Narayanasramam

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The Art of Elevating Oneself by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

 

Elevate yourself by your own intrinsic power. Never enervate or degrade

yourself. One's self is alone one's friend, and equally so

one's enemy.

 

For one with sufficient self-control and orientation, his self will be a friend;

for one devoid of this self-control and self-orientation, he himself will be his

enemy.

 

Bhagavadgeeta 6.4, 6.5

 

Every individual, says Krishna, has within him adequate mental and

intelligential potential to elevate and upgrade his life to the extent needed.

None can be excused for pleading any lack in the inner resources for creative

elevation and achievement. All that a seeker may need to gain is a proper

insight into his inner being and the art and process of self-refinement and

self-mastery. Krishna's call is thus to elevate oneself by himself. Never should

any one on any ground degrade himself at any time.

 

This is an open declaration that the possibility and resources to strive for and

achieve self-elevation reign in adequate measure within every individual. There

is no reference here to external resources. Krishna reminds all of the

self-sufficiency potent or reserved in every human being.

 

It is true that body-wise an individual is quite limited, restricted. As its

growth is arrested after a few years, so is its power of activity restricted

greatly. But such restriction and limitation are annulled the moment he accesses

his inner, supra-material mind and intelligence. These inner faculties provide

ample potential and possibility. Within the body, every one is free to shape

himself, to reform himself, and to improve his powers and attain whatever he

ideally aims at. In this, there is no hindrance.

 

The quality of thoughts and attitudes, emotions and inspirations, values and

ideals will determine the direction the seeker will take and the possible

outcome of his seeking. To upgrade and elevate oneself, every one has equal and

unhindered opportunity; and so also the freedom to downgrade. The upbringing,

circumstances and association one has had are contributory factors, no doubt.

But none of these can take away the intrinsic scope and freedom from any human

in carving out his fate and gaining the desired elevation, enrichment and

expansion.

 

Krishna stresses that the way for elevating oneself is by exercising the

necessary restraint over the senses and the mind. For this, the rational

intelligence has to be employed. The rational intelligence should give the right

and timely direction and guidance to the mind; and the mind must act upon the

message to influence the senses effectively. The integral process will then

result in the desired improvement, strength and cohesion. No external agent can

thwart or dissuade this self-regulational and self-improvemental pursuit. Be

sure of this fact, says Krishna.

 

Do not blame any one for your degeneration. For the plight or fate you are in,

the cause inheres in yourself. To set it right, first of all understand the

freedom, the scope and the potential the mind holds within it. And then make the

necessary effort for gaining whatever change or improvement you want. The whole

of Bhagavadgeeta beckons you for such a determined endeavour.