YAKSHA PRASHNAM – SATSANGH PART 10
Q: WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL FEATURE OF FORGIVENESS?
A: FORGIVENESS CONSISTS IN ENDURING ENIMITY. (
Forgiveness is the greatest quality. Forgiveness is not carrying any hurt the next moment. Forgiving and forgetting is a great austerity. When Arjuna brought Aswathama (who killed the sons of Draupadi over night) to Draupadi, she said 'let our Guru Patni not suffer like me, losing the child'. Great act of forgiveness! Even in great sorrow she could think about the suffering of another and her compassion replaced the anger.
After the Kurukshetra war was over, the king Dhrithrashtra and Queen Gandhari were looked after by the Pandavas as their own father and mother. All past forgotten and that is why they could shower the love on the king and the queen. It is very difficult to love people who have enmity towards us.
By mistake my teeth has bitten my own tongue, will I punish the teeth? Both belong to me and I am convinced that it is mine. Forgiveness comes naturally to a person who sees himself in everyone.
Not forgiving people around us and not forgiving ourselves leads to many diseases like cancer, ulcer according to Reiki. Anger shown is better than the anger bubbling inside all the time. The best example for this is Duryodhana. He was never at peace because of the enmity that was bubbling in him incessantly. That enmity destroyed him completely.
Vidura told Dhrithrashtra, "People take a forgiving person to be weak. But in reality forgiveness is a great power. Forgiveness is a virtue of the weak and an ornament of the strong. Fire falling on a grassless ground is extinguished by itself. An unforgiving individual defiles himself with many enormities. Righteousness is the one highest good; forgiveness is the one supreme peace; knowledge is the supreme contentment; and benevolence, the sole happiness".
The great rishi Kashyapa spoke to Draupadi when she was angry about the Kauravas:
"One should forgive under every injury. It has been said that the continuation of species is due to man being forgiving. He, indeed, is a wise and excellent person who has conquered his wrath and shows forgiveness even when insulted, oppressed and angered by a strong person". The illustrious and forgiving Kashyapa has, in this respect, sung the following verses in honor of men who are forgiving.
"Forgiveness is virtue; forgiveness is sacrifice, forgiveness is the Vedas, forgiveness is the Sruti. He that knows this is capable of forgiving everything. Forgiveness is Brahma; forgiveness is truth; forgiveness is stored ascetic merit; forgiveness protects the ascetic merit of the future; forgiveness is asceticism; forgiveness is holiness; and by forgiveness is it that the universe is held together. Persons that are forgiving attain to the regions obtainable by those that have performed meritorious sacrifices, or those that are well conversant with the Vedas, or those that have high ascetic merit. Those that perform Vedic sacrifices as also those that perform the meritorious rites of religion obtain other regions. Men of forgiveness, however, obtain those much adored regions that are in the world of Brahma. Forgiveness is the might of the mighty; forgiveness is sacrifice; forgiveness is quietness of mind. Can we then abandon forgiveness, which is such, and in which are established Brahma, and truth, and wisdom and the worlds? The man of wisdom should ever forgive, for when he is capable of forgiving everything, he attains to Brahma. The world belongs to those that are forgiving; the other world is also theirs."
"Having listened, O Draupadi, to these verses in respect of forgiveness, content thyself! Give not way to thy wrath!. Forgiveness and gentleness are the qualities of the self-possessed. They represent eternal virtue." Those are the verses sung by Kashyapa in respect of those that are ever forgiving.
Once there was a great king named Vishwamitra. One day he learned that there was a saint in his kingdom whom everybody adored. The name of this saint was Vashishtha, and everyone gladly touched his feet. Now, although Vishwamitra was a very great king, nobody used to come and touch his feet. People were afraid of him, and they would tremble before him. But with Vashishtha it was different. People gladly touched Vashishtha's feet with deepest appreciation and admiration. So Vishwamitra was extremely jealous of Vashishtha. Vashishtha was a very great saint. After praying to God for many, many years, Vashishtha had realised God and could speak to God face to face. Vishwamitra knew that this was the reason why everybody adored Vashishtha and not him. So he too started praying to God. He prayed to God for a couple of years very seriously, often fasting but still he did not realise God. Then he became impatient. He went to Vashishtha and said, "You have realised God, but I have not been able to. I wish you to tell the world that I have also realised God, like you."
