PART 19 – YAKSHA PRASHNAM SATSANGH
My humble pranams to all the Mahatmas!
This week we are dealing with these questions of Yaksha.
1) What is the reward for one who is devoted to virtue? – He obtains a happy state in the next world.
2) What is the most wonderful thing in this world? – Day after day there enter into the temple of death, innumerable lives. Still we think we are permanent. That is the wonder of the wonders in this world.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------YAKSHA: WHAT IS THE REWARD FOR ONE WHO IS DEVOTED TO VIRTUE?
YUDISHTIRA: HE OBTAINS A HAPPY STATE IN THE NEXT WORLD.
(For one who is devoted to virtue obtains happy state in the next world. In the next world means, he attains to happy state after the death. Study of the various scriptures, asceticism, gifts, faith, performance of sacrifices, forgiveness, sincerity of disposition, compassion, truth, self-restraint, these constitute possessions of virtue. If one practices these virtues in life or anyone of these in his life as tapas, that person is sure to attain the state of happiness.
The four purushaarthaas are Dharma (virtue), Artha (wealth), Kama (pleasure) and Moksha (liberation). Yudishtira's conversation with Bhishma pitamaha throw more light on how to carry ourselves in our day to day life.
Yudishtira puts a question to Bhishma : "I want to know about Dharma, Artha and Kama. Which of these three helps to steady the course of life in the right direction?"
Bhishma replies to Yudishtira:
"The 3 exist together, side by side, when a man amasses wealth always taking care to walk in the path of dharma. Wealth has its root in virtue, and pleasure is said to be the fruit of wealth. Virtue is desirable for the protection of the body, and wealth for acquiring virtue. Pleasure is after all, only for gratifying the senses. All 3, however have one quality in common: passion.
The pursuit of these three for the sake of themselves, with the desire to enjoy their fruits, makes the rewards remote.
However, if the pursuit is spurred by a desire for knowledge, the knowledge of the self, when they become the means for the end which is noble, the realization of the self, then the reward is immense. VIRTUE IS TO BE ACQUIRED FOR THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL. WEALTH SHOULD BE ACQUIRED SO THAT IT MAY BE SPENT WITHOUT ANY DESIRE FOR FRUITS. PLEASURE IS TO BE PURSUED JUST FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY AND NOT FOR GRATIFYING IT. Hence it is said all the three of them have their roots in Will. Dharma, Artha and Kama are not ends in themselves, but are just means to an end, and the end is Moksha. These three should be abandoned when one has freed oneself by ascetic penance. Liberation is the only goal of man."
Gita tells us that any kind of austerity we practice should culminate in knowledge. If it is performed for a desire for this world or the next world, it loses its value.
Dharma protects our soul. For this reason, one should live with restrained soul, giving his attention to Virtue most. One should also behave towards all creatures as he should towards himself, as it is the greatest of the Dharmas.
YAKSHA: WHAT IS THE MOST WODERFUL THING IN THIS WORLD?
YUDISHTIRA: DAY AFTER DAY THERE ENTERS INTO THE TEMPLE OF DEATH, COUNTLESS LIVES. LOOKING ON THIS SPECTACLE, THE REST OF THEM, THOSE WHO REMAIN, BELIEVE THEMSELVES TO BE PERMANENT, IMMORTAL. CAN ANYTHING BE WONDERFUL THAN THIS?
(This question and answer is often quoted by people. If we ponder upon it we know, what Yudishtira says is the greatest truth.
If we look back into our lives, till now how many people have left us? Around us how many people are dying in accidents, natural calamities, diseases? We feel sorry for them and for their families.
Have we any day thought that our life will also end some day? If we have thought, how far have we acted upon it? In what way are we going to live this life which is limited? How best we can use this valuable human birth?
Two kinds of vairagya are always talked in our scriptures. 1) Mashaana Vairagya 2) Prasuti Vairagya. Mashaana Vairagya is the determination which comes into us when we go to graveyard. We think there 'tomorrow I will also be burnt like this. What is so great about this life!' As soon as we come out of that place, we forget about the death, and we move along the direction of our desires. Prasuti Vairgya is the vairagya of a lady at the time of delivery thinking "this is my last child. No more in my life". The very next year she will be in the same hospital for her delivery.
