MAYA AND FREEDOM

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Posted by: " Uttishthata " uttishthata

Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:02 pm (PST)

 

MAYA AND FREEDOM - Swami Vivekananda

 

Two ways have been proposed. One method, which everyone knows, is

very common, and that is: " It may be very true, but do not think of

it. 'Make hay while the sun shines,' as the proverb says. It is all

true, it is a fact, but do not mind it. Seize the few pleasures you

can, do what little you can, do not look at tile dark side of the

picture, but always towards the hopeful, the positive side. " There is

some truth in this, but there is also a danger. The truth is that it

is a good motive power. Hope and a positive ideal are very good

motive powers for our lives, but there is a certain danger in them.

The danger lies in our giving up the struggle in despair. Such is the

case with those who preach, " Take the world as it is, sit down as

calmly and comfortably as you can and be contented with all these

miseries. When you receive blows, say they are not blows but flowers;

and when you are driven about like slaves, say that you are free. Day

and night tell lies to others and to your own souls, because that is

the only way to live happily. " This is what is called practical

wisdom, and never was it more prevalent in the world than in this

nineteenth century; because never were harder blows hit than at the

present time, never was competition keener, never were men so cruel

to their fellow-men as now; and, therefore, must this consolation be

offered. It is put forward in the strongest way at the present time;

but it fails, as it always must fail. We cannot hide a carrion with

roses; it is impossible. It would not avail long; for soon the roses

would fade, and the carrion would be worse than ever before. So with

our lives. We may try to cover our old and festering sores with cloth

of gold, but there comes a day when the cloth of gold is removed, and

the sore in all its ugliness is revealed.

 

Is there no hope then? True it is that we are all slaves of Maya,

born in Maya, and live in Maya. Is there then no way out, no hope?

That we are all miserable, that this world is really a prison, that

even our so-called trailing beauty is but a prison-house, and that

even our intellects and minds are prison-houses, have been known for

ages upon ages. There has never been a man, there has never been a

human soul, who has not felt this sometime or other, however he may

talk. And the old people feel it most, because in them is the

accumulated experience of a whole life, because they cannot be easily

cheated by the lies of nature. Is there no way out? We find that with

all this, with this terrible fact before us, in the midst of sorrow

and suffering, even in this world where life and death are

synonymous, even here, there is a still small voice that is ringing

through all ages, through every country, and in every heart: " This My

Maya is divine, made up of qualities, and very difficult to cross.

Yet those that come unto Me, cross the river of life. " " Come unto Me

all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. "

This is the voice that is leading us forward. Man has heard it, and

is hearing it all through the ages. This voice comes to men when

everything seems to be lost and hope has fled, when man's dependence

on his own strength has been crushed down and everything seems to

melt away between his fingers, and life is a hopeless ruin. Then he

hears it. This is called religion.

 

to be continued...

 

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 2 (Delivered in

London, 22nd October 1896)

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

Look here-we shall die! Bear this in mind always, and then the spirit

within will wake up. Only then will meanness vanish from you,

practicality in work will come, you will get new vigor in mind and

body, and those who come in contact with you will also feel that they

have really got something uplifting from you.

- Swami Vivekananda