PART 15 – YAKSHA PRASHNAM S ATSANGH
WHAT IS PATIENCE?
PATIENCE IS SUBJUGATING THE SENSES.
(The Lord says in the tenth chapter of Gita, 'the Vibhuti Yoga' that the virtue patience is His Vibhuti. If we have patience, we are happy in life. Patience (Titiksha) is the foremost quality of a Sadhaka. Lord tells to Arjuna in the 2nd chapter of Gita: "Contact of the senses with their objects generates heat and cold; pleasure and pain. They come and go, being impermanent. Bear with them patiently".
To have patience, one needs to understand the nature of things/people/world. By this understanding, one realises the need to control the sense and the mind. When the senses are not under control, there is always agitation, anxiety, depression and all sorts of emotions which are harmful to our body and mind. In all our scriptures it is clearly said that one who is unperturbed in all the pairs of opposites is indeed worthy of immortality. This unperturbed state is attained only by mastering our senses.
Generally speaking, we say we have patience with people. We don't mind getting scolded by our children and are ready to bear anything for our family. But if somebody else scolds us, we instantly react with anger, with harsh words. Here we find that what we think as patience is but an extension of our attachment. Wherever there is attachment, desire, there cannot be patience. When we are attached to the result of the action, there is no patience.
Patience is "not reacting to situations of life". Titiksha is the result of our detachment. Patience is the understanding that 'I cannot change any situation in life'. As long as we swim along the stream there is smoothness in life. If we start swimming against the stream, life becomes very difficult. If we don't have patience, we take all efforts to change people or situation in life. It becomes a painful process.
A wise person is one who has full control over his senses and mind. With the intellect as the stick, he keeps them in their places. All happenings in life, all the people around us, all that is happening to the body are like waves. They have their own beginning and end. The waves are always present in some form or the other. This is a choiceless truth. Patience is the state where these waves do not create any disturbance in a person and he becomes a witness to the situation. Kunti ma had patience all through her difficulties with complete faith and surrender to Krishna. When we understand that there is the Higher power all the time guiding us and protecting us, we will never be impatient in life. It is lack of faith in the Lord which makes us lack patience in life.
The Tamil poet Bharathiyar writes wonderfully:
"poruthaar andro bhoomi aalvaar?
Yaavum neeyaayin anaithaiyum poruthal
sevviya neri. Adil shiva neri peralaam"
He says "One who has patience only can rule over the earth/life. When the Lord is everything, the dharma is to have patience in all circumstances. That is the way to realization (the state of Shivathvam)"
WHAT IS REAL ABLUTION?
A TRUE BATH CONSISTS IN WASHING THE MIND CLEAN OF ALL IMPURITIES.
( In Bhaja Govindam, Shankaracharya says "One may, in pilgrimage, go where the Ganges meets the ocean, called the Gangasaagara or observe vows, or distribute gifts in charity. If he is devoid of knowledge, he gains no release, even in a hundred lives".
The elephant takes bath in the river and again pours mud all over its body. Similarly we go for pilgrimages, perform Pujas and Yajnams but again get into the world of senses. Yudishtira says clearly here that the 'Gangasnaanam' is of no use if we don't cleanse our inner instruments.
What are the impurities of the mind? The expressions of ego, lust, anger, pride, greed, jealousy all are the impurities of the mind. External impurities can be washed by taking bath. Every day we clean the body with the best of soaps. Any day have we thought about how to wash our minds of all its impurities? Why we need to get rid of these impurities? Like the body, the mind is not gross. It is subtle. Hence the real pilgrimage is inward within oneself. The impurities of the mind are
· obstacles to knowledge
· obstacles to our happiness (everlasting)
· Source of sorrow.
Gita stresses in many chapters that 'Purity of mind is attained only through detached work'. A true Karma Yogi only can become a Jnani. A Karma yogi performs actions as dedication to the Lord. The actions are not motivated by desires and he performs actions as Duty. He feels always that he is an instrument in the Lord's hand. So he neither takes the 'doership' nor the 'enjoyership' of actions. The fruit (result) of action is offered at the feet of the Lord/He accepts as the 'Prasadam' of the Lord. He has no complaints about life.
The mind which is devoid of desires is pure.
Ramakrishna says 'Making the heart and the lips the same' reflects the purity of mind. If a man thinks of himself as being the dwelling place of the Lord, he will naturally feel that his body and mind have to be kept clean.
Physical organs are strengthened by proper diet. Similarly in order to strengthen and cleanse the mind there should be proper 'mental diet'. Regular reading of scriptures, life history of saints and sages, being in satsangh (Group of people who are in the path of truth) are surely pure bath which will keep our mind clean.
Where we are and what we are doing should be watched with a keen eye of knowledge. 'CONSTANT ALERTNESS' is the only way to maintain the cleanliness of mind.
SUMMARY:
"What cannot be cured must be endured"- is a statement in English. Ruling the senses with proper understanding is Patience. Patience develops strength to the mind.
If our body is weak, any number of germs can enter and create trouble. If our body is strong, no disease germs can enter into it and multiply there. Similarly, the mind need to be strong (by controlling the senses) to bear with the experiences of life. If the strength is there, one can say "I shall withstand it, I shall overcome it". The patience develops tremendous faith in oneself, 'atma shraddha'.
Internal purity is the most important. Ramana Maharishi has written 'chitha sodakam, mukthi saadhakam' – the clean mind is the tool for realization. Actions do not bind us if we do with the inner purity (without likes and dislikes), which is an expression of the inner divinity. Bathe in the teachings of wise, bathe in the scriptures, bathe in love, bathe in all divine qualities, bathe in detachment and bathe in the faith of the Lord. We will shine in life.
HARI OM!
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