There are different types of enjoyments, but if we stick to the ones in the mode of goodness, we will reap all kinds of benefits, writes AJIT KUMAR BISHNOI
Why am I making such a statement? Because as souls this is our number one duty. Souls are sat, chit, and ananda. These are intrinsic to them. Souls are eternal. This is common knowledge. Souls are also conscious. This is also well known, because all souls are naturally so. However, there is a problem with the ananda part. Once in material bodies, we, souls, are no longer in the state of ananda. Rather most of us, except some very advanced devotees of God, are in more or less opposite state, ie disturbed, fearful, anxious, etc. Yes, people try to enjoy life but they do so in whimsical ways. This fact requires further explanation.
We, embodied souls, are governed by the three modes of the material nature. These are goodness, passion, and darkness. Unfortunately, the majority are under the influence of the lower two modes of passion and darkness. Their pleasures are mostly under the influence of these two modes. For example, a person under the influence of the mode of passion will eat rich food in excessive quantities. Such eating, though appealing to the palate and the stomach, will hurt his or her health in the long run. A person under the influence of the mode of darkness will be obstinate, crooked, badly behaved, lazy, etc. (The Gita 18.28) and his enjoyment will be governed by these emotions. People in goodness are wise in their choice of pleasures. These are stepping stones to the goal of getting to the ananda state, which requires a few lives to fully attain.
As everyone is different and have different circumstances, there will be many different types of enjoyments, but if one sticks to enjoyments mostly in the mode of goodness and, most importantly, which are according to dharma, not dharma-aviruddhah, he will gain all kinds of benefits and will not be harmed. As I am familiar with my own self, I will detail how I am going about enjoying my life. I have drawn a detailed list of all the activities which are enjoyable to me and are available to me. Eating is the first and the most regular enjoyment for me. I eat what is good for me healthwise. I take sufficient time to eat and eat in small morsels. I eat mostly alone with no other activity like watching TV. In short, I enjoy my eating and hope to continue to do so for the rest of my life.
My other premier enjoyment is writing. In this, I must thank my Lord for helping me. He gives me realisations, which I jot down. I meditate a lot on spiritual truths revealed to me. I make notes and then sit down to give them shape of an article. The same is true of all the books I have written. This is my very important enjoyment, which I hope to continue to get, God willing. Of course I watch my favourite programmes on television, which are mostly musical programmes. I am very particular about watching news on television. This must be balanced, fact-based. The last and the foremost enjoyment for me is spending time with my Lord in His photo forms. I feel sheltered and this is when I get most of my realisations. I do not think that I will ever be deprived of this enjoyment.
One of the reasons most people are mortally scared of diseases and major setbacks is that they have this impression that their enjoyments will dry up. This is not true. God has not made a creation where one is condemned to miseries only. Remember, we have many faculties which can and do give us enjoyment. We have senses — the most common means, then, we have minds. Intelligence is not far behind and, ultimately, we have ourselves, ie our own selves, souls. In conclusion, I must reiterate that enjoyments should never be given up. If not, we will be cheating ourselves; we must enjoy to make our lives meaningful. Life will go on but we must find ways to enjoy.
Bishnoi is a spiritual writer and can be reached at spiritual@ajitbishnoi.com
