bhaja govindam part 2

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    Verse 4:

    nalini dala gata jala matitaralam

    tadvat jivitamatishaya chapalam

    viddhi vyaadhy abhimaana grastam

    lokam shokahatam cha samastam

    naliniidalagata = nalini + dala + gata = lotus + petal

    + reached / gone; jalam = water (drop);

    atitaralam = ati + taralam, very + unstable tadvath = like

    that; jiivitam = life; atishaya = wonderful;

    chapalam = fickle-minded; viddhi = know for sure;

    vyaadhi= disease; abhimaana = egoism;

    grastam = having been caught / seized lokam = world;

    people; shokah grief hatam = attacked (hata) cha

    = and; samastam = entire

    Like a water drop drifting on a

    lotus leaf, life is extremely uncertain;

    gripped as it is by disease and

    ego and is full of sorrow.

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    Unstable nature of human life:

    Further continuing his advice to the seeker to have an opposite

    view, Adi Sankara compares the life of man to that of a waterdroplet precariously drifting on a lotus leaf. As long as the droplet is

    on the leaf, it appears lustrous and active; but there is ever lurking

    danger of the droplet dropping off the leaf at the slightest

    movement of wind in the vicinity. It is not just that life is uncertain;

    even lifes so called pleasures are transitory too. The tendency to

    leave spiritual affairs to a later day, a rather late part of at that, is

    too obvious to be missed. For such people who tend to delay,

    procrastinate and postpone spiritual practices Adi Sankara points

    out the transitory nature of life itself and the need for immediateattempts at knowing truth. Human life is gripped by diseases and

    disabilities. To think, while young, that spiritual efforts to seek

    realization can be relegated to an old age, is to over look the fact of

    impending physical and emotional troubles. Bhajagovindam

    impresses upon us the fact that we are here as spiritual beings to

    have physical experience and not physical beings to immerse

    ourselves in physical and sensory pleasures only.

    Apparently glittering and yet ever drifting:

    The water droplet on a lotus leaf looks bright thanks to sun shine

    and is seen constantly drifting here and there, as if it very active

    and enjoying its role; but yet at the slightest movement of wind the

    droplet slips and drops off. Mans life is also like that of the water

    droplet, seemingly satisfying and fulfilling and yet simmering with

    troubles, unhappiness and uncertainty.

    Obstacles to practice:Disease and deceit are always around and hence any delay in the

    practice will be very detrimental to the real spiritual evolution for

    which man landed himself here on earth. It is not only disease,

    fickle mindedness and egoism that are obstacles to progress, there

    are many more. These are enumerated by Patanjali Maharshi in his

    Yoga Sutras:

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    Vydhi_Styna_Sanshaya_Pramda_alasya_Avirati_Bhrntidarshan_Alabdha Bhumikatva_Anavasthitatva_Tvni

    Chitta_Vikshepah_Antaryh_Anavasthitatva_Tvni

    Chitta_Vikshepah_Antaryh

    Disease dullness and doubt; laziness and sloth; Confusion and lack

    of concentration; False perception and unsteady mind

    Are obstacles of different kind

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    World is full of sorrow:

    This statement of Sri Sankara should not be misinterpreted as beingdefeatist. He is not referring to the terrestrial world of objects. His

    reference to the three worlds is: the physical, mental and causal.

    Since, as he has earlier pointed out that everything in this world is

    illusory, impermanent and transitory; searching for lasting

    happiness in a world of impermanency is to say the least foolish.

    Hence he asks us to search for truth and ensure eternal bliss.

    The presence of thought is for

    misery.

    The cessation of thought is

    ha iness. Yo avasishta

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    Verse: 5

    yaavadvittopaarjana saktah

    staavannija parivaaro raktah

    pashchaajjiivati jarjara dehevaartaam koapi na prichchhati gehe

    yaavath = so long as vitta = wealth;

    upaarjana = earning / acquiring; shaktah = capable of;

    staavannija = tavath + nija, till then + one's;

    parivaarah = family; raktah = attached; pashchaath

    = later; jiivati= while living (without earning);jarjara = old / digested (by disease etc); dehe = in the body;

    vaartaam = enquiry / inquiry; koapi = kah + api,

    whosoever; even one; na = not; prichchhati= inquires /

    asks / minds; gehe= in the house.)

