21 Jul 2023
Ms. Thrylokya asked: Swami, What are the quantum levels of spiritual life and worldly life in the case of a human being trying to attain the grace of God?
Swami replied:- Spiritual life, which is concentration on the work of God is like eating curd rice. Worldly life involving all materialistic aspects is like pickle that is to be tasted now and then while eating the curd rice just for the change of taste. Of course, the climax level devotees are always in constant devotion to God and involve only in the spiritual life without keeping the eye on worldly life even for a second. Such devotees are very few in number and we have to deal with the majority of normal devotees, who need worldly life now and then at least for a change. This is not wrong in the case of normal devotees because their level is not at the climax of devotion. Even sage Narada told while defining the path of devotion that climax devotees suffer much to taste the pickle even once while eating the curd rice (Tadarpitākhilācāratā tadismaraṇe parama vyākulatā). This is the case of climax devotees. But if we take the case of ordinary devotees, the pickle tasted now and then during the eating of curd rice develops interest in eating the curd rice to a large extent. In fact, the pickle acts like a culvert that increases the flow of the water-stream by standing as a hurdle. From this point of view, the pickle is to be appreciated in the case of all normal human devotees.
For this reason only, God creates several hurdles even in the lives of high level devotees (high level devotees are little lesser than the climax devotees). Regarding the case of general human beings (90% of humanity), they eat the pickles continuously and taste the curd rice now and then. If you take the case of the lowest level of human beings, such human beings eat only pickles without even tasting the curd rice now and then. Exactly opposite to these lowest human beings are the climax devotees, who eat only curd rice without tasting the pickle. In between these two extreme levels exist the majority of human beings having different sub-levels among them as the eaten quantities of curd rice (spiritual life) and pickles (worldly life) vary. A practical example for a climax devotee in this human world is Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who spent every second of His life in the devotion to God only and never even touched His wife, Smt. Sarada Devi even though the pickle jar is present before His eyes! A devotee like Shankara was always away from the pickles. Finally, there are four types of souls only:-
1. Those who eat curd rice only without tasting the pickle. Such people have perfect health without acidity in their stomach.
2. Those who eat curd rice while tasting the pickle now and then. These people have slight acidities in their stomach.
3. Those who eat mainly pickles and taste the curd rice now and then. These people develop ninety percent acidity in their stomachs.
4. Those who eat only pickle without even tasting the curd rice now and then. These people suffer with 100% acidity in their stomachs.
5. Those who eat only curd rice without even tasting the pickles have no acidity (0% ulcer) means going to the abode of God without touching hell.
6. Those who eat curd rice taking pickles now and then have slight acidity (10% ulcer) means going to the abode of God after going to hell for a short time.
7. Those who eat mainly pickles tasting curd rice now and then have high acidity (90% ulcer) go to hell for a very long time and go to heaven for a short time.
8. Those who eat only pickles without even tasting the curd rice have the highest acidity (100% ulcer) fall in hell forever.
The first type are climax devotees and the second type are high devotees. The third type are all the ordinary souls and the fourth type are atheists and demons.
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