Srimad Bhagavatam – day 289
Due to endless focus upon sensory pleasures the person sinks into sorrows. Even when reduced to a penniless state he keeps worrying about ways to get hold of objects he intensely desires. He struggles hard to retrieve the money, which he had stolen from others, and which in turn was snatched away from him. Even after all these experiences dispassion does not arise in him. He is obsessed with the need to possess money by fair means or foul. Due to his attempts he faces humiliation.
Due to this deep desire for acquiring riches he develops enmity with others. Even then, due to the strength of the subtle past impressions, he enters into marriage and other alliances with these enemies. However this friendship does not last long and he distances from them.
Mahatmas empathically declare that the end goal for this life’s journey is merger into Lord Srihari. It is the ultimate, complete goal. This entire universe has emerged from Him. The sum total of all living beings in the universe is represented by the group of traders. This group travels on the path of outward expansion (Pravṛtti marga) that is essential for continuation of this samsāra and suffers due to the obstacles and difficulties that come on this path.
Those who stepped away from this path and instead travelled on the path of return (Nivṛtti mārga) have reached the lotus feet of Lord Srihari. There are many in the past who have travelled on this path. However, the living entities of the recent times can broadly be summed up as groups of traders only. Their numbers are significantly increasing.
During their journey these traders leave behind both dead members and members who are sunk into deep troubles. It is a very weird journey. Newborns are accepted into the group. This entire group continues the journey while grieving and suffering all the time. Unable to withstand the agony at times they swoon. At times they tremble. They fight among themselves. They weep. At times of happiness they sing loudly.
As they have distanced themselves from sadhu satsang, even to-date they have been unable to reach the destination. If only they stop this journey they can reach the lotus feet of Lord Srihari. But they do not decide to stop it. Instead they choose to travel towards impermanency, unhappiness, death, darkness and grief. Only some lucky person occasionally comes out of the forest.
These group members continue this journey endlessly without seeking to develop steadfast devotion or acquiring jnana that could take them to the destination. They completely disregard and disrespect spiritual texts. ‘After all, in what way would be benefit from the same?’ they ask. Or else they consider it to be heavy stuff and hence set it aside.
However in that group are a few peace-loving calm members. These sadhakas who eternally chant Srihari’s names are not at all inclined towards worldly pleasures. They practice ahimsa and obtain Srihari who resides within their heart.
Just like the grains of sand near the ocean, the members in this group are innumerable and cannot be counted. But sadly even in such a vast group just one or two members obtain eligibility to merge into God. Hearing this you probably may wonder whether you have any chance to ever reach Godhead. Do not get dejected. Dejection will lead you nowhere. True devotees will never ever think in this fashion. Such thoughts never emerge in their head. They do not even doubt their capacity. This itself indicates their eligibility!
Once a saint enquired Dhruva, “Dhruva you have met Srihari. Did you enquire from him when I will get liberated?” Dhruva replied, “You are seated under this huge tamarind tree. After every season this tree sheds leaves. You will get liberation after exhausting as many births as the number of leaves that are shed by this tree after 6 seasons”. The saint danced merrily. He was thankful that his name was in the list of people eligible for merger.
Powerful kings who perform limitless Yagnas and who conquer the directions have in them the arrogance that they are the owners of vast lands. Even such powerful kings succumb to feelings of enmity and wage wars with other kings resulting in their death. Thus such kings thus fail to reach Srihari. Those who fight for land finally have to leave this land and travel to other planes. It is ironical that although this is a known fact yet everyone struggles to safeguard their lands.
Trivikramaya namah