > > my dear divine souls! > > > > > > my humble parnaams....... > > > > > > The purpose of Life is only... to Know Thy Self.. > > > when we focus our energies in wordly pursuits.. > > > we are in the Nature of Ignorance and do not understand the > Meaning > > > of life. > > > > > > We humans have reached the final stage of evolution where we have > > the > > > mind, and we can the understanding of what is Ultimate good and > what > > > is evil in us. > > > We in the very nature are God in disguise.. Ishwar is our true > natue > > > who is Love, Beauty, Power, Knowledge..Bliss (Ananda), but we are > > > here not experiencing these attributes of God. > > > so the purpose of Life is only to arrive at our True Nature.. > > > > > > Janam mritu jara vyadhi dukh doshanu darshnam.. > > > A keen perception of the defective nature of the ordinary physical > > > man and its aimless and painful subjection to birth, death, > disease > > > and age..bg.13 9 > > > > > > thanks... > > > kuldip > > > > > > ------------------------------- -- > - > > > > > > The purpose of Life is to be useful to others, both animate and > > > inanimate and help without any expectation of rewards and achieve > > the > > > goal of NO REBIRTH. > > > > > > G.Vaidyanathan > > > > > > ------------------------------- -- > - > > > If we all believe and to the Vedantic thoughts, then the > > > purpose of life is to get redemption from the cycle of death, > > rebirth > > > etc brought about by our limitless karmas. Gita clearly says that > we > > > are bound in this Samsara and unless we surrender to Him totally, > > > (Chapter 18 Sloka 66) there is no way that we could obtain > salvation > > > on our own. He is the only one who has the Power to wipe out all > our > > > karmas (both good and bad) that would enable us to be in eternal > > > bliss with Him. After this total surrender, we continue to live > in a > > > detached way leading a Dharmic life and simply wait for the final > > > salvation until our time comes to depart from this > world. " Detached " > > > does not mean we do not look after our family or the society. It > is > > > performing our dharmic karmas without expectation of any reward. > The > > > outcome of our action is also surrendered to Lord krishna. > > > > > > I believe this is the essence and purpose of life. Since we have > put > > > our trust in Him, it is for Him to look after us during the rest > of > > > our life. > > > > > > Humble servant of the God > > > G Rangarajan > > > ------------------------------- -- > - > > > Dear Sadhakas, > > > > > > Virtue and vice, happiness and sorrow are all attributes of the > > mind, > > > not of Yourself, O All-pervading One! > > > You are neither the " doer " nor the " enjoyer " . Indeed, you are > ever- > > > free!!! > > > > > > Dharma Dharmau Sukham Dukham Manasani na te vibho > > > Na Karta-si na Bhogta-si Mukta evasi sarvada > > > (Ashtawakra Gita Chapter 1 verse 6) > > > > > > As long as there is the EGO....this identity with the BODY, MIND & > > > INTELLECT, will keep us all in the dualities of life. The sense > > > of 'doership' and/or 'enjoyership' gives the feeling of good & > bad, > > > happiness & unhappiness, joy & sorrow. The moment....ego > > > disappears....the identity also disappears and the true Eternal > > > Blissful Self appears..where there are no questions or confusions. > > > > > > Hare Ram Hare Ram > > > Ram Ram Hare Hare > > > Hare Krishna Hare Krishna > > > Krishna Krsihna Hare Hare > > > > > > Abhinav Mehta > > > > > > ------------------------------- -- > > > Life loses its purpose unless guided by God. > > > Many cultures have within their lore stories similar to Hänsel and > > > Gretel, a tale of Germanic origin and adapted by the Brothers > Grimm: > > > people happy and cared for, subsequent misfortune, loss, apparent > > > escape, even greater danger and final deliverance. When the > > children are lost in the woods we read these words: " ...as (Hänsel) > > walked through the trees, he left a trail of crumbs behind him to > > mark the way. " > > > > > > How often do we feel like these lost children, wandering through a > > > life that seems dark with dangerous shadows, not only unsure of > our > > > destination, but uncertain which fork of the road to take. > Perhaps > > it > > > is job uncertainty, or career choices or relationship questions. > > Sometimes it is even doubt about God's love or leading. What are > some > > crumbs on the path to mark our way? > > > > > > Author John Baillie writes, " I thank Thee that this Christian way > > > whereon I walk is no untried or uncharted road, but a road beaten > > > hard by the footsteps of saints, apostles, prophets, and martyrs. > I > > > thank Thee for the finger-posts and danger signals with which it > is > > > marked at every turning and which may be known to me through > study > > of > > > the Bible and of all history, and of all the great literature of > the > > > world. " > > > > > > God often directs us through the quiet voice of his Spirit > speaking > > to > > > the inner places of our own spirits, but He has also given us more > > > visible crumbs along the way. It is of vital importance that we > > pay > > > close attention to those crumbs. > > > > > > Bread crumbs don't seem like much, Lord, but sometimes those > crumbs > > > are all we have to follow. Thank you that through your Holy > Spirit > > the > > > crumbs can be magnified and thus visible to our seeking eyes. > > > > > > yeshu rathenam > > > ------------------------------- -- > > > Adarniya Bhaktjan, > > > > > > Praman > > > > > > I am writing below about the Purpose of life which may be useful > in > > > doing spirituality. > > > > > > From a spiritual perspective, there are two generic reasons why we > > > are born. These reasons define the purpose of our lives at the > most > > > basic level. They are: > > > - To complete the give-and-take account we have with various > > people - > > > - To make spiritual progress with the final aim of merging into > God > > > and therefore getting out of the cycle of birth and death. > > > > > > Completing our give-and-take account > > > Over many lifetimes, we accumulate many give-and-take accounts > that > > > are a direct result of our deeds and actions. The accounts may be > > > positive or negative depending on the positive or negative nature > of > > > our actions. As a rule of thumb, in the current era approximately > > 65% > > > of our lives are destined (not within our control) and 35% of our > > > lives are governed by our own freewill. All major events in our > life > > > are by and large destined. These events include our birth, the > > family > > > we are born into, the person (or persons) we marry, the children > we > > > have, serious illnesses and the time of our death. The happiness > and > > > pain that we give and receive from loved ones and acquaintances > are > > > by and large simply a case of prior give-and-take accounts > directing > > > the way relationships unravel and play out. > > > > > > However even our destiny in the current lifetime is just a > fraction > > > of the accumulated give-and take account that we amass over many > > > lifetimes. > > > In our lifetime, while we do complete our give-and-take account > and > > > destiny earmarked for this particular lifetime of ours, we also > end > > > up creating more accounts by using our wilful action. This in turn > > > finally adds up to our overall give-and-take account known as the > > > accumulated account. As a result, we have to be born again to > settle > > > further give-and-take accounts and are stuck in the cycle of birth > > > and death. > > > > > > Making spiritual progress > > > The ultimate in spiritual development in any Spiritual path is > > > merging with God. `Merging with God' means experiencing God > within > > us > > > and all around us and not identifying with our five senses, mind > and > > > intellect. This happens at the 100% spiritual level. Most people > in > > > today's world are at the 20-25% spiritual level and are > disinclined > > > to any spiritual practice for spiritual development. They also > > > heavily identify with their 5 senses, mind and intellect. This is > > > reflected in our lives when we focus mainly on our looks or are > > > arrogant about our intelligence or success. > > > > > > By spiritual practice when we grow to the spiritual level of 80%, > we > > > are liberated from the cycle of birth and death. After this > > spiritual > > > level, we can settle whatever remaining give-and-take accounts we > > > have from the higher subtle realms of Mahaaloka and above. > Sometimes > > > however, people above the 80% spiritual level may choose to be > born > > > on Earth to guide humanity in Spirituality. > > > > > > Rahul Kinger > > > ------------------------------- -- > - > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > I request SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI to comments and provide some > > > > guidance so that we can generate more opnions and awareness on > > this > > > > subject. > > > > > > > > Thanks. Namaste. > > > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > > > > > ----------------------------- > > > > > > > > Dear Sir, > > > > > > > > I am a student of Gita. I am also a student of world history. > > > > > > > > The Purpose of Living is a constant theme of the Perennial > > > > Philosophy ie. Vedanta. > > > > > > > > I have always been inspired by the thoughts of the Roman emperor > > > > Marcus Aurelius who I believe was a true Vedantin in his > approach > > > to > > > > the question " What is the purpose of Human life " . > > > > > > > > I reproduce below his notes from his famous book " Meditations " . > > > Hope > > > > it might be of interest to members of your cyber-satsangh. > > > > > > > > Best regds, > > > > daasan Sudarshan MK > > > > > > > > ************************** > > > > " Remember two things: > > > > > > > > 1. that everything has always been the same, and keeps > recurring, > > > > and it makes no difference whether you see the same things > recur > > in > > > > a hundred years or two hundred or in an infinite period; > > > > > > > > 2. that the longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose > the > > > > same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since > that > > is > > > > all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose. > > > > > > > > " The human soul degrades itself: > > > > > > > > 1. above all when it does its best to become an abscess, a kind > of > > > > detached growth on the world. To be disgruntled at anything that > > > > happens is a kind of secession from Nature, which comprises the > > > > nature of all things. > > > > > > > > 2. when it turns its back on another person or sets out to harm > to > > > > do it harm, as the souls of the angry do. > > > > > > > > 3. when it is overpowered by pleasure or pain. > > > > > > > > 4. when it puts on a mask and does or says something artificial > or > > > > false. > > > > > > > > 5. when it allows its actions and impulse to be without a > purpose, > > > > to be random and disconnected: even the smallest things ought > to > > be > > > > directed toward a goal. But the goal of rational beings is to > > follow > > > > the rule and law of the most ancient of communities and states. > > > > > > > > ************ > > > > > > > > " Human Life: > > > > > > > > Duration: momentary > > > > Nature: changeable > > > > Perception: dim > > > > Condition of Body: decaying > > > > Soul: spinning around > > > > Fortune: unpredictable > > > > Lasting fame: uncertain > > > > > > > > Sum Up: the body and its parts are a river, the soul a dream and > > > > mist, life is warfare and a journey far from home, lasting > > > > reputation is oblivion. > > > > > > > > Then what guides us? Only philosophy. > > > > > > > > Which means making sure that the power within stays safe and > free > > > > from assault, above pleasure and pain, doing nothing randomly or > > > > dishonestly and with imposture, not dependent on anyone else's > > doing > > > > something or not doing it. And making sure that it accepts what > > > > happens happens and what it is dealt as coming from the same > place > > > > it came from. And above all, that it accepts death in a cheerful > > > > spirit, as nothing but the dissolution of the elements from > which > > > > each living thing is composed. If it doesnt hurt the individual > > > > elements to change continually into one another, why are people > > > > afraid of all of them changing and separating? It's a natural > > > thing. > > > > And nothing natural is evil. " > > > > > > > > ********************* > > > > > > > > Warm Regards, > > > > Sudarshan > > > > > > > > " A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is > worth > > > as > > > > much as life " . > > > > (Andre Malraux) > > > > > > > > ----------------------------- -- > -- > > - > > > > Dear friends, > > > > The purpose of life is to be Happy. Every one is trying to be > > > happy. > > > > However, most people do not know what happiness is. Without the > > > > Knowledge of what happiness is how can one attain happiness. It > is > > > > like someone who have never seen a mango and trying to buy one > in > > a > > > > shopping center. He is totally dependent on others. There is a > > very > > > > good analysis of the purpose of life and the happiness in Gita > > > > Rahasya by BG Tilak. > > > > I strongly recommend the chapter on Happiness and Unhappiness in > > > > this book. My final conclusion is at the bottom. How you > proceed > > in > > > > life and all the value system can be derived from what > happiness > > is > > > > and how to achieve eternal happiness. Bhagvat Gita is an > > > > indispensable guide to attaining this eternal happiness. > > > > basant tariyal > > > > > > > > --------------------------- > > > > When I create a pot out of mud, the pot - (the creation) does > not > > > > know the purpose for which it is being created. Only the creator > > > > knows why he made the creation. We are born to such and such > > > > parents (as we think of the body level), we are kept here > through > > > > them for doing some of His karmas through this body. Actually > we > > > > are never born and will never die from the Atma level. We humans > > > > think from the physical and mental level only that is why this > > > > confusion. > > > > > > > > vanaja nair > > > > ----------------------------- -- > -- > > -- > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! > > > > > The purpose of living is implicit in correct understanding of > > > > life! > > > > > It would seem that living in peace, harmony, love, joy, is > > > > intrinsic > > > > > to our nature. > > > > > If one is joyous, in peace, and loving, one would like to stay > > > > there > > > > > as much as possible. No one would say " let me be unhappy now, > I > > > am > > > > > bored being happy " . However, when one is in pain, unhappy, > > > > restless, > > > > > angry, etc then one would like to push them away as soon as > they > > > > can > > > > > to be in happy state. This shows our true nature is that of > > being > > > > at > > > > > peace, happy, and in harmony with our environment. > > > > > SO the purpose is to live in this way, in line with what God > > > > intends > > > > > us to live. > > > > > All our pursuits are for being happy, be them for money, > power, > > > > > fame, sex, religious following, or whatever one is running > > after. > > > > > One just doesn't know it and considers these pursuits as ends > in > > > > > themselves. Soon he/she forgets the purpose of living and > > > > attributes > > > > > happiness in such objects. One gets attached to them, > depending > > > on > > > > > them for his/her happiness, and starts possessing them at all > > > > costs. > > > > > In this way one gets in conflict with others as each is doing > > the > > > > > same. This is the beginning of suffering. To realize one's > true > > > > > nature being happiness itself, peace itself, harmony itself > and > > > > thus > > > > > doesn't depend on objects is of utmost importance. One has to > > > > > discover the right address of peace and happiness as not > being > > in > > > > > objects but within oneself. > > > > > One is complete as one naturally is made, lacking nothing. > This > > > > > brings happiness in absence or in presence of objects. One > lives > > > > > apparantly individually fulfilling one's role in life where > > > he/she > > > > > is placed by God, doing selfless karmas, guided by dharma and > > > > > preparing for moksha. One lives this with full understanding > > that > > > > > one is not an individual but rather part of totality that > works > > > > > through one's body-mind organism, an instrument to partake in > > > > Divine > > > > > celebration, Leela. