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A survey conducted by Sunday Times of India (March 6, 2011) threw up a surprise.  Contrary to the perception that young people in India are becoming disinclined towards spirituality the survey shows that younger people are more & more becoming interested in spirituality.

A person may be a billionaire, own palatial bungalows & fleet of cars, and may have all the comforts of this world but still he may feel hollow from within.

Suppose that we take a fish out of water & place it in a beautiful golden aquarium which has no water then will it make the fish happy?  Will the fish be satisfied & satiated just by being in a gold plated aquarium?  The answer is ‘NO’.  A fish can be happy only in water. 

Similarly irrespective of our material positions and possessions, we will feel deprived of inner fulfillment unless and until we re-connect ourselves to our true spiritual identity. We need to understand that we are not this body but we are souls presently in a human body. As a soul we are sac-cid-ananda i.e. eternal, blissful & full of knowledge. The nature of the soul is to be in constant association of the Lord.  So, when we endeavor to connect to the Lord we feel a sense of inner satisfaction & bliss from within. 

In an article published in the Reader’s Digest (‘Searching for the Divine’, Jan 2002) Prof Andrew a neurologist explains that at peak moments of prayer & meditation a person goes to a state of complete relaxation and deep satisfaction and experiences a higher reality.

The following story of a Polish girl illustrates how spirituality can help a person to tolerate a great pain.

The girl was 16 when she discovered that she has cancer & the cancer had already spread all over her body.  The girl was undergoing through tremendous physical pain but fortunately she had discovered a medicine which would help her to bear the unbearable pain.  She would find solace & comfort in singing the Hare Krishna kirtan (song).   Slowly her condition deteriorated further & it became impossible for her to even speak.  Then she requested her brother to sing the kirtan for her.  Her brother who was studying in a college used to phone her and sing the kirtan for her everyday from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. It continued for 2 months.  And one fateful night the girl left this world while her brother was singing the kirtan for her.  Her brother was not aware of this fact.  He came to know about her sister’s death only when his mother picked up the phone and informed him that his sister is no more.   Her death was peaceful. (Reference: travelingmonk.com, I-never-Cry, Volume 11, Chapter 10, Oct 11, 2010). 

The girl was able to withstand the tremendous physical pain because she was able to connect herself with the Supreme Lord which enabled her to experience a higher taste and a higher level of satisfaction which was beyond the body, mind & senses

Spirituality not only purifies our consciousness but also helps us to understand our real self.  So, we should re-spiritualize our lives & develop a harmonious relationship with the Lord then Krishna’s holy names become the soothing balm and His words of wisdom helps us to transcend any pain.