The Pursuit of Bliss

The world today is full of Godmen. While a few are genuine and truly guide their followers through the minefield of SamsAra without any expectation of quid pro quo, there are many others, who are but pseudo-gurus, adopting Spirituality as an occupation, like any other commercial activity. They profess to teach you anything from mere deep breathing exercises to how to realise God. While the Upanishads prescribe a mere 32 path for God-realisation, it would appear from the statements of these Godmen, that the paths to Liberation could be tailored to suit individual tastes, predilections and fancies. While rigorous discipline is prescribed by the Scripture for climbing even the very first step on the lofty mountain of Moksha (liberation), these mystics tell us that it is just a lap ahead, reassuring us that we need give up none of our creature comforts for achieving this exalted goal. They have too new-fangled notions of Liberation, Vis a Vis those prescribed by the Scripture. Now remember...

Everybody loves a good tale. There is nothing like a credible yarn, spun out with skill, to entertain, enlighten and educate us. The erstwhile popularity of our Indian weeklies and monthlies was due in no small measure to the serial stories that appeared in them, regaling the reading public for long years. We hear of readers waiting for the next issue with bated breath, getting through the week somehow and rushing to the newsstands to grab their current copy of the magazine, to learn what befell of the heros or the villan. And even today, there are those who would miss even a meal, rather than forego watching the current episode of their favourite mega serial or soap opera in our national TV or Cable. We see pitched battles being fought at home between otherwise harmonious members of the family, over which serial should be viewed at a particular time, when two or more of them are on the air simulataneously in different channels. All this goes to show the incredible power the story wiel...

The pathway to God is not necessarily a lonely one. When we think of religious or spiritual men, our immediate impression is of ascetics and hermits living alone in forest or caves, doing practically nothing all day but sit meditating upon their navels. Worship can be, and is indeed an essentially democratic or communal endeavour. The pilgrim need not fear that his progress might only come through ploughing a lonely furrow in life. He must know that the pursuit of God is quite easily accomplished in the pleasant and plentiful company of like-minded souls. Spiritual activity is intense and rigorous, no doubt, but it can be sporting and companionable effort too. Hence take heart, says Shri Maharaji to the spiritual aspirant, take heart for there is not only safety innumbers but Salvation too! Collective worship is also called "Satsang" (Good association). Members of a Hindu household, even in this day and times, can be observed to assemble daily at a pre-determined hour in the ...

TRUE LOVE STANDS THE TEST OF TIME DEFINITION OF LOVE We all hear, speak, and read about love a lot. However, no material mind can ever understand what love is. Love is that which can’t be put into words, neither can it be described, nor can it be understood by reading. The great sage Narad Muni was asked to define love. However, even He replied, “Anirvachaniyam Premas-swaroopa cha” (Narad Bhakti Sutra) (“I cannot describe or define love; no one can” ) Love is Divine, eternal, and unlimited. Why can’t love be defined or made to understand? Because, when the person to whom you are explaining about love has never experienced it, then how on earth will he ever understand? Moreover, the heart that experiences love can never speak and the tongue that speaks never experiences it. You can only give someone an idea about love. This is what I am going to do here. LOVE MEANS TO GIVE AND GIVE The first sign of true love is when not even i...