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF LIVING as I see it! > > > > > Namaskar...Pratap > > > > > (Pratap Bhatt) > > > > > --------------------------- - > > > > > My current opinion is life`s purpose is not `given` > > > > > > > > > > Everyone has been given the power to exercise his choice to > > > select > > > > > the purpose,and then work towards attaining it.Also as Gita > > > > says,You > > > > > donot have a right to attain the purpose. > > > > > > > > > > At a deeper level,the values one selects to live by can be > > called > > > > a > > > > > purpose.Is this the Dharma? > > > > > > > > > > Bhave. > > > > > (Prakash Bhave) > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------- -- > > > > > Jai Sitaramjiki. > > > > > > > > > > Reference the above topic for discussion, I request the > > > following:- > > > > > > > > > > It is a very important topic for discussion. However, can we > > > > please > > > > > first have the comments of SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI as he must > > > have > > > > > spoken on this subject in his life time. Dhanyavad. > > > > > > > > > > Dhanyavad and Ram Ram. > > > > > > > > > > Bhavdiy > > > > > > > > > > SHER SINGH AGRAWAL > > > > > --------------------------- -- > > > > > Namaste, > > > > > The purpose of being on this earth, is to remove all VASANAS. > > But > > > > > while living and exhausting vasanas, we also keep adding some > > > more > > > > > vasanas. This gives birth and death to several birth cycles > > > > > (jalmas). The choice is ours. By perfecting our devotion > > (Bakthi) > > > > > one can obtain the resolve (sankalpan) of God (Bagavan) to > give > > > us > > > > > mukthi (salvation). > > > > > B.Sathyanarayan > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------- -- > -- > > > > > Namaste > > > > > > > > > > Is Atma which is present in all living beings is part of > > > Parmatama > > > > > (God) > > > > > > > > > > If yes then all living beings are connected with each other > with > > > > > strongest possible link > > > > > > > > > > Can we communicate with all living beings, other than man, > with > > > > this > > > > > link > > > > > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > > > > > Ramesh Suri > > > > > --------------------------- > > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear MODERATOR, > > > > > > > > > > > > Namaste! > > > > > > > > > > > > I would like to request a discussion on a new > topic, " PURPOSE > > > OF > > > > > > LIVING. " I am not sure if this topic has been discussed > > > before. > > > > I > > > > > > would really appreciate, if you can help me/us understand > the > > > > > answer > > > > > > to this question. > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > > > ---------------------- > > > > > > > > > > > > FROM THE MODERATOR > > > > > > > > > > > > The following are the guidelines for Gita-Talk discussions. > > > > > > > > > > > > GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: > > > > > > 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their > > > doubts > > > > > > related to Gitaji shalokas. Therefore, responses which > further > > > > > > clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. > > > > > > 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other > scriptures > > > to > > > > > > substantiate your response. > > > > > > 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to > > > the > > > > > > extent that they further help in understanding the Gita > > shlokas > > > > > > 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, > > > respecting > > > > > > sadhaka's time. > > > > > > 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. > > > > > > 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other > > > > > > organizations. > > > > > > 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as > > > phone > > > > > > number, address etc. > > > > > > 8. Please do not address the response to a particular > > > individual > > > > > > since the message is going to the entire group. > > > > > > 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be > > posted. > > > > > > 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, if > > > > > content > > > > > > is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the group. > > > > > > 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, > > > youth, > > > > > > westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use to > > > > > Sanskrit > > > > > > words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit > > > > > bracketed > > > > > > wherever possible. > > > > > > > > > > > > MODERATOR > > > > > > Ram Ram > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2008 Report Share Posted April 12, 2008 Osho define Life as " A tale told by an idiot full of fury and anger signifying nothing " Surrender and experience the play of this unlimited universe..... Meditate and experience the bliss of being..... Enjoy the 'purposelessness' of being whatever existence made you. A purposeless, nameless, being!! ESSENCE OF BHAGVAD GITA Whatever has happened, has happened for good. Whatever is happening, is happening for good. Whatever is going to happen, it will be for good. What have you lost for which you cry? What did you bring with you, which you have lost? What did you produce, which has been destroyed? You did not bring anything when you were born. Whatever you have, you have received from Him. Whatever you will give, you will give to Him. You came empty handed and you will go the same way. Whatever is yours today was somebody else's yesterday and will be somebody else's tomorrow. SO WHY WORRY UNNECESSARILY? Change is the law of the universe Abhinav Mehta (shortened by moderator) Hari Om Yes what ever is said is true to the core. The problem is how to give this message to Rural India and to the poor who has to think what can they have for next meal. It is the duty of people with knowledge must work to educate the poor and village population to think on this line. Until that happens no one will be interested in the principle of " PURPOSE OF LIVING " DR.Ambekar. -------------------------------- , " sadhak_insight " <sadhak_insight wrote: > > Hari Om > Dear fellow Seekers of truth, > > It is a well known fact that human birth is special.. All exalted > Souls have proclaimed this fact.. Our authoritative scriptures also > have declared it & is also in lines with our limited experience in > this planet.. > The very reason why we are thinking about the purpose of life itself > is the evidence of our speciality.. > Humans alone worry about questions like these & yearn for something > higher & nobler than mundane material existance & inturn they are > alone blessed with the capablity to achieve those higher goals in > their very life span. > > Evolution always continues & has never come to a standstill. Our > creator alone knows where it is all heading to. But as far as our > limited human perception is concerned, it is not incorrect to > say human beings are the most evolved beings in this little planet of > ours at this juncture & they alone are capable of evolving themselves > to further stages. If we look back in history, we can very well see > how humans have evolved in both material & spiritual levels.. Where > as our brothers in animal & plant kingdom are still where they were > 1000s of years back.. Had they been capable of this, we'd have seen > them evolving too.. So no doubt, human birth is very special as > they alone are gifted with a discriminative intellect, although it is > again upto them how they make use of this valuable gift from their > creator.. > > Again, if we look at plants & animals, we can see that their behavior > is programmed by instincts. Humans alone are capable of being > consciously aware of their actions, thoughts & tendencies & reprogram > themselves. We are all able to discuss this matter in this forum only > because of these abilities given to us. > > But if we reflect on why we are discussing it, we'll realise that it > is due to some incompleteness we feel about ourselves at this stage, > be it related to fear of death or uncertainity of the future or > anything else.. And why should we be worried about it unless > completeness is our very true nature itself.. Otherwise > it should not have disturbed us.. Swamiji used to say that hunger > itself is the evidence that there exists something that can satisfy > the hunger.. > > It is also our experience that we all are always behind acquiring > knowledge, which is another reason why we start discussing topics > like this.. This again is nothing but our natural inclination to be > full in knowledge.. And it is also our experience that all our > actions & thoughts are propelled towards gaining happiness, which is > again an attempt by the conditioned Jeeva to regain its > natural state of happiness.. So there is this want to return to that > original state of fullness in each one of us, whether we are aware of > it at this stage or not... > > So in this conditioned state, we are no longer in our natural state of > completeness or rather not aware of it & knowingly or unknowingly all > our endevours are aimed to take ourselves to that original state > which is described by scriptures as Sat Chit Ananda.. > > Hence all the great souls repeatedly tell us that such a special > human birth is not to be wasted by living like mere animals & running > behind material pursuits. We are to make use of these special > abilities (available to us only when we are in this human form) to > awaken that dormant divinity within each one of us & firmly resolve > to return to our original state. So instead of idling around in > this material world, let us all resolve to return back to our > original abode that we had left long back & long since forgotten. > Let us Hurry Home as Swami Chinmayananda used to say.. > > What else could be the purpose of this Human life? > > Hari Om > Sarath > (sasidharan sarath) > --------------------------- > > Manushya does not mean two legged man or women. Manu- shya = born > from Manah. > Pashu is not four legged animal but those who oblige to bondage. Shiva > is called PASHUPATI only because he cutts off the contracts and > bondage of cobweb of thoughts. PASHU BALI is not sacrifice of animal > but getting free from all obligations and stay undisturbed. > > Cow is therefore not PASHU and a businessman bundled with mobile > phones and schedules is not MANUSHYA > > Naga ji in his statement said " no other species other than humans can > recognise and enjoy why is and what is the purpose of such variety " . > In fact, Tulsi das and even in the Bhagwat Gita and Durga Saptshati, > the desirability of human is not high. Bhagwat gita addreses to Bhoot > (or those in physical disguises). Humans have secondary memory and use > a framework of common references and this faculty is not of use in > animals. This has advantage and disadvantage. By this differentiating > (aakash tatva), humans can have variations on higher as well as lower > sides in extremes. Krishna serviced cow, Ram serviced monkeys, and > Shiva snakes. Animals are less dangerous than humans, and are > dependent on plants and animals for livelihood but whom it did not > serve or care for and exploit it. > > Regards > K G > (Krishna Gopal) > > > , " sadhak_insight " > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > Respected Ones : > > > > Thank you very much for taking interest in my utterance. I am > > grateful for that as well as your love and blessings. I need them. > > However, I am helpless but to note couple of things here. Pardon me > > for my prudence. But, my intention is purely to unveil my ignorance > > further for my own benefit. > > > > " no other species other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is > > and what is the purpose of such variety " > > > > I do not think I understand how exactly others truly observe and > > enjoy - not just flora and fauna, even humans. I have observed a > > tendency that I observe, experience and enjoy the best because I > > seem to know only that. Accordingly, we develop tendencies to > > respect what we believe and reject what we do not. We categorically > > claim to have comprehended what we believe and categorically reject > > what we do not comprehend. It is this tendency that is called Maya > > or Ignorance. Do we really have authority to judge how others > > observe and enjoy things?! Even so, is there any benefit for me in > > doing so? Even if no benefits are there, are not there any harms in > > doing so? I need to be careful here. > > > > " to have discrimination and curiosity to know, all the art and > > sciences … all this indicate towards some spacial purpose of human > > birth " > > > > Do the elements like curiosity, discrimination etc. make one > > superior? As a matter of fact, can any perceivable element make any > > one superior? Is such superiority complex the one that is one's > > major misery in this life? I understand that the urge to feel > > special is called pride which is the back bone of the human ego. If > > you think otherwise, pl. let me know. > > > > " there is hardly any development in the living being that could be > > said to be some what superior to man " > > > > The nature has blessed the human with apparently more powerful tools > > of survival in a general sense. Yet, humans suffer more than the > > rest! Why?! Instead of utilizing the thinking power it has been > > blessed with, the humanity has spent all its lives in self- > > superiority-promotion. I am not surprised by your urge for > > superiority. All humans do. I too do. All think that everything in > > the universe is created to felicitate human superiority. Humans can > > even imagine the gods to serve them. But yet, they suffer the most … > > meekly. Don't you think the humans abuse their so called faculties > > to acquire more opaque ignorance than flora and fauna around > > pretending to know under the canopy of ignorance? If not, why there > > are only handful of incidences of Vyasa, Shankara, Jesus, > > Paramahamsa, Ramana amongst the zillions of human lives that have > > been consumed in the ocean of life on earth? > > > > " you are at a status where the further evolution is almost stopped " > > > > I am certain that I have not understood the creation or evolution > > even a bit. I do not think that I can ever understand whether is has > > started or stopped or where it stands now. Certainly, I am not (and > > I can never be) the authority over it. Therefore, I have no comments > > on this. > > > > " …finally merging into nothingness " > > > > Finally, I feel you are talking something that is of use to me. Yes, > > if we utilize our faculties humbly to be one with that nothingness > > that you are speaking off … the life is worth it. But don't you see > > that The Nothingness is the invariant wherein no purpose of ours can > > withstand even for a moment? Don't you see that it is the " purpose > > of life " conceived by the human brain that has entangled him/her > > within this brain not allowing him/her to merge with The Truth, The > > Nothingness? > > > > In my opinion, all the purposes of our lives have been concocted by > > our egos to promote this notion of superiority over the rest > > directly or indirectly … some times hidden even in spiritual > > aspirations. Until the purpose of life exists in me, my > > understanding is that I am not willing to relinquish my ownership on > > actions, knowledge and experience. In that case, how can I ever > > attain The Truth with the help of any such purpose? > > > > I still reiterate the same that I uttered before … The