The art of being in a state of solitude is called prekshadhyana. Those who have learnt to be in solitude can establish friendliness with the present moment. Now the question arises, ‘‘why is friendliness required?’’ the answer is, ‘search within’.
We seek the truth with the help of spirituality and science. Science helps to develop physical and material comforts. but searching for truth through spirituality strengthens friendliness. ‘‘Seek truth within and have friendliness with all’’. This is an important message of prekshadhyana.
That search for truth, which does not culminate in friendliness, is not beneficial. Those who nourish the seed of friendliness in their life prosper; remain ever delighted, calm and healthy. Wherever man lives, germs and viruses co-exist in the atmosphere.
Naturally, there is sickness. Our bodies have germs and viruses that remain passive for as long as our resistance is good and we remain healthy. Those possessing friendly propensities have strength and resistance, so they always remain healthy. As soon as the emotion of hostility rears its ugly head, the morale gets weakened, and this in turn diminishes the body’s resistance. The more vehement the feelings of enmity, the more sickness will afflict man. Medical science has already declared the cause of all the ailments to be germs and viruses. Psychologists add that the cause of ailments is also mental distortion and lack of morale. Those whose morale is weak get easily afflicted and are affected adversely by disease, whereas those with a high morale have a greater capacity to fight the disease and they remain less affected despite having multiple ailments.
The person who has not developed friendliness has an underdeveloped morale. Enmity is so poisonous that it keeps troubling and weakening the morale of whomsoever it infects, creating frustration, hatred and animosity. Hatred, frustration, depression, weakness, jealousy and dejection are ferocious germs that keep eroding one’s health and consequently make one sick. Friendliness brings good health. Medicines are only an aid to overcome sickness; from the spiritual point of view you should take shelter in spirituality. Shelter and assistance are entirely separate entities. Though help can be taken from anyone, shelter has to be consciously chosen in spirituality. The second blessing of friendliness is happiness. Only those who have a burning desire for establishing friendliness can realise happiness. Some people get angry and upset easily, sometimes due to feelings of hatred. Friendliness brings about eternal happiness.
A person who has developed friendliness never becomes sorrowful; he remains ever ecstatic. Where there is non-grooming of friendliness, man is instantly tempted to develop hatred and animosity. A person who has developed friendliness can never be provoked by scornful tendencies. Those who have nursed friendliness in their minds will never feel hate or enmity towards any person, howsoever bad or greedy that person may be. His compassionate feelings will be so strong that he would contemplate on how to get that person dissociated from evil and unethical conducts. When a person named sangam troubled Mahavira, he was overcome by feelings of compassion and instead of feeling any kind of hatred towards sangam, Mahavira said, ‘‘the world is prospering and getting emancipated by following my preaching and your behaviour is going down’’. Friendly emotions help develop a sense of humour. Acharyashree’s life is replete with numerous humorous anecdotes. a person from a camp which propounded a philosophy opposed to that of Acharyashree, called on him one day. His intention was not good. He came after the discourse to Acharyashree and said, ‘‘my son has disappeared’’. Acharyashree sympathised with him and said, ‘‘this is really very bad’’. The visitor asked, ‘‘sire, should I search for him? If I search for him then will it be a sacred act or a sin?’’ Acharyashree said, ‘‘you are very strange. When you had your son, you did not ask me whether it would be a sinful or a sacred act. Now when you are searching for him, you are asking me whether it will breed sin or sacredness. The result of your quest will be the same as for having a son’’. The visitor got the message and went away silently.
There is also the mystery of bioelectricity in our life. Our life is governed by bioelectricity. Hostile feelings reduce the strength of bioelectricity and gradually annihilate it. Those who have a weak bioelectricity of life have neither resistance power, nor happiness and calmness in their life. Actually happiness is nothing but the realisation of this bioelectricity of life. Bioelectricity is developed through friendliness with others.