“We should attempt the finite for the Infinite.”
SDG Page 58 2005 Edition

-Dr K Madhava

Rev Master was replying to the criticism of certain western civilizations who were critical about spiritual way of life. They said spirituality is taken up by weak people who did not succeed in material life. Rev Master is pointing to the futility of following a materialistic way of life which is finite and meaningless in the end.

Earning money, earning fame running after pleasures does not ensure happiness or meaning to life. Present day civilizations particularly western civilizations which are moving in the direction of material prosperity are facing all sorts of problems. High consumerism based on exploitation of resources of the earth is leading to climatic change with earthquakes, Tsunamis and raising sea levels.

Man having got addicted to comforts and pleasures is unable to sustain the present lifestyle. Price of energy is rising and is becoming scarce and economy is moving towards a collapse. He is not prepared to simplify his life and reduce his wants. He is like a lung cancer patient who continues to smoke denying the reality of the imminent collapse. All this sorry state is the result of neglect of the Divine resource in us which represents the Infinite.

If the spiritual value i.e. divinity is treated as one wing and the activities concerned with world or material pursuits connected with the survival and nurturing the body and its co related environment as the other wing man can be said to be attempting to fly with one wing only.

Our country, India, which is the birthplace of many noble souls and saints always pursued divine knowledge and treated the purpose of life as to gain spiritual enlightenment.

In the process probably due to certain misinterpretations of certain philosophies like Mayavada-Advaita where the material world was considered as an illusion, the finite was neglected which is wrong.

Rev Master is asking us to ponder and asking us to strive towards balance and a natural life in all our dealings with the world.

Human mind in its degraded state can deliberately misinterpret the Master’s idea of flying with both the wings by thinking that I will lead a resplendent material life by earning riches, name and fame, lead a life of pleasures and comfort like a Rasputin and also meditate and strive towards realization.

This is plainly impossible and this interpretation is the influence of Satan which pulls us away from the Divine Master.

What is finite? Anything which exists for a short period of time. Wherever matter is involved it is a finite thing. Matter is under constant flux. Atoms make their appearance out of condensation of energy. Atoms undergo disintegration into energy; atoms combine and recombine into forms which are in a constant process of anabolism and catabolism.

Our human body and its organs are also in a constant flux and finally entropy will prevail and it mixes back with earth. So also all relationships with friends, relatives and near and dear ones are finite and have to go one day. “This too shall pass away” made famous by the Institute in its workshop on Viveka if contemplated deeply will give an idea of what finite is. I would request readers to study the article “Nature of Viveka” in BP Vol III.

And what is Infinite? It is nothing but the blessing splendour and joy of the Presence of Master deep inside our heart.

Our mind has lost the capacity or the capacity of awareness of the subtle presence of Master. Through sheer grace of Pranahuti man regains the capacity to become aware of the presence of Divine Master inside the heart.

But disciples of Sri Ramchandraji have to live breathing the fragrance of divine presence as long as we live and to achieve that or move in that direction we have to attempt the finite for the Infinite.

During meditation and during sittings where we receive Pranahuti we imperience the Void and recognize that we are being-less. We contemplate on that imperience and try to know our real nature to be one of beingless-ness.

Keeping this knowledge in our background consciousness or subconsciousness we have to work in the world and live up to that reality.

Whatever work we do we have to submit the fruits to the Master or think that it is the command of the Master and do it with enthusiasm. Work we have to do with sincerity and enthusiasm getting rid of sloth and laziness but the results we have to submit at the feet of the Master. This is the path of duty we have to tread and our consciousness which is trapped in a finite body slowly gets liberated and starts moving into rarer and rarer realms of super consciousness and our real meaning and purpose of life is achieved.

Since subtle presence of Divine is present in every animate and inanimate objects doing our duty as service to Master and serving the veiled Master in all our dealings with our fellow brethren is attempting the finite for the Infinite.

I end the article with a prayer that all of us be blessed with strength to do service to The Master.