Monday, July 9, 2012

Imagined Independence...


There were times when I felt I was free from dependence, when I thought I was doing everything according to my whims and fancy. Not until I realised that none of us are independent. Dependence is what we are born into. To call ourselves independent is foolishness at its peak. As Sri MadhwAcharya says, 'nAham kartA hariH kartA', I'm not the doer, Lord Hari is. Or Like Mooji says, we are only painting a painting by God. What about individuality, you may ask. We should remember that each one is given a different canvas to paint on. And each canvas has a different painting. That makes the world colourful, interesting, meaningful and blissful. If all colours are one, the painting will lose its charm and purpose. There's a growing trend which says that the world is an illusion, nothing exists, and all are one. If all were one, there would be no spice in life. Where's the scope for improvisation? To explain away the world seems to be the simplest way out of a situation. To say that the painter doesn’t exist leaves no scope for further introspection. There is only bliss, BUT there is no one to experience the bliss -- how can that be? Bliss exists only when there is someone who can experience it. 

19 comments:

Unknown said...

who is the painter ? God or Ourselves ? Do we paint our lives or is it God who paints all our lives ?

Shruthi said...

God is the primary painter while we are the secondary painters :)
To repeat what scholars have said, Paramatma is the bimba while Atma is the pratibimba.

Unknown said...

What does d secondary painter do ? Can he paint wat he likes or just continue what has been started by God ?

Shruthi said...

you remember drawing in your kg classes? the book has already decided what you will draw. you just need to join the dotted lines. you are like the secondary painter here. can you paint what you want? of course not. your destiny is decided before hand.
[i don't know if that makes sense :D]

Unknown said...

So our destiny is decided but we are given the freedom to choose the path n add elements of our choice in d course of the path, right ? The book just gives you the outline but your given the choice of deciding which colors to fill n how you do it !!

Shruthi said...

yeah I guess so :-)

Unknown said...

The path to the destination is chosen by us . The path is the journey called life . So we make our lives . The colors are added by us . Its just the final picture i.e. the destination that is decided . Which means our lives are our own paintings . Isn't that enough independence ?? We deciding the course of our lives ??

Shruthi said...

the path isn't chosen by us. remember? the outline is already up there. we just trace it. We add the colours that are given. and the final painting is also pictured before. so where's the independence? I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I'm only saying, we should accept it. I was in denial of it all this while. Suddenly, it has dawned upon me that the independence was only imagined.

Unknown said...

Dont we get to choose the colors ??

Unknown said...

Fine the sequence of our lives are pre-decided . Agreed. But isn't it better n more meaningful for a common man to think his life is wat he makes it into n gives his best n lives it to its fullest rather than just saying its already scripted so lets just live it off somehow ??

Unknown said...

My point is its discouraging to tell a common man that his life is already decided n the independence is only imagined even if thats the truth ! He'll live a better life under the impression that his life is totally controlled by him n it is wat he chooses it to be ! He'll atleast try to make it better rather dan just sitting back waiting for it to end . The misconception here has a positive effect, doesn't it ??

Shruthi said...

when the British came here, this is exactly how they reacted. They thought we were self-denying lot. They wanted to be in total control of their lives.
Let's look at this way...When we know that we are not despite of God but because of Him, all we need to do is surrender ourselves to Him. That way, we stop expecting results for everything we do...naham karta Harih karta. You know that the Supreme is always guiding your path. You know that you owe your existence to him. So you regard your life as a gift and live it to the fullest.

Unknown said...

Okay let me ask you this : Is it wrong to believe dat your life is controlled by you n try to make it a better one ?? When i say 'wrong' i mean am i losing anything ? Cant i stil have a happy life ? Considering life has God's gift or self-controlled is just a belief right ? A person can have a successful n a happy n contented life either way, cant he ??

Unknown said...

It all boils down to one thing : Belief ! It is wat u believe it to be n how u wanna look at it . Irrespective of wat you believe if you dont harm any other soul n be true to yourself you'll have an accomplished life n get your destiny !!

Shruthi said...

well, I'm certainly not saying this is THE only way to look at life. This is one way for sure. Right now in my life, I see it as the only way. You might have a different approach that works for you. What i'm saying is, may be at one point...like it happened to me...each person might see that their course of action is predetermined by the Supreme Being.

Unknown said...

hmmm ! One thing that i've observed is people tend to look at life as wat they make it when they're successful n happy . But during hard times n difficulties they start looking it as predetermined by God.

Shruthi said...

exactly right? that's why I'm saying everything is - like they say - 'hari icche.'
the results of our actions will become so insignificant if we surrender ourselves to the Lord.

Unknown said...

after dis conversation n all the thought i look at my life as God's gift n my destiny decided but to get to it i'll have to live it to the fullest n be true to myself :) thank you for your time n thoughts :)

Shruthi said...

thank you for making me look at different angles. :)
It is He who plants the seed of doubt in us and it is He who clarifies the doubt making our belief system grow stronger.