Evolution of Love 2

BIRTH, DEATH AND REBIRTH

Shree Shree Ma Anandamayee has so often taught us that vasanas (desires, want) is the root cause of rebirth. She has in various interactions explained the interactions between desire, avidya(ignorance), karma (actions) and results. A couple of poignant vanis of Ma are presented blow, which in many ways summarize the teachings of our Vedic scriptures.

Ma emphasized, “One's actions themselves create a sense of want. Again one's actions only will destroy this feeling of want. One has to strive for one's own fulfilment. By enjoying sense objects ,one gradually advances towards death. Father, become the one to drink nectar. Enjoy immortality. On that path, there is neither death nor disease.”

Elsewhere, She advised, “The more time spent in remembering God the greater is the advantage gained. Where there is the world,there is want. That is His nature. One can only hope for peace by keeping the mind at His feet, willingly or otherwise.”

Ma says,”Human being is manifested in the form of want. He thinks of want only. And ends up in want. That is why he should contemplate on his real nature. Otherwise: want–inactivity–
inertness–misfortune–death (continue).

BHAGAVAN ADI SHANKARACHARYA

The transmigratory cycle of birth and death has been aptly brought out in much of our treasured scriptures.

In the immortal classic, ‘ Upadesa Sahasri’, Sri Adi Shankaracharya says, “ Actions ( both enjoined and prohibited) bring about one’s connection with the body ( as it is through this that we perform actions). When the connection with the body has taken place, pleasure and pain must surely follow. Thence comes attraction and repulsion ( from our actions and results of the same). From attraction and repulsion, actions follow again as results of which merit and demerit appertain ( as appropriate and applicable) to the ignorant man ( jiva, who is shrouded with the layer of ignorance veiling his real Self). These ( merit or demerit) in turn again lead to a connection with the body. This transmigratory existence is thus going on continually for ever like a (revolving) wheel).” ( Part 2, Chapter 1, Verses 3 and 4).

THE WAY OUT

Ma says, “You attempt to appease want by want; hence want does not disappear and neither does the sense of want. When man awakens to the acute consciousness of this sense of want, then only does spiritual inquiry become genuine.”

And for us to introspect Ma said, “You must bear in mind that only when the sense of want becomes the sense of the want of Self-knowledge does the real Quest begin.”