Question: How do we detach ourselves from our lower nature?
Swami Ramsukhdas ji: "Ek aasaro, Ek bal" - Simply one dependence, one source of strength.
Friends, this is the last birth. Human birth is the last of all births. We have been clearly told by God in the Gita "bahunaam janmanaam ante, Vasudeva sarvam iti" (Gita 7:19). Now it is up to us to become firm on this point. Do not worry whether others do or not, you simply become immersed in only God, then everything else will fall in place.
Notes:
BG 7.19:
बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते।वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः।।7.19।।Hindi Translation By Swami Ramsukhdas ji
।।7.19।। बहुत जन्मोंके अन्तमें अर्थात् मनुष्यजन्ममें 'सब कुछ परमात्मा ही है', ऐसा जो ज्ञानवान् मेरे शरण होता है, वह महात्मा अत्यन्त दुर्लभ है।
English Translation By Swami Gambirananda
7.19 At the end of many births the man of Knowledge attains Me, (realizing) that Vasudeva is all. Such a high-souled one is very rare.
Here Swami ji says, that Human birth is the last birth, as it is only in human body one attains Self Realisation. Even amongst men, Self Realisation one is very are. Summarizing the teachings of Gita, Swami ji says, Having birth in Human body is rare and still rare is attaining Self Realisation. Self Realsation is a gem found deep inside the ocean bed. Hence one must dive deep within in order to achieve this gem. For this one has to make firm resolve to walk on the spiritual path.
Swami ji continues,
There is nothing easier than God Realization. It is simply our mind and it's ways that creates the obstacles by making it appear difficult. And in reality, no one else is ours (not even the mind). Only God is ours. It is all betrayal to think otherwise. We do not need to ask anyone. Just become God's and all will be OK.
Parikshit heard the Srimad Bhagawad for seven days and attained God Realization, so why have we not realized after listening for so very long? Pariskhit had no desire to live. He knew he had only seven days remaining. We all have a desire to live. This is the main obstacle. Man is dying at every moment. We have actually died the number of years that we have already been alive. At every moment this body is dying. Parikshit was very clear that he was dying. When we have this feeling that we are living, that thought itself will prevent us from God Realization.
Notes: Once a man realises that he is going to die, one tries to finish all the unfinished tasks and then be content with what has been achieved. If one is given any work, then the whole focus is to complete the work and no other thought is entertained. In the same way, one must try to focus our attention on God knowing that life is uncertain and so I need to spend all my time and energy to realise God. Fear of death produces a sense of urgency to finish the work and eliminates the procrastination.
When one is dead, there will be no relation with anyone. If the aim is clear and you become focused, God Realization can happen today! Right now. Sethj said, it is not difficult at all to realize God. It is entirely up to us. Simply become immersed in this one thought and with great enthusiasm (utsaaha), become fully engaged in only God
Source: From a Discourse by Swami Ramsukhdasji in Hindi on Aug 19, 2002 at 3:30 pm
Notes: Seth ji here means Sheth Jaidayal Goenka ji, another realised Saint who was was associated with Gia Press, Gorakhpur, U.P., India. Shri Hanuman Prasad Poddar ji, Sheth Jai Dayal Goenka and Swami Ramsukhdas ji's contribution towards Hindu Shastras in invaluable.
Question: Intellectually we understand that body / mind are not us and we have nothing to do with it. Also earlier you said that in this manner one should become indifferent to the worldly impressions on the mind, but how does one really become indifferent?
Swami Ramsukhdas ji: Just like you believe that you have absolutely no relation with [your] dog's mind; similarly acknowledge that there is a no relation between you (Self, swayam) and your mind. The dog's mind and our minds are of the same nature and class (jaati). Mind is a fragment of nature and abides in nature (jada prakriti), whereas we (self, swayam) are consciousness and God's very own fragment. Just like the worldly impressions left on a dog's mind have no affect on you, similarly this mind too should make no difference to you (self, swayam).
The mind has a relationship with nature (prakriti) whereas you (self, soul, atma) have a relationship with God (Paramatma). You assumed an affinity with the mind, and therefore now pain and sorrow are inevitable. Now, whatever you do with this mind / body, you will reap the fruits of it's good and bad deeds. What ever be the thoughts that come into a dog's mind, what has it to do with you? Similarly, whatever comes to this mind, what has it to do with you (swayam)? Your relationship is not with the body, sense organs, mind and intellect. Your relationship is only with God (Paramatma). Just to make us understand this Lord Shri Krishna says in the Gita "Mamaivaamso jivaloke jeevabhootah sanaatanah" (Gita 15:7). "In this world, the Self (Atma) becomes an embodied Soul (jeev), though being a fragment of My Eternal Self (Paramatma)." Understand this message and you will see a dramatic change in your outlook (vrittiyaan) and your spiritual accomplishments (saadhan).
Notes: BG 15.7 Full Sloka
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति।।15.7।।
Hindi Translation By Swami Ramsukhdas ji।।15.7।।इस संसारमें जीव बना हुआ आत्मा मेरा ही सनातन अंश है; परन्तु वह प्रकृतिमें स्थित मन और पाँचों इन्द्रियोंको आकर्षित करता है (अपना मान लेता है)।English Translation By Swami Gambirananda15.7 It is verily a part of Mine which, becoming the eternal individual soul in the region of living beings, draws (to itself) the organs which have the mind as their sixth, and which abide in Nature.
