Gems of Wisdom - R L Sharma

Q. What is the right path and which path should we follow?

Ans. All paths are correct. Just as the mother prepares various types of food dishes for her children according to their nature, similarly God has preached various paths for Self-realization through scriptures according to the temperament and nature of people. Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga etc., are the various paths. Everyone is not fit to follow every path. We must pick up the path which suits us most.

Those who have no attraction for sense-objects, who can keep ‘sameness’ (Samata) under favorable and unfavorable circumstances, who are not upset by sorrows and calamities of life, are fit to follow Jnana Yoga. Those who have a strong body and possess a strong will power can follow Raja Yoga. The remaining people may follow Bhakti Yoga or Karma Yoga. We must follow one path rigidly. We must not say that other paths are wrong. Let everyone choose his own path according to his nature. All paths can take us to God just as all radii in a circle meet at the center. We should also not compare one path with other or try to reconcile them. There are shortcomings in every path. There are also good points in every path. For example, Jnana Yoga is a short path but very difficult as it is not easy to give up body consciousness (‘I am a body’ idea). Bhakti Yoga is a long path but very easy. Therefore, we should not compare one path with another.

Q. Is God formless or does He possess any form?

Ans. God is formless but He can also assume any form with the help of His Yoga Sakti. He is qualityless but He also assumes innumerable qualities. It is difficult to express what He is. He can have so many more aspects which cannot be conceived by human mind. We can pick up anyone of these aspects and worship Him. Only after Self-realization we can realize His true nature. In fact, He alone exists. If He can create millions of forms in the world, is He incapable of creating His own form? Therefore, we should stop criticizing those who worship Him in any form. Even if we commit some mistake in worshipping Him, He understands that actually He is being worshipped. Therefore, He is pleased by that very worship.

We should renounce the sense of I, Mine and doership and have a strong conviction that we are mere conscious instruments in the hands of God, that everything belongs to Him and that He alone is the doer. We are like machines and He alone is the operator. We are like toys in the hands of the Universal force (God) who is the player. Egotism is the root cause of all our miseries. We must have a strong conviction that this egoism or sense of ‘I’ is a ‘Non-entity.’ If it appears difficult, we must have the feeling that we are children of God or His servants and He is our true father or mother or Master.

© "Kalyana-Kalpataru" (February, 2000) published by Jagdish Prasad Jalan for Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya, Gita Press, Gorakhpur. Reprinted with permission.

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