What is the ideal spiritual practice for the current era?

Contents

• 1. Limitations of sectarian spiritual practice
• 2. Spiritual practice according to the Paths of Yoga considering the spiritual level
  • 2.1 Going from many to one
  • 2.2 Going from the non-truth (asat) to the Absolute Truth (Sat)
• 3. Spiritual practice according to the class considering the spiritual level
  • 3.1 Shudra (labourer)
  • 3.2 Vaishya (businessman)
  • 3.3 Kshatriya (warrior)
  • 3.4 Brahman (priest)
  • 3.5 Comparison of spiritual practice according to the class
  • 3.6 Actual spiritual practice according to the class
• 4. Spiritual practice according to time (kal)

Fundamental principle of Spirituality

There are as many temperaments as there are people and corresponding number of paths of Spirituality. This is the fundamental principle of Spirituality. In accordance with this, what spiritual practice each one should undertake will be clear from the table below. From that table, one will also become aware of one’s spiritual level because the spiritual practice which one likes to follow corresponds to one’s spiritual level at that time. The seeker should start practising Spirituality of the stage following the one he is currently practising. Once one gets accustomed to and begins to like that spiritual practice, that is when one derives sattvik happiness while practising it or feels that practising it is useless, one should commence spiritual practice of the next stage.

1. Limitations of sectarian spiritual practice

When Spirituality is practised in a sect the same practice is recommended to all. Just as it would be wrong for a physician to prescribe the same drug to patients suffering from different ailments so also it is wrong to recommend the same spiritual practice to all. This is specially so when the three components (trigun), five elements, accumulated account (sanchit), destiny and wilful actions (kriyaman karma) are different in every individual. This goes against the fundamental principle of Spirituality that there are as many temperaments as there are people and corresponding number of paths of Spirituality. Hence, it is best not to get entrapped in sectarian spiritual practice. Besides, with sectarian spiritual practice one does not develop a feeling of closeness towards other sects. As a result the seeker is not able to get very close to his target that ‘the entire universe is my home’. Sectarian spiritual practice occurs only in the psychological plane and not through the embodied soul (jiva). Although this is true it is certainly better to follow some sectarian spiritual practice rather than not following any.

2. Spiritual practice according to the Paths of Yoga considering the spiritual level

Spiritual practice is based on two principles, namely going from many to one and from the non-truth (asat) to the Absolute Truth (Sat).

Now let us see how the various spiritual practices undertaken according to the major paths of Yoga vary for different spiritual levels based on these two principles. This will also be clear from the table provided below.

Note:

• 1. The spiritual level of an average person is 20% and on attainment of the Final Liberation (Moksha) is 100% in our frame of reference.

• 2. Benefit: The ‘I’ness decreases.
      Losses: a. One remains at the level of emotions,
                  b. One is not able to observe with the stance of a spectator,
                  c. The belief that the illusory world is true goes on increasing.

• 3. Today the Path of Knowledge means an effort to understand through the medium of words, that which is beyond words. The table may be viewed in this context.

• 4. Money, respect, food and drink, music, television, picnics, etc.

• 5. Money, respect, devotional music, religious movies, pilgrimages, etc.

• 6. Losses: a. Generation of a ‘give and take account’ for completion of which one needs to take birth again.
                  b. There is a risk of inflation of ego due to the feeling that ‘I’ do something but The Omniscient and Omnipotent Supreme God does not do anything.

• 7. Loss: One acquires merits by doing social service. To experience these an individual goes to heaven and having experienced them takes birth on the earth again.

• 8. Being blessed by a Guru (guruprapti): Commencement of the Guru’s grace.

2.1 Going from many to one

• A. Path of Action (Karmayoga): In the initial stage a seeker gives alms to several beggars. In the next stage he gives a donation to a school or a hospital.

• B. Path of Knowledge (Dnyanyoga): After studying several spiritual texts a seeker finally turns to a single one such as the Vedas, Upanishads, Shrimadbhagvadgita, Yogavasishtha, Bhagvat, Shri Bhavarthadipika (Dnyaneshvari), Dasbodh, etc.

• C. Path of Devotion (Bhaktiyoga): A seeker progresses from worship of several deities to that of one, goes to one place of pilgrimage, rather than to many, reads one book of holy verses rather than many.

