The householder and evolution

Most of us eke out a livelihood, raise families, do odd duties and finally leave the world disillusioned. In so doing we hardly realise how we are distancing ourselves from the eternal message hidden in the very web of life. Now the question arises whether household duties can help us evolve.

Our ancients worked out four stages for human life out of which the Grihastha dharma or householders life played the pivotal role. Household duties were spiritually so intertwined that human life could fulfill its divine purpose and society was constantly enriched with inputs from persons of great wisdom.
 

If it is so rewarding, then why do we shun this soul-purifying dharma? Perhaps, a sense of opportunism gradually creeps into our domestic lives to eclipse the glorious past.

Though we belong to similar family units, we have become thoroughly self-centred today because of a blind imitation of western society. The elderly, for instance were taken care of by extended support systems available within the family. Today, however, we are no longer shy of admitting that we need old age homes in our society.
 

A tale from the Mahabharat may be an eye opener.

Once, a mendicant Brahmin was studying the Vedas under a tree. Suddenly,a bird from the top of the tree soiled his head. When the Brahmin looked up at the bird in extreme anger, the bird was instantly burnt to death. This fact instilled a sense of ego in his mind.

Soon thereafter, while he approached a house for alms, the lady of the house kept him waiting. Apologising for the delay, she told him that she was attending to her work-fatigued husband as she considered this her first priority.

This enraged the Brahmin. At this point, the lady reminded him not to be swayed much by the burning of the bird incident. The Brahmin was surprised. How did she know? She answered politely that she acquired this power out of dedicated service to her husband's family and then advised him to meet her Guru, Dharmabyadh.

Dharmabyadh not only welcomed the Brahmin at his meat shop but accompanied him also to his house as he already knew his purpose through his divine power. The meat seller apprised him that he never killed any animal himself and only sold the meat. Pointing to his aged parents, he humbly mentioned that he had high regard for them and took good care of them. He clarified further that he never used unsavoury words, ignored them or hurt them and his only priority in life was to serve his parents without neglecting other duties.

To build a family with a human face, we need to practise sacrifice with humility. This divine quality gradually helps us to invite positivity which changes our selfish attitude altogether and helps us serve the family with greater commitment. As sacrifice begets detachment, Grihastha sanyas is to follow thereafter.

The characters described above did attain enlightenment because of their attitude. They were honest.They elevated family duties to the height of daily worship and then transcended ego to achieve liberation. Thus, every home can be a potential spiritual hub provided we set a Lakshman Rekha for materialism and start practising every duty with utmost honesty.

If we do that, where is the need to go to any designated place of worship? Also, this being a practice-oriented sadhana, it can never go waste;it leads us to the Divine, eventually.