Sharing Sanjivani -Part 4

Chapter-(546) How to recognize the ascetic Vairagi Saint?

(546) How to recognize the VARAGI Saint?

Aadi Guru Shri Shankaracharyaji in his DHANYASTAKAM describes characteristics of a Ascetic as...

तज्ज्ञानं प्रशमकरं यदिन्द्रियाणां तज्ज्ञेयं यदुपनिषत्सु निश्र्चितार्थम्।

ते धन्या भुवि परमार्थनिश्र्चितेहाःशेषास्त भ्रमनिलये परिभ्रमन्ति।।

An Ascetic is known for his knowledge that helps him to control his senses whose actions are supported by his speech and knowledge. There would be no difference in the meanings of spoken words and his deeds. What he speaks, he would act accordingly. There would be no dual policy in what he speaks and what he does. He follows the knowledge of Upanishad and remains eager to know only Paramatma.He would remain aloof from all the controversial attractions and illusion of Sansar that drags him to a FALL.

Swami Ramsukhdasji describes vivid forms of Ascetic. According to him the first phase of detachment to sansar is seen by the detachment to wealth, home, land, and rest of the materialist PADARTH and even if after abandoning the desire of accumulation of these instruments of bondage, he feels himself as a great Tyagi, and then he is not a Ascetic. An Ascetic is free from pride and ego. The second kind of detachment is shown by detachment to parents, wife, son and daughter, brother and sisters, family and friends. An Ascetic tries to share love and care for their comforts. His relationship with other relatives is not for his selfish comfort but for the happiness of his dependents whom he loves.

The third and real detachment is related to our own body. We feel bondage with our body because we are connected to the entire world with our body. Our body is created by the same five elements outside and inside. When a person feels detachment from his body, he could remain detached from Sansar.  Further, detachment to a body does not mean that a Sadhak should be careless in eating, sleeping, and functioning of the body because our human body is the instrument to attain liberation. शरीरं आद्यं खलु धर्म साधनम्।

If we do not take enough care, we can neither do meditation nor perform eight kinds of Yoga. Attachment to our body is related to pride and ego, self-respect, self-appreciation from others, feeling of prestige and desires of worshipping by others, and longing for name and fame; is a great hindrance to spiritual progress. Even the minor desire for fame and appreciation creates attachment and reasons of jealousy and envy by others even when a Sadhak abandons all kinds of attachments to Sansar. A person desires to be in the memory of relatives and friends, he does not want to get lost from the memory of people even after death and this desire is extended even after death. When a person thinks that his ASHTHI bone-flowers should be thrown to the holy river Ganga ji for salvation or the food of creatures living in the river and through this act his body would be destroyed. But he would be remembered by his people even after death, which is also an act of attachment. When these desires and attachments in the form of messages to followers, are nullified from his mind and actions, a devotee could be detached from Sansar. A real detached person neither desires life nor death but he waits for the order of Paramatma in the form of a death call when his lifetime is exhausted.

नाभिनन्देत मरणं नाभिनन्देतजीवितम्।

कालमेव प्रतीक्षेत निर्देशं भृतको यथा।।

He would neither hurt anybody mentally nor harm physically but followed non-violence through his body, mind, and speech. He is full of compassion and he remains free from using harsh words to abuse others. If anybody behaves rudely with him, he will tolerate his actions. He would never insult anybody but feel pity about the actions of others as Saints forgive the sinful acts of others. When a man penetrated an iron rod through Lord Mahavir's ears when he was busy in meditation and did not reply to his inquiry, about his herds, he passes iron rod throughout his ears but Mahavir forgave his cruel action just like we heard about Jesus who was hanged by his people with a crown studded with thrones he said; O God ! Forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.

A Sadhak would never be angry with anybody's actions or words used for him to insult him. He would speak nicely to everybody. His speech would be cool and soul soothing to the listeners and a listener would feel peace of mind through soul soothing words. He would speak only about Brahm's knowledge and deeds of Paramatma. He would not say a word even if somebody abused him. He would have control over his karmendriyas, mind, and Buddhi as described by Manu Maharaj in his MANU SMRUTI

क्रुध्यन्तं न प्रतिक्कुध्येदाक्रुष्टः कुशलं वदेत्।

सप्तद्वाराकीर्णां च न वाचमनृतां वदेत्।।

He would remain engaged only in the services of Paramatma. He remains busy in performing Yoga, remains detached, remains aloof from all kinds of desires, and would use his human body as one of the best instruments through which he could find out the way to Salvation.

An Ascetic understands that attachment to home and Sansar is the cause of spiritual fall. Hence he abandons everything from his mind. He loves and takes care whether he is feeling joy or sorrow in different situations. He thinks everybody is equal, and sees Paramatma in every Jivatma. He serves not only human beings but others also. He serves them with whatever resources he has. He may live in Sansar as King Janak or Bharat but he does not get involved in any karma because he sees Paramatma in everybody and serves all in the same manner. Further, he is not curious about any worldly achievement and so called success in the senses of accumulating wealth and earning fame. He would remain desireless, free from the sense of I, me, my, mine. He remains free from the desire for entertaining senses, free from pain and gain, free from the feeling of joy and sorrows, thinks everybody is equal, sees Paramatma in every Jivatma, and serves them as he serves his family members.

Further, he has no pride in doing good karma but he accepts Paramatma as a doer and hence when he surrenders and offers his karma to Paramatma, he would not bear the fruit of his deeds; sin-free or sinful. He would abandon all the three kinds of desires known as great obstacles on the path of liberation.

त्यक्त्वैषणात्रयमवेक्षितमोक्षमार्गा भैक्षामृतेन परिकल्पितदेहयात्राः।

ज्योतिः परात्परपरं परमात्मसंज्ञं धन्या द्विजा रहसि ह्रधवलोकयन्ति।।

A Sadhak never desires to be famous among people and earn name and fame, to have a son with a desire to extend his lineage or VANSH,  and the great desire to become prosperous to enjoy all the worldly sources and entertain his senses but he would see only Paramatma everywhere eat and drink only to survive life and to maintain health. He would feel himself as a part of eternity and would not get involved in the duality of truth and untruth, Mahat Tatva and Sukshma Tatva, no gender discrimination, no difference in man or woman but accept Paramatma as the only seed from which this universe emerges and longs to go back to home.

He would be free from the fear of ignorance, birth, death, diseases and destructions of a perishable

World .He would be cool and steady, abandons everything even the attachment to his own body and surrenders to Paramatma .When a Sadhak reach this state of mind his Buddhi and heart sees only Paramatma in all. The entire world becomes NANDANVAN or KASHI for him.

सम्पूर्णं जगदेव नन्दनवनं सर्वेङपि कल्पद्रुमा

गाङ्गं वारि समस्त वारिनिवहाः पुण्याःसमस्ताः क्रियाः।

वाचः प्राकृत संस्कृताःश्रुति शिरो वाराणसी मेदिनी

सर्वावस्थितिरस्य वस्तुविषया दृष्टे परह्रह्मणि।।

Then what should a Sadhak do when he feels totally detachment from Sansar? Let us listen to our great God and Jagat Guru Lord Shri Krishna from Bhagavad Gita...

Om Tat Sat ...Shri Krishnajpanmastu...