    The waning utility factor:

    As long as you earn the wealth that

    everybody yearns, the family you love will

    appear to love and care. But when the cage

    ofyour body gets old, they would not even

    ask you about your welfare

    http://chennaionline.com/festivalsnreligion/slogams/10bhajagovindam.asphttp://chennaionline.com/festivalsnreligion/slogams/10bhajagovindam.asp
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    At times it appears as though Adi Sankara is elucidating modern

    day conditions. How true he sounds when he says that the retinuewill follow only so long as you have something to dole out! Ask any

    politician who is just out of power, he will vouchsafe this

    statement. For that matter ask any beaurocrat who had just retired

    or a business man who has gone into liquidation; they will

    vouchsafe too. So long as power and pelf, youth and energy, wealth

    and valor are there people will crowd around singing glories and

    praising the owner as the demigod on earth. Let him lose them, the

    very same crowd will not only dump him but abuse him as well! It is

    equally true of the family man. So long as he is the breadwinnerand provider, everyone in the family, at least pretends to listen to

    his counsel and shower praises. Let him lose his health or distribute

    his wealth before his departure from the earthly plane, even his

    servant will not care to look at him.

    Free from desire, you realise the mystery.

    Caught in desire, you see only the

    manifestations.

    Chase after money and security, your

    heart can never unclench.

    Care about peoples approval, you will be

    their prisoner.

    Zen Buddhism

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    Robbers wife refuses to share his sins.

    Thousands of years ago therelived a hunter who lived by

    robbing and looting. He lived in a

    jungle with his wife and children

    and no traveler who passed

    through the jungle was safe. If

    need be he never hesitated to kill

    the innocent pilgrims to achieve

    his object.

    One day Devarshi Narada passed

    through the forest. As usual the

    hunter was on the look out for victims and as soon as he saw a sage

    approaching joyously singing and playing on his Veena, he thought

    he would have best of the chance to get rich. With a thud, he

    jumped down before the sage from the branch of a tree where he

    was hiding. Flashing his sword he threatened, "Give away all that

    you possess. Otherwise I will kill you."

    Narada was the son of Brahma Deva himself and he was never

    afraid of any one. He saw God in all and loved at all. He looked

    kindly into the eyes of the hunter and said, "Why do you want to

    kill me? I have never harmed you."

    The robber replied, "It is not because of anything you did that I

    want to kill you. I want your wealth to maintain my wife and

    children. If you obstruct me in getting them I will kill you."

    Narada was not perturbed by his threatening attitude. He said,

    "Very well., you may do as you please. But please tell me one thing.

    You say that you are committing all this sin for the sake of your

    wife and children. They who are sharing the wealth earned by you,

    will they share the sins that you are earning too? The robber was

    non-pulsed. He never thought of the matter in this light before. He

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    replied, "Of course, they will have to. Why else should I commit sins

    for their sake?" Narada moved his head in disagreement and said,

    "No, they will not. If you have any doubt, go and ask your wife andchildren." The robber was suspicious that Narada might be playing

    a trick on him to escape. He sternly said, "No, I won't leave you and

    go. You are just trying to hoodwink me and escape." Narada

    laughed at his suspicions and assured, "No, my son, I promise you

    that I won't escape. I will surely wait for you till you return. If you

    don't believe me, tie me up to one of these trees and go to your

    house."

    The robber tightlybound Narada to a

    nearby tree and hurried

    to his home. Ever since

    the sage asked him the

    strange question he

    was disturbed in his mind. Had he been ruining himself with sins to

    no purpose? He went home and called out his wife and all the

    children. He said, "My dears, you know how I had been earningwealth by robbing and killing, to maintain you all. You have been

    sharing all that I earned. Won't you be sharing the sins earned by

    me also? The wife and children were horrified at the suggestion.

    They said, "We are your dependents and it is your duty to maintain

    us. We never asked you to commit sins for the purpose of the

    wealth. If you choose to commit sins, it is your own look out. How

    are we concerned with it? You alone will have to bear the result ofyour sins." Suddenly the eyes of the robber were opened. He

    realised that he was accumulating terrible sins from which there

    was no escape. Why should he lead a sinful life for these people?

    He ran back to where Narada was and hastily untying his bonds fell

    at his feet. Deep in grief, he begged, "Mahatma, in ignorance I have

    committed many sins. Please tell me how I can redeem myself. I

    have no more desire to lead this life of sin. Pray, save me."

