________________
Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
the Lord in the temple) and other such activities, because the water of the Ganga is holy. It is considered sacred because it has such a tremendous power that it can bestow serenity upon our minds which are agitated by various kinds of thoughts. Moreover the provoked thoughts and passions become pacified by the water of the Ganga. A bath in the Ganga has no other significance than this. What other signfficance could be there? Taking a bath in the Ganga is one thing; attaining purity is another thing. What is essential is that the soul should take a bath, not the body. It is the purification of the soul that is important; not the purification of the body.
IF WE SHOULD BE SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE HAVE, THEN, WHY SHOULD WE ENTERTAIN ANY LOFTY ASPIRATION ?
We should entertain a lofty aspiration to achieve spiritual elevation. We should aspire to realise and visualise the Paramatma. Aspirations are necessary to attain some lofty and auspicious objectives. But, in the case of samsar or worldly existence, self-satisfaction is necessary, and high ambitions for wordiy advancement are not wholesome. In this samsar, you should live contented with what you have naturally and by your destiny. But in order to attain spiritual elevation and self-realisation we should entertain aspirations. In this sphere, discontentment must be always there impelling us to rise higher and higher spiritually. We should always think "When can I attain perfection ? When can attain spiritual elevation ? When can I attain the love of the Paramatma ? When can I attain his grace ?". In the language of spiritual philosophy: We must have discontentment in respect of our desire to attain spiritual elevation; we should have avarice to attain the Paramatma; we should steal virtues. These are not sins, if one pursues perfection. Aspiration does not mean the desire to loot the samsar; it does not mean the desire to live by killing others; This kind of aspiration
44
For Private And Personal Use Only
