Engrossed in the mundane activities of this material world and more often at certain crucial junctures of our life, we forget who we are and whom do we belong to. Mankind is the most exalted creation of the Lord. Human beings are like mobile temples worthy of worship. In this corporal frame, which is made of five ‘tatvas’ – earth, fire, water, air and space – (derived from nature) resides ‘jeevatman’ which is an inseparable part of ‘Paramatman’. Five ‘tatvas’ that the corporal frame derives from nature are temporary, ever-changing and subject to destruction. But the ‘jeevatman’ that resides in the mobile temple came from the Lord Himself. It is permanent, primeval, everlasting and ultimately merges into the Lord Himself. Purer the mind, easier it is to perceive the presence of Paramtatva in every living being that we come across. Earnest desire to realize Atamtatva (which is inseparable part of Paramtatva) and to render selfless service to His creation is, in fact, serving the Lord Himself. This is Karmayoga.
Where we have faltered is that we are so intensely attached to the illusionary material world that we regard it (and the human body) as the real one, stable and permanent whereas these elements are temporary, ever-changing and destructive. This present moment goes into the past instantly and the next moment of future becomes present in a moment. Future becomes present and present becomes past so momentarily that we are unable to even keep track of it. And yet we keep revolving around our ego-centric desires so intimately and confidently that we take it for granted that I, me, mine and the material world is the ultimate and we keep living in that myth. In the process, we distance ourselves from the real, eternal and everlasting Supreme Soul. Ignorantly, we strayed from the reality and forgot that the unreal has no permanent existence and the real never ceases to be. Alas! we forget our real self (atam-swaroop) and our relationship with the Supreme Soul (Brahm-Swaroop). Knowledge about the temporary nature of this material world and our eternal relationship with God, is Gyanayoga.
Every single human being, irrespective of his family background, social status, educational qualification, adequately possesses the basic knowledge to realize and understand the relationship of ‘atam-tatva’ and the ‘Brahm-tatva’ and with little effort let one merge into the other. Ironically, we are trying to search God in the outside world, whereas the fact is that He has always been with us. He already resides within our own-selves and we are His ansh (part). It is like all the sunrays getting together and resolving to find the Sun; whereas, in reality, we all know that sunrays are inseparable part of Sun itself. The most beautiful situation is that this relationship has been existing ever since the creation of this Universe. It is just a matter of accepting this ultimate truth. Unconditional surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord and a firm conviction that you belong to Him and He belongs to you and both are one entity, is Bhaktiyoga and is the easiest path to God realization. Just as we ignorantly gave recognition to this perishable human body and ever changing material world as the real one; it is so simple, effortless and natural to accept the reality that Jeevatman belongs to Paramatma and Paramatman belongs to Jeevatman and both have an eternal relationship.
To put it in a lighter vein, God has a child-like nature. If you tried to give one chocolate (out of a bunch that you are holding in your hand), the child would not be satisfied with one piece but would insist on having the entire bunch. Similarly, if you tried to partially surrender yourself to God, he would not feel satisfied. Surrender to Him, has to be total and unconditional. Thereafter, His benevolence makes a definite commitment and gives us many options as enunciated in the following shlokas of Bhagwad Gita (Chapter 12, shlokas 6 to 12) :
“For those who are solely devoted to me, surrendering all actions to me, worship Me, constantly meditating on Me with single minded devotion, Arjuna I speedily rescue them from the ocean of birth and death, their mind being fixed on Me.
Therefore, fix your mind on Me only and establish your intellect in Me alone, thereafter you shall live in Me. There is no doubt about it.
If you are not able to fix your mind steadily upon Me, Arjuna, then seek to attain Me through the yoga of constant practice.
If you are unable even to practice ABHYAS-YOGA, be you intent on performing actions (karmas) for Me; you will attain perfection even by performing actions for my sake.
And even if you are not able to perform actions for my sake, then controlling your mind, senses etc. and taking refuge in me, relinquish the fruits of all actions.
Knowledge is indeed better than practice; meditation is superior to knowledge, and renunciation of the fruits-of-actions is even superior to meditation, for peace immediately follows from renunciation.”
It is not only the eternal quest of human beings to realize God, the Supreme Father is equally yearning and anxiously awaiting with open arms to receive you, to embrace you, so that you could be one with Him. Therefore, arise, awake and surrender thyself unconditionally at the lotus feet of the Lord. Light the flame of His pious name in the temple of your heart. Get completely absorbed and meditate on the Jyotirlinga of your innerself and let the Jyot merge into the Akhandjyot.”
Hari Aum Tat Sat