Everything in the material world comes with an expiry date. Isn’t it so? Scientists believe that even the Universe has a finite life. They say that the temperatures of the cosmos will cool down. And all that will be left is a vast ocean of lifeless, drifting particles everywhere.
So, do we consider ourselves as mortal beings? Yes, in a way, we are mortal like every material thing. But the soul is not mortal.
Souls are not temporary. Because they are part of the super soul. They keep taking on different bodies. It is said that human birth is rare. And we have been born as humans after going through many cycles of births and rebirths.
Human birth is very rare indeed! In this birth, we can learn about our true self. In the puranas, it is known as Atman.
Who are we actually? Are we our ears? Or, are we our nose? You may come to the conclusion that nothing can really define you. And this is also true about our status and wealth.
What we go on accumulating throughout our life is not the real wealth? The real wealth we must earn is the knowledge of our true self.
And this is only possible through meditation. Meditation in any form is recommended for self-realization. Lord Buddha attained enlightenment only by meditating.
The deeper our meditation, the more we will learn about our true self. Ultimately, we may realize that we are not this body. We are, in fact, souls. And the soul is a part of the super soul. Anything that is part of the super soul doesn’t die.
Everyone has the potential to become self-realized. All it takes is courage! Swami Vivekananda was a person from whom we can learn a lot. He overcame many hardships. Just to show that your soul is very powerful. And there are many, in fact, in India. Take, for example, Ramana Maharishi.
Why do we need courage? Do we have to face a tiger? No, but it needs it needs courage to do a real self-introspection. Only Sannyasis can have that kind of courage. No wonder Sannyasis attain self-realization! They know that everything that we see with our eyes is an illusion.
For many of us, the material bonds are too strong to even think of spirituality. Arjuna was in a dilemma when he was instructed by Lord Krishna to kill his own guru, cousins and relatives. Why? Because he felt attached to them. Lord Krishna explains the true nature of existence to Arjuna.
Our egos also prevent us from realizing that we are, in fact, souls. If you tell somebody in kaliyug (modern age) that he or she is a soul, you might be driven away as a crazy person.
Because people cannot think of anything except what they see. They are seeing all the beauty. They are seeing all the attractiveness of the opposite sex. They are feeling the smell of perfume. But this is only because they are experiencing it at the moment! Suppose they were to be afflicted with a serious disease. An attractive woman with breast cancer may undergo the removal of her breasts. Or, she may lose hair after going through chemotherapy. Where is all the beauty gone after her breasts have been removed or her hairs are gone? Men would not even look at her.
Most of us do not know the meaning of true suffering. Only after we have gone through suffering will we gain detachment. A detachment from the enjoying material things. Dhruv Maharaj’s story in Srimad Bhagavatam can be cited as an example. He started meditating on the supreme personality of God after getting rebuffed by his stepmother in front of his own father. But then he went on to become a great devotee and a self-realized soul.
To sum up everything, we must give up our egos and have the courage to understand ourselves. But it is easier said than done! The road to self-realization is tortuous. You will have to go through many hardships. But you will be dumbfounded by the final result. Once you know your true self, nothing seems to hurt. Because now you know that you are neither this body nor this ego!
