Fencing With Two Swords

[Guest guest]

Sri Ramakrishna says in the Gospel (p. 696):

 

" Unless a devotee is of the heroic type he cannot pay attention to both God

and the world. King Janaka lived a householder's life only after attaining

perfection through austerity and prayer. He fenced with two swords, the one

of Knowledge and the other of action. "

 

In this quote (and others), Sri Ramakrishna advocates stern renunciation for

serious devotees- almost to the point that unless we are devoting all our

energy and doing sadhana most of our waking hours- our chance of seeing God

is rather slim. This makes sense in that unless we have given up other

pursuits and desires the mind will not be focused enough to attain samadhi

(or for a Bhakta: Mother will not bestow Her grace until we have given up

everything for Her love only). If we really believe that we are in essence

Divine and that Divinity is pure peace, fearlessness, and bliss- why would we

pursue anything else? Like Sri Ramakrishna's story about the thief who knows

there is a pile of gold in the next room from where he is sleeping- would he

be able to sleep or would he be thinking of every possible way to get to that

gold? In that sense I realize I really do not have faith in the religion I

follow- it would require a radical disregard for all pleasures and pursuits

that I take to be " normal " life- and an unbreakable determination to realize

this Divinity at all costs. The householder's life is really such a hollow

pursuit when we understand where the real Truth lies...and virtually

impossible for us to attain this realization when the mind is scattered here

and there with all these useless pursuits, pleasures, and responsibilities.

 

While Swami Vivekananda was a great exponent of karma yoga, I realize this

message was primarily for an asleep nation mired in tamas. Of course we need

rajas in order to overcome tamas. But isn't his message ultimately the same

as his Master's? That we must RENOUNCE to find peace- not just internally, as

some modern gurus expound, but externally as well? Doesn't the real message

of renunciation always become diluted for the sake of householders? How many

of us are deluding ourselves to think we are like King Janaka, the 'heroic'

type? Or that we can pursue God a few minutes a day and find realization? I'm

really asking myself if I have complete faith in this teaching- and if so-

why aren't I doing more to get that 'mountain of gold' that lies within me?

Shouldn't I learn to fence with at least one sword first before trying to

fence with two?

[Guest guest]

Such harmony is in immortal souls;

But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay

Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.

 

William Shakespeare,

 

>In this quote (and others), Sri Ramakrishna advocates stern renunciation.

 

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