Religion is indeed a huge support in one’s difficult times. However, in today’s era, different religions and sects have limited themselves to a set of beliefs and practices that they think are right and necessary for one to follow. Here, the emphasis of most religious leaders has always been on the ‘doing’ aspect of certain acts or kriyas. They closely associate the significance of these ‘kriyas’ with a list of rewards that one shall stand to gain when done as prescribed, and on the other hand, severe punishments if one fails to accomplish them as said.

The followers get so engrossed in ‘doing’ that they not only forget the huge goal for which the said kriya was suggested, but also least realize what good could these kriyas do when done with greed and fear, and not wisdom. For this, religion is not able to give the advantage it should!

Owing to this lack of understanding of religious practices in the right perspective and spirit, coupled with one’s Self-ignorance, inspite of being a religious person throughout their life, one is not able to fathom the depth of the religious preachings made by Lord, which are founded on the principles of thrashing out our enemies of anger-pride-deceit-greed that have made their forts within.

As a result, the fights over the geographical as well as religious territories never cease.

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, the Enlightened being, explains,
“What is religion? That which brings forth ‘results’ is called religion. When anger, pride, deceit and greed progressively decrease and are eventually annihilated, that is religion.”

There are two types of religions:
A relative religion and
A real religion.

Relative religion is the religion of the mind, religion of speech, and the religion of the body. The other religion - the real religion, is the religion of the Self i.e. the religion of the Soul. Jain religion, Vaishnav, Muslim, Christianity, etc. are all relative religions and the real religion is the religion of the Soul. And the religion of the Soul (the Self) can be attained only from the Enlightened One.

The general understanding that prevails about religion is not the exact religion.
Real religion is scientific in nature; it is not just idle talk. This is a science.

“Dharma i.e. religion is when an element or anything reverts to its original nature-state”, says Param Pujya Dadashri.

When the Soul remains in its own properties (its original nature state) and becomes stable in its own Self, it can be said that the Soul is in its own religion. This verily is what the Omniscient Lord has called religion of the Self, the real religion.

The religion of the Self lowers one’s intoxicated ego whereas the relative religions could generally increase it. It is due to this very intoxicated ego that one ends up making territories and religion, and then fighting over whose is better. Only when one becomes completely impartial towards one’s own self; when he ‘sees’ his every fault, even the faults at the subtlest level, he is considered to be in real religion.

To realize the Self is the real purpose of our life
The huge goal of ours is to rise beyond the relative religions of this world and do away with our Self-ignorance, which is at the core of all the conflicts. This goal is attained when the darkness of ignorance is broken and the divine light of the Self (the Soul) is awakened through Self-Realization!

We are born as humans so that we can achieve the highest goal, that of meeting the Enlightened One who can enlighten us, and with his grace attain Self-Realization!!! Thereafter, the world may make separate territories; however we shall experience oneness with every living being in this world because the Soul that resides within each one of us is the same and uniform in terms of the properties it holds.

To know more: https://www.dadabhagwan.org/self-realization/

Author's Bio: 

Ambalal M. Patel was a civil contractor by profession. In June 1958, spontaneous Self-Realization occurred within Ambalal M. Patel. From this point on, Ambalal became a Gnani Purush, and the Lord that manifest within him became known as Dada Bhagwan. A Gnani Purush is One who has realized the Self and is able help others do the same. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan used to go from town to town and country-to-country to give satsang (spiritual discourse) and impart the knowledge of the Self, as well as knowledge of harmonious worldly interactions to everyone who came to meet him. This spiritual science, known as Akram Vignan, is the step-less path to Self-realization.