The Highest End of Man
Divine Life
Society Publication: Easy Path to God Realization by Sri Swami Sivananda
Man seeks happiness in the
objects of the world. He thinks that he will get happiness by attaining a
certain object. He exerts and possesses it, but he is deceived. He then exerts
and possesses another object and he is deceived again. He again and again
attempts to get possession of different objects and each time he is deceived.
He does not get real lasting happiness. He becomes restless. Real, everlasting
happiness can be had by realizing the Immortal Self, through purification and
meditation.
Man thinks that he is
imperfect, if he has not got a wife. After he gets married he again thinks he
is imperfect, so long as he has not got a son and a daughter. This is due to
ignorance or the presence of Vasanas or Ishanas (desires) in the mind from
Anaadi Kaala (beginningless time). However much a man may gain materially,
there is always something lacking to make his happiness complete. There is
always some sort of discontentment and dissatisfaction. This is a universal
experience. Only when he is established in Atman, he will get eternal
satisfaction. He will become Paripurna (all-full). The senses of want will
totally disappear.
O students, don't waste your
time in analyzing Silica and sand and in melting the same to turn it into
glass. Don't make speculations to open glass factories. You cannot get peace
there. Analyze your mind and the three products Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Build
up a golden factory in your heart for Lord Krishna. Worship Him there repeating
His Name and Mantra: Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaya. All your miseries
will terminate immediately.
What is the highest end of
man? All are agreed that the one aim which man has in all his actions is to
attain happiness. The highest end of man must, therefore, be to attain eternal
happiness. This can be had in the Self only. The pleasure that is derived from
contact of objects is illusory and momentary. It is mixed with anxieties, pain,
fear and sins.
Rich people possess immense
wealth. They have all sorts of comforts, good circumstances and they have an
easy-going life. They have decent motor cars, beautiful bungalows, servants,
etc. They take dainties and palatable dishes and go to hill stations during
summer. And yet they have no peace of mind, because they have no inner harmony.
There is discord in their hearts on account of their greed, selfishness,
egoism, lust, pride, hatred, anger, fear, worry, etc. Outward harmony and
quietness cannot give you real peace of mind. The peace of mind is an internal
state. You can obtain it without the help of money and outward favorable
circumstances.
Rich people are selfish,
greedy and miserly. They have a constricted heart. They can only love their
wives, children and a few friends who help them when they are in distress and
troubles. They are under the strong grip of the devil. When they are in
distress, they cry for peace.
Even if they possess enormous
wealth they have no peace of mind. When Lord Yama catches their throats, when
their last breath comes out of their bodies, their minds will be on the keys
and the iron-safe only. Miserable people! Their lot is lamentable indeed! They
are care-takers of money only. They earn the money by hook or crook. They do
not know how to utilize the money profitably.
Man has hunger. He finds
delicious food to satisfy his hunger. He feels thirsty. He has water and other
sweet beverages to quench his thirst. He is passionate. He gets a woman to
gratify his appetite. He finds in this world any kind of object to satisfy any
kind of desire. There is one common desire in all human beings. Man wants to
enjoy eternal, unbroken, perpetual happiness that is not mixed with pain. There
must be one Supreme Vastu (thing) also to satisfy this desire, though he is not
able to cognize Him with these fleshy eyes. That Supreme Vastu in which you can
find eternal, unalloyed bliss is God or Brahman. He can be cognized by the
inner eye of wisdom through meditation.
Excerpts from:
The Highest End of Man - Easy Path to God Realization by Sri Swami Sivananda
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