Teachings
The Value of Steadfastness (part 3)
Sant Jnaneshvar’s Interpretation of Steadfastness(Continued)
3. A steadfast mind is not distressed by wants
Needs differ from wants. Needs may be minimum, whereas wants could be almost infinite, as dictated by greed. A steadfast seeker goes about his duties and responsibilities with a calm mind, looking upon work as worship. By offering work and its fruit to God, he gradually realizes that work is done through him, not by him, and he gives up attachment to the results of action. He practices contentment and lives with the conviction that God will grant him whatever he needs.
4. A steadfast seeker is not troubled by fear
Fear is an emotion common to humans and animals. While there are rational fears that are prompted by uncertainties, there are also irrational fears that can weaken us, leaving indelible scars on our mind. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad teaches that fear arises from a sense of duality (1.4.2) and that true fearlessness is a result of Self-realization, the state of oneness with the nondual Reality (4.2.4). A seeker steadfast in devotion to his spiritual ideal develops strong conviction in the protecting power of God. He offers God all actions and their fruits, gives up the sense of agency, and remains content. He accepts whatever happens to him as the will of God, so he has no fear or anxiety. Says Swami Ramakrishnananda, “Actually very few of us believe in God all the time. How do we know this? Because we allow anxieties and fears to arise in our minds. If we really have faith in God and in His infinite power of goodness, we can never feel fearful about anything.”
5. A steadfast seeker does not lose his mental balance when tormented by inordinate hopes, vexations, old age or disease
Inordinate hopes and vexations affect one who relies on his little ego and his self-centered efforts. But a seeker steadfast in prayer and meditation is free from vexations of any kind. His dependence on God in all circumstances serves as a bulwark against all afflictions. The ignorant think that they are the body and look upon it as a means of enjoyment. They do not reflect upon the six characteristics that define the body: birth, objective existence, growth, transformation, decay, and death. Of these, transformation and decay imply old age and disease. A steadfast seeker reminds himself that he is not the body but a spiritual entity that dwells in it. The body is a fragile but precious instrument with which to practice spiritual disciplines. He strives to keep his mind on God and grow in detachment from the body and its destiny, and tries to live up to Sri Ramakrishna’s teaching: “May the body and pain take care of themselves; O mind, dwell forever in God’s Bliss.”