The Voyage Of Death

May 1979, Summer Course 1979, Brindavan

Published English.

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The fruit of love grows in every tree of life. However, it is covered by lust, anger, envy and ego, making it difficult for us to taste the hidden sweetness. Only those who can peel off the outer skin can enjoy the sweet juice within, although anyone is eligible for such an experience. Untainted by selfishness and fear, this fruit is above the distinctions of race, caste, religion and the stage of life ().

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The supreme Vedic wisdom is called (juice) by the . This highest spiritual wisdom has love as its nature. To taste this love, one must rid oneself of lust, completely surrender himself to the Lord and experience identity with Him. The experience of identity with the Lord leaves no room for desires, while the feeling of being separate from Him, engenders desires. Control of the senses is essential for the attainment of Divinity. One may begin with ordinary love in the beginning and achieve the sanctity of total surrender through gradual and constant practice.

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, who started his penance with the desire for a kingdom, turned this desire into a longing for spiritual beatitude after he had been blessed with a vision of the Divine. However, the desire for sovereignty was responsible for his getting the vision of the Lord. Therefore, it is remarked that a man cannot develop a yearning for liberation without passing through the initial stage of desire for worldly objects.

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The nature of and as expounded in , the eighth chapter of the , should be understood. The phrase “” compares life to a journey. taught about the nature and destination of this journey of life. The various journeys by car, bus, train or aeroplane undertaken by man in daily life are regulated by considerations of time. But the journey of or life has been going on ever since creation began and shall go on forever. Unlike other journeys, this journey can never be canceled or even postponed! It is inevitable for all men, be he prince or peasant, messiah or mendicant. Forgetting that this ultimate journey is unavoidable for all those who come into this world with a body, man is foolishly arrogating immortality unto himself. Engrossed in the transient matters of the world, he is becoming a victim of misery and suffering.

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To man, who is unable to recognise his innate divinity and is forgetful of his real abode, the preaches that divine bliss and perfect love can be attained through surrender and dedication. The absence of trust consumes a man with anxiety and worry. A person on a tour of another region and staying in the house of a friend there, cannot be free to visit the sights of that place if he lacks confidence in his host and does not leave his valuables in the latter’s custody. So also, by not reposing trust and faith in the Almighty who is our dearest friend, we are subjecting ourselves to endless worry, difficulty and fear.

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The human body composed of the five elements, can drop off at any time and at any place. The wise person recognises the inevitable nature of death and knows the frail mortal body to be a mere water bubble. used to remind his disciples of this and tell them that the knowledge and awareness of death enables man to understand the nature of truth. We often see that the goods wagons carry the word, “Return” along with the date on which they should be returned to the workshop. The human body is like a goods wagon sent to this illusory world by the Creator. Though the date of return is not marked on it, the body has to be returned on some day or the other. Unable to grasp this truth, we seek ephemeral pleasures and subject ourselves to endless anguish.

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Every young man should be like the heroic who had exclaimed, “When I wish to pounce like a lion on an elephant and tear the enemy to pieces, is it proper for you stop me from going instead of sending me with your blessings?” Students must plunge into the field of service and reform India. They must banish the rampant ignorance, unrest and injustice from their motherland. They must spread the ideals of truth, righteousness, justice and love, and work for the happiness and prosperity of their fellowmen. Where there is faith, there is love; where there is love, there is peace; where there is peace, there is God and where there is God, there is Bliss. Therefore faith is the basis for the experience of Bliss. Faith is like our Life-breath; it is impossible to live even for a minute in this world without faith.

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