ONLY Purpose > > that is useful in this life is to realize that all the purposes of > > our lives are just concoctions brewed within our tiny brains and > > experience that such concoctions are the very bondages that have > > imprisoned us within our perceived illusive and evasive worlds of > > notions and ideas. In other words, The Purpose of spirituality is to > > drop all the purposes, the associated ownership, bondage and burden > > of our lives altogether. > > > > This is my apparent understanding at this point of time. I may not > > be able to observe and recognize my ignorance in it, which is quite > > possible knowing the chains of ignorance I have unearthed in myself > > so far. Therefore, I request you to teach me if you think otherwise. > > > > Thank You. > > > > Respects. > > > > Naga Narayana. > > -- > -- > > Respected G.vaidyanathan ji.. > > My Gratitde for posting the Acharya Swami Ramsukdasji maharaj.. > > swamiji revealed the essence of His Knowledge in simple words.. > > our humble parnaams to Swami ji.. > > as Brother krishna Gopal wrote.. > > We are nityamukta.. > > we do not need Moksa (liberation)..as atma is nityamukta (eternally > > free).. > > we play bounded as IT IS HIS WILL.. As we are ready..His sanctions > > frees the soul to Do His Work in the world. > > you are mere nimitmaatram. (an instrument). > > " all that is done in the Universe It is Divine through His shakti > is > > behind all action, but He is veiled by his Yogamaya and acting > > through the ego of the Jiva......' > > Nature cannot be satisfied with the present human evolutionary > level.. > > as we are sanatan ansh (part , ray of) of Ishwara (God > Consciousness). > > ck kaul > > > > > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > Message of Swamiji clearly brings out the purpose of life. > > > G.Vaidyanathan. > > > > > > sadhaka > > > sadhak_insight@ > > > Tue, 8 Apr 2008 03:34:54 -0700 > > > [sadhaka] Purpose of LIfe (April 8, 2008) > > > > > > :Shree Hari: > > > > > > 8th April, 2008, Tuesday > > > Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, Vikram Samvat 2064, Mangalvar > > > > > > God, by showering His grace has blessed us with four things - 1) > > this > > > human life, 2) the understanding 3) the means and 4) the > > > capabilities. These four things have been given to us primarily > for > > > the purpose of realizing the Truth (attaining salvation, God or > > Self > > > Realization). > > > > > > A very important point here is that the time, the means, the > > > understanding and the competencies that we currently have, if we > > > engage them all in realizing the Truth (God, Self) then > perfection > > > (realization) in human life can be achieved. We have already been > > > provided all that is needed for God Realization. And if there is > > any > > > thing lacking (deficiencies), then God will fulfill those > > > deficiencies Himself. The kingdom of God is open at all times for > > > everyone. > > > > > > It is said in the Ramcharitramanasa - " Kabahu kari karunaa ner > > dehi; > > > Det is binu hetu sanehi. " (Manasa 7:43:3) > > > In man there is a feeling of uncertainty, how can I realize God? > > > However, this life, this birth is only for this purpose. There is > > no > > > other purpose. Yet deep within us lingers this thought, this > subtle > > > doubt, that are we really capable ? Are we really worthy? This > > > feeling of unworthiness, is the greatest obstacle in realizing > God. > > > Just like a mother always accepts her child in her lap, no matter > > how > > > good or bad he is. The child is ever entitled to be in his > mother's > > > lap. Similarly we are all eligible for God Realization, no matter > > > what we are. > > > > > > God says in the Gita " Api chetsuduraachaaro, bhajate maam ananya > > bhaak > > > Saadhureva sa mantavyah samyagvyavasitohi saha " (Gita 9:30) > > > Simply speaking, even if the worst of sinners becomes Mine, he > > should > > > be considered a saint, because he is determined to turn towards > Me, > > > says God. Only due to his firm determination. Once this > > determination > > > is made, can wrongful actions become obstacles in God > Realization? > > Is > > > God so very weak that He will be stalled by few actions? > > > > > > Pay attention to this verse. It is mentioned here that God, is a > > well- > > > wisher without any motive, and simply by His grace He has > bestowed > > > this human life on us, so that we can become free from sorrows > and > > > attain Him. The implication here is that God intends for our > > > upliftment, our benediction. So with a little effort on our part, > > His > > > intention will come true. > > > > > > In summary the purpose of life is to serve others, to realize the > > > truth (Self) and to believe in God as our very own. It is for > > these, > > > that this human life, this human birth has been received. > > > > > > From Discourse in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji > > > > > > Ram Ram > > > ------------------------------- -- > -- > > > All life have one purpose but is different for different people. > > This > > > purpose is liberation or MOXA but each one of us as per ones' > > > swabhaav (innate nature) is near and far from this end goal, and > > > therefore have different goals in short term. Life is a journey > > and > > > as we go up in understanding, our attachments with world reduces > > and > > > as we know the abstract, we get MOXA in step by step. > > > > > > MOXA is liberation and it is purpose of life. Liberation from > > disese, > > > liberation from hunger, liberation from ignorance, liberation > from > > > unwanted controls, liberation to work as per own wish, liberation > > to > > > work for self and family, liberation to work for community, and > > > liberation for self and all. Scientists are doing work of > > inventing > > > medicines, engineers build machines, saints do the preachng, > > soldiers > > > do the war in defense, and so on. Each one is to do > > his/her 'niyat > > > karma' as per given swabhaav (nature)because it is only > > justification > > > of life at that moment. When swabhav (dharma) gets improved the > > work > > > also changes, and you find a laywer like Gandhi becoming replica > of > > > Kabir. > > > This is BHAGWAT GITA from begining to the end > > > Regards > > > Krishna Gopal > > > > > > ------------------------------- -- > -- > > > dear naganarayan ji. > > > there is lot of flora and founa arround us which no other species > > > other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is and what is the > > > purpose of such variety. Now all the living beings are born with > > > their torso in line with the earth axis. Strangely it is the man > > > only who has his torso perpendicular to the earth axis. Certainly > a > > > point to be probed and understood. Then, when it is the purpose > of > > > living and dying why to have discrimination and curiosity to > know, > > > all the art and sciences. Definitly all this indicate towards > some > > > spacial purpose of human birth. Not merely living a quality > living. > > > When you probe into the cosmic evolution you will see that from > > > nothingness ( nirakar) cosmic projection of matter came into > > > existence further development in the same evolution brought in > the > > > living species finally culminating at the birth of human life.. > now > > > history speaks that there is hardly any development in the living > > > being that could be said to be some what superior to man. Thus > you > > > are at a status where the further evolution is almost stopped. > This > > > in itself indicates that man is at the threshold of finally > merging > > > into nothingness thus completing the cycle of evolution which > > started > > > from nothingnees and goes back to the same nothingness. Which > in > > > terms of sprit is called self realisation, freedom from the cycle > > of > > > reincarnation. i have tried to give you the totality of the > purpose > > > of human birth in nut shell. In case you want further > clarification > > > please feel free to communicate with me thanks and lots of love > and > > > blessings ck kaul > > > ------------------------------- -- > -- > > > dear all brothers and sisters on this forum > > > my humble parnaams to ALL > > > why to loose your sleep.. > > > The Yoga means giving charge of your LIfe to The Supreme.. > > > Let Her take care of you and Your fraility. > > > But you need to Surrender; this is the Secret > > > and the Key to the puzzle of Life > > > Mystery is solved once you feel Her Hand in your Life.. > > > why worry.. > > > the Key to evolution is Dharma, > > > Explore the true meaning of Dharma and follow the dharma. > > > the first step of this Journey... > > > thanks... > > > kuldip > > > > > > ------------------------------- -- > -- > > > Dear Friends, > > > > > > The purpose of life is to have a goal and work towards it. Even > > > striving " to not have a purpose " is a goal and one obviously > works > > > for it. > > > > > > girish desai > > > > > > ------------------------------- -- > -- > > - > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Dear Friend: > > > > > > > > This a question that has burnt me quite a bit … I lost sleep for > > > > many months on this … > > > > > > > > The purpose of The Life cannot be determined by us as we remain > > > > miniscule specs in the infinite ocean of Life. At best, we can > say > > > > that the purpose of The Life is Itself. I consider the question > > > > as " what is the purpose of an individual in its life? " > > > > > > > > It is the survival program that creates this notion of purpose > of > > > > life in us. The ego is created to generate an identity for an > > > > individual. The system is steered by the ego to enhance and > > protect > > > > this identity. That is the reason we always feel one with this > > body- > > > > mind cluster and always think that " I am this body/mind " . > > Obviously, > > > > the ego has to take a stand of being a guardian to safeguard > this > > > > system in its duty. Its job is secured as far as there is a > > request > > > > for help from the system. The ego generates relations with the > > rest > > > > of the world to steer the system in the physical world and > happens > > > > to understand the adversities around that continuously threaten > > the > > > > individual system's survival. The purpose of the ego is to > nurture > > > > and safeguard the individual system at any cost. Therefore, to > > > > protect its own survival it craves to look forward for reasons > how > > > > it can execute its job " save the system " . In a sense it > > assures " job > > > > security " to itself by imagining that it is the sole care- taker > of > > > > the individual system and the relations it has established with > > the > > > > external world. As a result, it develops a sense of ownership > and > > > > authority over the system, its relations as well as, the related > > > > objects. The apparent purpose of life of an individual is to > > > > establish, protect and enhance this ownership and authority. > From > > > > ego's point of view, life ends in the absence of itself which > is > > in > > > > a way true because it always interprets the life as its > perpetual > > > > association with the individual body-mind cluster, its relations > > > > with the world and the related objects in the world. But, its > true > > > > worry is its own oblivion as a result of the potential loss of > > > life – > > > > which again is the body-mind cluster and its worldly > possession > > > > that it owns in its understanding. > > > > > > > > The very notion of " the purpose of life " is generated for its > > ever- > > > > lasting and never-achieved quest for eternity within its > > authority. > > > > It poses this question to itself whenever there is a threat to > > > life – > > > > that is its own existence. The quest in the background is " Is > > > there > > > > any benefit for me? If so, let me encourage the environment. Is > > > > there is any threat for my existence? Then let me thwart the > > > > environment. If not possible, let me escape at least. " > Basically, > > > > the purpose of life for the ego is a perpetual saga of > diplomacy, > > > > fight and escape with reference to its environment. Due to the > > > > notion of existence it has created for itself it is perpetually > > > > chased by fears that threaten its growth and existence while it > > > > eternally chases the desires that show potential congeniality > to > > its > > > > existence and growth. It believes that the only fuel that can be > > > > adapted in its journey to successfully achieve its ends – to > > acquire > > > > and safeguard ownership – is this notion, THE PURPOSE OF LIFE! > It > > > > hangs on to it so dearly that no one can literally fight > against > > it. > > > > One has to satisfy this guardian of all actions to take up any > > > > action – that is the authority ego has assigned to its own > notion. > > > > Even in spirituality, one has to appease this gate keeper to > > explore > > > > any possibilities outside. The fellow is really sticky and > won't > > let > > > > you free of itself all through your exploration just like > > > > Nakshatrika on King Harischandra's shoulder. > > > > > > > > In fact, the " purpose of life " is the biggest hurdle for the > > > > progress in spirituality since it is this notion that empowers > the > > > > ego steadfast against a spiritual quest. Unless one faces it > > > > correctly, it is impossible to face the ego … and hence > impossible > > > > to drop ownership … and hence impossible to attain The Bliss > void > > of > > > > desires and fears. > > > > > > > > As spiritual seekers, we need to acknowledge and respect this > > > > fellow – the purpose of life – in proper light. In my opinion, > the > > > > purpose of spirituality is to seek the same in this purpose of > > life > > > > to eliminate all the purposes of life imagined by oneself. The > > > > purpose of spirituality drops off automatically in the absence > of > > > > the rest of the purposes. > > > > > > > > My understanding on this quest is: Do not try to look for the > > > > purpose. Become the purpose. Be the purpose. As Tilakji has > > > > beautifully observed – the pot never seeks the purpose of its > > > > creation ... why us? The pot instantly becomes the purpose … > why > > not > > > > us? > > > > > > > > Respects. > > > > > > > > Naga Narayana. > > > > ----------------------------- -- > -- > > - > > > > my dear divine souls! > > > > > > > > my humble parnaams....... > > > > > > > > The purpose of Life is only... to Know Thy Self.. > > > > when we focus our energies in wordly pursuits.. > > > > we are in the Nature of Ignorance and do not understand the > > Meaning > > > > of life. > > > > > > > > We humans have reached the final stage of evolution where we > have > > > the > > > > mind, and we can the understanding of what is Ultimate good and > > what > > > > is evil in us. > > > > We in the very nature are God in disguise.. Ishwar is our true > > natue > > > > who is Love, Beauty, Power, Knowledge..Bliss (Ananda), but we > are > > > > here not experiencing these attributes of God. > > > > so the purpose of Life is only to arrive at our True Nature.. > > > > > > > > Janam mritu jara vyadhi dukh doshanu darshnam.. > > > > A keen perception of the defective nature of the ordinary > physical > > > > man and its aimless and painful subjection to birth, death, > > disease > > > > and age..bg.13 9 > > > > > > > > thanks... > > > > kuldip > > > > > > > > ----------------------------- -- > -- > > - > > > > > > > > The purpose of Life is to be useful to others, both animate and > > > > inanimate and help without any expectation of rewards and > achieve > > > the > > > > goal of NO REBIRTH. > > > > > > > > G.Vaidyanathan > > > > > > > > ----------------------------- -- > -- > > - > > > > If we all believe and to the Vedantic thoughts, then > the > > > > purpose of life is to get redemption from the cycle of death, > > > rebirth > > > > etc brought about by our limitless karmas. Gita clearly says > that > > we > > > > are bound in this Samsara and unless we surrender to Him > totally, > > > > (Chapter 18 Sloka 66) there