In this world nobody wants to die, even at the age of 90. They spend lakhs and crores of money to save themselves from the hands of death. At the age of 90 also, there is no contentment in life and desire never leaves. Bhaja Govindam says "Day and night, dawn and dusk, winter and spring, again and again come and depart. Time sports and life ebbs away. And yet, one leaves not the gusts of desires. (Dinayaaminyau saayam praatah; sisiravasantau punaraayaatah; kalah kriidati gacchtyaayuh; tadapi Na Muncatyaashaavaayuh)
When Nachiketas was ready to go to the abode of Yama, the father was grief stricken. The young child consoled his old father Vaajasravas by reminding him that "Things born must die and perish away only to be born again – nothing is permanent". The same boy when Lord Yama offered him gifts, refused to take and said: "Even the longest life that you can give is but a trifle; may you keep to yourself the dance and the music; and give me the thing which is not taken away by time"
Life is at time's mercy. Every moment the Lord of Death is coming closer to us. Death is Dharma by itself and it never waits or gives a chance to beings. When we are busy fulfilling our desires, death snatches us away in no time.
People generally feel that spiritual path is a retirement job they can take up after 60s. They are sure that they will live till their 60s. This is the wonder Yudishtira is talking about.
One beggar came to Yudishtira's court, when Yudishtira was in a serious discussion with the ministers. So he told the beggar 'come tomorrow'. Immediately the sage in the court announced "Here is a person who has won death! Here is a person who is sure of tomorrow!"
HAVING KNOWN THE TRUTH THAT DEATH IS FOR SURE, WHAT WE SHOULD DO NOW?
We postpone our works for tomorrow; after one hour; after some time thinking that our life is for sure. Our life is like the drop of water on the lotus leaf. It is unstable. It will fall at any point of time. We don't know where we stand in the queue of death.
8th chapter of Gita tells us that one who thinks about the Lord at the last moment only reaches Him. But if we don't practice it every day, how will we remember the Lord? How do we know that 'this is my last moment'?
What we have planned to do tomorrow must be done today. What we have planned for the afternoon must be done in the forenoon. Death is ruthless and it will never wait and see if all our acts have been carried out. We should hurry and practice virtue in the prime time of life. Bheeshma says "Life is uncertain but death is certain"
We know but we forget because of our driving desires; because we think 'I am permanent'.
HOW ONE CAN FACE DEATH? BHEESHMAJI SAYS THAT 'READINESS IS IMPORTANT'
In Bhagavatham, Lord says that "My devotees go beyond time and space". The complete surrender to the Lord alone makes one prepare to face death. A person who understands that he is the Atman; the consciousness – for him death is only to the body. He goes beyond death.
Lord says in Bhagavad Gita 'offer your mind and intellect to Me' and 'you will reach Me'.Mind causes the bondage (sorrows) and if the mind is offered to the Lord, it gives us liberation.
By giving that, one gives up desires, attachment and ego.
Lord says in the 2nd chapter of Gita – 'For the man who has given up all the desires, I and mine, who identifies himself with the self of all, that Stithaprajna (ever merged in the self) is never deluded'.
Having known that the deity (self) inside the temple (body) has no death, the devotee faces death to the body with his mind merged in the thought of the self which is indestructible.
SUMMARY
We should be in the path of Dharma. Situations test us in various ways in our life. But one should never move away from Dharma.
Let us not postpone expressing our love to people for tomorrow.
Let us do all good actions today as we are not assured of next moment.
We spend all our time in seeking worldly knowledge, money, strength, status, beauty, etc which are impermanent. And all these are attached to this body which is also impermanent.
Knowledge of the self is the greatest of all knowledge. For Dhruva, the greatest bhaktha of Narayana, who offered his mind to the Lord, Death became the step to get into the Vimana to go to Vaikunta.
A person with knowledge lives without fear. A person with desires lives and dies every moment with fear.
HARI OM!
No comments:
Post a Comment