Vashista replied, "How can I say that?" "You can say it," the king insisted. "If you tell people, everybody will believe you, because you yourself have realised God. You know who God is and you speak to God. Tell everyone that I have realised God. Otherwise I shall kill your children!" Vashishtha said, "You can kill my children, but I cannot tell a lie." Vishwamitra, being the most powerful king, had the hundred sons of Vashishtha killed. The hundred sons were very well educated, kind and spiritual. They had studied the Vedas, the Upanishads and other religious and sacred books. Nevertheless, the king killed them all. Even after doing this Vishwamitra was not satisfied because Vashishtha still refused to announce that he had realised God. After a few months he thought, "This time he has to tell the world that I have realised God, or I shall kill him as well!" With this idea in his mind he went to Vashishtha's small cottage. Before knocking at the door he stood outside quietly listening to the conversation inside.
Arundhati, one of Vashishtha's wives, was saying to her husband, "My lord, why don't you say that Vishwamitra has realised God? If you had said it I would still have all my children. They were such nice, kind, devoted children. They were all jewels. But just because you wouldn't say that he has realised God, he has killed all my children, and who knows what he will do next!" Vashishtha said, "How can you ask me to do that? I love him. He has not realised God. How can I tell people that he has realised God? I love him and that is why I cannot tell a lie." Even though Vishwamitra had killed the hundred sons of Vashishtha, the father could still say that he loved him!
When Vishwamitra heard what Vashishtha said, he came running in and touched Vashishtha's feet, crying, "Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me, my lord. I never knew that anyone on earth could love a person who had killed all his children." Vashishtha placed his hand on Vishwamitra's head and blessed him. He said, "Today you have realised God, because today you know what love is, what truth is. God is all forgiveness. I am forgiving you because the God in me is forgiving you. Today you have realised God."
We learn that the ideal of forgiveness is the supreme ideal. When we pray to God we see God's qualities: love and forgiveness. When we receive love and forgiveness from God we can behave like God towards other people. Vashishtha's hundred sons were killed, even then he loved Vishwamitra. Then, when Vishwamitra begged for forgiveness, Vashishtha gave it immediately, as well as giving him his inner Light, Joy and Power.
Like Vashishtha, we always have to forgive people when they do wrong things. In this way we give them our Light, our Truth, our Joy. From this story we also learn the importance of associating with holy men. When we are in the company of a spiritual person, even for a second, what transformation takes place in our life! Our life is changed in the twinkling of an eye.
SUMMARY:
Every one of us has a big list of complaints and stories on what happened many years before. We are still living with the dead past unable to forgive us as well as others.
The sieve keeps all unwanted things like stones, dust etc in it and drains the good; the winnowing tool drains all unwanted and retains good alone. It is our choice of life to be either a sieve or a winnowing tool.
Our action is complete when we forgive and forget.
IF WE REALLY WANT TO LOVE, WE MUST LEARN HOW TO FORGIVE.
YAKSHA PRASHNAM – SATSANGH PART 9
Q: WHAT IS TRUE RESTRAINT?
A: THE RESTRAINT OF THE MIND IS TRUE RESTRAINT. (
Restraint means 'keep within sensible limits'. When the water flow crosses the two banks, there is danger of flood which will wash away everything. Similarly the unrestrained mind washes away all the good we have accumulated in no time. There are two kinds of restraint. Restraint in what goes in to the mind and restraint in what goes out of the mind.
The input of the senses is like food for the mind. Buddha says that one has to ask oneself: Are we preparing good food for the mind or junk food or poisonous food? Sometimes we think we are cooking up great meals, but they can make us sick. Cooking good food for the mind is the skill.
If the mind's only nourishment is things outside, then we are going to be in trouble. But when we can step back and say "No, I have got a source of pleasure, a source of happiness inside" – the outside can't touch us. Our ability to find nourishment inside is protection for the mind.