is no way that we could obtain > > salvation > > > > on our own. He is the only one who has the Power to wipe out > all > > our > > > > karmas (both good and bad) that would enable us to be in eternal > > > > bliss with Him. After this total surrender, we continue to live > > in a > > > > detached way leading a Dharmic life and simply wait for the > final > > > > salvation until our time comes to depart from this > > world. " Detached " > > > > does not mean we do not look after our family or the society. > It > > is > > > > performing our dharmic karmas without expectation of any > reward. > > The > > > > outcome of our action is also surrendered to Lord krishna. > > > > > > > > I believe this is the essence and purpose of life. Since we > have > > put > > > > our trust in Him, it is for Him to look after us during the > rest > > of > > > > our life. > > > > > > > > Humble servant of the God > > > > G Rangarajan > > > > ----------------------------- -- > -- > > - > > > > Dear Sadhakas, > > > > > > > > Virtue and vice, happiness and sorrow are all attributes of the > > > mind, > > > > not of Yourself, O All-pervading One! > > > > You are neither the " doer " nor the " enjoyer " . Indeed, you are > > ever- > > > > free!!! > > > > > > > > Dharma Dharmau Sukham Dukham Manasani na te vibho > > > > Na Karta-si na Bhogta-si Mukta evasi sarvada > > > > (Ashtawakra Gita Chapter 1 verse 6) > > > > > > > > As long as there is the EGO....this identity with the BODY, > MIND & > > > > INTELLECT, will keep us all in the dualities of life. The sense > > > > of 'doership' and/or 'enjoyership' gives the feeling of good & > > bad, > > > > happiness & unhappiness, joy & sorrow. The moment....ego > > > > disappears....the identity also disappears and the true Eternal > > > > Blissful Self appears..where there are no questions or > confusions. > > > > > > > > Hare Ram Hare Ram > > > > Ram Ram Hare Hare > > > > Hare Krishna Hare Krishna > > > > Krishna Krsihna Hare Hare > > > > > > > > Abhinav Mehta > > > > > > > > ----------------------------- -- > -- > > > > Life loses its purpose unless guided by God. > > > > Many cultures have within their lore stories similar to Hänsel > and > > > > Gretel, a tale of Germanic origin and adapted by the Brothers > > Grimm: > > > > people happy and cared for, subsequent misfortune, loss, > apparent > > > > escape, even greater danger and final deliverance. When the > > > children are lost in the woods we read these words: " ...as > (Hänsel) > > > walked through the trees, he left a trail of crumbs behind him to > > > mark the way. " > > > > > > > > How often do we feel like these lost children, wandering > through a > > > > life that seems dark with dangerous shadows, not only unsure of > > our > > > > destination, but uncertain which fork of the road to take. > > Perhaps > > > it > > > > is job uncertainty, or career choices or relationship > questions. > > > Sometimes it is even doubt about God's love or leading. What are > > some > > > crumbs on the path to mark our way? > > > > > > > > Author John Baillie writes, " I thank Thee that this Christian > way > > > > whereon I walk is no untried or uncharted road, but a road > beaten > > > > hard by the footsteps of saints, apostles, prophets, and > martyrs. > > I > > > > thank Thee for the finger-posts and danger signals with which > it > > is > > > > marked at every turning and which may be known to me through > > study > > > of > > > > the Bible and of all history, and of all the great literature > of > > the > > > > world. " > > > > > > > > God often directs us through the quiet voice of his Spirit > > speaking > > > to > > > > the inner places of our own spirits, but He has also given us > more > > > > visible crumbs along the way. It is of vital importance that > we > > > pay > > > > close attention to those crumbs. > > > > > > > > Bread crumbs don't seem like much, Lord, but sometimes those > > crumbs > > > > are all we have to follow. Thank you that through your Holy > > Spirit > > > the > > > > crumbs can be magnified and thus visible to our seeking eyes. > > > > > > > > yeshu rathenam > > > > ----------------------------- -- > -- > > > > Adarniya Bhaktjan, > > > > > > > > Praman > > > > > > > > I am writing below about the Purpose of life which may be > useful > > in > > > > doing spirituality. > > > > > > > > From a spiritual perspective, there are two generic reasons why > we > > > > are born. These reasons define the purpose of our lives at the > > most > > > > basic level. They are: > > > > - To complete the give-and-take account we have with various > > > people - > > > > - To make spiritual progress with the final aim of merging > into > > God > > > > and therefore getting out of the cycle of birth and death. > > > > > > > > Completing our give-and-take account > > > > Over many lifetimes, we accumulate many give-and-take accounts > > that > > > > are a direct result of our deeds and actions. The accounts may > be > > > > positive or negative depending on the positive or negative > nature > > of > > > > our actions. As a rule of thumb, in the current era > approximately > > > 65% > > > > of our lives are destined (not within our control) and 35% of > our > > > > lives are governed by our own freewill. All major events in our > > life > > > > are by and large destined. These events include our birth, the > > > family > > > > we are born into, the person (or persons) we marry, the > children > > we > > > > have, serious illnesses and the time of our death. The > happiness > > and > > > > pain that we give and receive from loved ones and acquaintances > > are > > > > by and large simply a case of prior give-and-take accounts > > directing > > > > the way relationships unravel and play out. > > > > > > > > However even our destiny in the current lifetime is just a > > fraction > > > > of the accumulated give-and take account that we amass over many > > > > lifetimes. > > > > In our lifetime, while we do complete our give-and-take account > > and > > > > destiny earmarked for this particular lifetime of ours, we also > > end > > > > up creating more accounts by using our wilful action. This in > turn > > > > finally adds up to our overall give-and-take account known as > the > > > > accumulated account. As a result, we have to be born again to > > settle > > > > further give-and-take accounts and are stuck in the cycle of > birth > > > > and death. > > > > > > > > Making spiritual progress > > > > The ultimate in spiritual development in any Spiritual path is > > > > merging with God. `Merging with God' means experiencing God > > within > > > us > > > > and all around us and not identifying with our five senses, > mind > > and > > > > intellect. This happens at the 100% spiritual level. Most > people > > in > > > > today's world are at the 20-25% spiritual level and are > > disinclined > > > > to any spiritual practice for spiritual development. They also > > > > heavily identify with their 5 senses, mind and intellect. This > is > > > > reflected in our lives when we focus mainly on our looks or are > > > > arrogant about our intelligence or success. > > > > > > > > By spiritual practice when we grow to the spiritual level of > 80%, > > we > > > > are liberated from the cycle of birth and death. After this > > > spiritual > > > > level, we can settle whatever remaining give-and-take accounts > we > > > > have from the higher subtle realms of Mahaaloka and above. > > Sometimes > > > > however, people above the 80% spiritual level may choose to be > > born > > > > on Earth to guide humanity in Spirituality. > > > > > > > > Rahul Kinger > > > > ----------------------------- -- > -- > > - > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > I request SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI to comments and provide some > > > > > guidance so that we can generate more opnions and awareness > on > > > this > > > > > subject. > > > > > > > > > > Thanks. Namaste. > > > > > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------- -- > > > > > > > > > > Dear Sir, > > > > > > > > > > I am a student of Gita. I am also a student of world history. > > > > > > > > > > The Purpose of Living is a constant theme of the Perennial > > > > > Philosophy ie. Vedanta. > > > > > > > > > > I have always been inspired by the thoughts of the Roman > emperor > > > > > Marcus Aurelius who I believe was a true Vedantin in his > > approach > > > > to > > > > > the question " What is the purpose of Human life " . > > > > > > > > > > I reproduce below his notes from his famous > book " Meditations " . > > > > Hope > > > > > it might be of interest to members of your cyber-satsangh. > > > > > > > > > > Best regds, > > > > > daasan Sudarshan MK > > > > > > > > > > ************************** > > > > > " Remember two things: > > > > > > > > > > 1. that everything has always been the same, and keeps > > recurring, > > > > > and it makes no difference whether you see the same things > > recur > > > in > > > > > a hundred years or two hundred or in an infinite period; > > > > > > > > > > 2. that the longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose > > the > > > > > same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since > > that > > > is > > > > > all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose. > > > > > > > > > > " The human soul degrades itself: > > > > > > > > > > 1. above all when it does its best to become an abscess, a > kind > > of > > > > > detached growth on the world. To be disgruntled at anything > that > > > > > happens is a kind of secession from Nature, which comprises > the > > > > > nature of all things. > > > > > > > > > > 2. when it turns its back on another person or sets out to > harm > > to > > > > > do it harm, as the souls of the angry do. > > > > > > > > > > 3. when it is overpowered by pleasure or pain. > > > > > > > > > > 4. when it puts on a mask and does or says something > artificial > > or > > > > > false. > > > > > > > > > > 5. when it allows its actions and impulse to be without a > > purpose, > > > > > to be random and disconnected: even the smallest things ought > > to > > > be > > > > > directed toward a goal. But the goal of rational beings is to > > > follow > > > > > the rule and law of the most ancient of communities and > states. > > > > > > > > > > ************ > > > > > > > > > > " Human Life: > > > > > > > > > > Duration: momentary > > > > > Nature: changeable > > > > > Perception: dim > > > > > Condition of Body: decaying > > > > > Soul: spinning around > > > > > Fortune: unpredictable > > > > > Lasting fame: uncertain > > > > > > > > > > Sum Up: the body and its parts are a river, the soul a dream > and > > > > > mist, life is warfare and a journey far from home, lasting > > > > > reputation is oblivion. > > > > > > > > > > Then what guides us? Only philosophy. > > > > > > > > > > Which means making sure that the power within stays safe and > > free > > > > > from assault, above pleasure and pain, doing nothing randomly > or > > > > > dishonestly and with imposture, not dependent on anyone > else's > > > doing > > > > > something or not doing it. And making sure that it accepts > what > > > > > happens happens and what it is dealt as coming from the same > > place > > > > > it came from. And above all, that it accepts death in a > cheerful > > > > > spirit, as nothing but the dissolution of the elements from > > which > > > > > each living thing is composed. If it doesnt hurt the > individual > > > > > elements to change continually into one another, why are > people > > > > > afraid of all of them changing and separating? It's a natural > > > > thing. > > > > > And nothing natural is evil. " > > > > > > > > > > ********************* > > > > > > > > > > Warm Regards, > > > > > Sudarshan > > > > > > > > > > " A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is > > worth > > > > as > > > > > much as life " . > > > > > (Andre Malraux) > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------- -- > -- > > -- > > > - > > > > > Dear friends, > > > > > The purpose of life is to be Happy. Every one is trying to be > > > > happy. > > > > > However, most people do not know what happiness is. Without > the > > > > > Knowledge of what happiness is how can one attain happiness. > It > > is > > > > > like someone who have never seen a mango and trying to buy > one > > in > > > a > > > > > shopping center. He is totally dependent on others. There is > a > > > very > > > > > good analysis of the purpose of life and the happiness in Gita > > > > > Rahasya by BG Tilak. > > > > > I strongly recommend the chapter on Happiness and Unhappiness > in > > > > > this book. My final conclusion is at the bottom. How you > > proceed > > > in > > > > > life and all the value system can be derived from what > > happiness > > > is > > > > > and how to achieve eternal happiness. Bhagvat Gita is an > > > > > indispensable guide to attaining this eternal happiness. > > > > > basant tariyal > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------- > > > > > When I create a pot out of mud, the pot - (the creation) does > > not > > > > > know the purpose for which it is being created. Only the > creator > > > > > knows why he made the creation. We are born to such and such > > > > > parents (as we think of the body level), we are kept here > > through > > > > > them for doing some of His karmas through this body. > Actually > > we > > > > > are never born and will never die from the Atma level. We > humans > > > > > think from the physical and mental level only that is why this > > > > > confusion. > > > > > > > > > > vanaja nair > > > > > --------------------------- -- > -- > > -- > > > -- > > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! > > > > > > The purpose of living is implicit in correct understanding > of > > > > > life! > > > > > > It would seem that living in peace, harmony, love, joy, is > > > > > intrinsic > > > > > > to our nature. > > > > > > If one is joyous, in peace, and loving, one would like to > stay > > > > > there > > > > > > as much as possible. No one would say " let me be unhappy > now, > > I > > > > am > > > > > > bored being happy " . However, when one is in pain, unhappy, > > > > > restless, > > > > > > angry, etc then one would like to push them away as soon as > > they > > > > > can > > > > > > to be in happy state. This shows our true nature is that of > > > being > > > > > at > > > > > > peace, happy, and in harmony with our environment. > > > > > > SO the purpose is to live in this way, in line with what God > > > > > intends > > > > > > us to live. > > > > > > All our pursuits are for being happy, be them for money, > > power, > > > > > > fame, sex, religious following, or whatever one is running > > > after. > > > > > > One just doesn't know it and considers these pursuits as > ends > > in > > > > > > themselves. Soon he/she forgets the purpose of living and > > > > > attributes > > > > > > happiness in such objects. One gets attached to them, > > depending > > > > on > > > > > > them for his/her happiness, and starts possessing them at > all > > > > > costs. > > > > > > In this way one gets in conflict with others as each is > doing > > > the > > > > > > same. This is the beginning of suffering. To realize one's > > true > > > > > > nature being happiness itself, peace itself, harmony itself > > and > > > > > thus > > > > > > doesn't depend on objects is of utmost importance. One has > to > > > > > > discover the right address of peace and happiness as not > > being > > > in > > > > > > objects but within oneself. > > > > > > One is complete as one naturally is made, lacking nothing. > > This > > > > > > brings happiness in absence or in presence of objects. One > > lives > > > > > > apparantly individually fulfilling one's role in life where > > > > he/she > > > > > > is placed by God, doing selfless karmas, guided by dharma > and > > > > > > preparing for moksha. One lives this with full > understanding > > > that > > > > > > one is not an individual but rather part of totality that > > works > > > > > > through one's body-mind organism, an instrument to partake > in > > > > > Divine > > > > > > celebration, Leela. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF LIVING as I see > it! > > > > > > Namaskar...Pratap > > > > > > (Pratap Bhatt) > > > > > > ------------------------- -- > - > > > > > > My current opinion is life`s purpose is not `given` > > > > > > > > > > > > Everyone has been given the power to exercise his choice to > > > > select > > > > > > the purpose,and then work towards attaining it.Also as Gita > > > > > says,You > > > > > > donot have a right to attain the purpose. > > > > > > > > > > > > At a deeper level,the values one selects to live by can be > > > called > > > > > a > > > > > > purpose.Is this the Dharma? > > > > > > > > > > > > Bhave. > > > > > > (Prakash Bhave) > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------- -- > -- > > > > > > Jai Sitaramjiki. > > > > > > > > > > > > Reference the above topic for discussion, I request the > > > > following:- > > > > > > > > > > > > It is a very important topic for discussion. However, can > we > > > > > please > > > > > > first have the comments of SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI as he > must > > > > have > > > > > > spoken on this subject in his life time. Dhanyavad. > > > > > > > > > > > > Dhanyavad and Ram Ram. > > > > > > > > > > > > Bhavdiy > > > > > > > > > > > > SHER SINGH AGRAWAL > > > > > > ------------------------- -- > -- > > > > > > Namaste, > > > > > > The purpose of being on this earth, is to remove all > VASANAS. > > > But > > > > > > while living and exhausting vasanas, we also keep adding > some > > > > more > > > > > > vasanas. This gives birth and death to several birth cycles > > > > > > (jalmas). The choice is ours. By perfecting our devotion > > > (Bakthi) > > > > > > one can obtain the resolve (sankalpan) of God (Bagavan) to > > give > > > > us > > > > > > mukthi (salvation). > > > > > > B.Sathyanarayan > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------- -- > -- > > -- > > > > > > Namaste > > > > > > > > > > > > Is Atma which is present in all living beings is part of > > > > Parmatama > > > > > > (God) > > > > > > > > > > > > If yes then all living beings are connected with each other > > with > > > > > > strongest possible link > > > > > > > > > > > > Can we communicate with all living beings, other than man, > > with > > > > > this > > > > > > link > > > > > > > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > > > > > > > Ramesh Suri > > > > > > ------------------------- -- > > > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear MODERATOR, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Namaste! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I would like to request a discussion on a new > > topic, " PURPOSE > > > > OF > > > > > > > LIVING. " I am not sure if this topic has been discussed > > > > before. > > > > > I > > > > > > > would really appreciate, if you can help me/us understand > > the > > > > > > answer > > > > > > > to this question. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > > > > ---------------------- > > > > > > > > > > > > > > FROM THE MODERATOR > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The following are the guidelines for Gita-Talk > discussions. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: > > > > > > > 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify their > > > > doubts > > > > > > > related to Gitaji shalokas. Therefore, responses which > > further > > > > > > > clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be posted. > > > > > > > 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other > > scriptures > > > > to > > > > > > > substantiate your response. > > > > > > > 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. > to > > > > the > > > > > > > extent that they further help in understanding the Gita > > > shlokas > > > > > > > 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, > > > > respecting > > > > > > > sadhaka's time. > > > > > > > 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand only. > > > > > > > 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or other > > > > > > > organizations. > > > > > > > 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such as > > > > phone > > > > > > > number, address etc. > > > > > > > 8. Please do not address the response to a particular > > > > individual > > > > > > > since the message is going to the entire group. > > > > > > > 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not be > > > posted. > > > > > > > 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the posting, > if > > > > > > content > > > > > > > is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the > group. > > > > > > > 11. Please respond taking into consideration the novices, > > > > youth, > > > > > > > westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the use > to > > > > > > Sanskrit > > > > > > > words only, rather provide the English word with Sanskrit > > > > > > bracketed > > > > > > > wherever possible. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > MODERATOR > > > > > > > Ram Ram > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Greetings To Everyone: Swami Vivekananda was once asked, " Swamiji what is life? " Swami Vivekananda replied, " Life is the unfoldment and development of a being under circumstances tending to press it down " . Ever since I read this definition of life it has remained as fresh as when I first read it. In a meaningful way it describes the purpose of life or living. However, there is another aspect to the purpose of life in my opinion. Our presence in this universe where we are born, raised, thrive, age and ultimately die in, has a purpose. To my mind the purpose is to experience the universe of opposites, love/hate, dharma/adharma, yearning/indifferent, peace/violence, success/failure, complexity/simplicity, beauty/ugliness, music/noise etc. To add to this dimension is that it is only through our life and its stages do we experience the different kinds of emotions like love (e.g. for/of a parent, child, adult, family), add to this emotions like anger, peacefulness or calm, one can go on endlessly. But there is also another aspect to the purpose of living i.e. when we grow from being a child, into an adult, from being single to having one's own family - this also serves to expand our ego beyond oneself. For example when we go from being single to married, and then to parenthood - we develop what we refer to in Hindi as mumta for those who are ours, as the mother's mumta for her child. Consider, this - when there is an accident somewhere close to where our dear ones reside we quickly call to find out if they are okay, and once we know they are okay we offer our thanks to God or whomever one believes in, and then we go about our lives as usual. Continuing with this example of the accident - many people died in that accident, but they were in no way related to us. The point is not that we don't care for anyone other than our family or near and dear ones, but that our ego has expanded to include those whom we consider our relatives, friends and near/dear ones. This is another purpose of life. Being a Hindu I also deeply believe that the manner in which we develop our character (consciously or unconsciously) also determines our rebirth. For example if a father or a mother experiences a loss of their young child....this unfortunate experience and how the father or mother react to it shapes their character. Let us say that the father becomes angry towards God or the world or the doctor or the hospital and starts to express anger and hatred for whomever he holds responsible for his child's death. On the other hand the mother turns inward and becomes more spiritual, and turns to God to find strength to bear her loss. Such character shaping experiences, including qualities such as pursuing one's ambitions, in fact ANY ambition - becomes an exercise in developing and demonstrating a particular quality in our character. Let us say that a man coming from an extremely poor family studies very hard, experiences great hardships but never accepts charity. After years of such a struggle the man becomes a very successful industrialist and owns many factories etc. etc. This man has developed the quality of will power and righteousness by pursuing his goal(s) and not compromising his principles despite so many temptations, many challenges and hardships, which have all helped him to change his status in life. This man has also of course developed the quality of a very keen and sharp mind. It is possible that these character qualities are actively seen in this man throughout his life. In my opinion when this man dies he goes into the next life with these powerful qualities of character and they come naturally to the name and form he takes in his next life, by saying that these qualities come naturally to this reborn individual I am stating that this individual has all of those qualities in her/him (he can be reborn as a woman also :-)) FROM BIRTH. And his actions even as a young person show how intelligent, and capable he is. NOW this individual can work on other qualities. After many such lifetimes this individual suffers heartbreak, major losses in every aspect of life...and begins to turn towards God. In the next life this very same individual grows up to be a fine young man but then decides to become a sannyasi and does so. This young man now will be able to apply ALL THOSE QUALITIES IN HIS CHARACTER in working towards achieving closeness with God and practicing whichever spiritual discipline he has committed himself to. One can similarly describe many many aspects of life, and how they form the meaningful purpose of our lives. Besides how else can we experience the limitless power, beauty, wealth, intelligence that we see all around us in our lives. Just look at how we emerge from nothing as human beings, grow young and old, the different races, and the appearance of each race.....or even any sunrise or sunset, the moon whether full or just a crescent, the stars, the seasonal changes, the rain, the hail, the storms, the thunder, the lightening, the mountains, oceans, deserts...this is all the work of the SUPREME ARTIST.......God.....and we are able to experience every aspect of this God whom we know so well and yet don't know at all....no matter what name and form you give HIM....HE IS VERY MUCH THERE AND THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIFE IS TO WORK OUR WAY TO THAT EXPERIENCE...TO THAT EMBRACE. And this can never be done by mere words.........though words too have their place in God's universe. Peace to all............... Biraj Khosla --- Hari Om, After passing through several births from plants to animals one gets Human birth. From human again one can go to worm in dust bin. The soul passing through different births is because of it`s vasana (desires). If one has strong desire to drink, eat and indulge through his life, he has to be born as PIG. This form he can fulfill his desires and then be back to human. Similarly cause and effect also gives births and deaths. Majority of sadhaks know the history of Jada Bharatha in Sreemad Bagavath. A negligible desire to rare a deer by Bharatha Yogi gave birth as a deer. Nala and manigoopa 2 gandarvas (devas) got birth as 2 trees in nanda gokul. They were pair of trees through Sri Krishna passed and gave mukthi. It is very simple to know from lives of saints who left behind wealth, family and pleasures in young age and went in search of SAT. Purandra doss in those days was called nava koti narayana (9 types of crore of wealth) left behind and reached panderpur. Siddeswara Ram in young age jumped from a cliff at Sholapur as he felt life without darshan of Bagavan Shiva is a waste. He was pulled from space by Bagavan and blessed with Darshan. 12 alwars (vaishnavite) saints and 63 Nayanmars (saivites) saints showed way " Purpose of Living " . To empty our vasanas, to surrender our karmas (Narayanyethi Samarpayame), to eliminate 6 gunas (Kama- Kroth etc), to become pure and divine and finally to elevate to divinity is human birth purpose. This can be achieved by simple ways so many bakthas have shown as by living amidst society and living in family. Baktha Gora- Tukaram- Annamaiya- 9 Dasars from Karnataka- Pundalikan- Kurath Alwar- Sandikeswarar- Budha (who came back to family after realization), within 100 years Thyagaraya swamy), Vasudeva Bramam- Ramaliga swamy- Malayala swamy- Hat ram Baba Etc. To day saints- Mytreya Swamy on Tirumala hills- Govindama in forest range of Thirupati- One can see them floating on water, walking on fire, diverting movement of a air even to day. This swamy Mitreya was Bar At Law London. Givindama from very wealthy family. One swamy I met at Bathrinath made me feel normal in ordinary clothes at 4 degree Celsius are still living on earth. Bhagavan Shree Krishna said that HE will appear to establish dharma when wanted. This means strictly that HE comes when saints are insulted. Namaste B.Sathyanarayan --- I agree completely with KG Misra ji with the comparison of inhuman humans versus non-human beings. Naga Narayana --- , " sadhak_insight " <sadhak_insight wrote: > > Osho define Life as " A tale told by an idiot full of fury and > anger signifying nothing " > > Surrender and experience the play of this unlimited universe..... > Meditate and experience the bliss of being..... > Enjoy the 'purposelessness' of being whatever existence made you. > > A purposeless, nameless, being!! > > ESSENCE OF BHAGVAD GITA > > Whatever has happened, has happened for good. > Whatever is happening, is happening for good. > Whatever is going to happen, it will be for good. > What have you lost for which you cry? > What did you bring with you, which you have lost? > What did you produce, which has been destroyed? > You did not bring anything when you were born. > Whatever you have, you have received from Him. > Whatever you will give, you will give to Him. > You came empty handed and you will go the same way. > Whatever is yours today was somebody else's yesterday and will be > somebody else's tomorrow. > SO WHY WORRY UNNECESSARILY? > Change is the law of the universe > > Abhinav Mehta > > (shortened by moderator) > > > Hari Om > > Yes what ever is said is true to the core. The problem is how to give > this message to Rural India and to the poor who has to think what can > they have for next meal. It is the duty of people with knowledge must > work to educate the poor and village population to think on this > line. Until that happens no one will be interested in the principle > of " PURPOSE OF LIVING " > > DR.Ambekar. > -------------------------------- > > > , " sadhak_insight " > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > Hari Om > > Dear fellow Seekers of truth, > > > > It is a well known fact that human birth is special.. All exalted > > Souls have proclaimed this fact.. Our authoritative scriptures also > > have declared it & is also in lines with our limited experience in > > this planet.. > > The very reason why we are thinking about the purpose of life > itself > > is the evidence of our speciality.. > > Humans alone worry about questions like these & yearn for something > > higher & nobler than mundane material existance & inturn they are > > alone blessed with the capablity to achieve those higher goals in > > their very life span. > > > > Evolution always continues & has never come to a standstill. Our > > creator alone knows where it is all heading to. But as far as our > > limited human perception is concerned, it is not incorrect to > > say human beings are the most evolved beings in this little planet > of > > ours at this juncture & they alone are capable of evolving > themselves > > to further stages. If we look back in history, we can very well see > > how humans have evolved in both material & spiritual levels.. Where > > as our brothers in animal & plant kingdom are still where they were > > 1000s of years back.. Had they been capable of this, we'd have seen > > them evolving too.. So no doubt, human birth is very special as > > they alone are gifted with a discriminative intellect, although it > is > > again upto them how they make use of this valuable gift from their > > creator.. > > > > Again, if we look at plants & animals, we can see that their > behavior > > is programmed by instincts. Humans alone are capable of being > > consciously aware of their actions, thoughts & tendencies & > reprogram > > themselves. We are all able to discuss this matter in this forum > only > > because of these abilities given to us. > > > > But if we reflect on why we are discussing it, we'll realise that > it > > is due to some incompleteness we feel about ourselves at this > stage, > > be it related to fear of death or uncertainity of the future or > > anything else.. And why should we be worried about it unless > > completeness is our very true nature itself.. Otherwise > > it should not have disturbed us.. Swamiji used to say that hunger > > itself is the evidence that there exists something that can satisfy > > the hunger.. > > > > It is also our experience that we all are always behind acquiring > > knowledge, which is another reason why we start discussing topics > > like this.. This again is nothing but our natural inclination to be > > full in knowledge.. And it is also our experience that all our > > actions & thoughts are propelled towards gaining happiness, which > is > > again an attempt by the conditioned Jeeva to regain its > > natural state of happiness.. So there is this want to return to > that > > original state of fullness in each one of us, whether we are aware > of > > it at this stage or not... > > > > So in this conditioned state, we are no longer in our natural state > of > > completeness or rather not aware of it & knowingly or unknowingly > all > > our endevours are aimed to take ourselves to that original state > > which is described by scriptures as Sat Chit Ananda.. > > > > Hence all the great souls repeatedly tell us that such a special > > human birth is not to be wasted by living like mere animals & > running > > behind material pursuits. We are to make use of these special > > abilities (available to us only when we are in this human form) to > > awaken that dormant divinity within each one of us & firmly resolve > > to return to our original state. So instead of idling around in > > this material world, let us all resolve to return back to our > > original abode that we had left long back & long since forgotten. > > Let us Hurry Home as Swami Chinmayananda used to say.. > > > > What else could be the purpose of this Human life? > > > > Hari Om > > Sarath > > (sasidharan sarath) > > --------------------------- > > > > Manushya does not mean two legged man or women. Manu- shya = born > > from Manah. > > Pashu is not four legged animal but those who oblige to bondage. > Shiva > > is called PASHUPATI only because he cutts off the contracts and > > bondage of cobweb of thoughts. PASHU BALI is not sacrifice of animal > > but getting free from all obligations and stay undisturbed. > > > > Cow is therefore not PASHU and a businessman bundled with mobile > > phones and schedules is not MANUSHYA > > > > Naga ji in his statement said " no other species other than humans > can > > recognise and enjoy why is and what is the purpose of such variety " . > > In fact, Tulsi das and even in the Bhagwat Gita and Durga Saptshati, > > the desirability of human is not high. Bhagwat gita addreses to > Bhoot > > (or those in physical disguises). Humans have secondary memory and > use > > a framework of common references and this faculty is not of use in > > animals. This has advantage and disadvantage. By this > differentiating > > (aakash tatva), humans can have variations on higher as well as > lower > > sides in extremes. Krishna serviced cow, Ram serviced monkeys, and > > Shiva snakes. Animals are less dangerous than humans, and are > > dependent on plants and animals for livelihood but whom it did not > > serve or care for and exploit it. > > > > Regards > > K G > > (Krishna Gopal) > > > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > Respected Ones : > > > > > > Thank you very much for taking interest in my utterance. I am > > > grateful for that as well as your love and blessings. I need them. > > > However, I am helpless but to note couple of things here. Pardon > me > > > for my prudence. But, my intention is purely to unveil my > ignorance > > > further for my own benefit. > > > > > > " no other species other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is > > > and what is the purpose of such variety " > > > > > > I do not think I understand how exactly others truly observe and > > > enjoy - not just flora and fauna, even humans. I have observed a > > > tendency that I observe, experience and enjoy the best because I > > > seem to know only that. Accordingly, we develop tendencies to > > > respect what we believe and reject what we do not. We > categorically > > > claim to have comprehended what we believe and categorically > reject > > > what we do not comprehend. It is this tendency that is called Maya > > > or Ignorance. Do we really have authority to judge how others > > > observe and enjoy things?! Even so, is there any benefit for me in > > > doing so? Even if no benefits are there, are not there any harms > in > > > doing so? I need to be careful here. > > > > > > " to have discrimination and curiosity to know, all the art and > > > sciences … all this indicate towards some spacial purpose of human > > > birth " > > > > > > Do the elements like curiosity, discrimination etc. make one > > > superior? As a matter of fact, can any perceivable element make > any > > > one superior? Is such superiority complex the one that is one's > > > major misery in this life? I understand that the urge to feel > > > special is called pride which is the back bone of the human ego. > If > > > you think otherwise, pl. let me know. > > > > > > " there is hardly any development in the living being that could be > > > said to be some what superior to man " > > > > > > The nature has blessed the human with apparently more powerful > tools > > > of survival in a general sense. Yet, humans suffer more than the > > > rest! Why?! Instead of utilizing the thinking power it has been > > > blessed with, the humanity has spent all its lives in self- > > > superiority-promotion. I am not surprised by your urge for > > > superiority. All humans do. I too do. All think that everything in > > > the universe is created to felicitate human superiority. Humans > can > > > even imagine the gods to serve them. But yet, they suffer the > most … > > > meekly. Don't you think the humans abuse their so called > faculties > > > to acquire more opaque ignorance than flora and fauna around > > > pretending to know under the canopy of ignorance? If not, why > there > > > are only handful of incidences of Vyasa, Shankara, Jesus, > > > Paramahamsa, Ramana amongst the zillions of human lives that have > > > been consumed in the ocean of life on earth? > > > > > > " you are at a status where the further evolution is almost > stopped " > > > > > > I am certain that I have not understood the creation or evolution > > > even a bit. I do not think that I can ever understand whether is > has > > > started or stopped or where it stands now. Certainly, I am not > (and > > > I can never be) the authority over it. Therefore, I have no > comments > > > on this. > > > > > > " …finally merging into nothingness " > > > > > > Finally, I feel you are talking something that is of use to me. > Yes, > > > if we utilize our faculties humbly to be one with that nothingness > > > that you are speaking off … the life is worth it. But don't you > see > > > that The Nothingness is the invariant wherein no purpose of ours > can > > > withstand even for a moment? Don't you see that it is the " purpose > > > of life " conceived by the human brain that has entangled him/her > > > within this brain not allowing him/her to merge with The Truth, > The > > > Nothingness? > > > > > > In my opinion, all the purposes of our lives have been concocted > by > > > our egos to promote this notion of superiority over the rest > > > directly or indirectly … some times hidden even in spiritual > > > aspirations. Until the purpose of life exists in me, my > > > understanding is that I am not willing to relinquish my ownership > on > > > actions, knowledge and experience. In that case, how can I ever > > > attain The Truth with the help of any such purpose? > > > > > > I still reiterate the same that I uttered before … The ONLY > Purpose > > > that is useful in this life is to realize that all the purposes of > > > our lives are just concoctions brewed within our tiny brains and > > > experience that such concoctions are the very bondages that have > > > imprisoned us within our perceived illusive and evasive worlds of > > > notions and ideas. In other words, The Purpose of spirituality is > to > > > drop all the purposes, the associated ownership, bondage and > burden > > > of our lives altogether. > > > > > > This is my apparent understanding at this point of time. I may not > > > be able to observe and recognize my ignorance in it, which is > quite > > > possible knowing the chains of ignorance I have unearthed in > myself > > > so far. Therefore, I request you to teach me if you think > otherwise. > > > > > > Thank You. > > > > > > Respects. > > > > > > Naga Narayana. > > > ------------------------------ --- > -- > > -- > > > Respected G.vaidyanathan ji.. > > > My Gratitde for posting the Acharya Swami Ramsukdasji maharaj.. > > > swamiji revealed the essence of His Knowledge in simple words.. > > > our humble parnaams to Swami ji.. > > > as Brother krishna Gopal wrote.. > > > We are nityamukta.. > > > we do not need Moksa (liberation)..as atma is nityamukta > (eternally > > > free).. > > > we play bounded as IT IS HIS WILL.. As we are ready..His > sanctions > > > frees the soul to Do His Work in the world. > > > you are mere nimitmaatram. (an instrument). > > > " all that is done in the Universe It is Divine through His shakti > > is > > > behind all action, but He is veiled by his Yogamaya and acting > > > through the ego of the Jiva......' > > > Nature cannot be satisfied with the present human evolutionary > > level.. > > > as we are sanatan ansh (part , ray of) of Ishwara (God > > Consciousness). > > > ck kaul > > > ------------------------------ --- > > > > > > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Message of Swamiji clearly brings out the purpose of life. > > > > G.Vaidyanathan. > > > > > > > > sadhaka > > > > sadhak_insight@ > > > > Tue, 8 Apr 2008 03:34:54 -0700 > > > > [sadhaka] Purpose of LIfe (April 8, 2008) > > > > > > > > :Shree Hari: > > > > > > > > 8th April, 2008, Tuesday > > > > Chaitra Shukla Tritiya, Vikram Samvat 2064, Mangalvar > > > > > > > > God, by showering His grace has blessed us with four things - > 1) > > > this > > > > human life, 2) the understanding 3) the means and 4) the > > > > capabilities. These four things have been given to us primarily > > for > > > > the purpose of realizing the Truth (attaining salvation, God or > > > Self > > > > Realization). > > > > > > > > A very important point here is that the time, the means, the > > > > understanding and the competencies that we currently have, if > we > > > > engage them all in realizing the Truth (God, Self) then > > perfection > > > > (realization) in human life can be achieved. We have already > been > > > > provided all that is needed for God Realization. And if there > is > > > any > > > > thing lacking (deficiencies), then God will fulfill those > > > > deficiencies Himself. The kingdom of God is open at all times > for > > > > everyone. > > > > > > > > It is said in the Ramcharitramanasa - " Kabahu kari karunaa ner > > > dehi; > > > > Det is binu hetu sanehi. " (Manasa 7:43:3) > > > > In man there is a feeling of uncertainty, how can I realize > God? > > > > However, this life, this birth is only for this purpose. There > is > > > no > > > > other purpose. Yet deep within us lingers this thought, this > > subtle > > > > doubt, that are we really capable ? Are we really worthy? This > > > > feeling of unworthiness, is the greatest obstacle in realizing > > God. > > > > Just like a mother always accepts her child in her lap, no > matter > > > how > > > > good or bad he is. The child is ever entitled to be in his > > mother's > > > > lap. Similarly we are all eligible for God Realization, no > matter > > > > what we are. > > > > > > > > God says in the Gita " Api chetsuduraachaaro, bhajate maam > ananya > > > bhaak > > > > Saadhureva sa mantavyah samyagvyavasitohi saha " (Gita 9:30) > > > > Simply speaking, even if the worst of sinners becomes Mine, he > > > should > > > > be considered a saint, because he is determined to turn towards > > Me, > > > > says God. Only due to his firm determination. Once this > > > determination > > > > is made, can wrongful actions become obstacles in God > > Realization? > > > Is > > > > God so very weak that He will be stalled by few actions? > > > > > > > > Pay attention to this verse. It is mentioned here that God, is > a > > > well- > > > > wisher without any motive, and simply by His grace He has > > bestowed > > > > this human life on us, so that we can become free from sorrows > > and > > > > attain Him. The implication here is that God intends for our > > > > upliftment, our benediction. So with a little effort on our > part, > > > His > > > > intention will come true. > > > > > > > > In summary the purpose of life is to serve others, to realize > the > > > > truth (Self) and to believe in God as our very own. It is for > > > these, > > > > that this human life, this human birth has been received. > > > > > > > > From Discourse in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji > > > > > > > > Ram Ram > > > > ---------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > > All life have one purpose but is different for different > people. > > > This > > > > purpose is liberation or MOXA but each one of us as per ones' > > > > swabhaav (innate nature) is near and far from this end goal, > and > > > > therefore have different goals in short term. Life is a > journey > > > and > > > > as we go up in understanding, our attachments with world > reduces > > > and > > > > as we know the abstract, we get MOXA in step by step. > > > > > > > > MOXA is liberation and it is purpose of life. Liberation from > > > disese, > > > > liberation from hunger, liberation from ignorance, liberation > > from > > > > unwanted controls, liberation to work as per own wish, > liberation > > > to > > > > work for self and family, liberation to work for community, and > > > > liberation for self and all. Scientists are doing work of > > > inventing > > > > medicines, engineers build machines, saints do the preachng, > > > soldiers > > > > do the war in defense, and so on. Each one is to do > > > his/her 'niyat > > > > karma' as per given swabhaav (nature)because it is only > > > justification > > > > of life at that moment. When swabhav (dharma) gets improved > the > > > work > > > > also changes, and you find a laywer like Gandhi becoming > replica > > of > > > > Kabir. > > > > This is BHAGWAT GITA from begining to the end > > > > Regards > > > > Krishna Gopal > > > > > > > > ---------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > > dear naganarayan ji. > > > > there is lot of flora and founa arround us which no other > species > > > > other than humans can recognise and enjoy why is and what is > the > > > > purpose of such variety. Now all the living beings are born > with > > > > their torso in line with the earth axis. Strangely it is the > man > > > > only who has his torso perpendicular to the earth axis. > Certainly > > a > > > > point to be probed and understood. Then, when it is the purpose > > of > > > > living and dying why to have discrimination and curiosity to > > know, > > > > all the art and sciences. Definitly all this indicate towards > > some > > > > spacial purpose of human birth. Not merely living a quality > > living. > > > > When you probe into the cosmic evolution you will see that from > > > > nothingness ( nirakar) cosmic projection of matter came into > > > > existence further development in the same evolution brought in > > the > > > > living species finally culminating at the birth of human life.. > > now > > > > history speaks that there is hardly any development