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    Narada rejoiced at his transformation. He lifted the robber to his

    feet and told him, "Fear not, my son. There is one name, the

    Taraka, which redeems even the greatest of sinners. Repeat thename with all your mind and soul in it. All your sins will be washed

    away soon." He then whispered in his ears the sacred name,

    "Rama" and asked the robber to repeat it.The whole of his life was

    spent in doing and saying only harsh things. So the robber could

    not utter the word "Rama" try as he might. But Narada was too

    kind to leave him thus. So he tried another method. He slowly

    uttered the word "Ma ra" inverting the sacred name. This time the

    robber could pronounce the letters, "Ma ra" , Ma ra...." And he

    started repeating the letters in quick succession... "Ma ra, Ma ra,Ma... Ra.... Ma Ra...Ra...ma...Rama....Rama....Rama..." Thus after a

    time without his realising it, the robber was repeating the Taraka

    nama. He was captivated by the charm of the sacred name and he

    went on repeating the name forgetting his surroundings. He sat on

    like that continuously without moving and without opening his eyes

    and years passed away. Seeing him sitting like an immovable stone,

    ants, worms and insects crawled

    fearlessly near him and on him andbuilt their homes and nests. The ant

    hills grew and grew until they

    covered him fully and he could not

    even be seen.

    Thus was born Valmiki, born out of

    valmikam (Valmikam stands for ant

    hill)

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    Verse: 6

    aavatpavano nivasati dehe

    taavatprichchhati kushalam gehe

    gatavati vaayau dehaapaayebhaaryaa bibhyati tasminkaaye

    yaavath = so long as; pavanah = air / breath;

    nivasati= lives / dwells; dehe = in the body;

    taavath = till then; prichchhati = asks / inquires;

    kushalam = welfare gehe = in the house; gatavati=

    while gone; vaayau = air (life-breath);

    dehaapaaye = when life departs the body; bhaaryaa = wife;

    bibhyati= is afraid; fears; tasminkaaye =

    tasminh + kaye, that body.)

    As long as there is breath in the

    body, at home, they enquire of

    your welfare. Once the breath

    leaves the body and the body decays,

    even the wife is afraid of thatlifeless body

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    Man has become body minded!

    So much is our identification with the body, even the wife who tillthe other day adored and admired her husband, shuns away in fear

    by looking at the lifeless body of her dead husband. She imagines

    her husband only in his body form, not in the soul form. As long as

    breath is active, so long does the wife or other relatives or friends

    or kith and kin; respect and adore the person; for all these people

    recognize only an embodied soul, not a departed soul.

    Yes, body is important. Yes, body is the temple housing the soul.

    Yes, body need be nurtured and well maintained. But beyond thatbody orientation is wrong, it is absurd. To think that we are bodies

    and all the time worry about its looks and dress it with perfumes

    and pastes is wrong. Greater effort should be put to decorate and

    perfume mind with abhyasa and vairagya. We should free the

    mind of its wrinkles of greed, lust and anger and the toxins of evil

    tendencies.

    It is bondage is when the mind longs

    for something,

    Grieves about something,

    Rejects something,

    Holds on to something,

    Is pleased about something, or

    Feels annoyed at something.Ashtavakra Samhita

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    Verse 7:

    baalastaavatkriidaasaktah

    tarunastaavattaruniisaktah

    vriddhastaavachchintaasaktah

    pare brahmani koapi na saktah

    :baalah = childhood; taavath = till then;

    kriidaa = play; saktah = attached / engrossed / absorbed;

    tarunah = adolescent; young man; taavath = till

    then; tarunii = young woman; saktah = attached /

    engrossed; vriddhah = old man; taavath = till then;

    chintaa = worry; saktah = attached / engrossed /

    absorbed; parame = in the lofty; high; supreme;

    brahmani = (in) Brahman ; God; koapi = whosoever

    (nobody); na = not; saktah = attached / absorbed;

    engrossed.)

    As a child, one is absorbed in play.

    As a young man, attached to women;

    As an old man, one is lost in worrying

    thoughts; Alas! no one is attracted to

    the Supreme Brahman, God.

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    he emotional attachment:

    While Sri Sankara through the previous verse discouraged the bodyattachment, through this verse he addresses the seeker to get rid

    of emotional attachment. The attachments to the transient toys

    and thoughts is very discouraging, in the context of the need to

    attachment to the permanent God. In short man has a propensity

    to choose the pleasant over the good.

