Man's life is very complex. Infact it was simple but we have made is cumbersome. When he departs, he goes empty handed. But the world is too much with him. Tolstoy's story "How much land does a man need?" depicts a farmer who wants to possess as much land as possible. He runs in a rat race to earn maximum but in the end he needs only a six-feet piece of land where he is buried. Until the external eye adapts itself well with the internal eye, he cannot undertake the inward journey living in the outside world. Everybody wants happiness, respect and in the end-salvation.

Why only man? World's tiniest and biggest creatures crave for honor and joy. Still the world is becoming full of sorrows. The rich are unhappy, the poor are unhappy, the powerful are unhappy, powerless are unhappy, those blessed with children are unhappy, those without children are unhappy; the world is full of sorrows. This is the scene everywhere and it is but natural that everybody desires but takes the path of discontentment. Tasting dust in place of food and drinking petrol in place of water, can anyone enjoy a sound sleep amidst hovering mosquitoes and flies? You want to have peace of mind and have adopted the path of satiation of carnal desires, then how can you attain joy and peace?

The entire world knows that real path to peace and contentment, honour and salvation is self-restraint and inner voyage. Yet man is entrapped in materialism, finding pleasure in sensual desires. Why is man sinking in the abyss of grief, inspite of living amidst the immense luxuries generated by science and technology? The answer is clear. That which doesn't exist, and we search for it, we become desperate. The state of self-discipline is as clear as the light of the day. One does not need a lamp to reveal the light of the day. The results of self-control never diminish in any consumerist society or any other age. Though it is a fact that the path of self-restraint is very complex, but the struggle gives us desirable results.

'Amla' tastes sour when eaten but water taken immediately after it tastes sweet. It is good for health. Similarly controlling desires seems very difficult, but when a man conquers his sensual desires he becomes happy forever. A man engrossed in his desires cannot be helped even by God, however a man who is out of this web of desires will not be affected easily by the sorrows of the world. Infact, happiness lies in the inner journey and blessed thinking, not in materialism.

It is a bitter truth that a common man is entangled in the web of desires, always flying high in the imagination of material happiness. But a person, who is aware of the secret of meditation and the importance of one's identification with the inner self, would not hesitate to assert that external vision may remain closed but inner eyes must remain open. A majority of people lead lives in the other way. We never think of coming out of the rut of our selfishness, caring for the welfare of others. We have lost the real meaning of life, which is - Keep your inner vision open all the time. If a man is unable to distinguish between the good and evil, will there remain a difference between him and an animal?

Knowing life's this very philosophy, an Indian sage said-"Asato ma sadgamaya, tamasoma jyotirgamaya mrtyoma amrtamgamaya". Meaning there by - O God! Please take me from falsehood to truthfulness, from darkness to light and death to eternity." These are three different statements but on deeper thoughts they all mean the same. Infact everybody accepts life and man's divinity, but few people realize it. What is a blessed life? One who has earned a lot of wealth, facilitated luxuries, constructs skyscrapers, has led a life of materialism and sensuousness, and is generally labelled as a successful man in the world but nobody perceives the anarchy, dishonesty, violence, cruelty and selfishness lying behind all this so-called success. Goswami Tulsidas has stated a very inspiring and naked truth in 'Ramchritmanas'-"Samarath ko nahi dosh Gosayi" i.e whosoever is powerful and capable, he may do what he likes and go scot-free. There is an ancient saying " A king is pardonable even for his hundred crimes of murder" and also "Might is right".

This material world is very alluring. Whatever surrounds us appears very attractive. Every man is constantly trying to preserve his body, family, money, materialistic paraphernalia and authority. Taking mortal as immortal and constant, he is busy to save it all day and night. He has no concern for the eternity of soul while soul is the only real and everlasting entity with us. With thoughts of self-journey and indulgence in sensuous pleasures, how can he free his encaged soul? He has loosened the reins of senses and desires, they might wander anywhere, whatever the dirt of carnal desires they may bring home, whatsoever desires they may propitiate, in such a situation, how to save the soul, is a complex question to ponder about.

A mirror reflects but it is not the real thing. Similarly materialism reflects joy but it's not the real joy. That joy cannot be called the real one, which has a trail behind it of a long series of sorrows. In a world made up of union and separation, a happy moment converts into sadness in no time. Bliss is to be attained from the awakening of inner self, which obliterates sorrows completely.

Consumerist culture is invading our life in a well-planned manner, luxurious culture is being imposed upon us but do remember that technology may give convenience but not joys. A materialistic life searches pleasures in worldly things while the bliss, which lies inside us gets filled to the brim and gets spilled over through devotional music, self study, meditation, and prayer. This feeling is indescribable. Its sweetness is incomparable to any sweetness of the world. After a night of sound sleep, a man awakens and professes having had a sweet rest but can he express that sweetness? Never, this pleasure can be felt only after experiencing it. A person who has dived into the depths of meditation, has undertaken the inner voyage, has tasted the bliss of awakening of inner senses; materialism, authority and sensuousness become meaningless for him. Outer journey turns into the internal one. Then he gets invaluable pleasures. No sorrow remains a sorrow.

The extreme, deadening difficulties become bearable like 'Gaja sukumal'. In reality nobody can endure the gravest sorrows without attaining real happiness. One cannot sacrifice his life smilingly for the nation. Such heroes who worked selflessly for the sake of society, nation or spirituality are still glorifying the world with their aura.

Most of the men today worship money and have forgotten the values of life. Many problems have creeped in because of this attitude but they are unaware of the truth that all these pleasures are transient, mirage-like and illusionary. To make them aware of life's real meaning and to make them taste the real pleasures of life, this Sukhi Parivar movement has been commenced.

-As told to Lalit Garg