A man serendipitously standing under a Kalpataru wished for water. He found it. He desired food, dreamt of riches; wife, children, servants and all his dreams were fulfilled. One day he feared: what if a tiger came? A tiger appeared and devoured everyone. Everything happened as he had willed. Was it his karma (destiny) or his thoughts that made his wishes come true?
We all live under the kalpataru of Divine Cosmos. The Creator is aware of the remotest thought crossing our minds. Swami Vivekananda asserted that each thought has a life and whatever one thinks even sitting in a Himalayan cave is bound to happen. Even if a person fails to realise his thoughts in one lifetime, his prayers will take shape in some birth. Swami Rama Tirtha said that no energy is lost in this world, no force is lost, no matter is lost. One reads about law of persistence of force, law of conservation of energy, law of indestructibility of matter; so too mental activity, willing and wishing, cannot be destroyed.
Wishes form samskaras in the mind. These wishes may take several births to come true and some may not bring happiness. Psychologists advise people to think positive and visualise their dreams coming true because positive thoughts help us in realising our dreams. In Yoga Vasishta, Sage Vasishta explains to disciple Prince Rama that human action can overcome destiny. He instructs that by vichara and viveka — right thinking and discrimination cultivated by self-efforts — one can achieve anything, even salvation. Each human is given a chance to exercise free will to get liberation. Our behaviour, thoughts, habits are a result of our karma of previous births. In each birth whatever action one does becomes karma. But with satsanga, (company of sages and scriptures) one can move towards realisation of God. One can overcome the cycle of births and deaths by will power. Vedanta asks us to repeat Aham Brahmasmi, I am That because once the thought is firmly established in mind, it will materialise one day.
The mind’s function is to dream endlessly. People undertake pilgrimages, shave off their heads, follow austerities etc. Should they rely on destiny or exert free will? Have faith in the Cosmic Plan and accept His will, says Swami Rama Tirtha. He explains that selfish prayers are never heard. Only those prayers are heard when the mind thinks of the larger self rather than the petty self, when one rises above me and mine, when one rises to self-denial, renunciation. In renunciation one is unmindful of one’s own wishes. The mind is in a state of superconsciousness. When we sincerely say Thy Will Be Done, then all prayers are fulfilled. Do not approach the Almighty like a beggar, says Swami Rama Tirtha, because beggars are ignored. We love those who have no expectations from us. To be loved by God who is the greatest of great, above all needs, we must have no expectations.
When you give up a wish, you rise above it, and then it seeks you. Law of science says that higher attracts the lighter, a magnet draws the iron; sun draws the earth to itself. The cycle goes on till we learn to shed desires and be calm.
Topic: What is prayer to you? (Read 2423 times)