Transient nature of worldly pleasures

CHENNAI, SEPT. 29. The entire manifestation of insentient and sentient beings is created, sustained and withdrawn into the unmanifest by bliss (Ananda). The Upanishadic tradition uses Ananda as a synonym of the Supreme Reality because He is bliss- incarnate. Paradoxically, the same scriptures emphasise that worldly life is full of sorrows and advises man to seek that which is the source of eternal bliss - the Supreme Being.

Even human experience confirms the fact that life in the world cannot be unadulterated joy all the time. Joys and sorrows alternate in human life and instinctively everyone seeks only happiness and avoids sorrows. All actions of man are done with the objective of finding happiness. Even if a person is unable to enjoy that which gives him happiness, his mind at least dwells on the object of his desire and craves for it. The mind is always restless because of unfulfilled desires.

It then becomes imperative to understand what impels the mind to seek happiness. The scriptures say that it is Karma, as latent tendencies (Vasanas), which drives the mind and it is also responsible for the joys and sorrows one faces. No one can do anything about Karma which has started giving result and hence one's efforts must be directed towards realising God by which lasting bliss could be attained, said Sri K. Srikantha Sarma in his discourse.

Prahlada taught this truth to the demon boys, ``The only course advisable for a man in this world is to betake himself to the feet of the Lord. Like suffering, sensual pleasure also is obtained by embodied beings in every birth by force of destiny without any effort through mere connection with a body. No effort for such pleasure should be made; from such effort follows mere waste of one's life.''

The objective of the scriptural texts and the works of the preceptors of the philosophical traditions is to reinforce the evanescence of worldly pleasures so that human beings will not fritter away their entire life in seeking them. The Acharyas of every Vedantic tradition have written three types of texts - commentaries on the three important scriptures, the Brahmasutra, Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita; hymns in praise of God and also independent philosophical treatises which elucidate the requisites of spiritual life.

One such treatise is the Sathasloki of Adi Sankara. This work succinctly presents the philosophy of Advaita. Its importance in the tradition is due to the emphasis it lays on devotion to the spiritual preceptor (Sadguru) which alone can bless one with liberation.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Miscellaneous
Previous : Solution to puzzle 6862
Next     : dated September 29, 1950: Removing fear of war