Lord says in Gita, the mind is powerful than the senses, the intellect is powerful than the mind and the Atman is powerful than all these. That Atman inside the form of the body is really a highest level of food for the mind, a highest level of happiness, the best place to be. We can do our duties staying here in this center. The disappointments, joys and sorrows of life never touch the one whose mind is surrendered to the Atman/Lord. Restraint becomes necessary when one understands the unhealthy conditions of unrestrained mind.
The sense organs are five in number. They are associated with five activities – sound, color, smell, taste and touch. These sense organs are controlled by the mind. From time immemorial we, living beings by getting indulged in these five-fold pleasant things, have forgotten our real nature – that we are divine. We have taken the sensuous pleasures as the real happiness. This is the reason for the cycle of birth and death. A sieve can be filled with water, but the thirst for these sense pleasures can never be quenched. When we control the mind which runs behind the senses, the happiness is retained.
A fish being overpowered by the sense of taste is caught in the hook of a fisherman's catching rod. A black bee is imprisoned amidst the lotus petals at sunset on becoming a slave to the sense of smell and loses its life. A fire-worm is drawn to the flame of a burning candle or an electric bulb being a slave to the sense of sight and meets its end. A deer becomes fully charmed by the melody of the flute or rhythm of music inspired by the sense of hearing, and is a victim to the arrow of the hunter.
Think of the man who is provided with all the five senses! All senses are pulling in all directions day and night. The pleasures created by the senses look extremely charming; but the life of the living being that is dependent on these transitory enjoyments is ultimately ruined. Guruji was mentioning in one of the talks that we are cursed by so many distractions like mobile phones, Television, computers, etc. Senses have in plenty to feed on.
Sage Vyasa seeing King Dasharatha playing with his children thought for a moment, "If my children play on me how happy I will be?" He was reborn for that thought as a father of two children. Another great rishi saw two fishes copulating while doing his morning prayer in the river and got into the desire to marry. The unrestrained mind even for a second is dangerous to the tapas.
The path of restraint doesn't provide refreshment for the mind only while we do meditation. This is the practice for 24 hours, 365 days. Restraint is what provides continuity to the practice. If we can do it skillfully, all actions like looking and listening all become part of the practice. The restraint of the mind is the true restraint because they can keep us on the path all day long.
SUMMARY
I read this beautiful prayer in amma's site:
Whenever there is attachment in my mind
And whenever there is the desire to be angry,
I should not do anything nor say anything,
But remain like a piece of wood....
Whenever I am eager for praise
Or have the desire to blame others;
Whenever I have the wish to speak harshly and cause dispute;
At such times I should remain like a piece of wood.
Whenever I desire material gain, honor or fame;
Whenever I seek attendants or a circle of friends,
And when in my mind I wish to be served;
At [all] these times I should remain like a piece of wood.
Whenever I have the wish to decrease or to stop working for others
And the desire to pursue my own welfare alone,
If [motivated by such thoughts] a wish to say something occurs,
At these times I should remain like a piece of wood.
The restrained mind alone can think about the Lord all the time because the mind is free from all kinds of disturbances. The restrained mind only can meditate. That is why Lord asks in Gita 'offer your mind and intellect to Me'. That is the way to realization of our true nature like we see the bottom of the pond clearly when there are no ripples.
HARI OM!
YAKSHA PRASHNAM – SATHSANG PART 8
Q: WHAT IS IT, WHEN RENOUNCED, LEADS TO NO REGRET?
A: WRATH, WHEN RENOUNCED, LEADS TO NO REGRET.
(Wrath (Krodham) is the anger in the higher degree. When anger takes full control of us, we don't know what we speak and what we do. And when we come back to our senses, we feel ashamed of ourselves and regret for what we have done. If we had controlled anger in the first place, there is no room for regret. In the third chapter of Gita Lord Answer to Arjuna's question (what prompts man to commit sin) that anger and lust born of Rajo Guna prompt man to commit sin. The anger sprouts because the 'I' is not given importance. If we increase our patience level and give a thought that 'other person is right', the wrath can be overcome. As said by Yudishtira earlier, the control of mind leads to no regret. Anger is the mind's product. Control of senses and mind is very important to lead a peaceful life and to avoid a life full of regrets.
