Why Hurry up to Attain God? |
Question :
You say Jeev is anadi (beginning-less) and anant (endless). And God is also anadi and anant. So that means there is not shortage of time. When there is no dearth of time then why do you always tell us to hurry up and attain God?
Answer :
Yes, it is true, God has no beginning and no end. Soul is an eternal part of God. So, just like God the Jeev has no beginning and no end. So yes, the soul does not have a dearth of time.
You say Jeev is anadi (beginning-less) and anant (endless). And God is also anadi and anant. So that means there is not shortage of time. When there is no dearth of time then why do you always tell us to hurry up and attain God?
Answer :
Yes, it is true, God has no beginning and no end. Soul is an eternal part of God. So, just like God the Jeev has no beginning and no end. So yes, the soul does not have a dearth of time.
Given that, let me take you on a journey to your past 24 hours. Think how many times you felt physical discomforts like feeling hungry, thirsty, tired, sleepy, and in pain. And how many times you had mental discomforts like fear, insecurity, anger, jealousy and a myriad of other not-so-good feelings. In scriptural language these are called Daihik taap.
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In addition, there is Daivik taap which are caused by nature e.g. storms, floods, drought.
And then there are Bhautik taap which are caused by other beings like insects.
Did you answer “YES” to the above 2 questions? If your answer is “NO” then do you want to know of a way to get rid of these pains? If so, please read the rest of this article.
And then there are Bhautik taap which are caused by other beings like insects.
- Do you like all this pain and suffering?
- Do you know of a way to get rid of all these pains?
Did you answer “YES” to the above 2 questions? If your answer is “NO” then do you want to know of a way to get rid of these pains? If so, please read the rest of this article.
There are three kinds of sources to prove anything according to our scriptures i.e. Perceptual evidence (प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण), Inferential evidence (अनुमान प्रमाण) and Scriptural evidence(शब्द प्रमाण). The 1st 2 forms of evidence are weak, for they are prone to yield incorrect conclusions. Whereas Scriptural evidence is acknowledged as the best and most authentic evidence for this. This is the kind of evidence that is produced by those who have experienced bliss. So I'll use only this form of evidence to answer your question.
The Vedas assert, there are three entities in existence, Jeevatma, Parmatma and Maya and all of them are eternal and endless. Hence, it is also true that Jeev and God are sentient.
The Vedas assert, there are three entities in existence, Jeevatma, Parmatma and Maya and all of them are eternal and endless. Hence, it is also true that Jeev and God are sentient.
ज्ञाज्ञौ द्वावजावीशनीशावजा, ह्येका भोक्तृ भोग्यार्थयुक्ता ।
अनंतश्चात्मा विश्वरूपो ह्यकर्ता, त्रयं यदा विन्दते ब्रह्ममेतत्॥ (श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद्-1.9) |
jñājñau dvāvajāvīśanīśāvajā, hyekā bhoktṛ bhogyārthayuktā ।
anaṃtaścātmā viśvarūpo hyakartā, trayaṃ yadā vindate brahmametat॥ |
Yet the human beings are always encouraged to attain aim of life in the present life and that too as soon as possible –
इहचेदवेदिदथसत्यमस्ति न चेदिहावेदीन् महती विनष्टि: । के. उ. २.५
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ihachedavedidathasatyamasti na chedihaavedeen mahatee vinashti: . kenou. 2.5
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“O souls, passionately pursue the supreme truth now. Otherwise, a colossal loss will befall on you. What a calamity would that be?”.
Answer -
Answer -
इहचेदशकद्बोद्धुं प्राक्शरीरस्य विस्रसं ।
ततः सर्गेषु लोकेषु शरीरत्वाय कल्पते । कठोप २.६.४
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hachedashakadboddhun praakshareerasy visrasan ।
tatah sargeshu lokeshu shareeratvaay kalpate । kathop 2.6.4
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“If in the present human form you don’t accomplish your aim in life then you will be sent to the lower species of life for billions of lives before God again gives you a human form”
Hearing this some people refute the other forms of life as lower. Many people see the birds in the sky and wish they were a bird, for then they too could roam freely like them. Consider this: these birds fall prey to other birds like hawks and eagles. There is no police or judicial system to protect them. They have no homes to protect them from the weather like most of us have. See the life of a plant that withstands the weather. In blizzards, droughts and floods humans can move to a safer area, but a tree stands there helplessly. Do you wish to continue to live as plants and animals for eons?
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The aforementioned two hymns of the Vedas give some significant information;
1. There is an unavoidable aim of life, which is indispensable to attain.
2. That can be attained only in human form.
3. The life is very short and
4. Time of death (of human form) is unknown to all
Although the soul is eternal. And Lord Krishna says in Gita –
1. There is an unavoidable aim of life, which is indispensable to attain.
2. That can be attained only in human form.
3. The life is very short and
4. Time of death (of human form) is unknown to all
Although the soul is eternal. And Lord Krishna says in Gita –
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूय: |
अजो नित्य: शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे || 2.20|| |
na jāyate mriyate vā kadāchin nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ ।
ajo nityaḥ śhāśhvato ’yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śharīre ॥ |
“The jeev is neither born, nor it ever dies; nor having always existed, does it ever cease to exist. The soul is without birth, eternal, immortal, and ageless. It exists even when the body is destroyed.”
