Thought process on expected benefits and the likely harm of opting for higher education in the US and the benefits experienced after performing spiritual practice under the guidance of Sanatan Sanstha !

After completing Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech.) from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur in 1975, I was determined to opt for Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Topmost University in the world). Following are the expected benefits and harm if that would have happened and benefits of practising spirituality under the guidance of Sanatan Sanstha.

1. If I had gone to the US for higher education, I would have benefited in the following ways

A. I would have experienced intellectual satisfaction through higher education.

B. I would have received US citizenship and might have settled in the US.

C. I would have obtained thorough knowledge of my subject (Material Science and Engineering).

D. Many Nobel Prize winners are in the MIT faculty, and they conduct their research there. I would have got an opportunity to get acquainted with them personally and I could have contributed to metallurgy to a large extent.

E. I might have received various international awards

F. I might have experienced upper-class lifestyle by working in a large steel company in the US.

G. Even if I would have returned to India after higher education, I would have been absorbed in a high position in the Tata Steel Group. Both Russi Mody and JJ Irani (The topmost managers in Tata Steel) had already promised me a position.

H. My confidence about success in worldly matters might have increased.

I. I might have gained mental stability through a series of successes.

2. I might have faced harm if I would have gone to the US for higher education

A. If I would have settled in the US, I would have been away from the Sattva predominant India.

B. I would have had contacts only with people from the upper-class of society. Having no contact with the common man would not have given me access to understand the problems of common people. This would have resulted in increasing my ego.

C. I used to ridicule even the Diploma holders or BE degree holders. So I would have trivialized the present education system.

D. Frequent success in materialistic life might have kept me away from practising Spirituality.

E. I would have felt that the materialistic world is the only truth.

F. I might have felt that various perspectives of spiritual practice are superstition.

G. I would not have realised that real Bliss is spiritual in nature.

3. Due to some personal problems, I could not go to the US for higher education. Later, I worked in India and also did business.

4. Benefits of starting spiritual practice under the guidance of Sanatan Sanstha in 1998

A. I tried to obtain success in jobs and business through various ways; however, I could not reach the expected milestone. I then realised that it is something beyond the intellect. Thus, after coming in contact with Sanatan Sanstha, I could immediately start chanting, attend satsangs (Spiritual meetings) and spiritual workshops, and performing the seva of propagating Spirituality.

B. I lost attraction to materialistic life and so could dedicate my time for performing spiritual practice.

C. I developed a strong belief that what God wants us do, He makes us do (or He has made me do) and so will it be even in future. This has reduced 90% of my worries for the future and I have learnt to live in the present.

D. I wondered – Why to do with more money than is needed, and my attachment to money reduced.

E. Though very strong, whatever were the happy and tragic moments I experienced in life, I developed gratitude towards them since they helped me turn towards Spirituality. (I still have a thought at the back of my mind that I started on spiritual practice because of failure in the materialistic and commercial world.)

F. Earlier I used to get angry due to mental distress caused by others. Now, I have strongly developed the thought that it is God who makes us (as well as others) perform deeds. This has resulted in reducing my anger and reactions about others.

G. I could now use social media like E-mail, Twitter and Facebook to propagate Spirituality deeply.

H. I could write a dissertation in my field (Foundry Technology) after I started spiritual practice.

J. Earlier, I had a kind of negativity because of my failure in the materialistic world. This is gradually being removed.

K. I started working with the firm faith that I can progress spiritually after practising Spirituality under the guidance of Sanatan Sanstha and this would take me towards God-realisation.

I express my gratitude unto the Holy feet of Shrikrushna and Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale for my abovementioned thought process.

– Mr. Arun Dongrey, Sanatan Ashram, Devad, Panvel, Maharashtra.