Dear Devotees,
Sri Bhawan has taught that if one realises the Inner Self, one realises that there is not an atom apart from the Self and ONE LOVES ALL EQUALLY AND THAT IS WISDOM, FOR SELF IS LOVE. On the contrary, worldly love postulates duality. When love is limited, and directed to one person OR a few persons only, it becomes desire. This desire prone love, sooner or later, creates suffering and not happiness.
Now what I wish to say is as follows:
We have been taught BY SRI BHAGWA to keep attention on the Self to make progress on the spiritual path. But Sri Bhagwan is also the Self and Self is Love, transcending duality. Therefore, having love for Sri Bhagwan and for one’s own Self are the same. It also implies that if we love Sri Bhagwan in the heart and keep thinking of Him, we are sure to make progress or progress is assured. There is no doubt about that. So, Love and devotion towards Sri Bhagwan is the manifestation of Divine Grace. MOREOVER, THE MORE WE LOVE HIM, THE MORE GRACE FLOWS TO US. This is how I have always felt.
Sri Bhagwan is the Self. If one concentrates even on His photograph, or an image of Him, He undoubtedly draws one towards Him and that means towards the Real Self, for Sri Bhagwan is none other than the Real FORMLESS Self
What I wish to convey is this that even IF WE HAVE LOVE AND DEVOTION FOR THE FORM OF SRI BHAGWAN AND SURRENDER TO HIM EVEN NOW, WHEN THE FORM IS NOT PHYSICALLY VISIBLE, HE WILL SURE TAKE US TO THE ONE FORMLESS SUPREME REALITY.
We have discussed a lot that the Self cannot be known objectively as an object is perceived . Have we not? But the Self can be perceived INDIRECTLY by having form of Sri Bhagwan in the mind, for Sri Bhawan is the Self.
Dear devotees, It follows from the above discussion that practicing Self-enquiry as taught by Him WITH LOVE AND DEVOTION FOR HIM, AND WHEN WE ARE NOT PRACICING ENQUIRY, ATTENDING TO HIM BY KEEPING HIS FORM IN THE MIND, IS CERTAIN TO ESTABLISH US AS CONSCIUOSNESS SUPREME WHICH IS THE GOAL, RATHER SOONER THAN LATER. There is not an iota of doubt about that. It accelerates the INNER process of metamorphosis, CAUSING A GREAT INNER SHIFT IN VALUES AND EMPHASIS, and then we TRULY understand why Sri Bhagwan termed the Sadhana of Atma-vichara as the Direct and Straight Path. THEN WE TRULY UNDERSTAND WHY ADVANCED AND REALISED DEVOTEES OF SRI BHAGWAN UNDERSTOOD THE PATH OF ATMA-VICHARA, AS TAUGHT BY HIM, AS THE FUSION OF JNANA AND BHAKTI, KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE, A NEW REVELATION, MUCH MORE THAN THE ANCIENT PATH OF ENQUIRY AS EXPLAINED IN OUR SCRIPTURES.
Thanks very much.
Pranam,
Anil