Sage Wisdom (contd.)

The Great Sages, rather, a certain height of Conscious thinking, intuitive knowledge will lead us to the unpalatable truth and, a few of them are quoted here from the Texts of "Vedantasara" by Sadananda (By Swami Harshananda of Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysuru), Avadhuta-Gita, Yogavashishta, Ashtavakra-Gita, Bhagavad-Gita, Uddhava-Gita, and others (see Bibliography at the end). All these scriptures tell us the same truth that, "This World (Sansar) is illusory and the jiva has to look within for salvation (in order to get rid of repeated births and deaths). All the ailments, troubles and turmoils that the jiva suffers is of its own making due to avidya. This illusory world covered by the curtain of maya, avidya, has to be discarded by shuddha-vidya, knowledge of the Self. 

   This ancient wisdom concerning the reality of our existence is not for all, definitely not for the 'newly-weds', or those who have just begun their adult life. These jivas are like the invitees who have just arrived at the party. The invitees have to be given a warm welcome, treated well with welcome drinks, lunch or dinner and then say Good-bye, or send them them with gifts. We cannot straight away give them gifts and send them away without food and drinks. Thus, there is a time when we should take to renunciation; for some jivas this situation may not arise at all! However, the Sages proclaim that the jiva has to seek emancipation, mukti or moksha some time or later.

  What the learned Sage Ashtavakra says, briefly, thus:

  "Cultivate indifference to everything, having given up desire (kama), worldly acquisitions (artha), and even good deeds (dharma?) that is the enemy of the jiva, in the sense 'do not help the jiva for emancipation'. Look upon friends, lands and houses (wealth), wife and children (samsara), and, even good fortune (adrushta) as a dream or a juggler's show lasting a few days only. Desire and attachment create bondage. Liberation lies in non-attachment, disinterestedness, non-involvement and sakshi bhava (witnessing self).  Realization of the Self or Atmasakshatkaara is the panacea of all ills of jiva."  (Ch.X).

     Desire is the cause of all evil, rebirth, and troubles, misery of life; 'artha', meaning, wealth or worldly acquisitions condemn us for eternal rebirths due to attachment (moha). Even good deeds will become rebirths after the fruits of good deeds are experienced! Thus, there is no escape from the eternal cycle of births and deaths and the accompanying misery of the jiva.

     Whatever we do here in our daily life begets the karma phala- good as well as bad ones.There is no other way but to keep ourselves engaged in karma and acquire these prarabhda and sanchita karma phala. Bhagavan Krishna suggests that "the only way to escape this bondage (karma) is to surrender to Him and do all work in his name saying, Sree Krishnarpanam astu | He relieves us from bondage and takes care of us He assures; yogakshemam vahamyamam | He also says, "Whoever prepares tasty food for himself is a thief; it becomes poison when not offered to Me. One should offer all to Me (naivedyam) and then eat it. It becomes the elixir of life."

   Total surrender (sharanagatim) of the jiva to the Higher Self (Paramatman) is the easiest, surest and the best way of emancipation,