Shrimad Rajchandra And Mahatma Gandhi

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Raj Saubhag Satsang Mandal

Page 68

Shrimad Rajchandra's Message 67
does give pleasure to one's senses, it eventually leads to unhappiness and sorrow. A person's concept of happiness is sense-based, and is happy when the senses are comfortable, but unhappy when not so. True happiness is beyond our senses. That is why with reference to Bharatruhari's preaching, Shrimad says, "despite being endowed with great wealth, power and all material pleasures of a king, he walked away from it all when he attained true wisdom. Enjoying the supreme bliss of truth, he had rightfully said that in sensual pleasures lies the fear of disease, in great lineage lies the fear of its destruction, in wealth lies the fear of the king's taxes, in ego lies the fear of being humbled, therefore everything in this world is a source of fear of one kind or another. Only total detachment and freedom from passion leads to a fearless life."
This implies that the very factors like objects, people or events that arouse attachment and a feeling of happiness fail to bring about the seekers' true eternal happiness. Motilal Bhavsar who normally looked after Shrimad during the latter's solitary retreats would often wonder how deep the connection between food and the human body was. Shrimad would only eat once during the day and he would consume merely one or two portions of flatbread. Alongside would be a very small portion of rice. He would never ask for food or indicate what he would like to eat. He would simply consume what was served to him.
Shrimad drew the attention of the world towards the fact that true happiness could only be found within and not by any outward conquests. External stimuli for seeking sensual pleasures would often distract the fickle human mind, but those seeking this true inner happiness need to cultivate their minds to remain firmly established in equanimity and attain the ultimate joy of life.