in the > living > > > > being that could be said to be some what superior to man. Thus > > you > > > > are at a status where the further evolution is almost stopped. > > This > > > > in itself indicates that man is at the threshold of finally > > merging > > > > into nothingness thus completing the cycle of evolution which > > > started > > > > from nothingnees and goes back to the same nothingness. Which > > in > > > > terms of sprit is called self realisation, freedom from the > cycle > > > of > > > > reincarnation. i have tried to give you the totality of the > > purpose > > > > of human birth in nut shell. In case you want further > > clarification > > > > please feel free to communicate with me thanks and lots of love > > and > > > > blessings ck kaul > > > > ---------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > > dear all brothers and sisters on this forum > > > > my humble parnaams to ALL > > > > why to loose your sleep.. > > > > The Yoga means giving charge of your LIfe to The Supreme.. > > > > Let Her take care of you and Your fraility. > > > > But you need to Surrender; this is the Secret > > > > and the Key to the puzzle of Life > > > > Mystery is solved once you feel Her Hand in your Life.. > > > > why worry.. > > > > the Key to evolution is Dharma, > > > > Explore the true meaning of Dharma and follow the dharma. > > > > the first step of this Journey... > > > > thanks... > > > > kuldip > > > > > > > > ---------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > > Dear Friends, > > > > > > > > The purpose of life is to have a goal and work towards it. Even > > > > striving " to not have a purpose " is a goal and one obviously > > works > > > > for it. > > > > > > > > girish desai > > > > > > > > ---------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > - > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Dear Friend: > > > > > > > > > > This a question that has burnt me quite a bit … I lost sleep > for > > > > > many months on this … > > > > > > > > > > The purpose of The Life cannot be determined by us as we > remain > > > > > miniscule specs in the infinite ocean of Life. At best, we > can > > say > > > > > that the purpose of The Life is Itself. I consider the > question > > > > > as " what is the purpose of an individual in its life? " > > > > > > > > > > It is the survival program that creates this notion of > purpose > > of > > > > > life in us. The ego is created to generate an identity for an > > > > > individual. The system is steered by the ego to enhance and > > > protect > > > > > this identity. That is the reason we always feel one with > this > > > body- > > > > > mind cluster and always think that " I am this body/mind " . > > > Obviously, > > > > > the ego has to take a stand of being a guardian to safeguard > > this > > > > > system in its duty. Its job is secured as far as there is a > > > request > > > > > for help from the system. The ego generates relations with > the > > > rest > > > > > of the world to steer the system in the physical world and > > happens > > > > > to understand the adversities around that continuously > threaten > > > the > > > > > individual system's survival. The purpose of the ego is to > > nurture > > > > > and safeguard the individual system at any cost. Therefore, to > > > > > protect its own survival it craves to look forward for > reasons > > how > > > > > it can execute its job " save the system " . In a sense it > > > assures " job > > > > > security " to itself by imagining that it is the sole care- > taker > > of > > > > > the individual system and the relations it has established > with > > > the > > > > > external world. As a result, it develops a sense of ownership > > and > > > > > authority over the system, its relations as well as, the > related > > > > > objects. The apparent purpose of life of an individual is to > > > > > establish, protect and enhance this ownership and authority. > > From > > > > > ego's point of view, life ends in the absence of itself which > > is > > > in > > > > > a way true because it always interprets the life as its > > perpetual > > > > > association with the individual body-mind cluster, its > relations > > > > > with the world and the related objects in the world. But, its > > true > > > > > worry is its own oblivion as a result of the potential loss > of > > > > life – > > > > > which again is the body-mind cluster and its worldly > > possession > > > > > that it owns in its understanding. > > > > > > > > > > The very notion of " the purpose of life " is generated for its > > > ever- > > > > > lasting and never-achieved quest for eternity within its > > > authority. > > > > > It poses this question to itself whenever there is a threat > to > > > > life – > > > > > that is its own existence. The quest in the background > is " Is > > > > there > > > > > any benefit for me? If so, let me encourage the environment. > Is > > > > > there is any threat for my existence? Then let me thwart the > > > > > environment. If not possible, let me escape at least. " > > Basically, > > > > > the purpose of life for the ego is a perpetual saga of > > diplomacy, > > > > > fight and escape with reference to its environment. Due to the > > > > > notion of existence it has created for itself it is > perpetually > > > > > chased by fears that threaten its growth and existence while > it > > > > > eternally chases the desires that show potential congeniality > > to > > > its > > > > > existence and growth. It believes that the only fuel that can > be > > > > > adapted in its journey to successfully achieve its ends – to > > > acquire > > > > > and safeguard ownership – is this notion, THE PURPOSE OF > LIFE! > > It > > > > > hangs on to it so dearly that no one can literally fight > > against > > > it. > > > > > One has to satisfy this guardian of all actions to take up any > > > > > action – that is the authority ego has assigned to its own > > notion. > > > > > Even in spirituality, one has to appease this gate keeper to > > > explore > > > > > any possibilities outside. The fellow is really sticky and > > won't > > > let > > > > > you free of itself all through your exploration just like > > > > > Nakshatrika on King Harischandra's shoulder. > > > > > > > > > > In fact, the " purpose of life " is the biggest hurdle for the > > > > > progress in spirituality since it is this notion that > empowers > > the > > > > > ego steadfast against a spiritual quest. Unless one faces it > > > > > correctly, it is impossible to face the ego … and hence > > impossible > > > > > to drop ownership … and hence impossible to attain The Bliss > > void > > > of > > > > > desires and fears. > > > > > > > > > > As spiritual seekers, we need to acknowledge and respect this > > > > > fellow – the purpose of life – in proper light. In my > opinion, > > the > > > > > purpose of spirituality is to seek the same in this purpose > of > > > life > > > > > to eliminate all the purposes of life imagined by oneself. The > > > > > purpose of spirituality drops off automatically in the > absence > > of > > > > > the rest of the purposes. > > > > > > > > > > My understanding on this quest is: Do not try to look for the > > > > > purpose. Become the purpose. Be the purpose. As Tilakji has > > > > > beautifully observed – the pot never seeks the purpose of its > > > > > creation ... why us? The pot instantly becomes the purpose … > > why > > > not > > > > > us? > > > > > > > > > > Respects. > > > > > > > > > > Naga Narayana. > > > > > -------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > - > > > > > my dear divine souls! > > > > > > > > > > my humble parnaams....... > > > > > > > > > > The purpose of Life is only... to Know Thy Self.. > > > > > when we focus our energies in wordly pursuits.. > > > > > we are in the Nature of Ignorance and do not understand the > > > Meaning > > > > > of life. > > > > > > > > > > We humans have reached the final stage of evolution where we > > have > > > > the > > > > > mind, and we can the understanding of what is Ultimate good > and > > > what > > > > > is evil in us. > > > > > We in the very nature are God in disguise.. Ishwar is our > true > > > natue > > > > > who is Love, Beauty, Power, Knowledge..Bliss (Ananda), but we > > are > > > > > here not experiencing these attributes of God. > > > > > so the purpose of Life is only to arrive at our True Nature.. > > > > > > > > > > Janam mritu jara vyadhi dukh doshanu darshnam.. > > > > > A keen perception of the defective nature of the ordinary > > physical > > > > > man and its aimless and painful subjection to birth, death, > > > disease > > > > > and age..bg.13 9 > > > > > > > > > > thanks... > > > > > kuldip > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > - > > > > > > > > > > The purpose of Life is to be useful to others, both animate > and > > > > > inanimate and help without any expectation of rewards and > > achieve > > > > the > > > > > goal of NO REBIRTH. > > > > > > > > > > G.Vaidyanathan > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > - > > > > > If we all believe and to the Vedantic thoughts, > then > > the > > > > > purpose of life is to get redemption from the cycle of death, > > > > rebirth > > > > > etc brought about by our limitless karmas. Gita clearly says > > that > > > we > > > > > are bound in this Samsara and unless we surrender to Him > > totally, > > > > > (Chapter 18 Sloka 66) there is no way that we could obtain > > > salvation > > > > > on our own. He is the only one who has the Power to wipe out > > all > > > our > > > > > karmas (both good and bad) that would enable us to be in > eternal > > > > > bliss with Him. After this total surrender, we continue to > live > > > in a > > > > > detached way leading a Dharmic life and simply wait for the > > final > > > > > salvation until our time comes to depart from this > > > world. " Detached " > > > > > does not mean we do not look after our family or the society. > > It > > > is > > > > > performing our dharmic karmas without expectation of any > > reward. > > > The > > > > > outcome of our action is also surrendered to Lord krishna. > > > > > > > > > > I believe this is the essence and purpose of life. Since we > > have > > > put > > > > > our trust in Him, it is for Him to look after us during the > > rest > > > of > > > > > our life. > > > > > > > > > > Humble servant of the God > > > > > G Rangarajan > > > > > -------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > - > > > > > Dear Sadhakas, > > > > > > > > > > Virtue and vice, happiness and sorrow are all attributes of > the > > > > mind, > > > > > not of Yourself, O All-pervading One! > > > > > You are neither the " doer " nor the " enjoyer " . Indeed, you are > > > ever- > > > > > free!!! > > > > > > > > > > Dharma Dharmau Sukham Dukham Manasani na te vibho > > > > > Na Karta-si na Bhogta-si Mukta evasi sarvada > > > > > (Ashtawakra Gita Chapter 1 verse 6) > > > > > > > > > > As long as there is the EGO....this identity with the BODY, > > MIND & > > > > > INTELLECT, will keep us all in the dualities of life. The > sense > > > > > of 'doership' and/or 'enjoyership' gives the feeling of good > & > > > bad, > > > > > happiness & unhappiness, joy & sorrow. The moment....ego > > > > > disappears....the identity also disappears and the true > Eternal > > > > > Blissful Self appears..where there are no questions or > > confusions. > > > > > > > > > > Hare Ram Hare Ram > > > > > Ram Ram Hare Hare > > > > > Hare Krishna Hare Krishna > > > > > Krishna Krsihna Hare Hare > > > > > > > > > > Abhinav Mehta > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > > > Life loses its purpose unless guided by God. > > > > > Many cultures have within their lore stories similar to > Hänsel > > and > > > > > Gretel, a tale of Germanic origin and adapted by the Brothers > > > Grimm: > > > > > people happy and cared for, subsequent misfortune, loss, > > apparent > > > > > escape, even greater danger and final deliverance. When the > > > > children are lost in the woods we read these words: " ...as > > (Hänsel) > > > > walked through the trees, he left a trail of crumbs behind him > to > > > > mark the way. " > > > > > > > > > > How often do we feel like these lost children, wandering > > through a > > > > > life that seems dark with dangerous shadows, not only unsure > of > > > our > > > > > destination, but uncertain which fork of the road to take. > > > Perhaps > > > > it > > > > > is job uncertainty, or career choices or relationship > > questions. > > > > Sometimes it is even doubt about God's love or leading. What > are > > > some > > > > crumbs on the path to mark our way? > > > > > > > > > > Author John Baillie writes, " I thank Thee that this Christian > > way > > > > > whereon I walk is no untried or uncharted road, but a road > > beaten > > > > > hard by the footsteps of saints, apostles, prophets, and > > martyrs. > > > I > > > > > thank Thee for the finger-posts and danger signals with which > > it > > > is > > > > > marked at every turning and which may be known to me through > > > study > > > > of > > > > > the Bible and of all history, and of all the great literature > > of > > > the > > > > > world. " > > > > > > > > > > God often directs us through the quiet voice of his Spirit > > > speaking > > > > to > > > > > the inner places of our own spirits, but He has also given us > > more > > > > > visible crumbs along the way. It is of vital importance > that > > we > > > > pay > > > > > close attention to those crumbs. > > > > > > > > > > Bread crumbs don't seem like much, Lord, but sometimes those > > > crumbs > > > > > are all we have to follow. Thank you that through your Holy > > > Spirit > > > > the > > > > > crumbs can be magnified and thus visible to our seeking eyes. > > > > > > > > > > yeshu rathenam > > > > > -------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > > > Adarniya Bhaktjan, > > > > > > > > > > Praman > > > > > > > > > > I am writing below about the Purpose of life which may be > > useful > > > in > > > > > doing spirituality. > > > > > > > > > > From a spiritual perspective, there are two generic reasons > why > > we > > > > > are born. These reasons define the purpose of our lives at > the > > > most > > > > > basic level. They are: > > > > > - To complete the give-and-take account we have with various > > > > people - > > > > > - To make spiritual progress with the final aim of merging > > into > > > God > > > > > and therefore getting out of the cycle of birth and death. > > > > > > > > > > Completing our give-and-take account > > > > > Over many lifetimes, we accumulate many give-and-take > accounts > > > that > > > > > are a direct result of our deeds and actions. The accounts > may > > be > > > > > positive or negative depending on the positive or negative > > nature > > > of > > > > > our actions. As a rule of thumb, in the current era > > approximately > > > > 65% > > > > > of our lives are destined (not within our control) and 35% of > > our > > > > > lives are governed by our own freewill. All major events in > our > > > life > > > > > are by and large destined. These events include our birth, > the > > > > family > > > > > we are born into, the person (or persons) we marry, the > > children > > > we > > > > > have, serious illnesses and the time of our death. The > > happiness > > > and > > > > > pain that we give and receive from loved ones and > acquaintances > > > are > > > > > by and large simply a case of prior give-and-take accounts > > > directing > > > > > the way relationships unravel and play out. > > > > > > > > > > However even our destiny in the current lifetime is just a > > > fraction > > > > > of the accumulated give-and take account that we amass over > many > > > > > lifetimes. > > > > > In our lifetime, while we do complete our give-and-take > account > > > and > > > > > destiny earmarked for this particular lifetime of ours, we > also > > > end > > > > > up creating more accounts by using our wilful action. This in > > turn > > > > > finally adds up to our overall give-and-take account known as > > the > > > > > accumulated account. As a result, we have to be born again to > > > settle > > > > > further give-and-take accounts and are stuck in the cycle