The Supernatural

I follow the art of living foundation and have done a couple of courses of Art of Living. The founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (fondly called as Guruji) keeps on sharing his wisdom on many topics, one such ‘Ishavasya Upanishad’. You can search on Wiki or Google about what are Upanishads, a summary can be found here.

The following commentary by Sri Sri on Ishavasya Upanishad is very interesting and profound, was shared with me by someone recently.

Tena bhunjitha

…The world is there to enjoy but not clinging on to it, renouncing it, letting go, you relax. When you relax, you are able to enjoy better.

Ma grdhah kasyasviddhanam

Don’t covet other’s possessions.

When everything is done by God, what is the purpose of my living? This question on the purpose of life passes through every mind, the so called intelligent mind, at least. If you consider yourself intelligent , this question must come to you at some point or the other. It should have bugged you actually. Is life just eating, sleeping and doing your routine? Is that it? What is the purpose? What am I here for? I am sure this question has come into your mind. What’s the purpose of life? The seed has started sprouting. Don’t be in hurry. It is very good. This question must pass through your mind. It invokes the Spirit in you. But hold on. Though you don’t want to do anything at that time and nothing seems interesting, the Upanishad says

“Kurvanneveha karmani”

Keep doing your work and live for 100 years.

“Kurvanneveha karmani jijivisecchhatam samah Evan tvayi nanyathetosti na karma lipyate nare”

(Let every man wish to live for a hundred years while performing karmas in this world. Other than this, there is no way; karmas do not bind the man)

There is no other way you have to. There is no other way. You can’t take your life off. Knowing that all this is permeated by the Divine, keep engaged in activity and live for 100 years. When you are doing an action for yourself, for gaining something, it is painful but when your action is just the sake of action or for contributing something to the Existence because you are here to contribute, then it will not bind you. If your focus is only on you, if you are a taker, how much can you take? That is when the mind gets tired.

But if you are a giver, if you are here only to give, the action does not bind you. When you take, you feel the obligation. When you give, you feel the freedom. Keep acting and live for 100 years. Your wish should be to live for 100 years. There is no other way. You are born and till your death, you have to keep acting…

We are mostly takers, we just enjoy possession. If we learn only the above part of Ishavasya Upanishad life will become very easy, isn’t it? We are supernatural, we have forgotten that.

The process of learning, unlearning and relearning keeps on happening, I was robbed and I learnt something. Later on, I again started hoarding (owning up things), the execution, plan and reality keeps on messing up in the path of spirituality and business both! We may be supernatural – as the masters, mystics, messiah – but we miss it by millions of miles.

The supernatural is title of the Loose Bloggers Consortium. Other bloggers who write regularly are, Ramana Uncleji, Shackman and Maria. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic.

Source – Sri Sri talk on Ishavasya Upanishad.