It’s said that when a human goes beyond what they see, hear, taste, smell, and touch, they enter a state where they can begin a journey to another dimension. It is also a method by which apparently they find ‘oneness with the Eternal.’ This is a concept of which most of us know quite nothing, if I might be so bold as to say that. Because it is the very opposite of what we are. We are matter, bound by the environment around us. The joy, the bliss, the pain, the suffering, those weird dreams where nothing makes sense, and the need to belong to some sect or philosophy, all the while ignoring and denying someone else’s belief. All this is what it means to be human, a simple and yet, sophisticated creation of our invisible puppeteer in the sky. This is what the most basic idea of religion would sound like to people. This is why I felt inclined to write this.
After years of suppression, superstitions, hypocrisy, and violence, we have somewhat become a society that is willing to be more inclusive and understanding and less judgemental. However, there is still much confusion that lies in the path to knowing oneself. There is religious conflict, financial limitations, and just a general lack of interest. From what I have seen so far and struggled to do, the ways to improve are simple. We need to study and educate ourselves. Not just with the basic education that we get but with the religious texts as well. No one has the right to say that they have nothing important to tell us, unless they read them. People become philosophers when asked to read texts, saying, “Why should we read it? What is the purpose of doing so?” or that they don’t “believe in it”. Well, I’d say it’s fine if they don’t believe. I won’t ask anyone to either because I am not talking about what God is or looks like. I don’t care if Brahma made the world or was it Allah or God the Father. I am talking about knowing oneself. I never treated those texts as manifestos for their religions, as many declare them to be. They have knowledge in them and many share the same ideas as well, which you are free to reject once you have read them first. But yes, not everything is about atheism either.
We, as a society, have become confused as to what we should give focus to. And why shouldn’t we? There is just so much stuff to give a damn about. Jobs, happiness, satisfaction, pleasure, etc. are all things that are much needed, and because we struggle at them, we are unable to move beyond all this. I know it’s easier to say such things than to actually do them. But I’d say that while doing your work or job, giving even 15-30 minutes to the most simple translation of a holy text or video can also make the biggest difference. It’s the Kali Yuga. We can’t be followers of Satya Yuga here. But we can still afford to try. Who knows what seemingly conflicting paths might come together to create something new and beautiful? Who knows maybe we can know something we never knew about ourselves. The possibilities are endless. I remember reading the Gita in english while speaking out the Sanskrit text. I still read other texts such as Shrimad Bhagavatam or the life of saints and try my best to imitate them. I read The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis and it was a marvellous book that had various points. Some I found basic and others, I found relatable to a T. These are some of the best self-help books I’ve read and found even better than actual self-help books. They have helped me know myself a little each and every day. Perhaps they can help more people if they are willing to try.