One day Tagore had asked his driver to come early in the morning at 7AM as he had to go somewhere. Tagore waited for a long time for the driver. He got angry because the driver didn't turn till 9AM. Tagore arranged to go by some other means but his anger against the driver was imbedded in his mind. The next day the driver came in the morning. Tagore burst out and scolded him left and right. The poor driver was hesitating to open his mouth but the master didn't allow him to do so. After some time when Tagore cooled down, the driver said: "Master I lost my young child yesterday and there was no way I could communicate and today I came mainly to inform you why I didn't come yesterday." Tagore was shocked beyond belief. He felt sorry that he lost his temper and immediately hugged the driver repeatedly saying 'sorry'. From that day Tagore told to himself that he will never lose his temper in his life time. We live by our experiences and it is always good not to repeat the mistakes.
Lord says in Bhagavad Gita "krodhaad bhavati sammohah sammohaat smrti-vibhramah
Smriti–bhramsaad buddhi-nasho buddhi naashaat pranashyati"
Krodam leads to mental imbalance; mental imbalance leads to loss of memory; loss of memory leads to a permanent disability called 'MADNESS'. Prahlada told his father Hiranyakashipu that he had conquered three quarters of the world but not his six enemies (kaama, krodha, lobha, mada, maatsarya). One cannot be considered great unless he conquers these enemies.
Q: RENOUNCING WHAT DOES MAKE MAN HAPPY?
A: AVARICE, WHEN RENOUNCED, MAKES MAN HAPPY. (Avarice is the greed, the covetousness. The elephant can get into the eye of the needle but not the man's greed. The conversation between Bhishma Pitamaha and Yudishtira on the topic of 'Dharma of a king' is the source of answer given by Yudishtira here.
Covetousness was the first guest to our hearts. When it came into life, men began to want things which did not belong to them. The next passion to be born was lust. Lust can never exist alone. It has to have a companion and so wrath came into existence.
Covetousness is one root of all sin. It destroys all merit and goodness. From it precedes the river of sin. It is from this single source that many of the sins flow like loss of judgment, deception, pride, arrogance, malice, vindictiveness, and shamelessness, loss of virtue, anxiety and infamy. Life may decay, but this will never wane in its power. Even men of great learning, whose minds are the very treasury of all the scriptures, who have the intelligence to clear all the many doubts of others, are found to be incompetent to manage their own affairs. They are spineless and weak, and it is because they are slaves of this dread disease covetousness.
Ignorance has its origin in this covetousness. As covetousness grows, ignorance grows with it. The root of covetousness is but loss of clear thinking, loss of judgment, and so ignorance is an inseparable companion of covetousness.
How then to renounce this covetousness? Bhishma Pitamaha says it can be renounced through self-restraint. The knowledge that 'you and me are not different; we are the expression of the same divinity' makes us come out of greed. Greed is the feeling of wanting more and more in life. As long as this feeling remains, we can never be happy. If we can develop the attitude to enjoy other people's success as our own, the talent of other person as our own or any good, excellent things we find anywhere as our own and the thought no need to bring home to make us our own, will make us happy and this is the only way to be happy.
Q: WHAT IS 'THE WAY'? BY WHOM IS IT CONSTITUTED?
A: THOSE THAT ARE GOOD CONSTITUTE THE WAY. (Good is the path of 'Shreyas'. Human beings have the choice of following two ways in this world: the first is the path leading to the fulfillment of worldly desires (Preyas) and the other is the path to liberation (Shreyas) from worldly bondage. Those who wish to indulge in sensory cravings choose the path of Preyas and get into the cycles of birth and death by their selfish actions. The man of wisdom opts for the path of Shreyas which leads to the eternal bliss by liberating him from worldly bondage because he knows that the joys of the world are short lived.
Lord Krishna warns us in Gita 'do not come under their (senses) sway' because it drags us to lower levels of life. Desire, anger and greed are the causes of one's spiritual downfall as the mind is completely taken by one or the other. Keeping the consequences of succumbing to desires in mind, a seeker after liberation should remain always vigilant and stay in line to his objective.
