The world scenario at present, is so disturbing that no body is happy. There is anxiety, fear, terrorism, insecurity, etc. affecting community, besides lots of physical and mental ailments affecting individuals. Sometimes it is bewildering to see that some people suffer, what appears to be, for no reason, or fault of theirs. Suddenly, a family member develops severe headache that is later diagnosed as a brain tumor! Another person develops severe stomach pain and it is later diagnosed as something like ulcer and, worst of them is sudden blockages discovered in the arteries! All these leaves the family in quandary, helpless and no amount of money is enough if it is cancer. How to combat these situations? Will philosophical stances or even spiritual attainments help? Let's discover the solution for these problems from the sayings of the learned sages.
Ashtavakra says, "If a person realizes the transient, evanescent, ever-changing nature of things, one is no longer attached to them and thus finds peace. Mental disturbance and pain are caused by our attachment to transitory objects, love of the mundane, taking them to be permanent."
Nobody will ever think that "Everything exists, changes, and is destroyed. This is the nature of everything that exists (in time and space) here on this earth. Nothing is permanent. "
One day, a person listed about 15 life-threatening problems facing him and felt much disturbed. However, by the next morning 3 or 4 of them had disapperaed and, by the next evening almost all of them! He could attend to the remaining peacefully. This is how, one gets disturbed!
There are certain problems, such as, death in the family, that cannot be solved by humans. What cannot be cure has to be endured. The best solution for such serious problems is meditation. Meditation keeps the mind cool and reveals the inevitability of the jiva. However, Ashtavakra goes to the extent of advising the person 'to kill the mind' (manonasha) ! The real meaning is very simple; "just realize the transient nature of existence and be peaceful".
When a person realizes that this world existed before our birth and continues to exist even after our death. Our birth and living through will not make any difference! How many of us realize the fact that a loved wife may suddenly leave her husband and the family even without bothering about the kids! This may be true of husbands deserting the family, or untimely death of one of them! Divorce is common these days and children running way from home is not something unheard of. Hence, what is the truth? In this sense of the term, Sage Ashtavakra says, "All that you think as 'my possession, my loved ones, my precious things like house, car, bank balance, etc are not yours. Develop a sense of aversion to worldly possessions as poison. Everything here has a tendency to suddenly disappear, part with, and leave you wondering- 'what is ths?'!"
Thus there is no other way but to develop disinterestedness and perform one's function without attachment, without expectations of favor or profit in return; perform your duty as an ordained duty and be happy and peaceful. Sri Krishnanada of Shivananda Asrama says, "All relational existence is unreal"
Contemplate on the sayings of the learned sages and realize the truth.
(to be contd.)
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