Pains and pleasures are the invariable parts of life. Like night and day, pains and pleasures are also related to each other. These resemble the two aspects of the same coin: when one appears the other disappears. This is a natural phenomenon eternally frequenting us.

 

In the pleasant state we are happy and in the unpleasant state we are unhappy. But we must change this way of thinking: this change is very essential.

 

The Hindus depict their tutelar God. Lord Vishnu, lying, with the transmission of pleasing smile, on the bed formed of the serpent king, called. Sesha-naga, in the milky ocean, called Kshira-sagara. An eulogy to him begins with the words, ‘sant-akarambhujaga-sayanam (whose form is peaceful and whose bed is formed of the serpent), which are just the same as above in meaning.

 

This enchanting verse of the eulogy inspires our diversion from darkness to light. It does not present him as a God. For him there is nothing impossible. It shows the connection between the direct and indirect experiences of life on the one hand and the reality on the other.

 

Snake is such a poisonous creature that even its name brings annoyance. A look at it, trembles our body, or makes many lose their consciousness. Thus, how could It be that a snake, as if another name of fear, brings peace; but the Lord lies on the bed formed of that very snake and, yet. he transmits a sweet smile.

 

A real analysis of the words, Whose form is peaceful and whose bed is formed of the serpent reveals the meaning of life. This suggests the numerous sufferings abounding our lives.

 

Before we are able to pacify one trouble, another trouble arises. Before one desire is fulfilled, another four desires crop up. With one passion being appeared, another ten passions enter the courtyard of our mind.

 

Anything. like sufferings, calamities etc. is always there to disturb our friends, near and dear ones, family members, relatives, household workers etc. Flood, epidemics, earthquakes, droughts, excessive or scarce rains and other calamities, brought by nature, are always there to put us in troubles.

 

In that situation we have to use our power of discrimination, skill, thinking and restraint. Indomitable, we should come forth to face those problems.

 

This is the basic theme of that chanting verse, ‘sant-akaram bhujaga-sayanam’ etc. This needs a view-point, a change. a discussion. Discriminating our power means recognizing ourselves. Mahadevi Verma wrote in a poem :

 

Today, ask not what the position of morning has been. walk along the wind.

 

Does the setting sun look back any way?

 

The beauty of face reflected in every mirror of crystles. To turn into a day take the darkness

 

into your grip.

 

And Nirala wrote:

 

‘If you lag behind for fear, stop your action.

 

If you have to fight the enemy, cease relaxing.

 

An era has gone with you going down and coming up. Now do away with woman and evening, wine and cup. 32

 

Our view-point should always be high. You can achieve in your life only what you think to achieve. Metaphysical progress is a must for us, and for it efforts may be made by keeping the senses away from their objects, because they never allow the metaphysical power to develop.

 

How can one help others, who does not have control over himself, his habits, his passions and infinite number of desires, innumerable wishes and useless vision?

 

The groups of vices kidnap him who is the slave of senses. ’53

 

The power of attraction of the senses is so strong that they attract even those who are scholars and learned.

 

“The strong group of senses kidnaps a scholar also,54

 

The universal truth is known to all that the knowledge of truth is difficult. A great many abstacle comes on the way to truth; still then, he achieves truth who proceeds on that way with firm determination.

 

‘Describing the truth is more blissful than the truth itself but the knowledge of truth is difficult. 55

 

For the metaphysical development, those anxious may be classified at various levels. They may be scholars.. extra-ordinary ones, pious ones, theosophist ones and the sages. All the human beings are gifted with one virtue or the other, and they flourish according to the social and environmental situations. It is these virtues for which some comes to be socially recognized; and at the basis of that recognition he is evaluated.

 

An ordinary man has the natural tendency of not going in details of things and having more and more possessions. He estimates his social prestige at the basis of ancestral and self-earned wealth, bank balance. estate, motor car, house. land. jewellery etc.

 

The scholarly ones, on the other hand, give prominence to their knowlege, honour and pedantry. Recognized for their heavenly quality, the extra-ordinary man takes that very quality for an ornament of his personality.

 

The pious or religious persons opine and describe that piety is the basis of life, hense they lay great emphasis on doing and getting the pious duties done.

 

The great men and those of theosophic nature are above the normal run. They find transience in the life, which, they opine, should be devoted to the good of others. They think that life should come out of the enclosure of society and be devoted to the welfare of humanity.

 

This classification provides sufficient logic for one’s own introspection Which class do we put ourselves in? What efforts and changes are necessary for achieving the class of our choice? For a study of these questions and for the efforts to upgrade ourselves to the desired class, we will have to reveal our latent power of the soul.

 

Our power of the soul is the only thing which can help us proceed on our way to progress. Then only we shall achieve the goal of life.