Fundamentals of 'Spiritual Attainment'

 'Spiritual Attainment' is not for all. This is like a person who seeks permission to leave after having food at a function. He seeks permission to leave since he/she has finished his purpose of visit. It is thus, clear that those guests who have just arrived have to be served food and other formalities meant for the guests at the function. So also, this jiva that has arrived here on this earth has to fulfil its purpose, enjoy or suffer the fruits of action (karma phala) and has to leave when satisfied! But, the problem is that the jiva gets stuck and cannot get rid of the shackles. Such a jiva seeks guidance and seeks divine intervention. Thus, the return journey starts.   

 Now, the jiva, the earthling, that got embodied in a body shaped by food and water embedded and got embroiled seeking redemption has to clearly understand the fundamental principles as enunciated in the Gita spoken by the Blessed Lord Shree Krishna.  These are:

 First, the jiva has to renounce the worldly existence and there is no alternate means of spiritual attainment. Spiritual practice is divorced to material worldly enjoyments. As long as the senses, mind, buddhi, and ahankar are engaged in the worldly pursuits there is no chance of even thinking about spiritual practice! So, the Lord says, manmana madhbhava madhyaji namaskuru | There are verses that guide step by step to return to the spiritual realm through yogabhyasa. Hence, renunciation and taking recourse to yoga are important. The Gita emphatically states 'nahin jnyanena sadrusham'.. Knowledge (jnyan) should lead to wisdom (viveka) and that should bring renunciation (vairagya).

 Second, having taken to yogabhyasa, the jiva should step by step reach the sahasrar prajnya level, the highest level of consciousness via yama, niyama, pratyahara, Ishvara pranidana, and such ashtanga yoga sutra. By now, the jiva is purified enough to enter the realm of spiritual existence.

 Third, there is every possibility of sudden fall from grace even after reaching higher and higher levels of attainment. Hence, one has to guard against the pitfalls! There are many examples of great achievers falling from grace due to prarabhda. Here, Only God should help!

  Thus, just a spiritual attainment is not enough. It is a constant endeavor to maintain the grip or hold on what is gained! This is a very difficult thing. Total renunciation from sensuous worldly existence will help to some extent.

   Now, one should not be under illusion that the job is over once the spiritual practices have yielded some results. The siddhi obtained may be just the beginning! Hence, there is every possibility of the jiva  getting wayward and should guard against that danger. This demands a solitary retreat like an ashram. But here again, there are hurdles. This ashram life itself becomes a big business and the purpose is lost!

  Finally, it is warned here that spiritual attainment is not something to be attained, but a simple reality, truth, nature of existence. It is the normal state of the jiva. In fact, the jiva has entered the material world as an embodied, embedded jiva  from its primeval spiritual state as jivatman. Hence reverting to its original state is not that difficult. It is just a realization that matters. When the jiva realizes the fact that I am not this (aihika) worldly person, but 'That' (para) a pure eternal, immortal, unborn but manifest form of an 'ion' of the brahman! This is the 'med i tat ion'! the term 'tat' is defined as tad brahmn, tad vishnu, tad sarvam, tad param padam! This is the principle of aham b rahmasmi !