The scriptures state that the true goal of every human being is salvation or liberation. In fact, whatever we have got need to sacrifice after consumption and we all know actually at last everything has to leave. The real meaning of liberation is to become free from all pains, sorrows and suffering. In fact we all strive for happiness and relief from grief throughout our lives because the basic nature of the soul is joy. So we expect constant joy or happiness.
The scriptures and religions state that the human body has been achieved by hard work, struggle, virtue and good karma of human ages and that is why it is considered invaluable. Science has also acknowledged through a number of researches that a cellular organism named Amoeba first evolved and then went through a series of struggles to become today’s man. The evolution (life development sequence) started from the flora (botanical world) to fauna (the animal kingdom) and then spread to humans. This evolution is just a journey to the less developed ordinary lower level inferior man. In fact, to come up from this less developed stage and get rid of from few animal traits (which still exist in every human being) ordinary man can become a great human being. In fact, the ultimate purpose of every human being is to come up from a lowly ordinary human to a superhuman. It means a living organism that has been separated from the omnipotent Almighty God is to regain the qualities and power of God and be absorbed in the divine power. That is why things like MOKSHA (salvation) in Hinduism, KEVALGYAN (the ultimate peak of real knowledge) in Jainism and Nirvana (world of zero) in Buddhism are emphasized.
The search of the self or the search for the soul is the only essential and ultimate purpose of human life. Our first duty is towards our own self or soul but we are trapped in the illusion of performing the worldly duties in the name of relations and many more which creates continues lots of pains for us. The scriptures say that God created this world with the noble purpose of enjoyment and that only we need to get actually during life as well as from the whole existence. But we are caught in a cycle of many desires, karmas and pains. The knot of desire and karma we have tied so tightly that now we too cannot release it. In fact, if there is no desire, karma does not happen and if there is no karma, there is no pain, but it is impossible to get rid of karma in life because life without karma gets corroded means without using body and mind life becomes useless. If someone tells you to sit constantly at one place without doing anything and everything which you need, will be delivered to you at a decided place only the condition is that you don’t allow to do any body movement or use any entertainment equipment. Would it be possible? Thus doing karma is inevitable. Karma take place only because of desire, desire cannot be given up completely but the knot of desire and karma can be loosened. It means have to keep desire, do karma too, but if the desire is not fulfilled in spite of doing karma than we need to proceed further with understanding instead of being sad, that is, not to have inertia of wish fulfillment. In fact, pain and suffering are created out of such inertia.
Our ultimate goal should not be forget even with full enjoyment and fulfillment of all worldly desires. Maybe someone thinks that God has sent us in this world only for pleasure and in the end we have to go back to where we left off, that is, to the abode of God, then why all this pain and creation of a compassionate world? And what is the point of coming here if we have to go back? I want to give an example here that when we decide to go on a vacation trip, we know that there will be expenses, many problems, we will have to stay away from home for ten-fifteen days and finally we will have to come back home because Our journey is not complete until we reach home safely. Plus we had to get back home which we already knew. The question arises when we have so much fun on the trip and do not want to come back home and we keep moving but in between there are pains, problems, troubles that we know but all these problems are because of our attachment only. If the passion for travel or to observe natural beauty had not been born, there would have been no pain. Also, if during the journey we forget that we also have a home where we have to go back, then what else happens to us except constant wandering? But if we keep in mind the purpose (that is, to go back home) and without any attachment to beauty, fun or anything else, just enjoy everything during the journey, whatever is enjoyed, whatever is achieve just keep it as sweet memories go back to home in time with deep sense than you can escape yourself from all pain and suffering. Within the god given time frame if we reach home, the pain or problems of wandering or forgetting the purpose can be avoided. The whole life can be filled with full pleasure through the memories of a joyful journey. Actually God has created this beautiful creation only for pleasure so His children (that is we all) can enjoy it and attain bliss. But we are annoyed by our ignorance i.e. forgetting the purpose as well as excessive attachment and the tendency to cling to the pleasure we get. Actually change is the law of nature which one has to accept. Whatever we have today must be leave tomorrow. We are all in extreme pain because of the strengthening of the grip of desires. Life becomes festive if we release the knot of desire and karma. We should actually live life with full awareness of ultimate goal of life. But unfortunately we couldn’t do it that is why suffers a lot.
After reading this, please don’t think that it is inappropriate to travel or enjoy life because Lord Krishna has said in SHRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA that “you are sent on earth only to enjoy his creation” but not to cling anything for short term happiness. The root cause of pain is the tendency to cling to our liking and desires. It is said that the pain caused by a thousand scorpion stings at the time of death is due to infatuation and attachment. The soul has to leave the body but the body cannot leave the relationship and the worldly desires. Thus there is a conflict between soul and body and death becomes painful. Enjoying the God-given life with love and leaving it without any attachment is the best option for excellent pleasure and welfare of entire humankind. That is why it is said in the BHAGAVAD GITA that enjoys before renunciation or consumes everything after necessary sacrifice. This is the only way to improve both life and death.
We all know that life becomes impossible if you don’t exhale after inhale. Sacrifice or renunciation is the fundamental law of nature, either before enjoying or after enjoying you have to have left everything you have otherwise heaven made life cycle will become impossible. If you do not give up willingly nature will take away from you because nature does not like or bear any organism who interrupt in nature’s law. This eternal truth has to be understood. Thus the ultimate goal of human beings is to enjoy everything rightly, to be free from it willingly and to go to abode of God (which is our own original home) as well as to remove the ignorance of the search for the soul. Otherwise, nothing is possible except extreme pain and wandering.
Shilpa shah, Director in-charge, HKBBA College
