How to live in a tempting world with the Lord? Part 1

How to live in a tempting world with the Lord? Part 1

The Ramacharitamanasa tells us:‘The real self-interest of every person lies in cultivating Love and Devotion to the feet of the Lord – in Thought, Word and Deed. That body becomes most holy through which one is able to worship Lord.’ (U.K. 95).  Problems begin the moment we forget the Lord – when we let go of the Lord and hold on to the world. Lord Sri Krishna explains:‘Brooding on the objects of the senses, man develops attachment to them; from attachment comes desire; from desire (unfulfilled) anger sprouts forth. From anger proceeds delusion; from delusion, confused memory – the loss of reason; and due to the loss of reason, he perishes.’  (Gita: 2, 62-3).

 By continuously thinking of material things we develop attachment to them. We then begin to think of how to possess them. When this sense of possessiveness takes hold of us, we begin to act. Then our mind becomes so much involved in activities – working overtime, night and day – that we do not have time to reflect on the purpose of our birth, and worse still, to think about the Supreme Being.

That is when our nature becomes negative and keeps on forcing us in the wrong direction. As a result, our understanding becomes confused; we start to get angry and our memory becomes dim and dull. Finally, by getting so much absorbed in this direction, harmful things start to happen to us, because our nature itself has grown negative and, ultimately, we end up destroying ourselves. The sad part of it all is we do not realize that we are self-destructing.

Attachment comes by only taking delight in material things while forgetting the Supreme. We delight in the gifts, but forget the Giver of the gifts. When the mind becomes thus attached, it creates a bondage through which we get deeper and deeper entangled with the materialism, and lesser and lesser involved with the Supreme Being. When this happens – when we forget Him – problems start. As a method of always remembering Him, Lord Krishna advises us to make everything an offering unto Him.‘Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation, whatever you bestow as gift, whatever you do as penance, offer it all to Me.’  (Gita 9:27).

In this way, our mind gets attached to Him and we start to think: “The Lord has given me this; He has done that for me; He will take care of me.” By controlling the senses and stilling the mind, we do not get trapped in the material world. Our body is like a boat to take us across this ocean of birth and death. The boat is supposed to sail above the water, but if we allow the water to get in the boat, it will sink. By thinking about the Lord, offering our food to Him, offering whatever we possess to Him, realizing that everything belongs to Him – developing a relationship with Him in this way – we shall experience happiness and peace. That kind of attitude helps us to remember the Lord at all times, thus creating a relationship with Him. Through that relationship, we will get inner satisfaction, inner strength, and inner courage to do more and more, feeling protected by the Lord. ‘Ignorance’ is being attached to the world and getting lost in it, and ‘knowledge’ means being and working in the world, (not running away from it), while we do not forget the Lord. What has the Lord promised us?‘Those devotees who love Me and always remember Me – I bring them security and satisfy their needs. (I provide all facilities for your welfare).’  (Gita 9. 22).

(Pandit Ramdial Balbadar is a prominent Aachaarya (Teacher) of Hinduism in Guyana. He is the compiler and author of many titles and has over 30 years experience in Pandits’ Training across Guyana. He is currently the President of the Sanatan Vaidic Dharma Pandits’ Sabha, Region 3).