Intellect is defined as a faculty of reasoning and understanding objectively, especially with regard to matters that are beyond our perception. Intellect should actually be enhanced and sharpened, but what does it mean to cleanse it?

To cleanse intellect is to understand the true nature of ourselves and act accordingly. But, how do we understand the true nature of ourselves?

Imagine we stand in front of a mirror to take a look at us and the mirror is not very clean. We don’t get a clear vision and therefore cannot see the right image. So, we clean the mirror. And then, our image appears as is.

Similarly, we clean our intellect to reveal to us what our true nature is. In order to clean our intellect, we approach the people who have cleaned it and who are enjoying the true nature of themselves. We follow them and we observe their life style. Their lifestyle is an indication of the gna:nam/knowledge that they possess.

They are none other than the great devotees of God. They understood that the true nature of a soul is that it belongs to God and it is meant to be with God. The soul has taken a body to clear off some of its past dues. Their lifestyle itself marks a very beautiful, enjoyable path to attain the state of ultimate bliss of belongingness with God. They live in harmony and peace with nature, people and themselves. They group together with others and sing in glory of God. They do not run away from society. They live, but they live to serve God. To serve God doesn’t mean to only be in a temple all the time or only meditate all the time. Every deed they perform – they do it as a service to God. They in fact raise their kids with much more intense love because they know it is for his service they have to bring up their children in the best way possible. They eat, but they eat because they have so much to do in terms of serving him. They work and in that process serve God through that activity. They do it right and they do it with no attachment to them.

Listening to the wise words that these great devotees share with us, and the qualities of God that these people sing have the ability to take off our inabilities. The devotees have a mechanism to win over uncontrollable desires, and be able to feel the presence of God and enjoy the bliss. They have a shield (a chimney) over their knowledge (a deepam/light). So, their knowledge is stable and it is not withered by the desires that the senses seek.

Goda Devi in her Tiruppavai songs tell us how to we identify these great devotees. How do these devotees win over the desires? Is it really possible to satisfy a desire?

A desire can never be satiated. The objects with which we try to satiate a desire will actually increase the strength of the desire. It is like adding petrol to burning fire. It shoots up. Instead of satisfying the desire to your sense, take it one more level deep and offer it to the God – who is the real owner of the sense and the desire itself.

God, nature and the souls exist forever. We fall prey to the pleasures and different attractive colours of nature. God has the ability to stay above these pleasures and so is able to help us. Devotees are constantly attached to that great power and therefore do not go behind the desires of the senses. God is so fond of such devotees. Our intellect cleanses itself just with the company of such great devotees.

The post Is there something called intellectual cleansing? What does it do for us? (From the Thiruppavai discourses of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami: 2016-2017) appeared first on chinnajeeyar.

Source: JIVA Shamshabad News