of > > birth > > > > > and death. > > > > > > > > > > Making spiritual progress > > > > > The ultimate in spiritual development in any Spiritual path is > > > > > merging with God. `Merging with God' means experiencing God > > > within > > > > us > > > > > and all around us and not identifying with our five senses, > > mind > > > and > > > > > intellect. This happens at the 100% spiritual level. Most > > people > > > in > > > > > today's world are at the 20-25% spiritual level and are > > > disinclined > > > > > to any spiritual practice for spiritual development. They also > > > > > heavily identify with their 5 senses, mind and intellect. > This > > is > > > > > reflected in our lives when we focus mainly on our looks or > are > > > > > arrogant about our intelligence or success. > > > > > > > > > > By spiritual practice when we grow to the spiritual level of > > 80%, > > > we > > > > > are liberated from the cycle of birth and death. After this > > > > spiritual > > > > > level, we can settle whatever remaining give-and-take > accounts > > we > > > > > have from the higher subtle realms of Mahaaloka and above. > > > Sometimes > > > > > however, people above the 80% spiritual level may choose to > be > > > born > > > > > on Earth to guide humanity in Spirituality. > > > > > > > > > > Rahul Kinger > > > > > -------------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > - > > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > I request SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI to comments and provide > some > > > > > > guidance so that we can generate more opnions and awareness > > on > > > > this > > > > > > subject. > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks. Namaste. > > > > > > > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ --- > -- > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear Sir, > > > > > > > > > > > > I am a student of Gita. I am also a student of world > history. > > > > > > > > > > > > The Purpose of Living is a constant theme of the Perennial > > > > > > Philosophy ie. Vedanta. > > > > > > > > > > > > I have always been inspired by the thoughts of the Roman > > emperor > > > > > > Marcus Aurelius who I believe was a true Vedantin in his > > > approach > > > > > to > > > > > > the question " What is the purpose of Human life " . > > > > > > > > > > > > I reproduce below his notes from his famous > > book " Meditations " . > > > > > Hope > > > > > > it might be of interest to members of your cyber- satsangh. > > > > > > > > > > > > Best regds, > > > > > > daasan Sudarshan MK > > > > > > > > > > > > ************************** > > > > > > " Remember two things: > > > > > > > > > > > > 1. that everything has always been the same, and keeps > > > recurring, > > > > > > and it makes no difference whether you see the same things > > > recur > > > > in > > > > > > a hundred years or two hundred or in an infinite period; > > > > > > > > > > > > 2. that the longest-lived and those who will die soonest > lose > > > the > > > > > > same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since > > > that > > > > is > > > > > > all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose. > > > > > > > > > > > > " The human soul degrades itself: > > > > > > > > > > > > 1. above all when it does its best to become an abscess, a > > kind > > > of > > > > > > detached growth on the world. To be disgruntled at anything > > that > > > > > > happens is a kind of secession from Nature, which comprises > > the > > > > > > nature of all things. > > > > > > > > > > > > 2. when it turns its back on another person or sets out to > > harm > > > to > > > > > > do it harm, as the souls of the angry do. > > > > > > > > > > > > 3. when it is overpowered by pleasure or pain. > > > > > > > > > > > > 4. when it puts on a mask and does or says something > > artificial > > > or > > > > > > false. > > > > > > > > > > > > 5. when it allows its actions and impulse to be without a > > > purpose, > > > > > > to be random and disconnected: even the smallest things > ought > > > to > > > > be > > > > > > directed toward a goal. But the goal of rational beings is > to > > > > follow > > > > > > the rule and law of the most ancient of communities and > > states. > > > > > > > > > > > > ************ > > > > > > > > > > > > " Human Life: > > > > > > > > > > > > Duration: momentary > > > > > > Nature: changeable > > > > > > Perception: dim > > > > > > Condition of Body: decaying > > > > > > Soul: spinning around > > > > > > Fortune: unpredictable > > > > > > Lasting fame: uncertain > > > > > > > > > > > > Sum Up: the body and its parts are a river, the soul a > dream > > and > > > > > > mist, life is warfare and a journey far from home, lasting > > > > > > reputation is oblivion. > > > > > > > > > > > > Then what guides us? Only philosophy. > > > > > > > > > > > > Which means making sure that the power within stays safe > and > > > free > > > > > > from assault, above pleasure and pain, doing nothing > randomly > > or > > > > > > dishonestly and with imposture, not dependent on anyone > > else's > > > > doing > > > > > > something or not doing it. And making sure that it accepts > > what > > > > > > happens happens and what it is dealt as coming from the > same > > > place > > > > > > it came from. And above all, that it accepts death in a > > cheerful > > > > > > spirit, as nothing but the dissolution of the elements from > > > which > > > > > > each living thing is composed. If it doesnt hurt the > > individual > > > > > > elements to change continually into one another, why are > > people > > > > > > afraid of all of them changing and separating? It's a > natural > > > > > thing. > > > > > > And nothing natural is evil. " > > > > > > > > > > > > ********************* > > > > > > > > > > > > Warm Regards, > > > > > > Sudarshan > > > > > > > > > > > > " A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is > > > worth > > > > > as > > > > > > much as life " . > > > > > > (Andre Malraux) > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ --- > -- > > -- > > > -- > > > > - > > > > > > Dear friends, > > > > > > The purpose of life is to be Happy. Every one is trying to > be > > > > > happy. > > > > > > However, most people do not know what happiness is. Without > > the > > > > > > Knowledge of what happiness is how can one attain > happiness. > > It > > > is > > > > > > like someone who have never seen a mango and trying to buy > > one > > > in > > > > a > > > > > > shopping center. He is totally dependent on others. There > is > > a > > > > very > > > > > > good analysis of the purpose of life and the happiness in > Gita > > > > > > Rahasya by BG Tilak. > > > > > > I strongly recommend the chapter on Happiness and > Unhappiness > > in > > > > > > this book. My final conclusion is at the bottom. How you > > > proceed > > > > in > > > > > > life and all the value system can be derived from what > > > happiness > > > > is > > > > > > and how to achieve eternal happiness. Bhagvat Gita is an > > > > > > indispensable guide to attaining this eternal happiness. > > > > > > basant tariyal > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ --- > > > > > > When I create a pot out of mud, the pot - (the creation) > does > > > not > > > > > > know the purpose for which it is being created. Only the > > creator > > > > > > knows why he made the creation. We are born to such and such > > > > > > parents (as we think of the body level), we are kept here > > > through > > > > > > them for doing some of His karmas through this body. > > Actually > > > we > > > > > > are never born and will never die from the Atma level. We > > humans > > > > > > think from the physical and mental level only that is why > this > > > > > > confusion. > > > > > > > > > > > > vanaja nair > > > > > > ------------------------ --- > -- > > -- > > > -- > > > > -- > > > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear Sadhakas, Namaste! > > > > > > > The purpose of living is implicit in correct > understanding > > of > > > > > > life! > > > > > > > It would seem that living in peace, harmony, love, joy, is > > > > > > intrinsic > > > > > > > to our nature. > > > > > > > If one is joyous, in peace, and loving, one would like to > > stay > > > > > > there > > > > > > > as much as possible. No one would say " let me be unhappy > > now, > > > I > > > > > am > > > > > > > bored being happy " . However, when one is in pain, unhappy, > > > > > > restless, > > > > > > > angry, etc then one would like to push them away as soon > as > > > they > > > > > > can > > > > > > > to be in happy state. This shows our true nature is that > of > > > > being > > > > > > at > > > > > > > peace, happy, and in harmony with our environment. > > > > > > > SO the purpose is to live in this way, in line with what > God > > > > > > intends > > > > > > > us to live. > > > > > > > All our pursuits are for being happy, be them for money, > > > power, > > > > > > > fame, sex, religious following, or whatever one is > running > > > > after. > > > > > > > One just doesn't know it and considers these pursuits as > > ends > > > in > > > > > > > themselves. Soon he/she forgets the purpose of living and > > > > > > attributes > > > > > > > happiness in such objects. One gets attached to them, > > > depending > > > > > on > > > > > > > them for his/her happiness, and starts possessing them at > > all > > > > > > costs. > > > > > > > In this way one gets in conflict with others as each is > > doing > > > > the > > > > > > > same. This is the beginning of suffering. To realize > one's > > > true > > > > > > > nature being happiness itself, peace itself, harmony > itself > > > and > > > > > > thus > > > > > > > doesn't depend on objects is of utmost importance. One > has > > to > > > > > > > discover the right address of peace and happiness as not > > > being > > > > in > > > > > > > objects but within oneself. > > > > > > > One is complete as one naturally is made, lacking > nothing. > > > This > > > > > > > brings happiness in absence or in presence of objects. > One > > > lives > > > > > > > apparantly individually fulfilling one's role in life > where > > > > > he/she > > > > > > > is placed by God, doing selfless karmas, guided by dharma > > and > > > > > > > preparing for moksha. One lives this with full > > understanding > > > > that > > > > > > > one is not an individual but rather part of totality that > > > works > > > > > > > through one's body-mind organism, an instrument to > partake > > in > > > > > > Divine > > > > > > > celebration, Leela. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF LIVING as I > see > > it! > > > > > > > Namaskar...Pratap > > > > > > > (Pratap Bhatt) > > > > > > > ---------------------- --- > -- > > - > > > > > > > My current opinion is life`s purpose is not `given` > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Everyone has been given the power to exercise his choice > to > > > > > select > > > > > > > the purpose,and then work towards attaining it.Also as > Gita > > > > > > says,You > > > > > > > donot have a right to attain the purpose. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > At a deeper level,the values one selects to live by can > be > > > > called > > > > > > a > > > > > > > purpose.Is this the Dharma? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Bhave. > > > > > > > (Prakash Bhave) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > > > > > Jai Sitaramjiki. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Reference the above topic for discussion, I request the > > > > > following:- > > > > > > > > > > > > > > It is a very important topic for discussion. However, > can > > we > > > > > > please > > > > > > > first have the comments of SWAMI SHRI RAMSUKHDASJI as he > > must > > > > > have > > > > > > > spoken on this subject in his life time. Dhanyavad. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dhanyavad and Ram Ram. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Bhavdiy > > > > > > > > > > > > > > SHER SINGH AGRAWAL > > > > > > > ---------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > > > > > Namaste, > > > > > > > The purpose of being on this earth, is to remove all > > VASANAS. > > > > But > > > > > > > while living and exhausting vasanas, we also keep adding > > some > > > > > more > > > > > > > vasanas. This gives birth and death to several birth > cycles > > > > > > > (jalmas). The choice is ours. By perfecting our devotion > > > > (Bakthi) > > > > > > > one can obtain the resolve (sankalpan) of God (Bagavan) > to > > > give > > > > > us > > > > > > > mukthi (salvation). > > > > > > > B.Sathyanarayan > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------- --- > -- > > -- > > > -- > > > > > > > Namaste > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Is Atma which is present in all living beings is part of > > > > > Parmatama > > > > > > > (God) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > If yes then all living beings are connected with each > other > > > with > > > > > > > strongest possible link > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Can we communicate with all living beings, other than > man, > > > with > > > > > > this > > > > > > > link > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Ramesh Suri > > > > > > > ---------------------- --- > -- > > > > > > > , " sadhak_insight " > > > > > > > <sadhak_insight@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear MODERATOR, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Namaste! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I would like to request a discussion on a new > > > topic, " PURPOSE > > > > > OF > > > > > > > > LIVING. " I am not sure if this topic has been discussed > > > > > before. > > > > > > I > > > > > > > > would really appreciate, if you can help me/us > understand > > > the > > > > > > > answer > > > > > > > > to this question. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Darshan Goswami > > > > > > > > -------------------- -- > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > FROM THE MODERATOR > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The following are the guidelines for Gita-Talk > > discussions. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: > > > > > > > > 1. Purpose of the group is to help Sadhakas clarify > their > > > > > doubts > > > > > > > > related to Gitaji shalokas. Therefore, responses which > > > further > > > > > > > > clarify the understanding of Gitaji, will only be > posted. > > > > > > > > 2. Wherever possible, please quote Gitaji or other > > > scriptures > > > > > to > > > > > > > > substantiate your response. > > > > > > > > 3. Kindly limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs > etc. > > to > > > > > the > > > > > > > > extent that they further help in understanding the Gita > > > > shlokas > > > > > > > > 4. Please be as concise and to the point as possible, > > > > > respecting > > > > > > > > sadhaka's time. > > > > > > > > 5. Kindly focus your writing to the subject at hand > only. > > > > > > > > 6. Please do not include links to the other sites or > other > > > > > > > > organizations. > > > > > > > > 7. Kindly do not include your personal information such > as > > > > > phone > > > > > > > > number, address etc. > > > > > > > > 8. Please do not address the response to a particular > > > > > individual > > > > > > > > since the message is going to the entire group. > > > > > > > > 9. Due to the large readership, all responses may not > be > > > > posted. > > > > > > > > 10. Moderator at his discretion, may modify the > posting, > > if > > > > > > > content > > > > > > > > is unclear or not appropriate for distribution to the > > group. > > > > > > > > 11. Please respond taking into consideration the > novices, > > > > > youth, > > > > > > > > westerners, non-sectarian audience. Kindly limit the > use > > to > > > > > > > Sanskrit > > > > > > > > words only, rather provide the English word with > Sanskrit > > > > > > > bracketed > > > > > > > > wherever possible. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > MODERATOR > > > > > > > > Ram Ram > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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