The Greatness of an Firm Determination.

Shree Hari 

     I have heard from saints that if one firmly ascertains with an unyielding conviction that "Paramatma Hai" (God IS) – then the responsibility is shouldered by God to make Himself known. We cannot know God by our efforts, but when the sentiments are firm that "God is every where," then God makes Himself known.

     God is everywhere -  this point is already apt,  then what is lacking in this?   In this there is one thing that is lacking that we know that this world was not like this at first, and will not remain like this later on, and even at present it is changing every single moment, then too we regard the world as "existent"  (Permanent, Is).  In other words, we are disregarding our own experience.  Due to this there is something lacking in having a firm determination, a unyielding conviction to accept that "God Is" (Existent).   Therefore honor your own experience.

     Just as, one cannot have a dream until one falls a sleep, and also when one wakes up, then the dream does not remain, but in between the dream comes.   Then too in between you believe it to be real,  as such, it is not there at all.  In the same way, accept the world as the world, the body was not there at first, it will not be there later on, in between too it is only seen,  as such it is not there.   Now if someone says that the world, this body etc., is visibly and evidently seen,  how can we accept it to be "non-existent (is not)?  Then brothers!  Did the dream appear to be any less real ?  When we were seeing the dream, it looked perfectly real.   However, it was on waking,  the dream was not seen.  From this it is proven that it was not there at all.

     Hundred years back, from today, was this body there?  And hundred years from today, will this body remain?   Even man can accept, that it will most certainly not be there.   "Adaavante cha yannasti vartamaanepi tattathaa,"  in other words,  that which is not there in the beginning and not there in the end, is not there in the middle (at present) also.  With this view, this all-in-all is constantly enlisting into "non-existent" state.   The number of years that have gone by, that many years you have surely been enlisted into  "non-existent" (Is not).  Now the number of years that are remaining,  that too is every moment enlisting in to "non-existence".  This entire world is every moment moving towards non-existence.  The grand creation is moving towards grand destruction, and the grand destruction towards creation.

     This world is known as impermanent, destructible. Just as due to having money, a man is called wealthy.  If he did not have money, he would not be called wealthy.  Similarly if the world is called destructible, then besides destruction there is nothing else in it. There is destruction and only destruction.  If  one firmly resolves that "God is"  then the unreal  that has be assumed to be real (existent),  will get out of the way and only God will manifest!  The reason is God is there, He is never non-existent.

     Since God is present everywhere, God is present here as well.  Since God is present all the time, therefore God is present now as well,  being present in everyone, God is present in me, as well.  Since God belongs to every one, therefore God is mine, as well.  God's absence can never take place, it has never taken place, whereas the world is never ongoing, it can never be ongoing -  on knowing this reality with  a firm conviction, then in place of the world, you will begin to see only God.

     Even right now, God only is seen;  because the world has no independent existence.  It is only due to the existence of God that the existence of the world appears real.   In this the real is only that One Parmatma (God).   Then why does the world appear to be real. 

Jaasu satyataa te jad maya |

Bhaas satya iva moha sahaayaa ||  (Manas 1/117/4)

     It is due to foolishness that this world appears real.  He who know, but does not believe, he is called foolish.    We know that this world is impermanent, and liable to perish, then too we regard it as stationary – this is foolishness.  If we acknowledge as much as we know, then the foolishness will not remain and we will be greatly benefited.