• D. Path of Repeating (Chanting) The Lord’s Name (Namasankirtanyoga): Here the seeker repeats (chants) the Name of only one deity instead of many.

• E. Path of Guru’s Grace (Gurukrupayoga): After visiting several saints a seeker finally visits only one Guru. Irrespective of the path of Spirituality spiritual progress does not really occur beyond a certain level without the grace of a Guru. How to become worthy of the grace of a Guru is given in the table above.

2.2 Going from the non-truth (asat) to the Absolute Truth (Sat)

• A. From the Path of Action to the Path of Devotion: In comparison with a self-centred person, the one doing social service is a sort of a seeker. But a seeker should not get confined to social commitments, since social service and such other things fall in the domain of the Great Illusion (Maya) and one feels like doing these out of emotion. Differences between social commitment felt out of emotion and that due to spiritual practice is given in point ‘Social commitments’. Firstly, in Spirituality, emotion (bhavana) has no value. It is the spiritual emotion (bhav) that is important. Secondly, society constantly keeps changing unlike God who is stable and eternal. Hence, one should confine one’s relationship only to Him. Once the seeker understands this, he turns towards the Path of Devotion in order to develop spiritual emotion.

• B. From the Path of Knowledge to the Path of Devotion: The seeker turns from the grossness of words to the subtlety of devotion. Words imparting knowledge on Spirituality also arise from duality. Since they arise from the Great Illusion (Maya) they are gross in comparison to devotion (bhakti) which arises from non-duality (advait) and which gives the experience of subtle Bliss.

3. Spiritual practice according to the class considering the spiritual level

Lord Krushna has said, ‘चातुर्वण्‍यं मया सृष्‍ट्‌यं गुणकर्मविभागश: ।’ This means, ‘I have created the four classes based on qualities (gun) and actions (karma) (Shrimadbhagvadgita 4 : l3).’ Each one is born in a particular class depending on one’s potential to practise Spirituality or according to one’s need for that particular spiritual practice. Finally one has to surrender not only one’s body, mind and wealth but also one’s life unto God. One can make spiritual progress by offering whatever one has to God, that is by practising Spirituality according to the class mentioned in the table below. Greater details about the classes are given in ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol. 1 C - System of Classes and Stages of Life’.

Note 1 - Refer point ‘Progeny of interclass marriage’.
Note 2 - The percentage given here is in accordance with the twenty-first century.

3.1 Shudra (labourer)

If one has neither sharp intellect nor wealth then he can serve God with his body. This is sacrifice of the body and the mode of practising Spirituality in a Shudra.

3.2 Vaishya (businessman)

One who has the capacity to amass wealth or one who is wealthy should earn money through righteous means and offer it for a spiritual cause. Saint Tukaram too, has conveyed the same message in one of His hymns (abhangs),

‘The one who earns wealth through proper pursuit of business, Lives in detachment, In the next birth will be born spiritually evolved, And will traverse towards Liberation.’

A Vaishya practises Spirituality by offering wealth. However, to the one who brags about helping others Swami Vivekanand has said, ‘If you feel proud that you have done a favour on a beggar by giving him money then please do not do so, because The Lord is capable of protecting and nurturing His devotees living even nine kilometres deep in the bed of the Pacific Ocean. If one helps a beggar, one is not doing him a favour, instead one is benefitting from him, rather he is doing a favour on oneself.’

‘The Lord says in Shri Eknathi Bhagvat, “I uplift that wealthy one, who takes care of the needs of My weak devotee before my devotee”.

Commentary on the implied meaning: When fulfilling the worldly needs of that weak devotee the spiritual emotion should be, ‘Who am I to take care of the needs of the devotee of The Lord when it is The Lord Himself who takes care of my needs beyond my expectations? This being so, will The Lord Himself not take care of the needs of His devotee? But the interesting part is that The Lord Himself is sustaining him by using me as an instrument. Moreover, like the proverbial ‘killing of two birds with one stone’ along with the devotee’s upliftment He is also giving me an opportunity for self upliftment’. - H.H.Kane Maharaj, Narayangaon, Pune district, Maharashtra

3.3 Kshatriya (warrior)

Offering one’s life for the Absolute Truth is the mode of practising Spirituality in a Kshatriya.

