Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

Question: What is the main reason for doing things against one's

spiritual progress?

 

Answer: The root of doing things against once spiritual progress is

attachment to desire for enjoyment and pleasure. Attachment to desire

for enjoyments is the greatest obstacle in Self / God Realization.

When there is intense desire for enjoyment of pleasures, then giving

it up appears to be very difficult, rather impossible. A spiritual

aspirant is totally independent in giving up attachment to enjoyment

of pleasures. He can give this attachment up through thought, inquiry

and reflection. By thinking / inquirying, he can come to the

understanding that he wants happiness that has no shortage or

limitation, and that never ends.

 

" Yam labdhvaa chaaparam laabham manyate naadhikam tatah;

yaasminnisthato na dukhen gurnaapi vichaalyate

tam vidhyaadukhsam yog viyogam yogasanjitam. " (Gita 6:22-23)

 

" Having gained which state, he does not reckon any other gain greater

than that, and wherein established, he is not shaken even by the

greatest affliction. " " this separation from the assumed union with

pain, is called Yoga. "

 

Human beings are blessed with immense ability to think, reflect and

discriminate between truth and untruth. If he chooses to not think,

then it is his mistake and error. It is his lack of prudence and

attention to what is important.

 

It is a rule that through the enjoyment of pleasures, the object

enjoyed is destroyed and at the same time it leads to the enjoyer's

downfall and decline. Just like with passion and desire when one

indulges in wealth and material goods then that money is destroyed

(used up) and one falls down. When importance of wealth, desire,

greed, attachment, inertness, slavery etc. comes in him, then it

leads to his downfall. When one indulges in enjoyment of food and

eating, not only is food consumed and destroyed, but one takes a

fall. The increased desire for enjoying foods and increased

attachment to food is a sure downfall.