‘Purushe:na ardhaha purushardhaha’. Purushardhaha is that which one seeks. Take a moment and think about what you want to seek… Wealth, knowledge, happiness? Depending on what it is, one falls into one of the three categories. Very interesting and a topic of great significance explained by Swamiji with analogies, Don’t miss to read and share!
First category consists of those who want to please their senses with the wealth of this visible world, their prayers include a wish list with all the worldly pleasures (termed as: Aishwarya:rdhi). Second category consists of people who are extremely curious and focused on realising their own permanent and true nature (termed as: Kaivalya:rdhi). Their prayers include only one goal, to become knowledgeable about themselves and relish that alone. Third category consists of people who desire to serve the supreme power, God. Their prayers have no desire other than serving God’s purpose, relishing His qualities and experiencing the oneness with God. (termed as: Kainkarya:rdhi)!
The goal of the second category of people is Self-Realisation. It’s a whirlpool, a dangerous state. Why? Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami beautifully explains this as part of the 7th thiruvayamuji of Bhagavad Vishayam!
Self-Realisation focusses on understanding the difference between soul (themselves) and the prakruthi (nature). In this state, one has complete knowledge on karma. Therefore, they do not desire to satisfy all the demands of the body, they stick to the needs. They seek God to come out of the cycle of births and deaths driven by karma. They reach a state that is blissful and permanent. However, there is a catch here! They see God as a tool to cleanse themselves but not as the bestower and companion of boundless eternal joy! Hence, they are stuck at a spot where they are all by themselves relishing their athma, i.e. themselves! The happiness one enjoys in this state is like a sprinkle of water compared to an ocean of a God-realised soul!
To give you an analogy, imagine a room with mirrors all around, up and down. A woman dresses up beautifully and enjoys looking at her own image in all angles and keeps relishing the look forever. She admires herself so much that she does not feel the need to even step out of the room. She is not interested in sharing any of her great moments with anyone, or anyone else’s moments with her! All she enjoys is her eternity! Because the knowledge of soul is eternal, her state is also eternal, but the joy experienced is limited and confined to only the extent of the soul’s vicinity.
However, one who seeks God-realisation enjoys a blissful state that is neither limited nor confined to oneself. It encompasses the joy that God himself enjoys, the boundless joy.
When one has a hundred rupee note with him, does he not also have one rupee, 10 rupees, 50 and 99 rupees within the value of hundred rupees? Similarly, God realised soul has intense Love for God, which automatically gives knowledge on the true nature of everything else, including himself!
Here’s another analogy to understand the state of self-realisation. Let’s take a person who was sick and undergone treatment. The treatment is now complete, and the person is free from sickness. But, he hasn’t gained his strength back. This is the state of a self-realised soul. He is no longer in the cycle of births and deaths (i.e. free from sickness) but is not strong (i.e. has not realised God). He is in a state of this solitude with no energy!
The summary of the 7th Thiruvayamuji of the 1st patthu in Bhagavad Vishayam is that the alwar (Nammalwar) feels sad for those who are seeking the joy of self-realisation instead of joy with God. The effort needed to reach a self-realised state is higher and the benefit is far lower compared to that of the bliss with God.
A wise one chooses the best option! Make the right choice, choose the owner and not just the things that He owns. If you choose something from what He owns, aren’t you restricting yourself to just that?! If the things He owns are so tempting and great, then imagine what He would be like!
Realise your eternal bond with God and ponder on Him, His skills and His qualities, seek Him, trust Him, love Him, respect Him, surrender to Him!
-From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami, 27th August 2018
