“You must have been utterly frustrated, unsuccessful, and hopeless in your life. That’s why you have opted to become a monk”: These sharp words boomeranged to our eardrums while traveling on a train some years back. When I tried to see the source of these words, I found out the group of 3–4 modern college-going teenagers who were basking in the pride of youth and were trying to denigrate anyone who may pose the challenge and threat to their modern ideas. They were trying to make fun of or criticize one of my fellow sincere devotees.
What is being described below is the concepts which I discussed on this subject matter with those youths.
This is the normal thought of modern men to think that spirituality and religion are the business of people who are good for nothing. They think that when one fails in all spheres of life then only he takes to spirituality or religion.
There are 3 primary reasons for this thought process.
1. No proper spiritual training and education due to lack of Gurukuls and cultural education.
2. Bogus intellectual propaganda of denigrating spirituality as illogical, unscientific, and myth.
3. Seeing the bad examples of so-called spiritual personalities being involved in sinful activities on the name of spirituality and religion.
However, We will try to analyze spirituality in the light of Vedic literature.
Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 7.3 that “Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.”
This verse shows the rarity of spiritual life. Most of the people in the world are primarily enamored by eat drink and be merry concept and don’t ever think above this animalistic idea of life. There are others who are hovering in the mental platform and trying to analyze material elements and passing themselves as material scientists and are groping on the level of mind and intelligence.
Over and above this when someone tries to analyze different philosophies of life for many many births, then he realizes the ultimate destination above the material sphere and then he tries to analyze the science of soul and nature of this world.
At the topmost level, there are spiritualists dealing with the deepest part of the Vedic teachings and bring about the jewel of devotional service unto the Supreme Lord Krishna.
However reaching to that most elevated understanding of Vedic teachings, one needs the guidance of bonafide spiritual master about whom Bhagavad Gita describes as follows in verse 4.34: “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” If we are not in touch with the authorized spiritual personality then our knowledge of spirituality will remain hollow. There are 4 authorized universities wherein Lord Krishna gave knowledge to Lord Brahma, Laxmi Devi, Four sons of Brahma and Lord Shiva. All these illustrious personalities started their spiritual lines of succession and any knowledge coming in these 4 sampradayas is considered authentic.
We are spirit soul, part and parcel of Supreme Lord Krishna and our goal is to purify the heart and go back to the eternal spiritual sky to associate and serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Krishna.
Among Karmis, Jnanis, Astanga Yogis, and all other spiritualists, Bhakti Yogis are considered superior to all and most intimately united with the Lord. This is Lord’s final verdict in Bhagavad Gita 6.47. Knowing this fact, we should realize that devotees are highest among all spiritualists and those who practice walking on this path are most glorious. They are not hopeless people in this world. They are trying to walk on the highest path to reach the highest destination of the spiritual sky which is beyond this material universes.
Spirituality is not a dogmatic concept. It is based on a solid philosophical understanding of the deepest questions of life i.e. who am I? What is the goal of life? Who is God? Why this world is being created? why there is so much suffering here?
As the saying goes that proof of the pudding is in eating. Similarly when with faith, one accepts the spiritual principles and tries to follow them, he realizes the power of devotion and gradually develops higher taste in spiritual life.
So we should come out from our limited bogus understanding of spirituality and observe the beautiful spiritual reality by practicing the authorized spiritual path and go back home, back to Godhead.
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