This series chronicles interesting experiences recounted by the devotees of HH Maharanyam Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji. These articles are translations from the series, “Madhuramaana Mahaneeyar” that is published every month in Madhuramurali Tamil monthly magazine. The original article was written by Dr. Bhagyanathanji, Personal Secretary of Sri Swamiji.
Sri Swamiji’s Simple but Profound Insight on the Purpose of Human Birth
Sri Swamiji shared some wonderful thoughts during the Vasanthotsav celebrations held at Madhurapuri Ashram in May. I am sharing those here with you.
“When we talk to elderly people, they will say, ‘Oh how lovely were the bygone days. These days things have changed so much!’ Similarly, they will say that the kings in those days ruled righteously. And that honey and milk flowed in the streets!
“But in truth, as far as we know, the world has always been the same. We see that in the Puranic times, there were tyrants such as Vena, Hiranyakashipu, and Hiranyaksha. In more recent history, we see people such as Hitler and Idi Amin who terrorized the world. Our own country has suffered much under foreign invasions and foreign rule. Even now, we hear of many violent incidents in the world. Good rulers, as well as selfish rulers, do keep coming now and then all over the world. The world has never been quiet always. The truth is that peace and discord always keep coming alternately. Why is this?
“If God, who created us, did not give us this thing called old age, how good it would have been! It is very scary for each of us when we think of our old age. But still, God has created old age. Similarly, He created this beautiful and wonderful human body; but if only He had not created this thing called disease, how good it would have been! Yet, new diseases keep cropping up every day. Society is also like this only.
“The reason God created us is to attain Liberation (mukti). Only when there is disease and old age in the body, we will begin to dislike taking up a body. Only when there is so much adversity in society, will we have an aversion towards taking birth in this world. Little by little, this aversion will turn into dispassion (vairagya) and man will desire to turn towards the One who created him. This will turn into bhakti and give us mukti!” said Sri Swamiji.
Dr. Bhagyanathan, personal secretary to His Holiness Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
Originally published in MadhuraMurali Tamil monthly magazine, June 2018 issue.
