SPIRITUAL HUNGER

Dr N K Srinivasan

Physical hunger is one of the most widely studied subject,

especially by economists. For instance ,Amartya Sen at Oxford,

studied famine and hunger in India and elsewhere, and received

Nobel prize for his work. Psychological hunger or needs have

been studied by noted psychologists such as Abraham Maslow and

William James. The role of relationships is a key factor in

satisfying psychological hunger. But what is spiritual hunger?

Have our spiritual leaders and gurus studied this ? If so, what

they have to say about this hunger? What are their suggestions
and methods to satisfy this hunger?

Many would call this "spiritual yearning" or 'spiritual

desire'or 'restlessness of the spirit' , but not the same as

hunger,though these are close in meaning.Spiritual hunger is a

definite gnawing hunger which torments the mind and intellect,

and the "being" of a person. One gets it at certain moments or

with certain life-changing situations. This may happen in

traumatic situations or when one loses a dear person.Spiritual

hunger grows with introspective life.

One constantly asks oneself: What is the meaning of this life?

I am one among 6.5 billion people populating the earth. I can

eat,sleep ,attend to my work,satisfy my carnal desires, live a

little better than an animal, interact with others, do good

work or charities or show compassion. But what is life after

all? I may be taken out of this world in a second. Then it is

all over as far as I am concerned? Is there any "life" after

death?

Many spiritual masters give some answers, often vague or not

so logical. Hindu philosophers, based on their sacred texts

like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita say that there is a

soul or 'atman' which lives for ever. Only your body dies.The
soul or atman takes on another body--reborn in another place.

Such explanations may give some solace and temporary calmness.

The question arises again.[The druids also held similar views

about soul.]
Some religions like Buddhism do not talk about God or accept

the notion of an eternal Soul or atman, but instead speak of a

mind.

Why am I born or created in the first place ? Some would say

that that is due to unfulfilled desires in previous lives. Some

would say that you are neither born nor you die, if you

identify with your soul or atman. What takes birth and what
dies is the physical body. Your mind travels to another realm.

Some would say that you are born only to find the answers to

the specific question you are asking now .That is your prime
goal in this life or "Purushartha"--to find answers for these

eternal questions about your own life and existence.

Some would say that this life and lives of all living things--

humans,insects,animals...all are the sport or "lila" of God.A

very evasive reply.

Some would say that one should undergo his cycle of birth and

death or samsara till the cycle ceases .

In some other religion you would be told that , at the end of

your life, depending on your deeds you end up in Heaven or

hell. If you did heinous crimes,you are condemned into hell for

ever---eternal damnation.If you did good things, the Lord saves

you,recommends you for a seat in heaven! Ypou may sit close to

your Lord in heaven.You would have a heavenly life there. This

appears childish to many people---the concept of heaven and

hell.Of course, you may be saved from eternal damnation if you

repent and are blessed by the Lord--you are redeemed by some

force. While some sects proclaim that there is no escape from

eternal damnation--you are born again and again in bad wombs to

do evil and suffer as such.These explanations go on.

What are the signs of Spiritual hunger?

One becomes introspective, withdrawn and may seek solitude,

silence and peace in the surroundings. He or she cannot be in

the din of market place or involve mundane matters. One visits

temples, undertakes pilgrimage or lonely spots ,say a lonely

beach or quiet cave up the hills and feel the silence.

One begins to 'converse with God', invokes God or Lord through

prayers and rituals , and seek the company of holy ones, hoping

to get some tips or even sudden revelation or illumination. One

may read tons of books and start some practice.Some hop from

one guru to another in the hope that some quick answer or easy

method would be given.

It takes a while to realize that another person cannot give you

the answer or even indicate the method or answer. They may

suggest some steps and put you through paces. They may give
some 'thrilling' experiences and talk of raising your inner

energies or 'kundalini' for ecstatic experiences. All these are

like taking short bites for your hunger.The thrill vanishes.

The methods to satisfy your hunger?

In the first place, stick to one path or method or guru. If you

are a Hindu ,follow some path well defined in that religion.If

you are a Catholic, respect the methods and follow the

discipline.and so on.

Then keep your mind open to influences which may indicate which

way to go. If you believe in a loving, compassionate God, then

that God must show you the way.Surrender to the will of God. In

good time, you would find the answer.

If you are not of devotional type, continue asking what you are

here for? What is my "ROLE" in life? What would you like to do

if you are going to drop dead in a few hours today? Who are you

in the ultimate sense? You cannot be any of the physical organs

;they can be replaced at the surgeon's table in no time!.

Don't worry too much about others' experiences. It is not going

to help much ,except satisfy your curiosity. It may give you

helpful tips, like a fellow traveler or someone who had trodden

the path before you. Ask yourself what you feel are the moments

of peace and harmony? Can you seek that? Cut off all frivolous
and trivial activities. Seek silence and solitude and reflect.

No one can satisfy your spiritual hunger. That is the truth. No

one can answer those questions beyond what had been told in the

earlier paragraphs or told in formal religions. These are

childish replies. If a child askes its mother: what is that

moon over there? ,the mother says that it is your friend, your

uncle who comes and goes. Well such explanations abound in all

religions.

There is no answer as such to any of the questions raised

earlier. Why? because we are part of the answer. Our existence

is part of Existence itself which transcends beyond our mind

and intellect. It is foolish and waste of time and energy to

"find the answer" through our mind and intellect.

