Detachment is essential to become an observer to events
It is God’s creation; He is the controller. This is somewhat like a big business, which one person started and controls. The essential difference in God’s case and a businessman’s is in exercising control. God controls both the internal organisation and external factors. In the case of a businessman, he has some control over the policies, but the externals are not in his control; they happen, and he and his organisation must adapt.
God has created this world and has set it in motion. He controls all aspects of it; nothing is outside his control. It has to be this way only, otherwise it will be unmanageable.
What about us souls? We are small and God is the only big. Again, this is how the creation can be managed and is being done. We, small souls, can be roughly classified in four categories. The first three categories are essentially in the control of the three modes, which are goodness, passion and darkness. Those under the mode of goodness generally follow dharma, do their duties and go to heaven for deserved periods, and return to the earth planet to start another disciplined and good life.
They are classed as divine. Those under the mode of passion live, as the designation suggests, passionately, and live thus life after life. They constitute the majority and remain on the earth planet more or less permanently. The third category of souls engage themselves in bad acts and are classed as demons. They harm self and others and end up either in hell or lower species for their punishment. They come back up to the human species slowly after their punishment is over.
Now we come to the fourth category and the topmost. These are the ones who have taken shelter of God in various degrees. However, they are in the minority. Even amongst these there are three categories. Lord Krishna describes in the Bhagavad-Geeta, “Out of thousands of men hardly anyone strives for perfection. Out of those striving yogis also, hardly anyone knows Me in essence.” (7.3) And the third category is those who after the efforts of many births become wise and take God’s shelter. They are great souls because they consider God as everything. (7.19) Lord Krishna has referred to them in the verse # 7.16 as wise persons (7.16), and they are very dear to Him. (7.17)
This article is essentially about such rare persons. The answer is straightforward: they have to become like Arjuna. What were qualities of Arjuna, who has explained himself, “O Krishna, my delusion has been dispelled by Your mercy: my memory has been restored. I, free from doubt, am composed, and I will follow Your instructions.” (18.33) My ‘ahankar’ (ego) will not raise its ugly head because I know that I am only a small nimitta of the all-powerful God. I will gradually become an observer; will not be attached to results, because God knows what is best for me. (6.45)
Why should one not wonder as to why everyone is not jumping at this option? Because ahankara comes in the way. This is the biggest enemy against taking shelter of God. What proved to be Ravana’s undoing, who was very knowledgeable? His ahankar only, which he admitted was his weakness. Due to this fault, one assesses oneself as someone big, which no one can ever be, because as stated earlier, there is only one big. Yes, we all need attention, but our target should be getting attention from the one who really counts, i.e., God. This is how we really fit in God’s creation.
(The author is a spiritual teacher
