Rewards of Soul Awareness

On becoming aware of the immortal indwelling soul, one does not get unduly influenced, agitated or disturbed by the evanescent ups and downs of life. Dualities of profit and loss, life and death, union and separation, respect and insult, attachment and aversion, etc. produce very negligible reaction in a soul-conscious person. He takes these as routine, natural happenings of this ever-changing world. The man of awakened awareness knows that events happen as per Divine Will and not according to ego-centered individual likes and dislikes. The enlightened person disinterestedly views the passing show of happenings like a detached spectator - neither elated by so-called pleasant events nor dejected by unpleasant ones. A soul-conscious person easily escapes from the stresses and s trains, which keep on tormenting and disturbing the body-conscious persons and at times, under intense stress, driving them to take the extreme step of suicide.

The key to living a life purity, simplicity, nobility and dignity is to rise above body-consciousness and awaken to the reality of soul-consciousness. It brings true happiness, peaces and gives a purpose to life. This is why spiritual masters gave topmost priority to Sadhana of self-realization. "I AM AN IMMORTAL SOUL" The sadhanas are mean t to inspire a sincere Sadhak on the path to self- realization - the supreme purpose of human life.

The discovery of the indwelling self makes a person realize that he is neither this body nor the mind-stuff (Sookshma Shareer) both of which are only soul's instruments. Realization of this truth frees man from the bondage of body and mind. A fable would explain this phenomenon more explicitly.

A monkey happens to come across a pitcher full of nuts. It puts its hand in the pitcher, grabs a fistful, but is unable to withdraw the filled fist because of the narrow mouth of th pitcher. The monkey starts crying in panic, believing that the pitcher is holding its hand. It is able to pull out the hand, the moment it realizes the truth and releases the nuts. Likewise, man suffers because the clings to his carnal weaknesses like attachment, likes, dislikes, sex, anger etc. The moment he exercises his conscious willpower to shake off these self-imposed addictions, he is instantly freed from the bondage of ignorance. There is also that story about the lion's cub, who, on being brought up in the company of lambs developed the timidity of lambs; but when it saw its image, the true-self, in water, it regained its real lion-like confidence and strength. This is exactly what happens when we discover our true identity - the immortal soul.

It brings total relief from ego-inflicted sufferings and wants which keeps on tormenting us each moment. There are numerous fields of knowledge in this world but the supreme knowledge, transcending all other fields of knowledge, is the knowledge of the self (ATMA GYAN) which unravels the mystery of life. Research scholars in the material and mundane sciences have uncovered many material of nature, such as; electrical energy and atomic power. In the same manner, on divining deep into the inmost recesses of the supreme source and spirit of the universe, the sages, seers and the mystics have discovered the nectar of ATMA (soul) transcending the limitations of the material world, the experience of which makes man truly wise and bestows upon him mastery over mental and material forces and energies. Hence it is essential for man to first know his Real S elf. He should repeatedly put this question to himself - "Who Am I?" and find out the right answer through in-depth analysis, contemplation and introspection. On knowing the true self, man gains the clear-seeing wisdom to discriminate between what is beneficial for true human well-being and what is not? Things, which are considered beneficial in a state of mind inclined towards materialistic pursuits and pleasures, for which man craves day and night, appear trivial, in fact harmful, when one becomes aware of the soul. Then many pursuits, which appear useless, even foolish and abhorrent to materially infatuated individuals, provide real inner peace and joy to the seeker of the soul and become signposts on his immortal journey back Home.