Indulgence in material pleasures brings only misery

The earth is like a middle planet. It is neither pleasant like

heaven nor unpleasant like hell. Each of us must be dutiful. This is a basic requirement for all of us. Our duties begin as we begin to grow; we must learn. This learning process starts quite early, as early as three. This process goes on for a quarter of our lives in a concentrated form, but must go on for the rest of our lives.

Vihar-based life simply means that a person wishes to return to enjoyment of senses and the mind. The basic requirement for a human being is to be dutiful, i.e., be kartavya-based. Another way is

shelter-based, which simply means that a person has taken shelter of God for all intents and purposes. He exemplifies what the famous saint Suradas stated in his famous poetry. He used the simile of a bird of a ship, which returns to the ship after completing its duty of feeding itself. There it finds shelter and peacefully remains till it must go out again.

Unfortunately, the majority of humans are vihar-based, and

suffer the consequences. Men succumb to weakness, because of ‘ahankara’. Ahankara is a faculty for carrying out duties. We make an entirely different of this precious faculty by claiming to be the doer, which no one can ever be.

This wrong use of ‘ahankara’ is at the root of almost all our problems. Let me start with being lust for sense enjoyment. Yes, we are allowed quite a few enjoyments, but they must be according to dharma. One breaches this maryada because one feels that one is an enjoyer, whereas we have been essentially created to serve others. What about being greedy? One does not believe in the karmaphala principle and wishes to accumulate unlimitedly. His ahankara tells him that it is alright to do so. What happens to such people? Lord Krishna informs: The door to hell is opened for them. The same logic applies to getting angry readily and unnecessarily. Why? Because I am special; only God is, no one else.

Therefore, let us come to our senses and restrain ahankara in us, which is the biggest obstacle in taking shelter of God, which we all must do if we wish to ever be peaceful. (The Bhagavad-Geeta #18.62) Because God is everything to us. Not only God is the only source of peace, which is really being peaceful, not a momentary feeling of peace, He is also a giver of material boons, which we all need in plenty. What did Lord Krishna promise Arjuna, “You, therefore, get up; gain fame, having triumphed over the enemies; and enjoy the flourishing kingdom, these people have already been killed by Me only; you just be the instrument.” (# 11.33)

One must take shelter of God and remain in His shelter, quantum is not important, because a child will hardly do that, but he must be aware of God. As we grow and then begin to age, this shelter taking becomes ever more important. Past 75 years, this must be the life, other duties take lesser positions. Yes, there is another reality also, which is in ‘jeeva’ form, being vihar-based is natural. This is where we must become different from animals, we must do tapasya to reach higher positions, which is very highly satisfying. Ask me, who is enjoying this shelter-based life..

(The author is a spiritual teacher)