ll ॐ नमो भगवते रामकृष्णाय ll
"..शुद्ध-बुद्धि-दायकं तं ईश्वरम् देवेदेवं रामकृष्णं नमामि !" says Sri Swami Virajananda in his Ramakrishna Tunakam.
Well, all our problem seems to be due to absence of this शुद्ध-बुद्धि . An intellect that discriminates, one that is one-pointed towards the goal... is almost untraceable in us! "व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः is indeed one," says Bhagavan, एकेह - it is single and well ascertained, clear and unambiguous understanding - with respect to Moksha. The notions of those who lack discrimination are many-pronged and innumerable. Almost everything looks desirable, worth chasing, an endless wild goose-chase... till you are exhausted and old age overtakes you.. and you are done with one more precious birth! ... Possibly hoping that that you will hit the jack-pot in the next life ... and samsara goes on!
व्यवसाय means निश्चय, clarity with reference to what I seek and how I am to gain it - it is शुद्धि in the बुद्धि ! To see clearly that Moksha is the destiny or goal of a human being, which is exactly what I am seeking for, that it is in the form of freedom from the sense of limitation, and that it is centered on myself only and is not outside me - is शुद्ध-बुद्धि.
It is easy to discern how rare that seems to be. How many do we see endowed with this clarity? You need grace for this! From the very opening upadesha in the Kathamrta it is relentlessly made crystal clear - the aim of human life is to know Ishvara (non-different from the self). Sri Sri Guru Maharaj seems to hammer this truth in, coaxing and cajoling, sometimes endearingly and sometimes harshly, throughout - as if saying 'अन्यां वाचां विमुञ्चथ !' This identifying the core of one's life's pursuit is THE most important step! And it needs कृपा as Swami Virajanandaji reveals to us.
Clad in white, in the whiteness of His Sattva form he seems to point to this ! May Sri Thakurji grant us just that. May this heart turn into a temple of worship to thee, where, at your feet, I may set my seat to behold you!
Having known only the outer world of प्रवृत्ति , of endless seeking after security and pleasure ... and both consistently denied to me there, may I come to understand, as Swamiji's mellifluous verses sing to us the fact.. यस्मात् अहं तु अशरणो, for I am without any support here - helpless and hopeless, जगदेकगम्य - O Lord, (who is the only possible destination for all). It is clear to me hence, that thou art my sole support तस्मात् त्वं एव शरणं मम , O friend of the helpless हे दीन-बन्धो !
May my heart become the offering of Japa Pushpa at thy feet... grant me शुद्धा बुद्धिः !
--
Swami Sheshadri
