We are all for external cleanliness. We pay meticulous attention to personal hygiene, bath, wash, clean clothes etc. External cleanliness is important as we look and feel better when we are clean and cleanliness and hygiene also protects us from sickness and diseases. We judge and are judged by our appearances and how clean we look. Today, external cleanliness has become most important and we give full attention and prominence to grooming but we neglect internal cleanliness.
Internal cleanliness is the cultivation of cleansing the self of kama, krodha, lobha, moha, madha, matsarya – lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, jealousy and developing the divine qualities of love, compassion, peace, understanding, detachment, selflessness, generosity etc. It is possible to cultivate inner cleanliness and purity by consciously changing our thinking and actions and by prayers, meditation and mantra japa. Prayers, meditation and mantra japa working internally and give higher level energies and vibrations which power the cleansing process. They also download into us divine qualities. When we keep good company and read good books – satsanga- we receive inspiration and guidance for change and the direction of change.
We must understand that the urge to indulge in bad thoughts and impure acts is like a spark in a hay field. A single urge and it sets our minds ablaze and we commit many unsavoury acts easily. The blaze within us also burns those who come near us. It is so very easy to learn a wrong habit from a friend who is addicted to it. However educated or learned or rich we may be, however high our status in society might be, it is of no use when our minds are occupied by cheating, dishonesty, anger, arrogance, hatred etc. We fall to levels which are unworthy of birth of man.
Inner cleanliness should be our first aim. Unless we are clean within, we contaminate all that we earn and acquire in life. When we make kheer - a milk sweet – we use the best quality fresh milk, sugar and other condiments. But if the vessel is not spotlessly clean, the milk will get spoilt and we will not be able to make kheer. All our efforts and expense will be of no use as the kheer produced will not be edible. We may earn name, fame and wealth but unless these are supported by inner virtues, they are of no use. We will not be able to enjoy them. Wealth, name and fame supported by character, virtue and inner purity bring a completion to our lives.
Let us work on cleansing ourselves. Prayer is a direct communication with God which helps us to overcome our negative attitudes. The SitaRam mantra is a powerful disinfectant which cleanses and purifies the mind of all its negativities and unsavoury attachments. The Mantra energizes and empowers our intent and willpower for self improvement. Unless we cleanse, how can we fill ourselves with goodness? Consider this little story:
Hari was addicted to eating paan - a betel leaf along with condiments. He chewed on it day and night and had no other taste in his mouth. His friend Ramesh invited him home for dinner and served him many tasty delicacies. Hari came for dinner with a mouthful of paan. He started the dinner with paan in his mouth and then said the food was tasteless. Ramesh understood what was happening. He made his friend get up and wash his mouth and gargle well. Then he served him sweets fragrant with rose water and cardamoms. Hari could taste and smell the sweets now. He was in seventh heaven. He never realised that such flavours existed!
Regular and sustained mantra japa, dhyan, inspirational reading and good company will help us in inner cleansing and attaining inner purity. As we grow in inner purity, our divinity will manifest in form of divine qualities of Godhead. Life then becomes worth living and enjoyable. Let us work at inner cleansing first.
