From New Year’s Message 2023 with Paramacharya of SWAHA, H.H. Pt. Hardeo Persad
As the new year begins, we must recommit to seeking that Lord relentlessly. The theme for this year, and for life, is: life is but an empty dream unless one realises the Supreme.
As individuals, our experiences can be fleeting and mundane while others can be life changing. In the Shree Raamcharitramanas, there is a beautiful episode where the sage Kaakbhushundi, was relating to the celestial eagle Garudji about one such life-changing experience that occurred in the presence of the child, Shree Raam. He explained that he was privy to the miraculous experience of seeing numerous universes. After it occurred, Shree Raam explained to him the importance of devotion, bhakti.
Shree Raam urged Kaakbhushundi to listen carefully to His philosophy on life through the following analogy:
A father can have many children, with no two children being alike. Each one might have a different character, attitude and qualities from the others. One could be a learned man, given to sacrifices; another could be wise; another wealthy; another could be valorous, strong and powerful; another might be charitable; another all-knowing and another who always carries out his duty. Yet, the father loves all his children. He might also have a child who is fully devoted to the father; dependent on the father and even in dreams thinks only of the father. Yet that dependent child might consider himself an ignoramus, knowing nothing. Kaakbhushundi explained to Garudji that such a child is as dear to the father as his own soul.
This analogy speaks of the Divine Lord as the Father of all creation. He has many children who are different in nature: humans, animals, plants, the celestials and demons; yet He does not make any distinction among them. They are all dear to Him. However, the child who is dependent on him signifies the attitude and behaviour that we must nurture to be as dear to God as His own Self.
Shree Raam explained that He is the Creator of this entire universe. His compassion is showered upon all equally. However, that individual who has controlled and subdued the ego, the sense of ‘I’, and who has no trickery or deceit, who has a pure attitude and humility, and who seeks Him, worships Him and glorifies Him, with his or her very being, is dear to the Lord. The devotee who surrenders to Him in word and action is very near and dear to Him. This is the absolute truth, He says.
While we must continue to seek knowledge, perform penance, earn wealth, give charity and carry out our worldly duties with detachment, our main objective must be to please the Lord. Our ultimate aim should be to seek nothing else but the Lord. When we run after the things of the world, we might not get everything we seek; however, if we run after God, the world is at our feet. Therefore, our prayers should not be to fulfil material desires; when we pray and surrender to God, our material needs will be satisfied. We must turn to Him and perform all action as an offering to Him.
This year, let us intensify our devotions to God and inculcate an attitude of seeking and surrender towards the Divine. Let us remember that life is but an empty dream, unless we realise the Supreme.
