We are nothing more than a body which is permanently bound in the loop of time and which ultimately has to become the food of death.
This article is a translated excerpt from my ebook. For a more comprehensive exploration into this topic, check out my full ebook.
It is not an easy task for a creature affected by Maya to attain the divine Word and, then, by getting absorbed in the Naam to attain immortal form and become fearless.
We can imagine Maya, Word and Naam as three huge circles which are parallel to each other but mutually exclusive. The soul situated in Maya has no knowledge of the Word and the soul situated in the Word has no knowledge of the Naam.
Ignorance of the Word gives rise to the belief in the Maya absorbed Jiva that he is nothing more than a body which is permanently bound in the loop of time and which ultimately has to become the food of death. This disbelief towards divine life makes him weak and ineligible to attain immortality. Not only this, the feeling of ignorance towards some superior, advanced and great element inspires the living being to squeeze out the happiness available within its limited circle.
To him, the teachings related to renunciation, penance, abstinence etc. seem foolish and he tends to take possession of easily available persons, things, events, circumstances etc. But he forgets that whatever thing he associates with 'mine', that thing becomes a part of his 'I' and then that person, thing, event, situation enslaves him.
Again, the greater the quantity of things, the greater is the subordination towards the things. Ignorance towards divine life and insistence on clinging to limited pleasures available in the world has been termed as 'Haumain' (Ego) in the Adi Granth. Quote from ‘Nirbhay, Nirvair, Akalmurti’ 17.
Here are the key highlights from the text:
The text describes three states: Maya (illusion), Shabd (the divine Word), and Naam (the ultimate reality).
Being trapped in Maya leads to ignorance of the true self and mortality. People in this state identify solely with their bodies and seek fleeting pleasures.
Knowledge of Shabd helps break free from Maya's illusion. However, it's not enough for liberation.
Naam is the ultimate goal, leading to immortality and fearlessness.
The text emphasizes overcoming ego (Haumain), which arises from attachment to worldly things. Owning things leads to being enslaved by them.
The text aims to guide readers towards spiritual liberation. It encourages them to:
Seek the knowledge of the divine Word.
Detach from worldly possessions and desires.
Focus on attaining Naam, the ultimate reality.
By following these steps, readers can overcome the limitations of Maya and achieve true freedom and immortality.
The new English Audio feature is helping so much. And it's clear and concise too!