Beyond Rituals

                     It is obvious that purity of mind is the fundamental factor in the matter of spiritual pursuit. The mind of every human will have at least a small extent of impurity. It is congenial and, as such, is inevitable. Only when that is removed first and the mind made pure, strong and saatvik, any real spiritual progress can be attained. The need and scope of discipline in the matter of achieving any specific end is too well-known and recognised. For achieving mental purity also, it is discipline that primarily counts.
                Rituals, accepted as a prominent form of religions discipline, when rightly performed, will help the performer to modulate and purify his mind in the same way as do physical exercises our body. The efficacy of rituals in this regard is beyond question. But as every other discipline, rituals too have their own limitations. Apart from bringing purity to mind, they cannot be of any other use - they cannot help in achieving spiritual fulfilment.

                            The goal, which all religions set before themselves, is the discovery of God, which is of course conceived of in different ways. The attainment of the knowledge of Truth, or say, the direct perception of Reality, is likewise the ultimate aim of all kinds of spiritual pursuits. Neither of these, can one hope to gain by rituals. Knowledge is an acquisition that results from the work of the intellect. Perception of Truth or the Reality is a development that the consciousness in us gives rise to in a spiritual background. The prerequisite for gaining both of them is the fineness or sharpness of the intellect, whereby it acquires the power to glimpse even the most subtle phenomena.

                      The Self is the innermost entity in us. Being so, It is extremely subtle in nature. It is its extreme subtlety that stands in the way of our comprehending it. God too is likewise absolute and all-pervasive. As God abides in and through every object and phenomena in the universe, it is not right to consider Him as of this nature or that. He has neither any colour nor smell, nor taste, nor again any name or form.     
                      Devoid of all distinguishing marks, He becomes hard to find. Hence the discovery of God remains a riddle. The riddle can be solved only when our intellect becomes sharp, sharper and finally the sharpest, thereby imbibing the power to glimpse the indistinct universal presence. Once this truth about the discovery of God is understood, the entire secret of the quest of religion will become clear.

Harih Om Tat Sat. Jai Guru.