THE MAGIC OF SURRENDER

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THE MAGIC OF SURRENDER

 

During the course of life each one of us passes through phases of joy

and sorrow, pleasure and pain, victory and defeat, and ups and downs

of various kinds. While most of us get agitated by the so-called

negative phases, an enlightened man lives in wisdom. He is not

agitated by grief nor does he hanker after pleasure. Such a man lives

free from lust, fear and anger.

 

Most of us manage to get what we want, but we are always greedy for

more. As Mahatma Gandhi once said - this planet has enough for every

one's need but not enough for a single person's greed. In our desire

for money, name, fame, power, possession and riches, we become

manipulative and vicious as we try to keep others away from what we

have obtained.

 

When we keep thinking about sense objects, attachment comes. This

attachment breeds desire and the lust for possessions, which when

thwarted, burns and becomes anger. Anger clouds the judgement and we

make mistakes. We can no longer learn from past mistakes. As a result

of this we lose the power to choose between wise and unwise and under

such circumstances we make no progress on the spiritual path. Life

becomes an utter waste.

 

The mind is without doubt unsteady and difficult to curb. But it can

be controlled through practice. When we surrender completely at our

Sadguru's feet we are in a state of yoga. Yoga is difficult unless

the mind is under control and is ceaselessly striving. This can be

attained through practice.

 

If we cannot meditate we cannot be at peace. When we know no peace

how can we have joy? When we let our mind heed the call of senses

they will carry away our judgement as a storm drives a boat away from

its safe chartered course to certain doom. We must use all our powers

to set the senses free from attachment and aversion alike and live in

the full wisdom of self.

 

A drop of water on a hot plate takes a little time to disappear. It

makes some noise and evaporates. Gratitude in our life seems to

disappear even faster. We seem to forget how much we have grown, how

much we have received. The mind seeks more and more. And in every

wanting of more and more, it forgets the past very easily. So today

we cannot say that no one is grateful. Everyone is grateful but for

the moment and then it is over. But GRACE is that gratitude which

remains all the time. It is like the snow in the Himalayas that

always stays.

 

Lord Shri Krishna in Shrimad Bhagwat Gita describes to Arjuna the

behaviour of an enlightened man. Such a man is not fettered by

selfish attachments, he is not elated by good fortune or depressed by

bad. Such a man is a seer. He is like a tortoise who draws in his

limbs at will. An illumined man too draws his senses within at will.

He can go and live anywhere even in the midst of any agitation. When

the situation is serious he just says " withdraw " and the gates of the

senses are closed. That man is unshaken and firmly established in

Sadguru's feet. Gradually on the path of bhakti, the Sadguru helps

the aspirant to quiet the senses and the mind.

 

When we take up yoga and wish to concentrate on the divine, the

ordinary motives of the vital being are replaced by the spiritual

motive, which then enables the sadhak to work with the same force as

before, no longer for himself but for the divine. Initially there may

be difficulties but then the divine power starts working through him

and uses his capacity and vital force for its ends.

 

So we must learn to be the instrument and accept Him as the master.

Accept yourself as a divine instrument and obey absolutely. There is

no greater pride and glory than to be a perfect instrument of the

master. Meditate on Sadguru's feet for He will take us across the

cycle of birth and death. This will deepen our meditation, which will

release more and more energy with which we can help others. It will

automatically impart us the supreme knowledge, which is nothing but

the knowledge of the Self. It will direct us to perform selfless

actions.

 

So there are many paths to reach the supreme and Lord Sri Krishna has

described many such paths; but he also says that dearest to me are

those who seek me in faith and love as life's eternal goal. They

meditate on thy feet and go beyond death to immortality.