Spirituality (PVR ji,,specially for you..)

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sir,

 

> > i will say if the person is spiritual ...go and do tapasya in

> > Himalay..why sitting in pleasure world and earning money and

> > enjoying all world pleasures.

 

Sitting in pleasure world and earning money is NOT synonymous to " enjoying all

world pleasures " . One may be sitting in pleasure world, earning money and

engaging externally in various activities, but the mind may be established in

peace and bliss.

 

A realized person is NOT identified by the actions he/she engages in. Just as an

electric fan continues to turn for a few minutes even after the electricity is

turned off, a realized person who is still in a body continues to engage in

actions based on the previous flow. After King Janaka realized Self, he

continued as the king of Mithila and did all royal duties. After Krishna made

Arjuna realize Self, Arjuna fought a war and killed his gurus, brothers,

grandfather etc.

 

One who has not yet realized Self will distinguish between various objects of

this dual world and view some as good and some as bad. He/she will try to stay

away from so-called bad actions. On the other hand, a realized person sees all

people, objects and actions of this universe as the same Self and sees no reason

to either be attracted to or repelled from anything. His/her actions and

inactions are thus not based on the principles of attraction and repulsion. They

are based on the previous flow.

 

Renouncing wife, children, job, money etc is an attempt to find true mental

renunciation. Renouncing external objects can promote mental renunciation, but

not guarantee it. On the other hand, one can remain in the midst of the material

world and all the external objects and yet have a perfectly stable, peaceful and

blissful mind that is not attracted to or repelled from any of the objects one

is surrounded by. For all you know, a big film star like Rajinikanth, who makes

millions of dollars per movie, surrounded by glamour, money and adulation, may

be more detached at the mental level than many yogis in Himalayas. It is

probably true in the case of Rajinikanth.

 

When one stays away from objects that may attract one, it is relatively easy to

overcome attraction temporarily. Whether one can retain that renunciation when

one comes in contact with the objects again or not is a questionmark. On the

other hand, to be in contact with the objects that may attract one and yet

maintain mental detachment and mental renunciation is tougher. It is the true

test.

 

It is not out of place to mention a small story.

 

Trilinga Swami lived for about 300 years and did unbelievable austerities in

Kashi. When Ramakrishna Paramahamsa met him in Kashi, he remarked to his sishyas

that Trilinga Swami was Shiva Himself and a fully realized being. Narendranath

(Swami Vivekananda) was not with him on that pilgrimage and he made a point to

force Narendranath to go to Kashi later to have a darshan of Trilinga Swami!

 

Lahiri Mahashaya was the guru of Yukteshwar Maharaj, who was the guru of

Paramahamsa Yogananda. Lahiri Mahashaya was a householder and had a high-paying

job. Yet he realized Self. Trilnga Swami spoke little, but he once spoke a few

words in Lahiri Mahashaya's praise. He said, " The state of mind I achieved by

renouncing everything, Lahiri achieved it while being a householder, being in

the middle of everything. I bow to him. "

 

* * *

 

> > in my view, being a senior astrologer doesnt make one to certify any

> > persons doings as good and spiritual.

 

Nobody can " certify " anybody. However, those who know some astrology can give

their views on charts that are shared and discussed publicly. If some people see

those views as a " certificates " , it is their perception.

 

* * *

 

Self-realization can be consistently defined. However, spirituality is tough to

define. It will mean different things to different people.

 

The goal of all spiritual journeys is to realize Self, at some time or the

other. However, most spiritual journeys of this age do NOT end in

Self-realization.

 

It is limited ego that binds one to a limited existence like a body and stops

one from realizing the all-pervading true Self. While a self-realized person's

ego is completely killed, it is possible to make partial progress. There are

many people, who overcome ego to various extents and realize to various degrees

that body is temporary and it is not the true self. One can do so by following

many spiritual paths, like the path of knowledge, the path of devotion, the path

of pranayama, the path of hatha yoga, the path of work and service etc. One who

overcomes ego to some extent, using any path, is making some spiritual progress.

When the ego is completely subdued, one realizes the true Self. This realization

is the same irrespective of the path followed. However, intermediate steps look

and feel different based on the path.

 

Enough of my 2 cents for tonight...

 

Best regards,

Narasimha

 

Do Ganapathi Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam

Spirituality:

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Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org

 

 

> > Dear Prashant ji,

> >

> > in my view, being a senior astrologer doesnt make one to certify any

> > persons doings as good and spiritual.

> >

> > There are many factors which one over looks,

> >

> > and in true sense ....what is the real spiritualism.

> >

> > i will say if the person is spiritual ...go and do tapasya in

> > Himalay..why sitting in pleasure world and earning money and

> > enjoying all world pleasures.

> >

> > Regards,

> >

> > Tarun