Living in Freedom and Enquiry-Part I

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"Freedom from hunger! Freedom from disease! Freedom from illiteracy! - Freedom from economic slavery! " All these slogans, I have heard from many platforms! And, I have understood them to an extent!!

"They want freedom from hunger!"
"Take them and feed them well!"
"They want freedom from disease!"
“Direct them to the best hospital; Give them good medical attention. Educate them about the personnel hygiene!"
“They want freedom from illiteracy!"
"Send them to schools, teach them reading, writing and simple arithmetic to make them functionally literate!"
"They want freedom from economic slavery! Train them for some vocation. Give them skills. Create job opportunities, so that they earn a decent living to stand on their own!"

All these problems and solutions are outside us. Even after having found some satisfactory solutions to them, we are not in peace. We feel bound. We do not feel free.

Freedom: In space within me

Lord Krishna in Gita is not talking about all these spheres of freedom existing outside us. He is assuring us that he shall grant freedom from the bondage of mind - freedom from a problem, which is very much subjective. Bondage of mind is bondage of our 'jiva', the inner life, the little-self in us. May this-little-self not get bound! May it not suffer and suffocate in a cocoon! May it breath fresh air!

Freedom and Enquiry

The twin problems of the little-self lie in attachment and passion, "Sanga" and "Moha"! Jeeva is itching for freedom from these two forces ever at play!! To be free from them, an enquiry is necessary into the working of my life: 'I', the jeeva; My world, the jagat and the relationships. The three-fold enquiry:

Who am I?

Who are these objects and individuals in the world, with whom I am interacting? What is the basis of these relationships between me and the world? The enquiry when it results in realising that 'Iswara', 'the Awareness' is the basis of relationship, 'Sanga' and 'Moha' disappear. This realisation is to be owned by me. But, I am always a victim of attrition? I forget. Hence, there must be no break in the enquiry. When the enquiry goes on, I am free from 'Sanga' and 'Moha'. When the enquiry stops, I am again available to them, to be possessed by them.

To be continued