This shloka from Gita explicates that the body is transient and the time of death is unpredictable. Yet, using this body we have to attain the only aim of life.
This body has been given for one and only one reason; attaining unlimited divine bliss. Therefore, it is wise to attain God in this very life . And please note: This right HAS NOT been granted to any other form of life including the forms of celestial demi gods and goddesses. Attaining human form is the rarest of the rare opportunities. If this human form is spent in enjoying sensual pleasure and therefore are reluctant in pursuing it, then it will be considered as an abuse of the given tool (1). Not only will death snatch this tool, God will also not give us a human form for millions of births over a period of billions of years.
You might have seen that in our world as well, a company revokes the given authority for an employee who misuses it. This world works on physical evidence and testimonies. But God does not rely on those. He knows everyone's thoughts.
Saint Tulsidas Ji says-
You might have seen that in our world as well, a company revokes the given authority for an employee who misuses it. This world works on physical evidence and testimonies. But God does not rely on those. He knows everyone's thoughts.
Saint Tulsidas Ji says-
कबहुँक करि करुणा नर देही । देत ईश बिनु हेतु सनेही ॥
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kabahumka kari karuṇā nara dehī । deta īśa binu hetu sanehī ॥
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“Only once in a while God graces a jeev with a human life”.
Some naïve people say, “I understand the philosophy (2) very well. Yet I will start devotion after all my responsibilities are behind me”. This kind of thinking is found in those who don’t realize the uncertainty of life.
The Mahabharat says,
Some naïve people say, “I understand the philosophy (2) very well. Yet I will start devotion after all my responsibilities are behind me”. This kind of thinking is found in those who don’t realize the uncertainty of life.
The Mahabharat says,
बहिःसरति निःश्वासे विश्वासः कः प्रवर्तते ॥
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bahiḥsarati niḥśvāse viśvāsaḥ kaḥ pravartate ॥
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“How can you be certain that after exhaling you will inhale again?”
It is clear that the greatest achievement of the human form is attainment of everlasting Divine bliss or freedom from the bondage of Maya (liberation).
It is clear that the greatest achievement of the human form is attainment of everlasting Divine bliss or freedom from the bondage of Maya (liberation).
Most of the schools of philosophy assert, freedom from Maya or emancipation (Mukti) is the ultimate aim of life. Jagadguruttam Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj explains it is not wise to aim for liberation from Maya. Mukti releases from miseries indeed but mukti does not grant bliss. An aspirant of liberation does not believe in any form of God so they worship formless God. That’s why, when they get freedom from Maya, they also get absolved from the material body which comprises of senses, mind and intellect forever. The pure soul merges into Supreme Soul-God. God is veritable bliss. The liberated soul permanently dwells in the ocean of bliss but cannot enjoy the ever-increasing bliss of Sakar Brahm since he becomes bliss himself. Duality between the enjoyer and object of enjoyment is a must to enjoy (3). A liberated soul loses that opportunity forever (4).
The personal form of God aka Bhagavan is endowed with unlimited beauty, radiance, tenderness, elegance, gracefulness, and unlimited bliss of divine-love etc. He has innumerable virtues and most enchanting pastimes.
Amongst all other avatars of Supreme God, Avatar of Supreme God Himself, which appears once after a kalp (432,000,000 years) is the best since it is full of most fascinating pastimes, extraordinary captivating beauty, intense love and sweetness of flute (5). So, devotion towards Lord Krishna (6) is the highest goal of life. Bhakti is everlasting. It means, if you accomplish 40% devotion in this life, you will have to earn only 60% more in the next human life. Thus, gradually in a few lives, one can attain the ultimate goal of life. |
Hence, one must resolve firmly to attain our goal in this life, since we don’t know where and what form of life will be given to us in future. Present is in our hands. We must make every possible effort to build a promising future (7) before leaving this body.
Adi Jagadguru Shankaracharya says –
Adi Jagadguru Shankaracharya says –
पुनरपि जननं पुरपि मरणं पुनरपि जननी जठरे शयनम्।
इह संसारे खलु दुस्तारे कृपया पारे पाहि मुरारे ॥
इह संसारे खलु दुस्तारे कृपया पारे पाहि मुरारे ॥
punarapi jananaṃ purapi maraṇaṃ punarapi jananī jaṭhare śayanam।
iha saṃsāre khalu dustāre kṛpayā pāre pāhi murāre ॥
iha saṃsāre khalu dustāre kṛpayā pāre pāhi murāre ॥
"You are bound to revolve in the cycle of birth and death, undergoing immense pain and sufferings in the womb, lifetime after lifetime. This world is like a vast ocean of sorrow, which can only be crossed by the grace of God." In other words, if you don’t understand the transient nature of the body, you will take birth and die recurrently suffering for 9 months in the filthy womb.
Hence, hurry up, do sadhana bhakti to leave behind the cosmic ocean of miseries for ever and enter the realm of divine-love bliss. You ask where to start? See Sadhana - Daily Devotion |
हरि की कृपा ते कभु गोविंद राधे। नर तनु मिले वाय यूँ ही ना गँवा दे॥ 867
- जगद्गुरूत्तम स्वामी श्री कृपालु जी महाराज
राधा गोविन्द गीत Only rarely is one graced by God to be born as a Human. Don't carelessly waste this golden opportunity.
- Jagadguruttam Shri Kripalu Maharaj
Radha Govind Geet |
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