When did seeking start?
When did human beings first start seeking? Seeking started in the Ganges civilization. When the seeking started, how did human beings respond, how did human beings react, how did they express when the seeking started expressing in them, and when did the experience of seeking start in them?
The first thing, you need to understand is that we worshipped nature also. We worshipped through the deities and through nature. That is why I am using a new word – NATURAL WORSHIPPERS.
We were naturally worshippers, not just nature worshippers. What is the difference?
Human beings, when they first started seeking, the first thing that they did was look up in the sky. They understood they have a possibility that is beyond their imagination. They understood they have to look up. They understood they need to reach high.
When the looked up, expecting to see the Divine, all they saw was the Sun and they knew the Sun may be symbol, but beyond him is the Truth.
Hindus are natural worshippers, not just nature worshippers. We worshipped nature not with the limited understanding which the other indigenous religions have about nature, the tribal religions have about nature.
That is why I insist, we are not just nature worshippers, we worshipped nature but not just the nature – the force which is veiled by the nature, which is beyond the nature.
Nature worshippers will say, 'Oh Sun, please give me your blessing.' Naturally worshippers will say, 'Oh the energy behind the sun, which is covered by your shining form, which we can all see, please reveal yourself. There is something behind you. We want to see that. Let that be revealed.'
True seeking is starting to look at what is it that is behind this Sun, which is making this Sun radiant. If one starts with the Sun or stops with the Sun, this is nature worshippers. But that is not the truth. Seeing the truth behind nature is seeking and naturally worshippers.
When you see darkness, and try to find out what is beyond darkness it is not that great. You know that it is possible and you will try to look beyond the darkness always, because you don't want to be stuck with it.
But when you see a powerful light and ask, 'Let me see the reality behind this light,' it means that your seeking is so strong, that it cannot be diverted, manipulated, misguided, diluted, even if it is something glaringly radiating, even if it is shining like a golden light.
Look for what is behind the glory. Do not get lost in the very glory itself, the shining, glaring effulgence. Do not get lost in any form, any name, any glory, and any powers, Look deep and go into the source, the origin.
The real danger in your life is when you get cozy with the powers and glories of your life or the life you appreciate. You should explore the energy behind this glory; whether it is in your life or the life you appreciate.
I know when with so much suffering, sadness and everything, when you find some peace, glory and joy, you always wanted to settle down in that very space. But settling down will make your seeking dull. It may take away your seeking.
If you miss me, because of some of your own ideas or defects, you missed me. But there are some people who miss me, seeing my powers and glories. If you are just celebrating only powers and glories, stuck with only powers and glories, you will lose me. Powers and glories are not enough.
See what is it that radiates powers and glories, then you will realize the ultimate truth inside you. You will catch the truth of Shivoham (I am Shiva), Living Advaita is the only result that shows you realized – who is me.
Sometimes even by celebrating my powers and glories, if you divert yourself from the original experience of Shivoham which you need to achieve, again you missed it.
Of course, if there is a feeling connection and devotion, that very devotion will raise you, remind you, and help you to reinvent. But that devotion of celebrating the glory and powers should not make you lose your attention from the true reality, from the truth.
On the path of Truth, even the glaring veils are veils. However, glaring it may be, a veil is a veil is a veil.