Why Do Saints Suffer?
Question
As we grow older, we hear of the deaths of many people. Additionally, we see divine personalities like our most revered Shri Maharaj Ji and Amma Ji also becoming ill and leave this world. Sufferings of divine personalities and their loss wrenches my heart. How can one overcome the feelings of loss and sadness?
Answer
I have addressed the concerns around fear of dying and loss of kith and kin in past publications. I would urge you to read those articles carefully as a pre-read to this article Overcome fear of death, Wise Response to a Crisis and The Soul's Journey After Death.
From the previous articles we understood that the sorrow from loss of our relatives and friends emanates due to our attachment to them. The reason for attachment to this material world is our firm faith that there is anand in this; even though I didn't get it yet one day I will surely attain it. With every passing day due to repeated contemplation this notion is getting stronger. We are constantly in search of that happiness that keeps eluding us. The search for happiness is our innate nature, but Vedas say -
गो गोचर जहँ लगि मन जाई । सो सब माया जानेहु भाई ॥
gō gōcara jahm̐ lagi mana jāī . sō saba māyā jānēhu bhāī .
because “our senses, mind and intellect cannot go beyond the material realm” we continue to search for happiness in the material world.
We, the souls, are a fraction of God, who is the embodiment of divine, unlimited happiness. Every fraction constantly strives to become one with the whole the God, therefore this search continues on. Never before has the soul been satisfied nor will it ever be, until it attains divine unlimited and everincreasing happiness. Out of ignorance, we seek that happiness from the sansaar- the world made of Maya, even though the sansar is insentient and endowed with all the contrasting traits.
Repeatedly thinking about attaining happiness from a person (or thing) increases our attachment to the person (or thing). This attachment causes the pain and suffering when that person (or thing) is lost. The extent of attachment and resulting sorrow is directly proportional to our expectations from the person. That’s why one experiences maximum sorrow at the loss of one’s spouse, lesser still with the loss of parents, children, siblings and even lesser with the death of a servant, neighbor etc. The intensity and the duration of the sorrow depends on the extent of attachment.
This sorrow can be overcome if one assimilates the philosophy shared by Lord Shri Krishna in Bhagavat Gita and models one’s life according to that philosophy. Just before the battle of Mahabharata, Arjun refused to pick up his arms and fight. He presented several reasons in support of his argument.
Lord Krishna said
अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे | गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिता: || 2.11
aśōcyānanvaśōcastvṁ prajñāvādāṁśca bhāṣasē | gatāsūnagatāsūṁśca nānuśōcanti paṇḍitā: || 2.11
“Although your words are scholarly, yet knowledge behind it is not. Because you grieve for those who do not deserve it. The wise ones do not grieve either for the living or the dead”
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा |
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ||
गीता 2.13
dēhinō’sminyathā dēhē kaumārṁ yauvanṁ jarā |
tathā dēhāntaraprāptirdhīrastatra na muhyati ||
gītā 2.13
“Arjun! An embodied soul goes through childhood, youth, and old age, and then passes into another body at death. Wise men do not grieve over this”.
We all know and realize that life is temporary and has been given for an finite amount of time. It is for this reason that we say “as sure as death”. Being sad about something that is sure to happen is an indication of ignorance.
The Gita asserts firmly -
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च |
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ||
गीता 2.27
jātasya hi dhruvō mr̥tyurdhruvṁ janma mr̥tasya ca |
tasmādaparihāryē’rthē na tvṁ śōcitumarhasi ||
gītā 2.27
“Death is certain for those who were born and birth is sure for those who have died. Hence it is sheer lunacy to mourn the death of anyone.”
Nobody gets upset when night comes after day or old age comes after youth. Death is an inevitable reality. So, there is no reason to get upset over death. Death is so certain that even the great saints and God Himself leave their body. It is also true that the saints and God decide their own time of departure and the material beings are bound to go at the predetermined time.
Lord Ram stayed on earth for 11,000 years. When it was His time to cease His visible pastimes on the earth, Yamraj personally came to remind Him that His time on Earth has come to an end. He stood in front of Lord Ram with his folded hands and stated humbly, “O Lord! Your self-decided time to go back to your divine abode of Saket Lok has come. I am here to remind you; please do what You wish.”
