Pastime?

    'Pastime' or 'pass time' somehow? This is the most important issue for all those who have plenty of time and do not know what to do. Normally, people take to fine arts, yoga, or study of scriptures to spend time. The fortunate ones who have plenty of time to spare since they need not struggle for eking out a living come in this category. They are ignorant as to the true purpose of life and why the supreme Lord Almighty has chosen them to get this lucky situation in life, a life of plenty of time! It is here that we find the need for a guide, a guru, to impart the secret of life!

   What is the secret of life? Bhagavan Shree Krishna has elaborately dealt with these aspects of life. At one place, He says, "Nobody can keep quiet. Hence everybody takes to some action. THisaction begets reaction. This is the 'karma' aspect that governs life of all jivas. In the beginning, it is the mischief (cheshte) of the Lord that He Himself descends to earth and takes a body in order to experience His creation. But, in course of time it is the ignorance (as to its true nature), absence of knowledge of purpose of life, or true knowledge covered by attachment that makes the jiva go round and round, taking birth after death, again and again, and suffer. It fails to extricate itself from the body it has created itself. Hence what is the solution?

    The jiva should realize the true nature of its own self, as well as, the real nature of the world. It is here that we find the teachings of Shankara come handy. His tattva bodha is guide for all jivas for all times! The world is illusory, in the sense that  it is fleeting, changing moment to moment! The Jiva that is held captive by the tantalizing world does not realize the fact that 'it is not true', in the sense that it is not permanent. It is subject to change. in the sense that the senses that experience the world changes and loses interest sooner or later! This leads to disappointments and frustration.A simple example is that of our indulgences. We get addicted to certain sensual objects that repeatedly draw our attention. Little knowing that these objects have worn out over time we tend to go after them, expecting the same experience, and feel disappointed when the experience is not satisfactory. Mind revolts since buddhi chastises the mind for going after things that are ever-changing! Thus knowledge dawns and renunciation may begin, if a all jiva takes the advise! Otherwise, it continues to suffer disappointments. This applies to all pastimes that we indulge in in order to spend our leisure time/

   Now, the doctrine is very simple. "Nothing that attract our senses is of any consequence to redeem us from repeated embodiment." What is redeeming, liberating the jiva from its embodiment and suffering is true knowledge. True knowledge is the knowledge of the Slef, the Atman- Atmajnyan'. Once the jiva realizes the true nature of of the Atman is sat chit and ananda, the search ends, and so also the embodiment to experience the tru nature of the world. The world ceases to exist as soon as the senses are withdrawn and the manas and the buddhi turn inward to prajnya and move inward towards the Atman. Atman gets the light of paramatman and all our blemishes, karmaklesha, disappear in this light. Thus the jiva is redeemed. Bhagavad-Gita exemplifies,step by step, how to get oneself redeemed by surrendering to Him. The Lord says, "sarva dharmaan parityjya maaekam sharanam vrajaa | meaning, discard all that you have acqyuired and surrender to Me. He assures that 'He will release us from bondage'- sarva paapebhyo vimuktaistu .. ..  mokshayishyami |