    Kathopanishadsays that every person will always get the option of

    treading

    1. The path of that which is right & good the Sreyas2. The path of immediate pleasure the Preyas.

    Those who choose the path of Sreyas will make the best of their

    lives, while those who succumb to the latter will have to pay the

    price destined for the deluded ones The path of pleasure is in fact

    leading man to the pit of pain. Not understanding this simple fact

    of life, despite repeated experiences, man again and again

    becomes a prey and turns out to be a victim of object orientation

    and pursues the path of thepreyas. The Upanishad says:

    Sreyascha Preyascha manushyametah

    tau sampareetya vivinakthi dhirah:

    Sreyo hi dhiro abhipreyaso vrineethe

    Preyo mandho yogakshemadh vrineethe

    Both good and pleasant approach man; the wise man examining

    the two, discriminates between them. The wise man verily prefers

    the good over the pleasant, but the foolish man chooses the

    pleasant through love of gain and attachment

    Though man has the freedom to choose, yet, from the point of

    view of means and ends, sreya andpreya approach man in a mixed

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    up form, as it were, in a form difficult to discriminate by a man of

    poor understanding says Adi Sankara in his commentary on this

    verse from Kahopanishad.There are two directions along which the mind of man moves, viz.

    the outward and the inward. The outward path is the way of

    pleasure and enjoyment. The inward way is that of the search for

    Reality. The two terms, sreyas andpreyas, used in this instructive

    verse, refer to blessedness and sensory satisfaction respectively.

    The human mind is always after immediate results. It does not care

    so much for ultimate values.

    Let me know; what I get, here and now,I care not, as for the morrow,

    If the path will result in sorrow

    That then I will face anyhow somehow.

    This seems to be the usual argument of the one under illusions

    sway. Sri Sankara, out of his immense compassion and love for

    mankind fervently appeals to us to see the reality of pain lurking

    behind every apparent pleasure and advices the seeker to choosethe good instead of the pleasant.

    Karma is intended for purification of mind,

    not for understanding the nature of an

    object.

    Knowledge can be had only by reflection;

    not even a little bit of it can be known by

    performing even a crore of karma.

    Adi Sankara Vivekachudamani11

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    Verse: 8

    kaate kaantaa kaste putrah

    samsaaro.ayamatiiva vichitrah

    kasya tvam kah kuta aayaatah

    tattvam chintaya tadiha bhraatah

    kaate = ka + te, who + your kaantaa = wife;

    kaste = kah + te, who + your; putrah = son;

    sansaarah = world / family; ayam = this; atiiva =

    great / big / very much; vichitrah = wonderful /mysterious;

    kasya = whose; tvam = you; kah = who; kutah =

    from where; aayaatah = have come; tattvam =

    truth / nature; chintaya = think well / consider;

    tadiha = tat.h + iha, that + here; bhraatah = brother.

    Who is your wife? Who is your son?

    Strange is the (way of the) world;

    Of whom are you ?

    From where have you come?

    Brother, now ponder over these truths.

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    Relationships belong to the body, not you:

    It is only as long as one remains body orientated that one looks atothers, be it wife or child, mother or father, uncle or aunt or cousin

    or in laws as relatives; for they are related to the body. Once

    realization dawns, he would look at everyone as the Lord

    expressing Himself in diverse ways amongst diverse people. The

    realized soul would continue to be kind and good, polite and

    helpful; for that would be his very nature. But this kindness etc

    would not be confined to erstwhile relatives but to every being on

    earth.

    Sri Sankara wants the seeker to understand and appreciate the fact

    of relationships being limited true only as long as one assumes

    himself to be a body. The moment realization dawns that one is the

    eternal Atman, he will get out of individualized relationship and

    turn universally related to all creatures.

    What have you learnt if you do not know where you were before

    this birth and where you will go after the bodys death? asks King

    Jaivali to Svetaketu. (Chaandogya Upanishad)

    King Do you know how these people diverge after

    death?

    Svetaketu I do not know. I have no answer to your question.

    King Do you know how they return to the world?

    Svetaketu I do not have an answer to this question too

    King Do you know how the other word is never filled

    with so many people thus dying again and again

    Svetaketu Sorry. I do not know. I have no answer to this

    question either

    King Do you know after how many oblations are offered,

    water rises up possessed of a human voice and

    speaks up

    Svetaketu I have no answer to this question as well. I do not

    know

    King Do you know the means of access to the way of the

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    gods or the way to the manes?

    Svetaketu I have no answer to this question as well. I do not

    knowKing What have you learnt if you do not know where you

    were before this birth and where you will go after

    the bodys death? What did you learn at the

    school then? You do not know answers for the most

    fundamental of all questions. How do you consider

    yourself educated if you do not have answers for

    these basic questions?

