The virtuous ladder of spiritual growth

Satsañgatve nissañgatvam nissañgatve nèrmohatvam
nirmohatve niùcalitatvam niùcalitatve jèvanmuktihi.

Translation:

Through the company of the good, there arises non-attachment; through non-attachment, there arises freedom from delusion; through delusionless-ness, there arises steadfastness; through steadfastness, there arises liberation in life.

In my earlier blog on snakes and ladders, I had covered the vicious cycle of desires and how they lead us to downfall. In this blog, I will cover the virtuous ladder of spiritual growth. This shloka is from the world famous “Bhaja Govindam” composed by the sage, Shri Shankaracharya.

Most of us try to get on the path of spirituality and very soon find the rigors and discipline needed too much and give up. It is very easy for us to fall back to our comfortable worldly life with our occasional bones of success in getting our desires. So, this shloka tells us a simple way to start breaking the vicious cycle. It advises us to start off by keeping company of goodness.

Again the definition could be what is good or bad? A simple definition is that, good is anything that takes us on the path to self-realization or nirvana or god. Bad is anything that takes us away from the path of self-realization or nirvana or god.

During my day to day life consisting of reading, working, interacting with others, let us see what could be good or bad. I can read the daily newspaper which I think is an absolutely neutral activity. I can decide to read some gossip or stare at some girlie magazine. This act by itself is not bad, but the desire it begets is something that is pulling me away from the path of spirituality. Hence it is a bad act to be avoided.  On the contrary assume I started reading the Bhagwad Gita. Just because I am reading the Gita does not mean it is a good act. Even if I am not paying full attention, the very fact that my mind is diverted from some worldly desire means I am on the path of self-realization and hence it is a good act. Similarly goodness could come from the company of good people, good music etc.

This then is the first step on the path of spirituality. Being in the company of “goodness”, gradually, one becomes non-attached to the fleeting objects of the world. If instead of going 7 days to a bar, I don’t go for a day and see that on the day I don’t go to a bar, the world is looking so much better, it is likely that slowly I may give up going to the bar because the pleasure of seeing my family on the day I don’t drink is much better than the temporary pleasure that drinking brings. So we have climbed the next step of the spiritual path - disinterest in worldly objects.

This non-attachment to worldly objects grows on itself and slowly removes the delusion that the source of my happiness is in the outside world. I have covered in my earlier blog that I am Sat Chidanada Brahma, an unending source of spiritual happiness and I only need to look inside to realize it. So we have climbed the next step on our path – freedom from delusion about worldly objects.

As the delusion about worldly objects ends, the mind is focused more and more on the source of internal permanent happiness and as the mind steadies and focuses on this inner source, it becomes that. We all know the saying that we become what we think.  As we steadfastly focus on the inner happiness, all remaining bondages to the outer world of objects drop off and we reach that state of bliss.

As readers may be aware, 3 of my books on spirituality are available on Amazon.com.

I invite readers of my blog to try any of the books and give me feedback so that I can make changes in the next edition.


1. My Humble Understanding  Of Spirituality


My Humble Understanding Of Spirituality

2. Attain Infinite Bliss

Attain Infinite Bliss - A Spiritual Guide

3. The Spirit Of Spirituality

The Spirit Of Spirituality