Today Shankaracharya asks each of us a simple question: What is your life all about?
Simple, but if you think about it, very very very pertinent and profound.
What is each of our life all about? We pause, breathe and say "Ahem! Depends", which actually means "I don't really know!!" or "Haven't really thought about it yet!!"
If we analyse our lives, we realise that life has been all about…having fun, loving people, facing fears!!! That's all!!! And the problem is not having fun, loving people, facing fears. The problem is "That's all".
Shankara draws our attention to the way we are spending our most important resource "our life"!
Childhood days pass "having fun" with playthings and playmates! And yes, in that sense, many of us remain children all life…having fun, playing around, passing time! Youthhood just goes away in meeting, mating, lusting and loving people/things/jobs/dreams…! And no matter how much we want, nobody can stay in this stage forever. Old-age catches up sooner or later. And then, the rest of our lives is spent worrying, whining, boasting, blaming, remembering, reiterating and constantly struggling to face our greatest fear "death"! Have you ever thought if this is all that can be done with something as precious as a life?
Buddha thought. When he saw the old, the sick, the dead, he asked, "Is this all?" and life was not the same for him ever again.
Shankara is not against enjoying life. He is not interested in snatching the toy from the kid, the toyota from the youth or the tensions from the elderly. He understands that these are natural engagements of life. All he says is "Do something meaningful too!"
How? Have a purpose, a mission, a goal. Seek Perfection, Seek Divinity. Bhaja Govindam! Don't walk by this planet just in birth, growth, decay, death. Even animals do that. EVOLVE.
Learn, grow, serve, seek, think, know… Being born human is alright. All of us are born human. But accomplish the journey. Don't die human. "Die Divine" That's is the main reason you and i are put in here. That's the main program. Rest of everything is just the advertising! Watch it, enjoy it, but don't miss the program for the sake of the ads!!
Story: A saint saved a drowning boy's life. The boy was filled with gratitude and said, "What can I do for you?" The saint replied, "Make the life which I saved worth being saved!" THINK.
The breath that goes out comes back into our body. The junk we shovel into our systems in the name of food gets digested every time. Every night I sleep, and every morning I wake up. Each of this is a miracle in itself. Our life is a miracle. To waste a miracle in mundane living is to use a diamond as a paperweight! THINK.
Water is being wasted, fuel is being wasted, electricity is being wasted, money is being wasted…we are all concerned. What about life being wasted in mundane living? Anybody bothered??
If we have to organise a birthday party, we plan, make lists, schedule everything perfectly to ensure that the party goes on well. Life too is a party, what's your plan? How are you going to ensure it all goes on well? We plan our holidays, our projects, our finances, everything. But live life without a plan or a purpose. THINK.
Planning is not to know that one will marry at 26, have kids at 30 and retire at 60. That's not a plan!! You will do this anyway. What is the main thing you are going to do with this wonderful gift - Your Life? What is your purpose? Decide before it is too late…
Practice: Take time to think and write down in clear words: The Mission of Your Life, the Motto of your Life, Your Highest Priority. Write what you really mean, and live by it for the rest of your life.
Quote: "An unexamined life is not worth living" - Guruji
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