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Chapter 13
Distinction between The Self And The Not-Self
73. Progressive Realisation Of The Supreme Self
27. The next stage is to dedicate to the Lord the fruit of actions which we have received by His grace, instead of taking it ourselves. The jiva then says to the Lord, “This fruit belongs to you; take it.” Namdeva insistently urged the Lord to drink the milk that he had offered. This is an extremely adorable sentiment. Namdeva is offering to the Lord the fruit of his actions in the form of the milk. Whatever you have achieved and acquired is because of His grace and is, therefore, to be dedicated to Him. When Dharmaraj was about to set foot in the heaven, the dog accompanying him was stopped at the gate. Dharmaraj then instantly renounced the privilege of entering the heaven that he had become entitled to as a result of the merits acquired in life. A bhakta also offers to the Lord the fruit of his actions readily and instantaneously. The Lord who appeared as the Witness, the Permitter and the Supporter, now becomes the Experiencer. The jiva now ascends to a stage wherein the Supreme Lord Himself becomes the enjoyer of the fruit within the body. 28. Hereafter, making resolves (sankalp) should also be given up. There are three stages in any work. First, we make a resolve, then we act and finally we receive the fruit of the actions. We act with His help and dedicate the fruit to Him. Our standpoint is that it is the Lord who acts and it is He who enjoys the fruit. Now let Him be one to make resolve. Let Him be there in the work throughout all its stages. Jnanadeva has said, माळीये जेउतें नेलें। तेउतें निवांत चि गेलें। (‘The water flows without demur, as directed by the gardener. One should become like it.’—That is, one should let his life be guided by the Lord.) The water nourishes the plants and the trees of the gardener’s liking. In the same way, let the Lord decide what actions should take place through me. Let me entrust to Him all the responsibility for all the resolves of my mind. When I am riding a horse, making it carry all my weight, what is the point in carrying my baggage on my head? Let that burden also be placed on the horse’s back as, anyway, the horse is going to bear all the weight, whether I keep the load on my head or on the horse’s back. Thus the Lord eventually becomes one who moves my life and makes it blossom. My life is then completely in His hands and He does with it what He likes. He thus becomes ‘Maheshwar’ (the Supreme Lord) who holds the reins of my life. Progressing in this way, the whole life becomes saturated with His presence. Only the body then remains as a curtain separating me from Him. When that is removed, jiva and Shiva (God), atman and paramatman (Self and the Supreme Self) become one. |
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