As children, what are we taught? We are told to be achievers. We are told that we must make our parents proud. We must be rich and famous. That our goal is success. It is to become ‘somebody’. In our quest to become somebody, we don’t realize who we are. In school, we are taught about the importance of competition, how we should outshine our friends, not just in studies, but in sports and in other co-curricular activities.
We grow up with this belief and the passion to succeed is in our blood. We are told that not to win, is a big sin. We must be a winner in whatever we do. Therefore, we drive down the highway of life on the road called achievement. We believe that money is the most important resource of life, and we want more and more money to fulfil not just our need, but also our greed.
While we have grown up with the belief that success is everything in life, and achievement should be our goal, this is not true. We pursue all these because we believe that they will make us happy. The only way we can be truly happy is by realizing the truth. That is the purpose of life — Enlightenment. Our ultimate goal is Enlightenment. Enlightenment is overcoming the darkness of ignorance that envelops us. It is about Realizing the Truth about life. It is understanding the purpose of our existence – who we are and why we are here. We realize we are not who we think we are — the body, mind and ego. We realize: I am the Soul. Soul is SIP, the Supreme Immortal Power. I am SIP. SIP is in all. We realize that this world is an illusion, Jagat Mithya. The only truth is God - Prabhu Satya.
Those who believe that life is all about achievement and success may gain the whole world, but will not discover the Soul which is their true treasure. They will exist on the planet and collect gold and diamonds, money in the bank, and properties in their name. They may believe that they are amongst the wealthiest people in the world but without the wisdom of Enlightenment, they are actually bankrupt. One day, they will depart from this earth, and in that very moment, nothing will be theirs. Their name and fame will dissolve, just as their money and wealth will be lost in a flash. The Truth is that the goal of life is not achievement; it is Enlightenment. Therefore, it is important to walk on the path of Enlightenment. To be enlightened, we must go on a quest. We must ask questions, investigate our findings. Only then will we realize the truth. We need the guidance of a Guru. We must learn to live with discipline, detachment, discrimination and the desire for the Divine. We must distance ourselves from this world of Bhoga, and be in Yoga, live in union with the Supreme Immortal Power we call God, ever connected with the Divine.
If we seek God, if we want God, we must take this road less traveled— the path of Enlightenment. Enlightenment liberates us not only from misery and suffering on earth but also from the Karmic cycle of death and rebirth. We become one with the Divine.
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