You understand yourself to be "I am". In this the "I" is inert, whereas "am" is consciousness. It is only because of "I' the "am" exists. If "I" (ego) were removed then "am" would become non-existent. All that would remain is "Is-ness" or existence (consciousness). In the Gita, Lord has elaborated and said that when an aspirant becomes "Nirmama-Nirahankarah", that is when he becomes free from attachment, sense of mine-ness (nirmama) and egoism, "I am the body" (nirahankarah), then he attains "Brahmi sthitih" i.e. a state of God realized soul. (Gita 2:72).
Note:
1. Explaining the 'i' of 'I am'
Here, 'I am' would imply 'I am the Body'. For sake of simplicity we will take with 'I' as 'i' i.e. small letter 'i'. Capital 'I' is the Self or God Consciousness. The 'I' here is the Ego, or small 'i' or individuality i.e. the feeling that you are an individual, separate identity, which is This physical body. So, You understand yourself to be 'i am'. In this the 'i' is inert (achet - अचेत - that which does not have chetnaa चेतना - i.e. consciousness of it's own). This is because we identify the 'i' with physical body and physical body is gross or jada (जड़) which does not have the consciousness of it's own, hence it is inert or achet अचेत or gross.
2. Explaining the 'am' of 'I am' which is 'i am the Body'
It is the 'am' in the statement 'i am the body', which implies or gives meaning or direction to the statement 'i am the Body' as ''i the body' does not explain itself properly, there is no clarity and the statement is incomplete. So 'am' completes the statement as gives clarity by saying 'i AM the body'. Here, the 'am' indicates that it is the knowledge-giving word indicating the knowledge of 'i' being the body or 'i is the body'. So both 'am' and 'is' are important. This word that give knowledge are due to one's knowing of oneself to be the body. In other words, one is conscious of oneself as the body. Hence, the word 'knowledge' can be used instead of the word 'consciousness'. This knowledge is due to the false identification of 'i' with the body. This false identification is known as 'ego' which retains one's individuality. Once this 'i' i.e. body is removed or better, false identification of 'i' with the body is removed, then what is left is just knowledge. This is nothing but pure consciousness with the feeling of physical body. It is present everywhere and there is no end or boundary to it. In other words, it is infinite.
3. The meditative path
The meditative path is to separate the 'i' from everything that is not-'i'. In sanskrit it is said naa-iti or not-this. It is known as neti (naa-iti) or not-this, not-this. Whatever one experiences is different from the one experiencing. In other words, the knower of object is different from the object itself. This is the path of negation. It is like piling layers of onion one by one by saying 'I am not Body', 'I am not the mind', I am not thoughts and emotions', 'I am not intellect'. In other words, after negating 'i' from body, you can say 'I is not the body', 'I is not the mind', 'I is not thoughts and emotions', 'I is not intellect'. Then the question comes, 'Who am I' or 'Who is 'i'' ' or what is 'I'. The answer is that which is left after negating everything else and that which cannot be negated itself is the real 'I'. This 'I' is different from 'i' i.e. ego. It is completeness, it is consciousness. So one realises that the 'i' is the 'I' - the Self or pure consciousness.
Always remember that you cannot negate yourself - the 'I'. So you cannot negate your own existence. What changes is the realisation is that the 'I' is not ego but Self or pure consciousness which has no beginning and no end.
The Essence is: One should not associate oneself i.e. 'I' with the physical body. One should detach and dissociate oneself with Mind, body, Thoughts and Emotions and Intellect. In other Words, detach oneself from that which is not 'I" and what finally remains is just 'I', which is not ego, but Pure Consciousness or Brahman. After renouncing all desires and attachments and by detaching oneself from wrong association of 'I', one attains peace and the blissful state free of pride (ego). By attaining this blissful state, one never again gets deluded in the wrong notion of 'I' and is eternally free. Even when the death is near i.e. at the time of dying or precisely at the time of leaving the body, if one stays in this Blissful state of Self Realisation, then too one does not return back to earth i.e. one does not have rebirth and remains Established in Brahman.
Note 2: BG 2.71 and 2.72 Full Sloka
विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः।
निर्ममो निरहंकारः स शांतिमधिगच्छति।।2.71।।
Hindi Translation By Swami Ramsukhdas
।।2.71।। जो मनुष्य सम्पूर्ण कामनाओंका त्याग करके स्पृहारहित, ममतारहित और अहंकाररहित होकर आचरण करता है, वह शान्तिको प्राप्त होता है।
English Translation By Swami Gambirananda
2.71 That man attains peace who, after rejecting all desires, moves about free from hankering, without the idea of ('me' and) 'mine', and devoid of pride.
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति।
स्थित्वाऽस्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति।।2.72।।
Hindi Translation By Swami Ramsukhdas ji
।।2.72।। हे पृथानन्दन ! यह ब्राह्मी स्थिति है। इसको प्राप्त होकर कभी कोई मोहित नहीं होता। इस स्थितिमें यदि अन्तकालमें भी स्थित हो जाय, तो निर्वाण (शान्त) ब्रह्मकी प्राप्ति हो जाती है।
English Translation By Swami Gambirananda
2.72 O Partha, this is the state of being established in Brahman. One does not become deluded after attaining this. One attains identification with Brahman by being established in this state even in the closing years of one's life.
Source: From "Sansaar kaa asar kaise chute?" in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdas ji
Original Hindi Source:
