Journey of a human being - Deccan Herald Opinion - Oasis (15-Mar-2022)

Journey of a human being

https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/oasis/journey-of-a-human-being-1091338.html

Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi said: “The question ‘Who am I?’ is not really meant to get an answer, the question ‘Who am I?’ is meant to dissolve the questioner.”

Life is a blessed journey. Copiously showered with love, the doting child is the centre of attraction and attention that will please the parents. The child in school, in its role as a student, discharges duties to display newly acquired talents. It aligns and gains balance, like a tripod stable on its three legs towards teachers to make them happy, friends either for upmanship or friendship, and to please parents.

Society beckons with expectations of the young adult, who aligns accordingly. Parents are pushed into the periphery, while society motivates the young adult to stay happy. At the workplace, the new role is the job profile.  All efforts and actions are to please the manager and the corporate entity. Next in the role as a career planner, one searches for a life partner. Now the role so intricately performed is to please the life partner.

The wheel turns a full circle in the new role as a parent. It involves upbringing the child as well as navigating a career. Right around the corner is the next role with a responsibility towards ageing parents.

Donning the above roles, an individual feels happy that duties are discharged as expected. It is an outward orientation of one’s role taking the help of all senses. Caught in this quagmire, the individual conveniently forgets to discharge duties towards oneself. 

An earnest attempt is an inward orientation to don a constant but real role as a Seeker. It entails digging deep into the inner self to find out who am I and where did I come from. What is life’s purpose if we don’t know about ourselves? This inward journey along a spiritual path is to inquire about the real purpose and understand the true intent of this birth.  Seeker assumes this role to discharge duties towards oneself when the time is ripe; critical ingredients being God’s Grace, Guru’s mentorship, and good karma-bank balance.

Apt to Ramana’s quote, the seeker then dissolves into the Supreme Self on arrival at the final destination. Truly a righteous way in an ultimate role born as a human!

Comments

  1. Nagendra NachiketaJune 1, 2022 at 8:46 AM

    Our inner self must be righteous to be noble externally as well

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prasanna HariharJune 2, 2022 at 10:54 PM

      Right is where the right is....left is where you are left behind. Thanks

      Delete
  2. AnasuyaJuly 8, 2022 at 12:30 AM

    Socrates, the great Greek philosopher wanted to know who he is.One day he was deep in thought walking on a busy road in market.He collided a police man who got angry and asked Socrates, ' don't you know who you are?' Socrates told him that he had been trying to know the answer for the past 40 years and asked policeman whether he knows. The article, ' The journey of a human being,' reveals that seeker should know in life his role through a preceptor who alone can guide us to merge with Supreme self.

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    Replies
    1. Prasanna HariharJuly 12, 2022 at 12:52 AM

      Very beautifully said madam...and the incident that you have described is apt. We have to know ourselves first, before we even attempt to know the other person. But then man being man, first makes conclusions about others not knowing his own being. Knowing oneself helps when one is on the spiritual path. Thanks again for your lovely comments....

      Delete

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