Our grief at a loss of a loved one is a reflection of our pain due to the loss of the perceived happiness we derive from that person. Our grief at the loss of a spiritual personality is a reflection of our pain at the loss of the spiritual benefits we derive from them. Yet there is a big difference between the two. Attachment to the spiritual person delivers spiritual bliss, while attachment to a material being delivers Sattvik, Rajas or Tamas reward according to the spiritual status of the individual. Feeling of anguish from the death of a relative reduces accordingly as your devotion grows. This is because devotion under the guidance of a God-realized saint [2] increases true knowledge, which naturally decreases attachment towards the world.
Many surrendered devotees are seen suffering due to various kinds of physical diseases and ailments. That happens due to their Prarabdha. Still as their mind is attached only to God, they don’t feel the pain. The real devotee considers these physical ailments as the grace of God. The reason for this is that we naturally remember God more when we are in distress. Kunti asked Lord Krishna for a strange boon. She said:
विपदः सन्तु नः शश्वत्तत्रतत्र जगद्गुरो । भवतो दर्शनं यत्स्यादपुनर्भवदर्शनम्॥
भा १.८.२५
vipadḥ santu nḥ śaśvattatratatra jagadgurō . bhavatō darśanṁ yatsyādapunarbhavadarśanam.
bhā 1.8.25
"I wish that I would undergo those hardships again and again so that I could see You again and again. Beholding Your vision will ensure that I will no longer have to go through the cycle of repeated births and deaths."
Similarly, a saint says –
सुख के माथे सिल परे, नाम हृदय ते जाय ।
बलिहारी वा दुःख की जो पल पल नाम रटाय ॥
sukha kē māthē sila parē, nāma hr̥daya tē jāya .
balihārī vā duḥkha kī jō pala pala nāma raṭāya .
"Throw stones at the happiness that makes one forget God and all glories to that sorrow that makes you remember God every moment".
These saints are imploring for hardships so they can constantly remember God. These devotees understand that remembrance of God imparts true bliss which is unlimited and everlasting.
Some saints are seen to undergo physical suffering even after God realization. For instance, Tulsidas Ji suffered from the stomach disease sangrahani (Irritable bowel syndrome), Swami Ram Krishna Paramhans with cancer and so on. The fact is that upon God-realization, these saints constantly remain absorbed in divine bliss, yet they continue to perform necessary worldly activities with the power of Yogmaya. We cannot fathom their state of mind, which is ever drowned in divine bliss []. As per their destiny they might appear to suffer with some physical problems, but their mind is completely detached from the body, so physical discomfort does not perturb them. Hence as per the law of God, they live comfortably without being affected by physical discomfort.
Some saints descend from God’s abode for the benediction of common people. They can be divided into two categories: Sadhan siddha and Nitya siddha.
Sadhan siddha are those who have realized God in some previous life. They are also oblivious of the physical pain. If due to the nature of a material body, any disease inflicts their body they do not pay any attention. Ram Krishna Paramhans had developed open sores which became infested with maggots. If any of those maggots fell off, he would place them back on the wounded area again. Someone asked him, “we cannot endure even one bite of an ant, why do you keep them back instead of ousting them?” He simply answered, “it is their food, let them enjoy it”. Only a saint, who is totally oblivious to the pain of the body, can do this.
Some saints are Nitya siddha, which means they have never been dominated by Maya. All of the original Jagadgurus, including Jagadguruttam Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu were eternally emancipated saints. They exhibit physical pain and diseases as well. The reason is their own choice. In other words, either they take the problems of their devotees on them or pretend ailments to test their devotees.
Once Guru Nanak Dev pretended to have severe pain in his knee due to a boil. His devotees administered several medicines but none of them worked. Then Nanak Dev advised, “if any devotee can suck the pus of my boil, I will be alright”. Out of thousands of devotees, only one disciple agreed to do so. When he started sucking it, he tasted the mango juice. That was the test of the real devotees.
Once, Shri Maharaj Ji was sitting in front of a brazier (अँगीठी). All of a sudden Banchary Didi and other devotees saw a severe burn appear on the left arm of Shri Maharaj Ji. They asked Shri Maharaj Ji how did it happen? But He ignored and didn’t answer. Next day a devotee from the same city visited Shri Maharaj Ji.
