ON SADHANA

“ Do not talk too much. First do some Sadhana, First do, then be, then you can talk.” advises Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba! What is this Sadhana? The word Sadhana means any kind of achievement. Man is born to achieve something in his lifetime. If he merely eats, sleeps and reproduces and dies there is no difference between him and the animals and other creatures God has created! But is it possible for every person to achieve something? Yes, it is not impossible. Mostly, people are contented to lead an ordinary family life and are satisfied with the daily routine! They are not ready to exert themselves and take risks which is the most important basic necessity for Sadhana. Sadhana can be in any field of activity-- physical, mental or spiritual. One can be an excellent sports person globally. He can be an intellectual par excellence renowned worldwide. He can even be an elevated spiritual giant giving solace to hundreds of commoners! We have Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Abdul Kalam, our ex president and sri  Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda and many others as brilliant examples.

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Sadhana should be “ towards creating a sense of inner fulfilment where there is no need to lean on anyone any more” says Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev. It is for inner fulfilment only, not to please anyone else. Our life itself is considered a Sadhana, a yajna, with all our actions,mental, physical, constituting a sacrifice and weathering the storms and vicissitudes of our existence in the world!? Hard work and  humility are essential for any Sadhana especially spiritual Sadhana. The aim of Sadhana should not be the satisfaction of egoism! While Sadhana in physical, mental and social fields is very trying and difficult, spiritual Sadhana is much more challenging and cannot be taken up by ordinary mortals! It requires much more grit and determination! According to Sri Ravisankar Sadhana is the real currency that you can use any where. Meditation makes our minds sharp and alert. Chanting of the mantras ignite our souls like candles. “ There is no shortcut to God. Sadhana must be performed regularly and with devotion...The peace and love of God will overflow out of your heart and encourage others to move on the right path”, says Mata Amurutanandamayi!

Quality of life and growth suffers if no active investment is made in spiritual life. According to J Krishna Murthy “There is great happiness in not wanting, in not being something, in not going somewhere”. If we are qualified to receive, everything that belongs to us shall surely come to us. Sadhana is a kind of tapas or penance! One accepts all trouble and inconvenience for a higher purpose. Maximum effort is absolutely essential for Realization. Sadhana, according to Sri Ramakrishna is of there kinds. The first is of the nature of birds. The second is of the nature of monkeys. The third is of the nature of ants. The bird, attracted to the fruit, comes with speed and pecks at the fruit! In that jerk the fruit falls down and the bird is unable to eat it. The violent  efforts of devotees who rush with their devotional practices end in failure and frustration! The monkey, with the fruit in it's mouth, jumps from one branch to the other and the fruit falls down often! The aspirant or Sadhaka sometimes is distracted by the changing events of life and is likely to stray away from the devotional path!

The ant, on the other hand, moves slowly and steadily towards the grain of food and carries it to the hole and enjoys it comfortably! The best course of Sadhana is that of the ant where there is  sureness of enjoying the fruit! With implicit trust and faith in the words of our holy saints and sages, the Sadhaka has to install God in his heart with the bait of devotion! The easiest way to realize God is through devotion! But to be soaked in devotion and pure unalloyed love for God is the most difficult thing on earth! It is given only to the blessed few and not to ordinary mortals! One has to wait with infinite patience. Spiritual practices are absolutely essential for self realization. But with intense faith and repetition of God’s name with devotion Sadhana becomes easier!

Among the Siddhas, (perfect men) it is said, there are two kinds --Sadhana Siddhas and Kripa Siddhas. The former attain perfection, Sadhana, through religious discipline while the latter gain perfection purely through Divine Grace! The former have to toil like the farmer in raising the crop by irrigating the field, cutting canals and exerting himself for a good crop! The Kripa Siddhas are more fortunate and blessed since rain pours and floods their fields! Kripa Siddhas are saved from all the labor as Divine Grace is showered on them freely! Such blessed souls are very difficult to find in this Kaliyuga!