The goal of human birth is enlightenment. We have come from God and we have to go back to our Source. The adventures the soul has on its journey are learning opportunities for walking the path back to God. We all know the truth that we are souls and not bodies and must go back home to God. Yet the pull of the material world and the erroneous guidance from parents and others put us on a different track and we lose sight of our goal of enlightenment.
Life comes into existence through laying of egg and incubation or by giving birth to a fully formed child like mammals. The parents take care of the child, nurture and protect the child and give guidance on how to live life. By doing so they are doing their duty to their child. The child is not a possession of the parent. For the Father and Mother of all creation is God. Without God, there is no birth and life. And we are given the human life in order to realize God. It is the duty of every parent to teach this fundamental truth about life to their child. When a ParamGuru gives mantra and teaches the right path to the disciple, the disciple has a second birth. That is why the Guru is also a mother and father to the disciple. This new birth leads the disciple to his final destination.
Most of the parents misguide their children and ensure that their children are pulled more deeply in the mire of worldly life. They want their children to obey them implicitly and they do not care about the consequences of the actions. In many instances, where the child is on the right track and with the right Guru, the parents take objection and through emotional and financial blackmail, pull their child away from the path of God into worldliness. It is the rare child who is able to overcome such pressure and walk the path of God. Sariputta, a very close disciple of Buddha underwent such experience in his life:
Sariputta was the son of Sari. His mother, Sari was against her son becoming a monk. But Sariputta knew the rightness of the path and the goal and the greatness of Buddha as a teacher and guide. He tried convincing his mother about the path of dharma and Buddha. But she refused to understand the truth that the physical body and this life is for a short time and peace and bliss can be found by following the teachings of Buddha. She wanted her son to marry, have children and live a normal life. After trying for a long time, Sariputta finally gave up and left his home and mother. He was convinced that his life was not meant for the short pleasures of married life and he sought the ultimate peace and light of the path of dharma.
Sariputta joined Buddha’s group and became a monk. He reached enlightenment in a short time. His wisdom, intelligence, patience and ability to heal was second only to Buddha. He became Buddha’s top disciple.
Sariputta was aware of the time of his death. A few months before his death, he informed Buddha of his desire to visit his mother and repay the gift of birth and body that she had given him. He had no contact with his mother from the time he left home as she clearly told him that she did not wish to see him or speak to him. He sent a message to his mother that he wished to visit her. Sari was overjoyed that her son was returning. But when she saw that he was still wearing a monk’s robe, she was angry and upset. She refused to see him, speak to him, hear him or understand him.
As the days turned into weeks, Sariputta waited for his mother to give up her anger and speak to him. He became weaker as his final time approached. Before the final letting go of body, divine beings came to his room to pay their final respects. Sariputta was not only teacher of men but his wisdom and knowledge was such that he taught divine beings too. When these divine beings came to him, the room was dazzling bright with their glowing light. Sari was woken up by the light and the sounds of talking. She came to check what was going on. She saw that divine beings were paying their respects and homage to her son and not the other way round! She realized that her son was no ordinary monk. Only then did she talk to him. Before dying, Sariputta taught his mother the Four Noble truths. Hearing them, his mother was transformed and entered the stream of the divine path. Sariputta repaid his mother by showing her the divine path before his death.
It is painful that many men and women who are on the right track are pulled away by misguided parental and family pressures. The karmic consequences of such acts are terrible. Attaining enlightenment is the main goal of life and we must live in a befitting manner. The SitaRam Mantra, meditation and the teachings of the Guru will guide us in the right direction.
