4. Self-Realization

Question
4a. Is there a yard-stick of spiritual growth?
4b. Are we capable of self-realization (or, God-realization)?
4c. How would we know that we are self realized?

A. Because there are several paths that lead to God-realization, there is no one measure of spiritual growth. Each one depends on each individual soul. Yearning for such a goal itself is the evidence of progress.

B. The God-realization cannot be explained. It amounts to knowing and feeling and experiencing the absolute, which cannot be defined or described. But, it can be felt by the soul. All of us have seen the flicker of that absolute once in-a-while, whether we know it or not. The ultimate God-realization is very individual in nature. One would know when one is self-realized.

C. And for that, one does not have to wait till the end of life. It could happen at any time during one’s life-span. And one does not have to become a sage nor does one become a sage at the time of God-realization. In fact, one must continue one’s duty before, during and after the state of God-realization – whether that is of a businessman, or a householder, or a teacher or a sage.

D. We have created a lot of mystique around the nature of God, and made the whole subject very complex, creating an aura that God (or Godliness) is elusive to the humans. God is NOT elusive. I don’t think He is too far from each one of us. But, one must dedicate oneself to find Him.

E. The capacity for “self-realization” resides in every human being, independent of one’s position in society. It is also independent of one’s intellectual capacity. The so called intellectuals tend to believe that the path to realizing God is only through intellectual pursuit, but nothing can be farthest from the truth. In fact, the path of “love” and “service” to humanity is much easier (and even preferred, as it is without a selfish motive). Hence, those hundreds and thousands of people in Indian villages (and indeed, all over the world) who have dedicated their lives in the Service of others have experienced God-realization much more frequently, and are more likely to reach the ultimate state than the so called “intellectuals”. Except that these people are generally not known to the masses, and the intellectuals have no knowledge of most of them. There-in lies the irony of “ignorance” of the “knowledgeable elite”.

F. Hence, the pursuit of Godliness is not an elusive effort. It is practical, it is achievable, it is delightful. The path that leads to the ultimate happiness is also a happy one. It is challenging, for sure. But, it is not filled with mines. And this path is very succinctly described in Gita. Several people have pursued one or the other path described in Gita, and have realized God. Many such people we don’t even know.

G. However, sometimes, the Godliness is highly visible. That happens with some people, so we can emulate them and learn from them. It is a reminder to us all that Godliness exists right amongst us. Some names that come to mind are: Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Nanak, Rama, Krishna, Sankaracharya, Gandhiji, Mother Teresa…etc. (One would argue that some of these humans were really incarnations of God, but let it not be lost on us that each one of us is divine, and hence, each one of us is an incarnation of God). The Advaita philosophy of Vedanta amply bares this out.

H. I also think that “self-realization” does not completely describe the ultimate “God-realization”. The word “self-realization” is too restrictive (and also somewhat selfish). One can see God in others, and hence, experience God, without realizing within one’s own self. That is also a very divine experience.

November 14, 2006