Table of Contents
Faith: The Seven Degrees of Shraddha
- Seeking favors from the Lord.
- Recognizing the omniscience of mantras.
- Understanding faith beyond material gains.
- Realizing Bhagawan’s silent support.
- Acknowledging one’s dependence on Bhagawan.
- Role of Guru in developing Shraddha.
- Pinnacle of faith as surrender
Genuine Faith reflects Spiritual Maturity
Shraddha is the Sanskrit word for faith and qualifies as the 5th prerequisite of Shad Sampat. Faith has many levels and it depends on the spiritual maturity of the Sadhaka. Let us see the degrees of faith in a bit of detail.
Does Seeking Favors from the Lord Indicate Faith?
Bhagawan is the knower of all hearts. He knows the secretly hidden desires and insecurities that are buried deep down within our hearts, probably that even we are not conscious of. Yet, there is a large section of spiritual aspirants who seek benedictions from the Lord. Many chant mantras with an intention to gain benefits.
Although mantras have the power to grant, it is not designed for such purposes. By attaching our desire while chanting a mantra, we are hindering the mantra from manifesting in its own accord. The Śrīpraśṇa Saṃhitā (verse 51.4-7) throws light on the true objective of a Mantra. It states that Mantras are sacred syllables that are chanted by aspirants to receive spiritual benedictions. We need not ask anything in specific as mantras are a subtler form of Bhagawan, endowed with the quality of omniscience.
In the ways of the material world, only when we ask we get. Because, there exists no unconditional love in the hearts of people. But equating this frailty of man to Bhagawan would simply qualify as an offence at His feet. People who turn up to the Lord for everything have Shraddha, but in its budding state.
Expressing your agony to none other than Bhagawan indicates faith because one has lost hopes from people and instead sought refuge in Bhagawan. This mood must intensify until the conscience is rid of any hope from other people. But, this is not the pinnacle of faith as there exists a need to ask.
Seeking something from the Lord indicates a lack of faith in the magnanimity of Bhagawan. One needs to understand that just like how gravity exists irrespective of our belief in it, Bhagawan is independent of our faith. He exists in His most pristine form with all His powers in full.
Shraddha is beneficial for us as it gets us close to our true aim of life. Faith is the ambrosia that fills the vacuum of life. It is the portal through which the Lord communicates with His devotees. If this channel is absent, all that He does goes unnoticed.
7/8 Questions from Sanatana Dharma
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Shraddha: Seeing the Hand of Bhagawan
We can place faith in a person only after analyzing his/her genuinity, and the positive impact the person has made in our life. Skepticism may crop up when we feel the absence of Bhagawan in our life. People may wonder: “When, where and how has Bhagawan ever been with me?” The great wall of Ahamkara (The Ego) pushes us to think so. It is out of ignorance that we fail to witness the hand of Bhagawan.
The most notable involvement of the Lord is seen during the development of a zygote into a baby. This transformation is indeed incredible. Scientists and researchers coin terms and present theories to explain this process. But, when left to their intellect to recreate this process, there arise many challenges and failure alone is the result.
Even so, if the advocates of Science achieve something close to replicating the fetal development process through artificial means, for such experiments to materialize and unfold with perfection is through Bhagawan’s Grace and Support alone. Man can try, but the sanction must be from the Alimighty, no question about that. The origin of life remains a mystery to science and only Faith in Bhagawan can find us the much needed answers, but at a very deep secretive level. This can never be shared openly, because Bhagawan shares it to His intimate devotee alone and none else.
Bhagawan: The Eternal Companion of Man, from Birth to Death
Though a mother bears the child in her womb, she cannot contribute much towards its growth. Everything happens miraculously through the Will of Bhagawan. He protects the child throughout his lonesome journey. Similarly, a parent can only teach a child to pick up skills, but the ability to grasp and adapt is a gift from Bhagawan.
A person may be overburdened by debts, familial responsibilities, workload, etc. This is all an outcome of Karma. However, the very phenomena of sustenance is governed by the Lord.
Till the time the body functions at our will, we falsely assume that “We are the body”. However, when it becomes dysfunctional, indifferent to our Will, we realize our eternal vulnerability and timeless dependence on Bhagawan. At a more microscopic level, death too is a gift of Bhagawan. A person is relieved of the body that is afflicted by diseases, pain and old age. Based on the Karmic load, the jeeva is presented with a suitable body to burn up its Karmas. But then that Free-Will to seek Bhagawan’s help towards this Ultimate goal is left to the discretion of the Jeeva.
How to Develop Shraddha towards Bhagawan?
