I have taken Dikhsa from the Ramakrishna Math but I am finding it difficult to walk the path to God.
One of the main obstacles or stumbling blocks I am facing is the unequivocal dictum of Bhagavan Ramakrishna to shun women and gold. In short, I have to be in the world but as a Bhakta; a person who is in the world but not of it.
Now you might think that it should be easy for me to live up to these standards as I am a confirmed bachelor who is also flat broke. But I haven’t stopped wanting these things. Bhagavan Ramakrishna is, I think, wanting me to let go of my attachment to women and gold. This is something I have not succeeded in doing.
I can testify to the advantages of not seeking women and gold. There is a Chinese saying which goes as follows:
Only those who take leisurely what the people of the world are busy about can be busy about what the people of the world take leisurely.
I have a lot of free time. I have had it since the time I retired from working at a job 20 years ago at the grand old age of 35.
But free time, in itself, is just a means to an end. In itself it has no value. I have to use this time constructively and do something with it. Otherwise as the English saying goes: An idle mind is a devil’s workshop.
If I shun women and gold, I need to be busy with what the people of the world take leisurely in order to not be a parasite who does not contribute anything to society.
And this I have done to a large extent. I cannot disclose why I have this opinion of myself but I will ask you to take my word for it when I say that I have paid my dues to society.
But that is in the past. I must put my time to some constructive use now.
According to Plato when a person enters his golden years he would do well to seek and cultivate virtue. According to the Hindu scripturesall persons in the later stages of life must – after letting go of the role of the householder – live the life of a retired person (Vanaprastha) and renunciate (Sannyasa). In short, in the two later stages of life, a person must detach himself from the world and seek God.
Seeking God is – according to Aldous Huxley – the reason and purpose of human existence. I do not have a logical argument proving this but Huxley (who studied the Perennial Philosophy) says that seeking and attaining God is the only goal that will give true fulfilment to any person.
Paying ones’ dues to society is one thing but although that might get the respect of society it does not lead to lasting happiness. The only happiness that is everlasting is that of seeking God and attaining Him. That is the happiness that lasts for an eternity.
The point I would like to make is that it is necessary – as we age – to have for ourselves some purpose that inspires us and makes life worthwhile. Plato said that this consists in seeking virtue; Aldous Huxley and Ramakrishna say that this consists in seeking and serving God. The Hindu scriptures would also say the same thing as Huxley.
Take your pick.
I’ll end here. Please explore this site for more articles on Self Help, Politics and Spirituality. If you would like to contact me the link is below. Thanks for reading.
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