In the Bhagvadgita (2:37), Lord Shri Krushna too has told Arjun,

हतो वा प्राप्‍स्‍यसि स्‍वर्गं जित्‍वा वा भोक्ष्‍यसे महीम्‌ ।
तस्‍मादुत्‍तिष्‍ठ कौन्‍तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्‍चय: ।।

This means, ‘If you die when fighting for the Absolute Truth you will gain heaven (Liberation) and if you win, then you will get the kingdom. Hence O Arjun (seeker), arise and resolve to fight’.

Thus fighting for the Absolute Truth is the duty (dharma) of a Kshatriya. In reality, when undertaking the spiritual practice of protecting seekers and destroying evildoers, the Kshatriya attitude is more within the mind than outside it. In the Mahabharat war, Arjun had to prepare himself mentally to be able to fight his teachers and relatives. Thus remaining unaffected by external factors, even a war, not feeling emotional about anything and not claiming doership for one’s actions are indicators of spiritual progress. Only when the external battle is to be fought do most people realise just how prepared they are in these aspects. The spiritual practice of a warrior is also important from this aspect.

Comparison of fighting against injustice under the influence of emotion and as spiritual practice is shown in the following table.

A good physique facilitates spiritual practice as a Kshatriya. For that, it is essential to do physical exercise. One should also keep in mind that according to the rule ‘संघे शक्‍ति: कलौ युगे ।’ in the Kaliyug, unity is strength, so it is easier to practise Spirituality as a Kshatriya remaining united in an organisation.

3.4 Brahman (priest)

Studying Spirituality (adhyayan) and imparting spiritual knowledge to others (adhyapan) is the spiritual practice of a Brahman.

• A. Study of Spirituality (adhyayan): The importance of study in this context is expressed in the 18^th chapter of the Shrimadbhagvadgita in the form of a verse (shloka) as follows,

  अधेष्‍यते च य इमं धर्म्‍यं संवादमावयो: ।
  ज्ञानयज्ञेन तेनाहमिष्‍ट: स्‍यामिति मे मति: ।। ७० ।।
  
  श्रद्धावाननसूयश्‍च शृणुयादपि यो नर: ।
  सोऽपि मुक्‍त: शुभाँल्‍लोकान्‍प्राप्‍नुयात्‍पुण्‍यकर्मणाम्‌ ।। ७१ ।।

  Meaning: I will consider that the one who studies this conversation regarding Righteousness (Dharma) from the Gita has offered oblations unto Me through the sacrificial fire of spiritual knowledge. - 70

  Even the one, who listens to it with faith and without envy, will be liberated (from all his sins) and will attain the sacred regions (loks) attained by the ones performing meritorious actions. - 71

• B. Imparting spiritual knowledge to others (adhyapan): With regard to this in the 18^th chapter of the Shrimadbhagvadgita Lord Shrikrushna says,

  य इदं परमं गुह्यं मद्‌ भक्‍तेष्‍वभिदास्‍यति ।
  भक्‍तिं मयि परां कृत्‍वा मामेवैष्‍यत्‍यसंशय: ।। ६८ ।।
  
  न च तस्‍मान्‌ मनुष्‍येषु कश्‍चिन्‌ मे प्रियकृत्तम: ।
  भविता न च मे तस्‍मादन्‍य: प्रियतरो भुवि ।। ६९ ।।

  Meaning: The one who imparts this ultimate secret (knowledge) to My devotees with intense love for Me, will undoubtedly come to Me. - 68

  And no man in the world is or will ever be dearer to Me than him. - 69

  Importance of imparting spiritual knowledge (dnyandan)

  Type of offering	For how long it is useful to the recipient?	Importance %
  1. Food	One day	5
  2. Blankets, clothes	A few months	5
  3. A caravenserai     (dharmashala)	A few years	5
  4. Spiritual knowledge     (dnyan)	Lifelong	100

3.5 Comparison of spiritual practice according to the class

If the spiritual practice as a Shudra (labourer) is completed in this birth, then in the next birth he is born as a Vaishya (businessman). Later he is born step by step in the Kshatriya (warrior) and Brahman (priest) classes respectively and may attain the Final Liberation (Moksha).