Due to primordial ignorance (Avidya/Maya) the individual self (Jiva) is caught in the cycle of birth and death, which is known as bondage. This is akin to the concept of day and night seen in the world according to whether the sun is visible or not but in the sun there is no night or day. So in reality there is no bondage or liberation to the Self and it is because of ignorance (The thought that 'I am the body') that worldly bondage and the sorrows that come out of it. Liberation is the removal of this ignorance by self-knowledge (the experience 'I am').
The sense organs by nature are outward bound and the Self can be realized by withdrawal of the senses from the respective objects. Like Tortoise withdrawing its limbs, the wise man senses the danger in the objects of the world and he withdraws completely from it. By turning the mind inward with the aid of spiritual sadhanas (practices) the mind will attain one pointed concentration and grasp the blissful self within.
The way is the path of good (it takes us near to Lord) and not the path of pleasant (it takes us near to world and far from Lord). The path of Shreyas is constituted by all wise people, Rishis, Our Guru. This is the path prescribed by Lord through scriptures and through many devotees' experiences. Katopanishad explains in great detail about the path of good. Young Nachiketas chose to be in this path, because he wanted to have that which is not destroyed by time.
Q: WHAT IS THE SIGN OF ASCETICISM?
A: STAYING IN ONES OWN RELIGION IS ASCETICISM. (Recently I read an article in a magazine which says "Man sooner or later must realize that he is a thinking being endowed with discriminating faculties. This is the special blessing of God and Nature to man. Therefore, it behoves man to willingly, freely and lovingly practice those disciplines that would make man manifest his Real Nature which is Divine. These exercises are found in all religions.
These disciplines are practical, genuine and well-tested by the votaries of the respective religions. The only criterion is that one would take it seriously and perform those exercises with sincerity, regularity and purity of motive. Be loyal to the ideal. This in turn will yield the highest result."
It is true that every religion is complete by itself. To think one religion is better than another is the sign of ignorance. Where there is ignorance, one cannot be called as an Ascetic. Ascetic is a person who feels contented where he is put by the Lord and does not go in search of anything better in life. If one cannot remain happy in the place where he is, then he cannot be happy anywhere in the world. Muni is a man who has controlled his mind and who has renounced everything including the religion, caste, creed or any mark related to the body/birth. He is contented with the self within and sees everywhere the same self.
"My daily activities are not different
Only I am naturally in harmony with them.
Taking nothing, renouncing nothing,
In every circumstance no hindrance, no conflict…"
This is the true sign ofAscetism whichever religion one follows.
SUMMARY:
v ANGER AND GREED ARE CLEAR SIGNS OF MIND TAKING CONTROL ON THE INDIVIDUAL. WHEN THE HORSES ARE NOT IN CONTROL, AS SAID IN KATOPANISHAD, IT TAKES US IN SLUSHY ROADS OF LIFE AND WE WILL BE SWIMMING IN THE POND OF IGNORANCE ALONE. THESE TWO COMES OUT OF US WHEN LOVE FOR OTHERS IS LACKING IN US.
v THE HUMAN BIRTH IS VERY RARE TO GET. THE WISE IS ONE WHO USES THIS BLESSING TO ATTAIN KNOWLEDGE AND TO DESTROY THE IGNORANCE, WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF ALL SORROWS. THE PATH OF KNOWLEDGE EVEN THOUGH SEEMS TO BE DIFFICULT TO PRACTICE INITIALLY (Like children who are putting their full efforts to get 100 upon 100 giving up all they like – goal fixed); THE RESULT IS THE ULTIMATE HAPPINESS.
v ASCETICISM IS THE SIGN OF NO MIND. ONE CAN BE A MUNI ANYWHERE/ IN ANY RELIGION.
HARI OM!
THE MOST PRAISEWORTHY THING IS SKILL. (Skill means discrimination, judgment, reason. Only human beings are blessed with the sixth sense called the intellect which makes one think and choose. Generally we take skill for talents, special activity which separates one from others. The greatest of all is the discrimination, which Yudishtra mentions here as skill. Katha Upanishad says that the 'Wise one differentiates the path of good from the path of the pleasant'. This skill takes man towards the ultimate Reality.
