Here we are, fighting like crabs to be considered above the next guy - whether by climbing up or by pulling the other guy down (easier to do the latter, no?) - and here is this chap who talks in terms of aiming to be above the gods. (Yeah, yeah, the demi-gods of Hinduism, not Yahweh or such). Talk about overweening ambition!
Yes, it is our man Tiru and here is what he has to say
Yaan Yenadhu ennum serukku aruppaan vaanorkku uyarndha ulagam pugum - Tirukkural
He who rids himself of the pride of 'I' and 'Mine' shall achieve realms higher than the gods - Loose Translation.
And so...there you have the solution. If you want to be superior even to the gods, all you have to do is rid yourself of your pride.
But, wait! Exactly what do you achieve in the process? I mean, here you are, all agog to want to be seen as superior to the chaps around you. So what IS the point of ridding yourself of your ego? I mean, if I rid myself of the pride of my self and my possessions and I get to belong to this superior place, what would be the freaking point? I cannot feel proud of it and preen about it now, can I, considering that I get to that place ONLY because I have got rid of all these inclinations to look down the nose at other people?
It is like getting a membership into an exclusive club once you have lost all interest in being seen as exclusive! Sort of like being crowned King after you join the Communist party, you know.
I suppose Tiru is stuck in trying to explain joys that human beings have never experienced in the metaphors that they can understand. Sort of like trying to explain the beauty of the sights that can be seen only if you can see microwave radiation. Which, by the way, IS the problem with anyone trying to explain spiritual joys...always assuming that such exist and the person explaining HAS experienced it.
So, anyway, from what I understand, Tiru says that once you get rid of the idea of seeing the world purely in terms of your place in it; and rid yourself of the pride of what you possess of the things of the world and what you intend to possess...IF you can rid yourself of all that, then you'll lead a life that will transport you into realms beyond the gods.
I do not know if that is really gonna happen. What I do know is that stopping to measure myself and my possessions against the rest of the world has sufficed to keep me happy enough not to bother about the realms that other people may or may not occupy!
If THAT is what Tiru meant, I'm in agreement with it. If not, you guys can figure it out. Me, I'm content.
