ARANI SERIES
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Spark 26
INNER VOICE – THE LIGHT OF DIWALI
Can our inner voice be the LAMP that needs to burn more brightly this Diwali? How can we ensure that this lamp gets its required fuel from time to time?
In the age old battle between good and evil, raging in the heart of every one of us, our conscience plays a major role. If we side with our conscience, we are most likely, if not certain, to be with the good. So the first challenge is to be with our conscience, the inner voice, the lamp within.
Many a time we find that we do take the side of our conscience but cannot sustain it. Various temptations, provocations, outer pressures or inner urges make us defect! Therefore there arises the second challenge of strengthening the inner voice, of supplying more fuel to this lamp.
Three Tips: satsanga, satkarma, swādhyāya
Contact with saintly souls, engagement with noble activities and study of scriptures can be the fuel that surely makes the ‘lamp of inner voice’ burn more brightly and stand the onslaught of distractions. Holy men (and women), whom we call mahātmās do wonders which often defy logic. Their words and actions inspire us. Their presence itself affects us. A touch, a glance or a thought from their side can give to us both clarity and strength with regard to the right course of action in trying circumstances.
Engagement in noble endeavors (satkarma) facilitates exposure to divine vibrations. If we are ready at a given moment, we may get uplifted right away. If our ‘baggage’ is heavy, of tendencies brought forth from the past, the upright vibrations get registered in our consciousness and come to fruition at a later time.
Scriptural study (swādhyāya) can act as the “extraordinary eye” that helps us see1 our dharma (duty) in tough times. To distinguish between “what needs to be done” (kārya) and “what should be avoided” (akārya) is not easy on many an occasion. Lord Krishna declares in the Geetā,“Scriptures are the authority in deciding kārya and akārya!”
This Diwali, therefore, may we reinforce our contact with saints, get involved in good work and be more regular in studying spiritual texts. May the INNER LAMP of conscience burn brightly and win over falsehood both outside and inside!
Swami Chidananda
Notes:
1 sarvasya lochanam shāstram – Scriptures are everyone’s “eyes”. (Subhāshita)
2 tasmāt shāstram pramānam te – Geetā 16:24