We all use this discrimination in our day to day life like 'this is black and this is white', 'I like tea but dislike coffee', 'this is mine and that is yours'. It is easy to separate two gross things because they have different characteristics and maintain separate identity even when mixed like rice and wheat. But when it comes to subtler aspects of life like dharma or duty we find it difficult. We are aware of options like good and bad, right and wrong but when the mixture appears as one, we are not even aware of their separate existence. To separate this we need the guidance of a Guru and the constant meditation on the teachings of the Guru/scriptures.
The play of the mind is 'Maya'. As long as we are behind the mind's prompting, we are in sorrow. The ability to discriminate or the skill mentioned here is praiseworthy because very few get it and when got, one gets out of sorrow and has never ending bliss. It needs awareness, single pointed buddhi, faith in the Lord/Guru and steadfastness in practice.
Other skills that are worldly, separates us whereas this skill unites all of us. The result of the skill is 'Love'.
WHAT IS THE HIGHEST DUTY IN THE WORLD?
TO ABSTAIN FROM INJURY IS THE HIGHEST OF ALL DUTIES. (Bheeshmaji says that 'self-restraint' is the highest duty in the world. Just as covetousness leads to all kinds of sins, self-restraint leads a man to highest glory. When we practice self-restraint lots of good qualities come into us. One of these qualities is abstaining from injuring others.
Vidura says that angry words or harshness in speech should be avoided under any circumstance. Lord says in Bhagavad Gita that the austerities through body (non-injury), speech (inoffensive, pleasant, beneficial) and mind (gentleness, moderation in speech, self-control) should be practiced with highest faith in the Lord without expecting any fruit of action.
Non-violence teaches the mastery of spiritual strength over brute strength. True Ahimsa implies gentleness, kindness, hospitality, humanity and love. Ahimsa is perfect selfless love towards everyone and everything. Mahatma Gandhiji says that non-violence is only for those who are brave and strong. It should not be used to cover up cowardice.
If we don't hurt others in any way, that is the greatest of all duties. All actions are Lord's if it is soaked in love.
WHAT IS IT, CONTROLLING WHICH WILL LEAD TO NO REGRET?
THE MIND, IF CONTROLLED, WILL NEVER LEAD TO REGRET. (Regret is the feeling which comes to us after performing a wrong action. When we use harsh words or hurt someone, after sometime we feel 'we should have avoided it'. There are so many regrets stored within us starting from childhood till this date. If we call back such incidents in our life, it clearly shows that the mind was uncontrolled at that instant. If we can control our anger or any negative emotion for a few seconds, we will never regret in our life. One moment of anger may lead one to kill another person and suffer ten years imprisonment along with life-long guilty feeling.
After the Bombay terrorism, one of the terrorists gave a statement that 'I was asked to kill as many people as I can. They said 'Just shoot!' But now I want to live. I don't want to be hanged'. Anybody who does the prohibited actions mentioned in the scriptures lead a life of regret alone as they run behind the mind with lack of discrimination.
We find that our mind does not want to undergo the discipline of discrimination, nor does it have the capacity of consistent logical thinking. It has been allowed its willful ways and indulgence in gross pleasures for many births. We should not yield to the tricks of the mind. We need to think and then act and not the other way. Then regret never comes into picture in our life.
Our Guruji often used to say that the people working in Gulf think that the day the go back to India they will be happy. They pack everything and go to India and within two three months we can see them back in gulf clearly showing their unsteady mind.
Lord tells in Bhagavad Gita that lust, greed and anger are three gates to hell. All the three are momentary expressions of the mind and if done without a thought will lead to the feeling of guilt not only in this life but for many births.
Diti was repeatedly advised by her husband Kashyapa that the evening time is holy time and sensual pleasures should be avoided at that time but she ignored the advice. She did regret but the result is she gave birth to two asuras (Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaaksha). Our parents also teach us not to eat and sleep in the evening times (the meeting period of any two times of the day is considered as auspicious. 4.30 in the morning, 6 in the evening are important time for our prayers).