3.6 Actual spiritual practice according to the class

• A. An individual is born in the class which is conducive for his spiritual progress. Hence, if a Shudra becomes rich as result of his merits from previous births, his thinking that, ‘I will practise Spirituality by offering my wealth like a Vaishya’ is wrong. He must certainly offer his wealth, but according to his class he should also do physical service. As a result of performing service of both classes, instead of being born as a Vaishya he may directly be born in a Kshatriya or Brahman class, in the next birth. To summarise, a Vaishya should sacrifice his body and wealth, a Kshatriya his body, wealth and life and a Brahman his body, wealth, life and intellect for the Absolute Truth.

• B. Every individual is a Brahman, when he studies, a Kshatriya when he fights according to the situation, a Vaishya, when he earns a livelihood and a Shudra when he does some physical work like cleaning the body during a bath, for sometime of the day. Hence, each one needs to undertake the spiritual practice of all the four classes for some time of the day. However, one should do a little more spiritual practice of the class in which one is born and which one professes than of the other.

• C. Progeny of interclass marriage: The four classes originated thousands of years ago. Since then till the present period nearly 70% of the population has been born of interclass marriages. For this reason too, each one needs to practise Spirituality of all the four classes for atleast some time.

• D. Castes are man-made while classes have been created by God. The class is determined by the proportions of components (sattva, raja and tama) in an individual and his actions. (Shrimadbhagvadgita 4:13), e.g. the one who possesses the sattva component in a greater proportion belongs to the Brahman class and the one who performs the actions of trading belongs to the Vaishya class.

4. Spiritual practice according to time (kal)

Spiritual practice for every era (yug) is predetermined. Hence, one can derive maximum benefit by undertaking spiritual practice appropriate for the era. In the Satyayug, the spiritual emotion that ‘He’ is ‘I’ (So’ham) prevailed. During that period the Path of Knowledge was practised as seekers had the potential to understand the implied meaning of the Vedas. In the Tretayug, strenuous penances such as attaining the superconscious (samadhi) state were performed. As there was a decline in the ability of both, the mind and the body, which are required to practise all this in the Dvaparyug, spiritual practice became ritualistic worship performed by the body (karmakand). Its main constituent was sacrificial fires (yadnya, yag). Later, in the Kaliyug, even this was difficult to practise because day by day it became cumbersome to acquire all the essentials for a sacrificial fire such as wealth, articles, priests of a sattvik nature, etc. In the present Kaliyug, cumulative sin is on the rise and the sattvik nature of an average person is on an average only 20%. However, even in such circumstances, The Lord has provided us with an excellent arrangement. In the Kaliyug one can make maximum spiritual progress by practising Spirituality for a minimum period. Repeating (chanting) The Lord’s Name is the most ideal spiritual practice for the Kaliyug. (The holy text, the Shrimadbhagvat describes the four types of spiritual practices according to the Path of Devotion followed in the four eras.)

Since times immemorial, the war between Righteousness (Dharma) and unrighteousness (adharma) has been continuing and according to the era an upheaval occurs. Now, in the kaliyug part of the Kaliyug it is time for the upsurge again. This battle is between the Absolute Truth (Sat) and the non-truth (asat). Here, there is no differentiation between Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, etc. In this war, as usual the Absolute Truth will triumph. We have to wage this war throughout the world as otherwise pollution with the raja and tama components from any part of the world can disrupt one’s spiritual practice. The preparation for it itself is spiritual practice. Preparation for the battle and the actual battle are both spiritual practices. Following the dictum ‘Practising Spirituality according to time’, the spiritual practice of protecting seekers and destroying evildoers (kshatradharma sadhana) plays a significant role especially till the year 2025 A.D. Nowadays since we are in the kaliyug part of the Kaliyug one should repeat (chant) The Lord’s Name as spiritual practice of the Kaliyug and undertake the spiritual practice of protecting seekers and destroying evildoers (kshatradharma) as spiritual practice of the kaliyug part of the Kaliyug. For detailed information on repetition (chanting) of The Lord’s Name and the spiritual practice of protecting seekers and destroying evildoers refer ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol. 6 - Path of Repeating (Chanting) The Lord’s Name (Namasankirtanyoga) and Path of Mantra (Mantrayoga)’ and ‘Science of Spirituality : Vol. 1 E - Spiritual Practice of Protecting Seekers and Destroying Evildoers (Kshatradharma Sadhana)’ respectively.

Reference: ‘Introduction to Spirituality’, published by Sanatan Sanstha.