STRENGTH

The single word---"Strength" was the core and the kernel of Swamiji's exhilarating philosophy of life" [1].

By strength, we usually mean physical strength. But in the Vedantic context, it means not only the physical strength, but also mental and spiritual strength which can only be acquired by disciplining the body-mind complex during the first stage of human life called Brahmacharya. It is the first of the four stages of human life (the student life) prescribed by the Vedic scriptures.

Developing strength should not be limited to the Brahmacharya stage alone---it's a life-long process: "The way to develop physical and mental strength is ceaseless effort, constant tapasya. At every stage we must fight against nature. Constant vigilance is the price of strength. "Yield not to weakness"---this is the essence of the Gita according to Swami Vivekananda. [2]

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SERVICE

The second stage is the Garhasthya, the householder or the married life that primarily stresses on selfless and unattached service while allowing everyone to enjoy legitimate worldly pleasures.

Extending help to fellow beings, service to the community and the society, and also striving for God-realization at the same time, are the duties recommended by the Vedic scriptures for this stage of life. By Divine Grace, only a very few can truly perform all such duties, while the majority pursue the worldly pleasure and money making as the prime objective of their lives during this stage.

Sri Krishna said: "Do your obligatory duty always; but without attachment." [3].

And Sri Ramakrishna's taught: "Do your duty with one hand and with the other hold to God." [4]

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SOLITUDE

Solitude characterizes the third stage of life--- Banaprastha. This is the stage of retirement. During this stage, one is required to renounce the householder (the married life) and all its activities and duties and enter the life of contemplation and meditation.

It's very important to note that occasionally spending some time in solitude for contemplation and meditation is helpful during the householder or the married life as well. Sri Ramakrishna repeatedly instructed his householder devotees: ". . . one must go into solitude now and then. It will be of great help to a man if he goes away from his family, lives alone, and weeps for God even for three days. Even if he thinks of God for one day in solitude, when he has leisure, that too will do him good . . . Now and then one must go into solitude and practise spiritual discipline to realize God." [5]

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SURRENDER

Sannyas is the fourth and the final stage of life---this is the stage of surrendering and realizing. ". . . this is the last word of religion: Complete surrender, when the devotee fully experiences being bathed in Divine Grace, and looking back at one's past life, the devotee finds that the very Grace that was operating all the time at the earlier stages of purusakara as well." [6].

This is the stage, when only by Divine Grace---not because of the physical, mental, and spiritual strength acquired, not because of all the good deeds performed, and not because of long hours of contemplation, meditation, or repeating Lord's name (Japa) during the whole life, but only by Divine Grace one exuberantly declares:

"I have realized this Great Being who shines effulgent like the Sun beyond all darkness. One passes beyond death only on realizing Him. There is no other way of escape from the circles of birth and death." [7]