Musings of an advaita ashramite (part 1)

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A'MUSINGS OF AN ADVAITA ASHRAMITE

 

I am an Advaita Ashramite. I am an Advaitin. I say I am Advaita

Ashramite because I was spiritually born there and one always

traces his identity to his birthplace. I declare I am an Advaitin on

the strength of my conviction as well as my conviction to my position

assigned to us by Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. For, did she not

say,`One who is our Guru (i.e. Sri Ramakrishna) is Advaita and

therefore all his disciples are Advaitins’?

 

Sannyasins are of two types, it is said. One is Vidwat Sannyasin,

the one who is a Sannyasin by virtue of his spiritual realizations

and the other is Vividisha Sannyasin, one who struggles to practice

the virtues of a Vidwat Sannyasin and hopes to arrive at realization.

 

Likewise there may be said to be two types of advaitins. One who

is so by his/her realization and the other is called Advaitin because

of his attempts to achieve Advaita.

What are the ways I must adopt to attain Advaita? Let me think aloud

and have a dialogue in my mind. I shall take hints from Advaita Ashrama

prospectus and the enlargement and elucidation of the prospectus, which

is what the lecture `Is Vedanta the Future Religion?’ is.

 

Advaitin is not Godless. For me `Vedanta teaches the God that is in

every one, has become everyone and every thing’. God,God,God,God in all

directions. My God is in every one and every thing. So my every dealing

is puja, worship of God. I bumble along in love with, and in confrontation

with God. And who am I? I call myself Atmaram. I sense a Unity. It is

vaguely felt now. But never mind. What difference does it make if the

dream continues for a few minutes, few hours or a few days more?

It is bound to break.

 

It is easy to practice Advaita in the comfortable armchair with a cool

breeze from the fan and no headache. What when the hounds bark?

Still, never mind. Let me practice Advaita wherever possible. In my

armchair or on my feet. A thousand falls, a thousand and one rises.

Rise is the last word.

 

Is it not a fact that love and hatred are both developed from armchairs?

It is contemplating and broodings at leisure on earlier happenings, that

leads to further happenings and makes up a person’s mind. So, armchair

contemplation of Advaita is a perfect antidote to broodings over pleasant

and painful happenings.

 

Again, it is easy to say God is in my friend but what about my foe?

Well, I forgot for a moment that whom I thought to be my foe was the

same God my friend, wearing a fierce mask. Fall and rise again.

Rise is the last word.

 

My dear friend is the God. He is not the friend who will part but

God eternal. Individual attachment is thus covered by Infinity.

My foe was a mask. Hatred thus evaporates into a void.

But who am I?

 

to be continued.......