Friday, September 30, 2022

Sathya Sai Vahini - Post 57





Self-inquiry and four stages of life

 

In order to achieve victory while inquiring into the nature of the Atma, one has to pass through the asramas— the four stages of life recognized and recommended by the scriptural texts of the eternal Vedic religion (Sanathana Dharma). Each one, while passing through each stage, aware of the duties and responsibilities prescribed in the texts, learns for themself a quantum of the knowledge that leads to Atmic awareness.

 

Only after the childhood years will the routine of the four stages have an impact. Until then, one cannot gather any special knowledge about one’s duties and responsibilities. People have childhood, adolescence, youth, middle age, and old age as stages of growth; there are also corresponding stages in the growth of wisdom.

 

In the first stage of childhood, one is led from ignorance and “innocence” into the world of knowledge, when one is accepted as a pupil by a preceptor (guru). After that, one has to serve and obey the guru, without feeling burdened and bound. 

 

In the second stage of youth, one has to share with society the means and measures for its progress and security; one has to start earning a livelihood and spending one’s income with intelligent care; one also has the duty to provide examples to younger people and guide them into socially useful paths. At the same time, one must follow the footsteps of elders and learn lessons for one’s own advancement from them.

 

In the third stage of adulthood, intelligent attention has to be paid not only to one’s own advancement and the advancement of the family and society but also to the advancement of people generally. That too is the responsibility of the grown-ups, and they must acquire the necessary skills. They must have wider visions of the peace and prosperity of all mankind and try to contribute to both, within the limits of their capacity and resources.

 

Old age is the fourth stage. By the time one reaches this stage of the journey, one must have discovered that joys available in this world are trivial and fleeting. One must be equipped with the higher knowledge of spiritual joy, available through delving into the inner spring of bliss. Through experiences, one’s heart must have softened and be filled with compassion. One has to be engrossed in promoting the progress of all beings without distinction. And one must be eager to share with others the accumulated knowledge and the benefit of experiences.

 

Occupations and attitudes

 

Thus, occupations and resultant attitudes have been assigned to the various stages of human life. Practice is as important for confirming one in wisdom as reading is important for confirming one in knowledge. Alongside of knowledge, youth has to cultivate the good qualities of humility, reverence, devotion to God, and steadfast faith. Youth has to engage in good works and enjoy them for the sheer elation they confer. 

 

During adulthood, along with the earning of wealth and involvement in the improvement of society, attention must be paid to the promotion and preservation of virtues and to the observance of moral codes. Steps should be taken to improve one’s righteous behaviour and spiritual practice (sadhana). All levels of consciousness have to be purified and then directed to holy tasks.

 

During middle age, besides fostering the family and society, one has to live an exemplary life to inspire one’s children and hold forth before society elevating ideals that are worth practising. No attempt should be made to belittle society and benefit only the family, for it is bound to fail. 

 

The Brahman principle can be realized only by purifying one’s activity and utilizing that activity to serve oneself in all. It can never be realized as long as one relies on the caste into which one is born, the intellectual equipment one has added unto oneself, or the mastery of the Vedas.

 

Continued,,

 

Love




 

 


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