Avoiding sinful actions, one avoids regret. Control over the mind gives us peace in life. If we are controlled by mind, regret alone remains as the result of our actions.
WHAT IS THAT, WHICH, WHEN RENOUNCED, MAKES ONE AGREEABLE?
PRIDE, WHEN RENOUNCED, MAKES ONE AGREEABLE. (Pride is the feeling of self-respect and personal worth. We have pride about our birth, body, talents, education and many things in life. The person with pride thinks that he is the centre of the world and everything revolves around him. They think that everything in their life is under their control. They have a feeling that they don't need anyone's help. They are all knowing, faultless, immortal with lot of things hidden behind. They feel they have nothing to learn in their life; they have already reached their goal in life and they are ever going to remain at that level. Pride is the state of fully bloated ego.
They have no tolerance or patience for others feelings, ideas or problems. They don't want to listen to others or even to Lord's messages. The pride of the asuras led to their destruction. The pride of the Yadavas marked their end. Duryodhana's pride led to the destruction of kauravas. Ravana was killed because of his pride. Daksha Prajapathi was destroyed because he expected Lord Shiva to stand up and pay him respect. There are many examples in our scriptures and in our day to day life how the pride keeps us away from others.
Wherever there is sign of ego we stand separate. We expect a special treatment from people around us. Nobody wants to talk to that person with pride, because none feels him a part of them. We can be good listeners if we leave the feeling that 'I know'. Thiruvalluvar says that what we know is just handful. There is so much to learn in life. And this world is surviving because of mutual help. It is ignorant to think that 'I can be without anyone's help'.
If this pride is renounced, the person will be accepted by people around him. He will have more friends. The Lord says in Gita 'aham atma Gudakesha' – I am the atma of everyone in this world. Understanding the Lord is the support of everything, one needs to develop humility and modesty about their abilities, talents and strengths. The great bhaktas, the Jnanis who have achieved the ultimate of life are loved by everyone, approachable to everyone only because they have renounced their ego. They have renounced the pride and all sprouts of the 'I'.
RENOUNCING WHAT DOES ONE BECOME WEALTHY?
DESIRE, WHEN RENOUNCED, MAKES ONE WEALTHY. (Desire makes one ever begging for something or the other in life. A beggar went to a person asking for some help. The person directed him to the king who was very generous. When the beggar went to the palace, the king was doing his prayers. When he came out of his prayers, he saw the beggar going away. He asked him what was the reason he came and why is he going now. The beggar told 'I came to ask you for some help. But after coming I knew that you yourself is poor begging to the Lord. So I am leaving'.
As long as one has desires, they never feel contented. Now they have a black-berry but eyes on the next latest model. So the feeling of completeness (wealthy) is not felt. Lord says in Bhagavad Gita that fulfilling desire is like pouring ghee to the fire. By fulfilling it will glow more. The only way to put off the fire of desire is to stop pouring the oil.
All of us have the Lord inside us. The man who realizes this truth, leaves all desires and understands he is wealthy.
CONCLUSION
The 'I' is the biggest problem of life. The feeling of 'I' dominates a person who is fully convinced that he is the body. The pride, desire, jealousy, anger all are the clear signs of our attachment to the body. Guruji was mentioning in one of the talks that human beings need the recognition from other people for all their actions. It is clear sign of ego growing inside us. He also added that we surely need relationships in life. Using the discrimination choose to be in satsangh which will elevate us in life and take us towards the Self/the Lord. When Nachiketas was offered all wealth, he asked for knowledge with the conviction that it will lead him to the highest good. That knowledge alone will make us happy, healthy, wealthy and an embodiment of love.
We need balanced mind in life. When we pour tea in a cup, we stop pouring before it overflows. Similarly in our life one should have the knowledge, self-control when our actions need to be given up be it speech, food, watering the plant or a war. The self-control is very essential practice in life because this universe is working in harmony with its limits and in an order with minutest truths hidden within. Anything we do in excess affects our happiness and also others.
HARI OM!
