PART 17 - YAKSHA PRASHNAM SATSANGH

PART 17 – YAKSHA PRASHNAM SATSANGH

Namaskar Mahatmas!

We shall cover these questions of Yaksha this week.

1.    What does one become Brahmin? Is it behavior? Or birth? Or study? Or learning? – It is behavior that makes a Brahmin.

2.  What is the reward for the one who always speaks agreeable words? – He becomes agreeable to all.

 

BY WHAT DOES ONE BECOME BRAHMIN? IS IT BEHAVIOUR? OR BIRTH? OR STUDY? OR LEARNING?

IT IS BEHAVIOUR THAT MAKES A BRAHMIN. IF HIS BEHAVIOUR IS FAULTLESS, THE MAN IS FAULTLESS TOO.

(As explained in Bhagavad Gita, the four varnas (Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudhra) are based on guna and karma and not by birth. One receives the caste through the fruit of his actions.

THE IDEAL QUALITIES OF A BRAHMIN:

A Brahmin's preponderating quality is Sattva. Those within whom this quality predominates, proceed towards knowledge and enlightenment. A Brahmin is one who is absolutely moral, self-restrained, and full of compassion, selfless, who feels oneness with all. He is full of devotion towards the Supreme Lord.

BEHAVIOUR:

The proof of one's greatness lies in the performance of great deeds, not in being born as the son of an illustrious father.

Whatever we are internally and the manner in which we conduct our life, dictates our caste.

If the behavior of a man reflects on the qualities of Sattva, he becomes a Brahmin.

NEITHER BY BIRTH NOR BY STUDY NOR EVEN LEARNING MAKES A MAN BRAHMIN:

A person may be born in a family of Brahmin. But if he doesn't carry with him internally the purity or the quality of Sattva, the birth has no value. Just by wearing uniform and sitting in the class, one cannot become a student. He needs to fulfill the purpose of his external signs to the internal attitude. Just by the external signs of 'janivaaram or yajnopaveetham/insignia on the forehead', one does not qualify to be a Brahmin.

A person would have studied scriptures; can chant Vedas faultlessly; Knows Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads by heart. But if he doesn't put into practice what he has learnt and studied in his life, it is of no use. It only becomes a pride that 'I know to chant'. They may be the best of the 'pravaachakas' but inclination on the name and fame and eyes on the money people give as dakshina. The quality of Rajas dominates such persons (Full of activity and in all activity an underlined 'I'). Naradaji calls such persons as 'Donkeys loaded with books'. So just by studying and learning Vedas or scriptures one cannot be a Brahmin.

We have seen back in India (south), the Panditjis come with their mobile phones and in between the puja, attend the phone calls. If it is cricket season, they demand the host to switch on the TV and keep it in mute. The lips chant the mantra, but the eyes and mind are on the score. Whenever they find free time we can see them play gambling.

The message of divinity needs to spread through the Brahmins. If they fail the very purpose of it, their external costumes are only for show. 

A person may be in satsangh for more number of years listening to the stories of the Lord. But if there is no change in their attitude towards life, if they cannot give up their ego, if they cannot part with their money or things, their sadhana of attending satsangh becomes only a ritual.

We have seen personally how Brahmins (identifying with their birth) look at others as low (saying 'madi madi'). They do elaborate pujas and act exactly opposite to the meaning of the mantras they have chanted. Where there is arrogance, where there is pride, the Lord cannot be there.

BEHAVIOR ALONE DECIDES WHETHER ONE IS A BRAHMIN OR NOT:

Yudishtira says here that one should be a 'Brahmin' in behavior. Bharathiar, a tamil poet was sent out of the villagers (Brahmins by birth) just because he was Brahmin in his attitude and behavior. People who are in so called orthodoxy and rituals cannot understand what real knowledge is.

The qualities of Brahmin should be reflected in the actions. Being in satsangh for so many years should be reflected in our way of life and in our love to people around us and the best is to show love to people who have hatred towards us/who have insulted us. The Brahmana's action should be devoid of ego. He alone is a Brahmin who is qualified to have knowledge of Brahman.

 

WHAT IS THE REWARD FOR ONE WHO ALWAYS SPEAKS AGREEABLE WORDS?

HE BECOMES AGREEABLE TO ALL.

(Vidura Neethi says "Untying all the knots of the heat by the aid of tranquility, mastering all the passions, observing true religion, one should learn to regard both agreeable and the disagreeable like his own self. A wise and virtuous man avoids harsh and angry words and he always speaks truth which is agreeable".

One who is devoid of ego alone can always speak agreeable words (in line with the morality). When he speaks words that are so delightful to others, they love him and they agree to whatever he says. The compassion in the heart makes the wise man speak the agreeable words to others.

Guruji in his Personality Development Workshop has told with conviction to say 'YES' not only verbally but with the head in the movement of agreement. By saying 'yes', we win people's love. We argue many times with our spouse, with the co-workers and at many places because of our failure to put down the thought 'I am always right'.

In the book 'How to win friends and influence people' – by Dale Carnegie, the author suggests that

1.    We should begin our conversation in a friendly way.

2.  Get the other person saying "yes, yes" immediately.

3.  Let the other person feel the idea is his or hers.

4.  Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of                   view.

If we see ourselves in the other person, then we will be always speaking agreeable words of love. The result is we will be winning the love of all people around us. By arguing we are losing the love but by agreeing (in line with the morality) we win people around us.

Let us change our intention to find the grain of truth in others positions. When we practice this, we will begin to understand those we interact with, others will be drawn to our accepting and loving energy, our learning curve will be enhanced.

In the last week Yudishtira answered to Yaksha's question that 'Wickedness is talking ill of others'. A person who is not wicked can speak agreeable words. Yudishtira puts the advise of Bheeshma here as the answer - "Even if you want to speak the truth, speak that truth which is agreeable to all". A Brahmin is agreeable to all because of his mental purity and divinity (love and compassion personified).

SUMMARY:

Bharathiyar, the Tamil Poet writes in his poetry:

"Even if man doesn't plough, doesn't sow seed, doesn't build a kerb and doesn't pour water, the clouds will shower its rain on the soil, trees, grains and grass. I don't fear for anything. You need not struggle. Hold on to my religion. Don't strain your body – food will be provided by the nature. The only duty for us here is to give love (Oonudalai varuthaadeer uNaviyarkai kodukkum. Ungalukku thozhilinge anbu seidal kandeer!!!)"

Let us practice non-harming, not harming one self and others by thought, word or deed, even in our dreams.

Let us live a kindly life, revering all beings as expressions of the One Divine energy.

Let us let go of fear and insecurity, the sources of abuse.

Knowing that harm caused to others unfailingly returns to oneself, let us live peacefully with God's creation.

Let us never be a source of dread, pain or injury. Not harming the environment. Not speaking that which, even though truthful, would injure others.

Let us live with the qualities of the Brahmana (Sattva), which will take us near to the Lord.

HARI OM!