Ramana Maharshi says aim of all jivas is to return to Brahman

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The nature of the water is to run down.The water of the ocean stands there itself as a vast mass. The ocean is the lowest place on earth. Therefore, the water in the ocean has no place to run down. But, when water is evaporated by the sun and transformed into clouds, it never stands still in the sky. Driven away by the winds to mountain tops, cooled and transformed into pure water, it runs. As per the nature of water it again starts flowing down seeking for its source in waterfalls,gathers into many streams, runs down to lower places as river and finally merges again into its source, the ocean. In no way it can be stopped till it reaches its source, the ocean. Though it may flow into many channels and irrigate fields or be collected in lakes and tanks or be stopped by springs and wells, it will not remain there for long; for, it evaporates again, is transformed into clouds and tries to reach its source as before! The efforts that we observe as in the life of jeevas, individual souls, are exactly like this!

The source of all jeevas, not only humans but of all creatures is the Supreme Thing (Brahman). The innumerable souls living in innumerable globes which,because of an indefinable wondrous power appear to be separated from their source, are ever hurrying back to the Supreme, their source. Just as running down towards the lowest place is the nature of water, the effort observed in jeevas in the form of thoughts,

speech and actions to return to their source, the Supreme, is verily the nature of jeevas. Hence the aim of all jeevas is to return to their source, Brahman.But the rain water while coursing down from the hill-tops, does not run straight towards the ocean. It fills any pool or pit it meets, overflows it and runs down in any direction to the next lower one, according to the characteristics of the land. It does not even know that it is going to the ocean. In the same way, jeevas engage themselves according to their tastes into one activity after another with no clear understanding of the final aim of their efforts. The rain water cannot help but be engaged in the only activity it can perform according to its nature, i.e., running down to lower places. Whether it knows the way or not it will certainly reach the ocean soon or later; for, it cannot stop permanently anywhere on its way. So also, jeevas cannot help but long for happiness, because such is their nature. Therefore they engage themselves into the only activity they can perform, i.e., the fulfilment of their immediate desires. Whether they are aware or not that the result of all their efforts is attaining their source, Brahman. They certainly will attain even if it is only after many crores of cycles of creations (Re-birth).

As we have described above, the water in the clouds evaporated from the ocean, after once raining on the hill-tops, does not run immediately back into the ocean in one run as a river. On its way it is again evaporated, and again floats in the form of clouds and when cooled down it again takes the form of water.This is its rebirth. Is it not? So also, before it reaches its source, Brahman, the jeeva takes different bodies again and again. Each time it makes efforts in many directions and every time when the body once taken wears out and dies, the jeeva takes another body. This is its rebirth.

Source: The Path of Sri Ramana PART TWO By Sri Sadhu Om

-- Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram