QUESTION: The purpose of life is
uninterrupted peace and happiness. How to achieve it since we are
surrounded by material goals?
ANSWER: It is an inconsistent
question. In the first part it says that the purpose of life of is to attain
uninterrupted peace and happiness. The second part says that there are material
goals. There cannot be two ultimate goals in life. So, first of all, we should
clearly decide the ultimate goal of life.
Our
scriptures tell us that one can have uninterrupted peace and happiness as the ultimate
goal of life, and the attainment of material gains should be kept as secondary goal.
What actually happens in life is that the ultimate goal is forgotten and the
second goal becomes the primary goal. Hence, it is important that while pursuing
the material goals, we should repeatedly remind ourselves that our ultimate
goal is attainment of permanent peace
and happiness. Let us not be caught up in the material goals and always give
them the place of secondary importance.
QUESTION: If the mind is attracted
towards worldly things, what should we do?
ANSWER: There are two ways in which this
problem can be tackled. The positive way is to develop attraction for spiritual
things, and for God. The second method is to give up the worldly desires by
discrimination and an act of will. If one develops strong attraction for God,
all other attractions will pale into insignificance. Sri Ramakrishna has
further advocated turning all attractions, all desires towards God. If one has
lust, let him lust for God, have greed for God; be angry with anything which
stands in your way to God and so on.
QUESTION: How to strike a balance
between the spiritual life and worldly life?
ANSWER: We take it for granted that spiritual
and secular are two entirely water-tight departments of life. In contrast,
Sister Nivedita while explaining Swamiji's ideas says in her introduction to
the Complete Works, 'To work is to pray', and hence there will be no
difference between the sacred and the secular. The best method is to convert
all work into worship. This can only be done if we have an ultimate spiritual
goal deeply and strongly rooted in our mind. In that case, whatever we do will be for the
spiritual goal and will become sacred. The whole life will become spiritual.
There will not be any difference between spiritual life and worldly life.
But
if the difference the difference between the sacred and secular persists, we
will have to strike a balance. We will have to divide our time and energy into
two: some time and energy only for mundane activities and other for spiritual activities.
In such a case, let us begin our day with spiritual practice, Japa, meditation
and prayer, and reading of Holy Scriptures. Let us do this also during the day
whenever we get time in between our daily chores. Let us gradually increase
these periods of spiritual activity whenever and wherever possible.
Swami
Brahmananda said, 'Remember God before beginning the work and remember God in
the end. Also remember Him in between.'
QUESTION: How to remain calm even while
engaged in day-to-day hassles of everyday family life? Can it be done by Japa?
ANSWER: A strict spiritual routine including
Japa, prayer and meditation must be followed if one wants to be calm even
during one's day-to-day activities. But doing Japa for 10 or 15 minutes in the
morning or evening is not enough. One should also do some spiritual reading (swadhyaya)
in between one's daily duties. Keeping holy company is of great help.
QUESTION: I am working in a project and
the job demands that I work every day for 10 to 11 hours. I try to spiritualise
my worldly life thinking that my work is service to God. But at the end of the
day, I am so much tired and sleepy that I cannot do Japa and meditation. Any
suggestions?
ANSWER: Most of such projects are time-bound.
Once they come to an end, one has greater time for spiritual practices, but how
many people use it well!
In
the given situation, one may try to do sincere spiritual practice before one
begins the work. Sometimes, it may not be possible to do deep meditation or
concentrated Japa if a person is not used to them. In such cases, it is better
to devote a little more time to scriptural studies (swadhyaya). One can also
earnestly pray to God to give one opportunity to do spiritual practice. As to feeling
sleepy and tired, it is advisable to take nutritious diet and vitamin
supplements and see if they help. You may also take the help of devotional
songs to create a spiritual mood.
QUESTION: It is said that a mind filled
with desires and passions is unfit for meditation.
ANSWER: According to Patanjali, abhyasa and
vairagya i.e. practice of concentration and renunciation are the means for
concentration of mind. So, every effort must be made to give up desires one by
one if it is not possible to give them up all at once. At the same time we
should practice concentration of mind. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that one
must satisfy the minor desires by enjoying them, and must give up major desires
by discrimination.
QUESTION: How can one grow in
dispassion (vairagya) if one's life partner does not cooperate?
ANSWER: Do you know the story of Socrates! His
wife was very short-tempered and used to scold him off and on. Once she scolded
and later on poured water upon him. When once a young man asked his advice
regarding marriage, Socrates advised him to get married. He said, 'If the wife
is good, you will be happy. But if she is of a different temperament, then you
will become a philosopher like me'.
