Teachings
What Endears Us To God (Part 8)
A Devotees Attitude toward the World
The devotee accepts certain inevitabilities in life, looking upon the world cinema as God's play. He understands that the only utility of this world is to help him grow spiritually. All his experience is grist for his mill, which he uses to turn to God. In the words of Swami Vivekananda, the world is nothing more than "a grand moral gymnasium wherein we have all to take exercise so as to become stronger and stronger spiritually." The world will always be a dog's curly tail, which cannot be straightened. Our attempts to do good to the world are only a means to strengthen ourselves spiritually.
A devotee does not pay heed to what is considered auspicious or inauspicious. He is firmly convinced that true dependence on God will lead him on the right path. The following incident described by Swami Yatiswarananda clarifies this idea:
Once in August 1929 I went to Belur Math on some work. Mahapurush Maharaj (Swami Shivananda) was then the President of the Order. He was very much interested in the work at Madras. Whenever I went to Belur Math he used to ask me to go back to Madras soon so that the Mission's work there might not suffer. But this time I wanted to stay at Belur Math for a little longer. So when Mahapurush Maharaj as usual asked me when I was going back, I told him that the following few days were inauspicious. Actually I did not care either for auspiciousness or inauspiciousness. It was only an excuse to remain in the spiritual atmosphere of Belur Math a few days more. Mahapurush Maharaj's advice to me on this occasion should be an eyeopener to all of us:
Mahapurushji: "But you are men of action. It won't do for you to look for auspicious days. Those who have nothing to do can afford to consult the almanac at every step. The Master also used to say, 'Only those who believe in such things are affected by them; others are not.' Besides, you are devotees of the Mother. She is protecting you under all conditions and will always do so. If one takes the name of the Lord and starts on a journey, one will not come to grief. By the strength of His name even distress is transformed into a blessing."
Saying this he sang: "Whoever starts on a journey taking the name of Mother Durga, Shiva with His almighty trident surely will protect him."
As mentioned earlier, the world consists of inseparable pairs of opposites. But the mind likes the pleasant and loathes the painful. A devotee cultivates even-mindedness by offering both to God and praying for pure devotion. When he receives what is desirable he is not elated, and when the undesirable comes to him he does not feel hatred. He is able to perform all actions as offerings to God. Sri Krishna teaches that such an attitude of surrender frees us from work-related bondage: "Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give away, and whatever you practice in the form of austerities-do it as an offering to Me. You will thus become free from the bondage of actions, which bear good or evil results. With your mind firmly set on the yoga of renunciation, you will become free and come to Me." (Bhagavad Gita, 9.27-8)
(To be continued)