To develop faith (shraddha) in Bhagawan, it becomes necessary to know Him in His entirety. Only when His glories are highlighted, will the mind become receptive. Thus, the Guru becomes our guiding light. A Guru is the one who enlightens his shishya (disciple) about the Lord. Let us understand the indispensable role of the guru through an instance from the life of Vibheeshana.
A Glimpse into the Faith of Sri Vibheeshana
As a fructification of the boon Vibheeshana received from Lord Brahma, his heart always yearned for Sri Rama. He was devout and pious, despite his roots in the demon clan. However, due to the growing atrocities of his brother Ravana, he felt despondent. Vibheeshana considered himself unfit for the love of Sri Rama, owing to his attachment towards Ravana, who was steeped in immorality.
The arrival of Sri Hanumanji in Lanka, proved to be a turning point in the life of Sri Vibheeshana. In his brief conversation with Lord Hanuman, Vibhishana addresses himself as ‘anatha’ or an orphan, utterly helpless. This is a term used in the Sunderkanda chapter of the Ramcharatita Manas.
Lord Rama eradicated the misery of Sugriva. As a token of gratitude, the latter offered his army of monkeys to aid in the search for Devi Sita. However, Vibheeshana was a destitute possessing neither a kingdom nor an army of his own. How can one probably approach the Lord without anything?
Symbolism of Vibheeshana in the Context of a Sadhaka
The island of Lanka represents the material world. It consisted of hostile elements that are averse to spiritual goals. Vibheeshana on the other hand represents a sadhaka who is bound to the material world. His attachment towards his brother postponed his union with Sri Rama. Likewise, our vices like attachment, lust, anger, greed, etc, too drive us to oscillate to and fro within the material world.
Despite our spiritual inclination, we are unable to bloom owing to the adversity posed by our surroundings. In such a bound condition, how can we possibly make an offering to Bhagawan? The state of Vibheeshana thus coincides with the state of a sincere sadhaka who wishes to attain spiritual heights.
When we feel that we can make an offering, there is a sense of doership. Due to our meager intelligence, we may be conditioned to believe that Bhagawan responds only if we give something to Him. This is a roadblock towards the development of our Shraddha. Firstly, we must acknowledge our helplessness and recognize our eternal dependence on Bhagawan. This is Sharanagati. Humans have personal agendas, but Bhagawan does not.
Lord Rama never held Kaikeyi Devi responsible for the 14 year exile. The Lord heartily accepted the friendship of Nishad Raj who was a tribe. Lord Rama slew the mighty Vali and in turn made the faint-hearted Sugriva His personal associate. So, the Lord’s grace does not flow depending on personal merit as we falsely assume. This we need to realize and thus develop faith (Shraddha) in Him.
Hanuman Ji Highlights the Inevitable Role of the Guru
This episode between the 2 exemplary Bhaktas is enlightening for all of us. Lord Hanuman expounded the exalted qualities and exceedingly compassionate disposition of Lord Rama. How could Lord Rama desert Vibheeshana who kept his Bhakti thriving in the most hostile conditions of Lanka? Only after hearing the ambrosial Ram Katha from Sri Hanumanji, Vibheeshana actually learnt about the greatness of the Lord.
Sri Hanumanji’s profound words stemmed from His personal experience with Sri Rama. Hanumanji’s words penetrated deep into the soul of Vibheeshana and ripped apart his doubts.
Similarly, a Guru should be able to transmit his personal realizations to his disciple. For this the Guru should have personally felt the presence of Bhagawan and be established in the mode of surrender. In the truest sense, Hanuman Ji Maharaj came to ignite the inextinguishable flame of Shraddha (faith) in the heart of Vibheeshana, by setting ablaze the city of Lanka (the object of His attachment) and threatening Ravana.
The Pinnacle of Faith
For a spiritual aspirant, the bud of Faith fully blossoms when there remains no iota of doubt about attaining the Lord. Vibheeshana initially had this doubt of whether the Lord would accept Him or not. But Hanumanji resolved his concern. Similarly, a bonafide Guru bridges the gap between the Sadhaka and Bhagawan.
He does so, for he is fully convinced about the generosity Bhagawan possesses. A Guru knows that Bhagawan is lenient towards His inept children, towards those who constantly call out to Him.
There is a lesser known gospel regarding the trio of Guru, Bhagawan and Shishya. The Guru is dear to Bhagawan, but the shishya dear to his guru effortlessly becomes treasured by the Lord, just like how Lord Rama accepted Vibheeshana on account of Lord Hanuman’s recommendation.
Here, Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord accepted Vibheeshana who qualifies as a disciple of Lord Hanuman- the Guru. Therefore, Shraddha in the words, teachings and the sadhana laid by the Guru are of paramount importance. It is indeed the stepping stone to drawing Supreme grace. This is an experiential fact.
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