He said, “Maharaj Ji! I don’t know how God saved me yesterday. While working my hand went into the fireplace of the Railway-coal-engine, yet I escaped unscathed. I should have been scalded in the engine.” Then other devotees narrated, what happened to Maharaj Ji yesterday and that it was no-one other than his supremely gracious Guru who had saved him. Shri Maharaj Ji has taken other’s calamity on himself hundreds of times.
It is said, Gopis felt immense pangs of separation from Shri Krishna, which would be unbearable for others. This is a glimpse of their pangs of separation -
शीर्णागोकुलमंडली पशुकुलं शष्पाय न स्पन्दते,
मूका कोकिलसंहतिः शिखिकुलं न व्याकुलं नृत्यति ।
सर्वे त्वद्विरहेण हन्तनितरां गोविन्द दैन्यं गताः,
किन्त्वेका यमुनाकुरङ्गनयना नेत्राम्बुभिवर्द्धते॥
śīrṇāgōkulamaṇḍalī paśukulṁ śaṣpāya na spandatē,
mūkā kōkilasṁhatiḥ śikhikulṁ na vyākulṁ nr̥tyati .
sarvē tvadvirahēṇa hantanitarāṁ gōvinda dainyṁ gatāḥ,
kintvēkā yamunākuraṅganayanā nētrāmbubhivarddhatē.
“The entire Gokul has become feeble, the animals are not eating, peacocks have stopped dancing. The water of river Yamuna is rising constantly due to the unending flow of tears from the eyes of the Gopis.”
Evidently, the state of the Gopis is pitiful, yet they prefer the nectar of separation over the nectar of union. In the words of Lord Chaitanya –
गमविरहविकल्पे वरमिह विरहो न सङ्गमस्तस्मात्।
सङ्गे स इह तथैकस्त्रिभुवनमपि तन्मयं विरहे ॥
चै. महा.
gamavirahavikalpē varamiha virahō na saṅgamastasmāt.
saṅgē sa iha tathaikastribhuvanamapi tanmayṁ virahē .
cai. mahā.
“If I am given a choice of selecting union or separation, I prefer the bliss of separation. Because in union, He is seen at one place only, while in separation He is seen in each and every particle of the universe.”
So, we cannot comprehend the real state of the saints by evaluating them with our mental disposition. These saints leave the world physically after completion of their strategic work. Yet they always take care of their surrendered disciples according to the proportion of their submission. We don’t know much about other saints. But many Shri Maharaj Ji’s devotees have experienced that He constantly takes care of us. Sometimes He is apparently seen by His devotees and sometimes appears in disguise. Problems in the life of His disciples move off so smoothly as if someone has already planned how to remove it.
Hence, all we need to be ever happy and carefree is to increase faith in the words of Guru and earnestly follow them. In the words of Tulsidas Ji,
गुरु के वचन प्रतीति न जेही । सपनेहुँ सुख सिधि सुलभ ने तेही ॥
जे गुरु पग पंकज अनुरागी । सो लोकहुँ वेदहुँ बड़भागी ॥
गुरु बिनु भवनिधि तरै कि कोई । जो विरञ्चि शंकर सम हौई ॥
guru kē vacana pratīti na jēhī . sapanēhum̐ sukha sidhi sulabha nē tēhī .
jē guru paga paṅkaja anurāgī . sō lōkahum̐ vēdahum̐ baṛabhāgī .
guru binu bhavanidhi tarai ki kōī . jō virañci śaṅkara sama hauī .
“One who does not trust the words of his Guru cannot attain bliss even in a dream. One who loves the lotus feet of Guru he is blessed in the world and beyond. Without the assistance from Guru even the likes of Lord Shankar and creator Brahma cannot cross the ocean of Maya”.
In a nutshell experiential evidence, logic, and philosophy - all these have to be used to grow devotion to Guru and God. That is the only way to rise above all pain and suffering.
In the medical field one drug cures a couple of diseases and for curing other diseases one needs to take other medicines. Those medicines might react with each other causing more trouble for the patient. Unlike those medicines, doing what the scriptures and saints have asked us to do, cures all types of pains. Loneliness, sadness, depression, anxiety, loss of wealth, loss of health and any other pain that can be there.
So, engage your mind in devotion to treat all physical and mental diseases caused by ills (panchkosh, panchklesh, tritaap, trikarma, tridosh, trisharir) of present and past. This will cure all the ills in the present and such is the cure that no ills can ever return in the future.
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