The student who wants to know the truth of existence asks seven questions to the Guru. What does it mean to get bound? How did it happen? How does it stay firm? How to free myself from it? Who am I? What is not me? How to distinguish between the two? Please let me know.
The very question itself makes the teacher shower praises on the student. “You are blessed,” says he.
“You have accomplished what needs to be done to make your life complete. Your questions have purified your whole lineage. How? You seek to free yourself from the bondage of ignorance and realise your oneness with the source—Brahman.”
What is the greatness of effort in this direction? While the sons of a father may save him from debts if he lands up in such situations, none can really save him from the delusion of “I am the body,” and “all these people, objects and situations belong to me.”
If someone is carrying a heavyweight on his head, someone else can relieve him of the weight by carrying it.
However, if someone is feeling hungry, another person cannot eat to relieve him of the hunger.
If a patient is sick, he can recover from the illness only if he himself takes the necessary diet and medicines. His illness will not change if someone else is going to take medicines and diet on his behalf.
In the same way, our mental illusions and the master of all illusions—the thought of, “this body is me,” and all its attendant confusions—will go only when the individual sits down to study the thought and reach clarity on the truth of the self. Neither the master nor a friend nor relative can do this contemplation on his behalf.
Adi Sankaracharya is not content with these three examples. He literally hammers the need for self-effort towards self-realisation with yet another simile.
Just as one can realise the beauty of the moon with one’s own eyes and not through the descriptions given by somebody who has seen it, the nature of truth is known only by the clear eye of perception and not by some officiating priest as it is done for prayers and rituals conducted at home.
Without the effort of one’s own self, who indeed is capable of getting freed from the thick rope knots of ignorance, desire and desire-prompted actions even if it is for a period of 100 kalpas?
A kalpa is the time span of one universe which is 432 million years and 100 times 432 million! In short, it means, it is impossible, unless by one’s own effort.