Problems in Spiritual Evolution

    Many people around the Universe worship many kinds of deities; saints and angels in Christianity; devas and Trimurti -Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva- in India; great Muslim leaders in Islam; Bodhisattvas and a great array of deities in Tibetan Budism. This is a great problem in most religions. We begin praying to the Supreme and then we find ourselves praying to lower spiritual entities, that in some cases, we find more accessible towards our demands, giving us material gains and other things that we want, but that might perilously obstruct our spiritual evolution. By worshipping these deities, we create a spiritual connection with them, so we merge into their energy, and the stains that their souls have, because of past wrongful actions, contaminate our souls creating in us tremendous problems that will be present in this life, or in future incarnations, such as sicknesses, sorrows, sufferings, calamities, physical deformities, mental retardation, etc. Another problem is that material gains and fortunes are prayed for and accrued by the devotees, then the deities, take away in turn, from the devotees, punya -merit or light within the soul- and baghyam -good luck stored within the soul acquired by performing good deeds- causing further lowering of their soul.

    The deities, saints, angels, etc. have not attained spiritual liberation. Patanjali Maharshi, compiler of "Patanjali Yoga Sutra," famous book on yoga, had gone on record saying that "the yogi -person who practices yoga in order to evolve spiritually- must be very careful about deities -devas. They are more jealous of the human beings than a fellow human being can ever be." They always prevent the spiritual progress of a yogi. Hence a yogi should be very much cautious of them lest they deceive him, so that he cannot elevate himself spiritually and become a rival to them. It is understandable that the worshippers of these devious deities can never attain spiritual perfection, because a deity can only give to his worshipper what she has attained for herself in the spiritual path.

    India’s Puranas, epics and Vedas -India’s sacred books of knowledge- prescribe a laborious method of long term practice for the attainment of spiritual realization. However Santhigiri Ashram emphasizes spiritual realization through activities according to Yugadharma -Divine Law for this actual era.

    The present age, which we live in, is Kali Yuga -era of great spiritual upliftment where we can evolve at a much faster rate than in previous eras. Hence it is the age of Gurumargam or the path of Guru. Though Gurumargam has been in vogue in all ages, it is only in Kali Yuga -actual era-, Guru illuminates in fullness and the Supreme is worshipped and attained through Guru. Through a fully realized Guru, people will be able to attain spiritual liberation. This Great Soul is the only one capable of dispelling ignorance in people, helping them to live and act righteously and thus enhancing their growth materially, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

Next Chapter: Biography of Karunakara Guru

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