To be born as a human is considered extremely fortunate, for it is only from human form that we can become free – free from all misery and suffering, free from the bondage of life after life!
There are two types of goals that one needs to strive to accomplish in human life.
- The first is that we should not cause slightest hurt to any living being. Make this your goal in life. Life is an echo and every deed has its consequence. So, if we do our very best not to hurt others, the same will befall on us, and thus we will automatically become free from unnecessary misery and pain.
- And the second goal is to break free from the bondage of life after life. The sole purpose of human life is to attain eternal liberation from the bondage of karma. For this, it is imperative to have Self-realization.
How to live a life whereby we do not hurt any living being?
Every morning, recite the following sentence five times with complete sincerity: ‘May no living being be hurt even to the slightest extent through my mind, speech and body. When we do this, we are changing our intent from negative to totally positive.
However, in actual life thereafter, if we happen to hurt anyone through our mind, speech or body, then immediately we shall ask for forgiveness from the God residing within that person. By doing this, we reverse all our wrongdoings. It is easy to hurt others but asking for forgiveness is transformative; we will feel lighter within and the person we have wronged too will feel the positive vibration of this.
How to break the bondage of karma and become liberated?
It is by attaining the knowledge of the Self! i.e. Self-realisation.
Self-Realisation is when you realise the answer to the question, ‘Who am I.’ It is when you understand that you are really a pure Soul and are separate from the body, name an ego.
Bondage of karma will continue whilst you have the wrong belief of, ‘I am this body and name.’ But when Self-realisation happens, the wrong belief is fractured and the right belief sets in that ‘I am a pure Soul’. Thus, you become separate from the body and name. After Self-Realization, this awareness prevails in every circumstance and with everyone.
Due to ignorance of the Self, one believes ‘I am doing, this is happening to me’ etc, and therefore, karmas are charged. But once one comes into the awareness of the real Self i.e. the pure Soul, and remains as ONLY the Knower and Seer of everything but never the doer of anything, then there is no new charging of karma.
Then, only discharge of the remaining karma remains, which happens naturally and cleanly when you remain the observer and knower of them, without getting affected by any karma.
How to acquire Self-realization
This is only possible by meeting Gnani, the enlightened being. It is only through Him that one can attain this knowledge for he himself is not only enlightened but he also has the gift of bestowing the same onto those who are seeking liberation.