You can seek solitude,silence and meditate on the wonderful

drama of cosmic proportions and your life as a small

insignificant speck in that. If that humbles you, it is fine.If

it gives you peace,fine.If that does not satisfy you, the

hunger remains. Keep trying! You have nothing to lose,except

some time,energy and perhaps sleep.![Dont waste time and money

in hopping from one guru to another or from one satsangha to

another in 'Neo-advaita' style.]

Money and Sex drives

These two drives are basic drives in human existence and there
is no easy escape or respite from them. One should regulate

them for one's own good life. In simple mathematical terms,

spiritual hunger is inversely proportional to these two drives.

As these drives increase, the spiritual hunger decreases and

vice versa.

These two drives keep the world--full of violence and crime

--moving. These are the main springs in the clock work

mechanism of the world. A little reflection will show that ,but

for these two drives, the world would come to a grinding halt

and humanity will cease to exist... Afterall the world

population keeps expanding.One day it may reach a steady-state

---perhaps after about 100 years.Who knows![In medieval times

,a typical city had a population of a 0.1 million

people.Today's big ciites have 10 to 40 million persons!]

The money drive produces all the industries, and farm and

commercial activities we see every day. It also leads to greed

and corruption in various forms. The lawyers and the courts
and the police force thrive on this.Money and sex drives lead

to anger and violence and more crime.The vicious cycle spirals

upwards.Wherever there is more of this drive, call it Rajasic

tendencies, we have more police force, more lawyers and more

crime.Only utopian thinkers believe that at one time crime will

be eliminated and all will lead a peaceful,harmonious life.

But we cannot do without these drives. These drives are high in

the age group of 20 to 40 years. After 40 years, these two

drives should slowly taper off. One should consciously work

towards that.Then when one reaches about 55 to 60 years, the

drives are completely reduced to near zero levels.

What we find is that these drives--greed and passion--are kept

burning well into 7th and even 8th decade of one's life under

some pretext.Again those who are rich , indulge in sexual

encounters with wild abandon. Even the so-called 'swamis' and

self-styled gurus and 'paramahansas' are rarely free of these.

Spiritual hunger remains dormant.

In Hindu life, the role of proper company or satsangha is

stressed to regulate both the drives. The third stage of life,

"vanaprastha" ,literally meaning "entering into forest or

woods" for a retired life or retreat would help to regulate the

life.This is a form of withdrawal from mundane life.

The essential element of Inner Life or Journey

I have already stressed the role of silence and solitude. The

life of retreat or ashram life takes one forward in satisfying

spiritual hunger. A strict daily schedule of acivities in

spritual practice improves the situation. Slowly and surely the

worldly concerns and anxieties recede into distant background.

It is under these circumstances, the inner journey begins in

right earnest.The rare faculty of intuition develops fast. This

is not intuition as developed for life work or professional

excellence or business acumen, but intuition to answer the

questions posed earlier from within.

It is difficult to state how this intuition develops or what

are the sparks that ignite this inner flame. It does happen
because the mental chattering reduces and the worldly concerns

become distant or irrelevant issues.This stage is reached by

many sooner or later.You have to maintain normal health, though

physical aches and pains may start to trouble due to wear and

tear and also due to normal aging process.

Beyond Intuition--Message of the Heart

Intuition gives certitude of your inner path or journey. Slowly

and surely you take roots in simple spiritual practices like

Japa or chanting of Lord's name or some mantra and meditation.

yes, meditation is not easy and so many types of meditation are

taught and practised. There comes a time when meditation itself

becomes a simple ,effortless process. May be the net effect of

all previous devotional practices,especially chanting or Japa.

[Many may not agree with this, but I know for sure that Japa
makes meditation pretty easy. But a long practice may be

required.]

Then your heart or "Hridaya" opens up. This is not the physical

pump that is your heart which can be stopped and started by

doctors. This is not just the 'anahata chakra' or heart chakra.

This is much deeper. This is the essence of your Being or

consciousness.

Hindu scriptures and other scriptures repeatedly say that God

or Lord is seated in the heart of all. Many saints have

mentioned the Cave of the heart or Hridya Guha. In fact a Hindu

god ,Karthikeya, is called Guhan, one residing in the cave. I

am referring to this heart or Hridaya.

When Hridaya opens up, then you see the effulgent Lotus or

Hridya Kamala;Saints call this metaphorically as a light or

jyoti or flame; it means Knowledge' ;it means Love; It means

Bliss; it means eternal Existence. This will alone will satisfy

your Spiritual hunger once and for all.

After this , you may live physically and mentally, but not in

the physical or mental plane as before. There is an 'adhara

sruti' or fundamental note that keeps you awake.! You may be

like a walking shadow or living corpse with no real interest to

the world at large ,but responding to certain stimuli from the
external world in an nonchalant manner or live like a robot..

Some call this "jivan Mukthi" from Hindu philosophy.[There are

several definitions for jeevan mukthi state among different

sects.]There may be other names and definitions for this.

Mere reading and attending lectures or discussion groups or

satsanghas will not satisfy your hunger. It may serve to

increase your curiosity and hunger that is all. Many profess by

scriptural knowledge by reading or chanitng scriptures. This

knowledge is only like holding a map in your hand. You have to

plan the trip and undertake the journey---inner journey that

is.

The path is long, narrow and tiring. But the spiritual hunger

drives towards fulfillment before you drop dead. The inner

journey is the main journey you will ever undertake. Prepare

now for that!

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