Why is it that inspite of doing so much of penance, sacrifice, meditation & spiritual endeavor, we are still unable to attain liberation? It is nothing else but our obstinacy that hinders our liberation. A snake cannot enter his hole if he is is all twisted & curled up. He has to become straight to enter his hole. Similarly, even we humans have to become straight & simple to attain liberation. Only after all the obstinacy ends, we can attain the stage of a self realized being. Obstinacy sprouts from ego and ego means seperation from God which makes one wander in this wordly life. Once we attain the knowledge of Self, spiritual awareness arises & we start realizing our obstinacy. If one stays in spiritual awareness & follows the directives of a Gnani Purush, then one can see his/her obstinacy & by seriously repenting for it & asking for forgiveness, one can get rid of it.
