Teachings
The Value of Steadfastness (part 4)
Sant Jnaneshvar’s Interpretation of Steadfastness(Continued)
6. The mind of a steadfast seeker does not vacillate when faced with abuse, dishonor or punishment.
Sri Ramakrishna speaks of two kinds of ego: 1. Unripe ego, which is attached to body, mind, and senses. It binds us to the world and its objects, living and non-living. 2. Ripe ego, which is rooted in God, the Spirit. It makes one look upon God as the Master, oneself as His servant; God as Mother, oneself as Her child; and God as the divine Fire, of which one is a spark. In a steadfast spiritual seeker the unripe ego gets gradually transformed to the ripe ego. So his mind is not affected by abuse, dishonor, or punishment. Sri Chaitanya describes the ideal devotee in Shikshashtakam: "A devotee who worships Lord Hari is humbler than a blade of grass, more forbearing and patient than a tree [even when it is cut down], does not care whether others respect him, but treats others with respect and honor." Such a devotee is unaffected by praise and blame, and offers both to God. He has the unshakeable faith that God always does what is good for him.
7. The mind of a steadfast seeker is not disturbed by waves of passion.
According to a well-known Indian saying, "Where God is, there can be no desires; where there are desires, God cannot be realized." Desires lose their hold on a seeker whose devotion has become ripe. His will is no longer under the sway of desires, but is influenced and energized by the supreme Spirit. There is a deep and abiding calm in the heart of a seeker free from desires and devoted to God. According to the Bhagavad Gita (2.70), "Not the desirer of desires attains peace, but he into whom all desires enter as the waters enter the ocean, which is full to the brim and grounded in stillness."