Are We Born Into Abhava or the Pursuit of Poornata?

 Are We Born Into Abhava or the Pursuit of Poornata?

By Raamrasa

At birth, we step into a world laden with abhava (lack), an intrinsic condition that defines our human journey. These lackings create lakshya (goals), setting the stage for virodha (conflict). Yet, the abhava of material desires cannot be fulfilled in the fleeting world of samsara. Instead, the call is to turn inward, toward poornata (completeness). As the Bhagavad Gita (2.55) teaches: “When one gives up all desires born of the mind, and finds satisfaction in the Self, then that person is called sthita-prajna (steadfast in wisdom).”

This inward quest reveals that true santosha (contentment) is not achieved by satisfying external ichha (desires) but by aligning with the infinite brahman. The Mahabharata emphasizes this through Bhishma’s wisdom: "The one who sees atma in all beings and all beings in atma transcends all dualities." Here lies the essence of poornata—to see beyond the loka (world) of scarcity and embrace the boundless ananda (bliss) within.

To achieve this state, one must replace the pursuit of transient sukha (pleasures) with the eternal rasah (relish) of divine unity. In the words of Keats, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever," but in Vedic thought, that eternal beauty resides in the brahma-bhuta prasannatmanah (the blissful state of self-realization). Discover the relish of brahman, and that is enough.

Raamrasa