The Hindu : Perishable nature of human body

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 23, 2002

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Perishable nature of human body

CHENNAI DEC. 23 . Every one has before him one of the options — to seek pleasure or to lead a God-centred spiritual life. The latter step will enable him to enjoy Divine Bliss, unaffected by grief. The former, by virtue of his chasing worldly enjoyments, which are purely impermanent in nature, will only lead him to agony. The choice is the individual's but saints and torchbearers have shown the benefits of treading the religious path. The fundamental difference between the two lies in the mistaken notion that the body and the soul within are the same, not aware of the perishable nature of the former as against the permanence of the soul.

The natural tendency among many is to seek momentary joy from getting immersed in purely temporary worldly activities. Any measure adopted by anyone within limits will not affect him. But the problem arises when, mistaking these pleasures as ever lasting, he goes beyond the restrictions. He will then reach the stage of detesting the very object he liked earlier. What he considered as happiness will land him in agony. For instance, the taste of a sweet preparation, when taken in excess quantity continuously over a time, will surely make him hate the very sight of it. So too indulgence in acts considered as evil, ought to be shunned; otherwise bodily complications will arise. The sense organs, which give scope to such unlimited activities, should hence be kept under control. This will be possible once he is made to realise that his body is bound to perish.

Citing the Bhagavad Gita, in a lecture, Sri Suki Sivam recalled the words of the Lord therein that the soul is eternal, imperishable and unchangeable and that no weapon can destroy it. As against the body that will decay and will go through turmoil when it is put into unrestricted evil ways, the strength of the soul should be augmented and God is realised and permanent Bliss is enjoyed. Among the steps to be adopted for spiritual evolution are to chant the Divine Names, devotion to God, worship of idols, which will provide him moral strength, carrying out ordained duties and dedicating them to God and acquiring knowledge. A man who has reached the final level will not have any sorrow as he experiences God seated within and ever be in a state of Divine Bliss and equipoise. When an ascetic who refused the offer of an emperor to accompany him was threatened with death, his reply was that he can only cut the body whereas his soul will survive.

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