SOME GEMS - 3

Religion - Take it & Leave it

One good thing about spirituality is that it keeps you occupied. Not even a moment gets wasted. If you have a spiritual base, you’re more likely to surge against odds. You’ll never say die. You don’t have to seek refuge either in booze or in suicide. In short, you’ll never be a coward.

One gets his/her first brush with spirituality through one’s religion. The experience is supposed to be a pleasant one, rigidity has no bearing there. Religion should ideally give you an internal discipline. To keep your indulgences, particularly those in connection with food and sex, under check. Nothing more ! Nobody is asking you to abstain.

p.s.jalaja- tug of war

Sree Narayana Guru believed that the focus should be always on making a human-being better. Otherwise, he/she is likely to slide downhill. As we all know, everybody is seeking Ananda (happiness) irrespective of religion. Happiness is difficult to come by, as we have to work upon our Mind with the only tool available with us; i.e., Mind itself! Not an easy task by any reckoning! Naturally one goes for the cheap substitute, pleasure.

Guru wrote

“അഖിലരുമാത്മസുഖത്തിനായ് പ്രയത്നം

സകലവുമിന്നു സദാപി ചെയ്തീടുന്നു.

ജഗതിയിലിമ്മതമേകം "

Religion is a special-purpose vehicle to launch you for the long and arduous journey for everlasting happiness.  All religions have the same long-term objective. Arrive at the end-point where peace and happiness are at steady-state.  Religions equip you with the accessories and travel-guide so that you can and go dig it yourself!

p.s. jalaja

Narayana Guru says

“ജീവാത്മാക്കൾക്ക് ഊർധ്വമുഖത്വം ഉണ്ടാക്കുവാനുള്ള അധികാരമേ മതങ്ങൾക്കുള്ളൂ. അതുണ്ടായിക്കഴിഞ്ഞാൽ സൂക്ഷ്മം അവർ താനേ അന്വേഷിച്ചു കണ്ടെത്തിക്കൊള്ളും. സൂക്ഷ്മം അറിഞ്ഞവന് മതം പ്രമാണമല്ല .മതത്തിന് അവൻ പ്രമാണമാണ്.”

Religion is authorized to give a forward thrust to jeevatmas so that they can start searching for the subtle. One who knows the subtle no longer comes under the purview of religion. In fact, religion should take cues from such a person. She/he is beyond religion.

In other words, one should leave religion at one point. It’s like the four-wheeler jump in a Circus. A wooden wedge-like stand is brought in and another one with a similar shape is placed at a distance complementary to each other.  The upward slant gives the required thrust to the jeep. The jump cannot be accomplished without leaving the wooden block. 

p.s. jalaja

According to Sree Narayana Guru, religion has both internal and external aspects.  The external characteristics should be revised as per the changing times. The internal feature is subjective in nature. In the final analysis, religion too is a search for one’s identity. Needless to say, one’s approach to religion changes according to one’s experiences in life, intellectual capability, books one reads, people moving around with…….

p.s. jalaja

That means, there are as many religions in the world as the number of people inhabiting on this planet!

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