Life is an arduous journey.
So it’s always wise to travel light, without heavy baggage.

Still amusingly I find people foolishly overloading themselves with so many desires, possessions that bring only discontent, agonies to them.

That’s why the ultimate objective of all the religions is to lighten the burden of their followers, to enable them to attain the state of “desirelessness” – state of blissfulness.

The modus operandi however varies.

Hinduism follows a very unique way to eliminate the endless yearnings so that everlasting tranquility can be achieved.

Our learned sages knew that it’s not possible for the ordinary people to decimate all their foolish desires in their very short lifespans.

So they conceived and propagated the idea of “Ishta Devtaa” which means choosing a deity from among the gods, goddesses of Hindu pantheon.

One should then subsume all one’s petty desires, have intense longing only for the chosen deity.

A stage will come when one’s favorite deity becomes one’s raison d’etre.
One’s stupid material longings will simply vanish in thin air.

When one’s whole mind becomes occupied with the thoughts, love for the deity, then something amazing happens.

One will discover that it is absurd to crave for Him.
One craves for things or beings only when one assumes them to be distinct from oneself.

There is absolutely no need for a golden ring to hanker for gold!

The truth would then be revealed that one is an inherent, indispensable part of Him.

With this realization, one’s desire for Him also drops!

One will then gain eternal serenity.

One would then declare impromptuly – ” अहं ब्रह्मास्मि ”
which simply means – “I am an indistinguishable part of God. I am God.”

~ Sanjay Gargish ~