12. Spiritual Development

Milestones of Spiritual Development Unification with Nature

Link 1 :

It was Sita's regular custom
A sacred act of evening
Her children and Sakhis in hermitage
Sat to discuss and sing ||1||

Topics of chat were varied
All expressed their view
They talked of 'Dharma' and knowledge
Philosophy and Value ||2||

Lav-Kush raised a question
One day in discussions
Tell us what is Spiritual Development
How to know its milestones?

Song 1 :

Milestones of Spiritual Development

Lav and Kush:
Mother, what is 'Spiritual Development',
How can one recognise its milestones?

Sita:
Creation, preservation and destruction.
This is the timeless cycle of nature
Encompassing the entire cosmos.
It continues forever and ever. ||1||

Life-giver of planet earth,
Is our bright star, the Sun.
It shall manifest in this form
For years ten billion. ||2||

The spiritual development of each species
Is part of larger divine plans.
Like a bird which flies unhindered,
Across Continents and Oceans. ||3||

Man is the most evolved of all.
Listen carefully my beloved,
To the milestones I tell,
Of his spiritual development. ||4||

The breast-fed infant
Slowly recognizes its parents.
This is the first milestone
Of his spiritual development ||5||

The child grows in age and intellect
And offers respect to his teacher.
He shall progress rapidly
Through knowledge deep and clear. ||6||

On reaching adulthood,
If he does truthful enterprise,
'Laxmi'1 shall bless him,
As a part of spiritual progress ||7||

If he eventually becomes a householder,
And regards as divine family,
The relation of wife and kin,
He shall indeed progress spiritually ||8||

One who strives for all people,
Believes in the world as a family,
Blossoms the flower of good deeds,
He reaches the next degree ||9||

He then gets divine vision,
Enjoys complete peace of heart,
" I belong to nature and nature is mine"
Is his self realised thought. ||10||

Time is no longer his limiting domain
He seeks and receives guidance
Through a dialogue with great Masters,
And makes further spiritual progress ||11||

He who helps build the "Lord's House"
Humbly unites with will Divine
He shall indeed reach the peak
Of spiritual development supreme. ||12||