    Like Svetaketu we are all puffed with pride about our secularknowledge and like him we are ignorant of truth of our being the

    eternal Atman. Sri Sankara asks us rhetorically to examine and

    realize our true nature and get rid of attachment based on body

    oriented relationships and the consequent attachment and

    aversion. Sri Sankara asks us: Of whom are you? From where have

    you come? Brother, now ponder over these truths. It is worth

    noting his addressing the seeker as Brother

    Of whom are you? From where have you come?

    Where does

    a man originate from? If man were to be assumed to be a one-off

    entity, coming from nowhere and going into oblivion on death, it

    can be assumed that they come from the parents. This is the belief

    of some physiologists. Heredity is the reason, they would say. The

    reproductive cell in the male, called the sperm and the

    reproductive cell in the female called the ovum, join to form a new

    Mom and Dad, this

    body is your gift to

    me, but the mind is

    m own.

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    cell called the zygote, the fertilised egg, which develops into an

    individual in due course. Now, how is a genius or an idiot is born?

    According to the modern biologists it is a chance, an accidentalfusion. That is the best explanation one can think of, if he does not

    believe in souls reincarnation.

    The fact is one can know about a tree not by study of the seed, but

    by study of the tree. One can know about a man by studying man.

    When we observe geniuses like Adi Sankara or a Goethe, who have

    had nobody up in the family hierarchy who were geniuses or when

    we see cases of previous birth memory, we cannot but come to the

    conclusion that the birth of man is not an one-off event and hiscapabilities are not based on chances. Sankara had mastered the

    Vedas when he was only seven, he wrote his commentaries when

    only sixteen. Goethe, the eminent German poet was a master of

    seventeen languages before he was fifteen year old.

    Sri Sankara wants the seeker to ponder over this question: Of

    whom are you? From where have you come?

    Look on such things as

    friends, land, money,property, wife, and

    bequests as nothing but

    a dream or a magician's

    show, lasting three or

    five days.

    (Ashtaavakra Gita 10.2)

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    The Three Friends of Man

    The wisdom of Vedanta says: Never trust a friend who has not beentested. The following story, The Three Friends of Man, beautifully

    describes who can be trusted as our true friend. In a small village

    there lived a pious man, virtuous and honest. One day he received

    a summons from the king to appear before him for judgment. The

    king was known for his eccentricity, unpredictability, and cruelty.

    The pious man became very much disturbed and afraid.

    He had never done anything wrong or unjust, so how could hereceive a summons like this, he wondered.

    The pious man had three friends: his best friend, his next best

    friend, and his least intimate friend. He went to his best friend,

    explained his fear and distress to him, and asked him to come with

    him to the king's court. His best friend, standing inside the front

    door of his house, heard the whole matter and said: "I am afraid I

    cannot accompany you to the king's court. I can only say good luck

    to you, my friend," and he closed the door in his friend's face. The

    pious man became terribly disappointed to realize that one whomhe had always regarded as his best friend would desert him and

    leave him out in the cold. He then went to see his next best friend,

    told him the whole problem, and made the same request of him.

    This friend said: "I know you to be a good man and I could never

    imagine your doing anything wrong. I'll accompany you up to the

    palace gate, but I do not intend to enter the palace and stand

    before the king, because he is unpredictable and eccentric and may

    decide to put me in jail along with you." The pious man became

    disappointed for the second time. Sad at heart and disillusioned

    about human goodness, he went to his least intimate friend, from

    whom he never expected any help. When this third friend heard of

    his problem, he said to him: "I do know you to be an honest man

    and also I am certain that you are incapable of doing anything

    wrong. Don't worry, my friend, but go home and come leisurely to

    the court of the king. I am going ahead to testify to the king about

    your honesty and goodness." The pious man was greatly surprised

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    at this pledge of support from a friend to whom he had never paid

    much attention.

    The pious man in the story represents a human individual in

    distress, the king, death and the summons, the call of death. The

    palace gate stands for the graveyard. The "best friend" represents

    money and possessions, which say goodbye to person at death and

    never come out of his house to accompany him. The "next best

    friend" represents relatives and friends, who accompany him only

    up to the graveyard and then leave his dead body there. The "least

    intimate friend," to whom he never paid much attention, is the

    memory of his good deeds, performed with selflessness for the

    benefit of others. The memory of his good deeds becomes his sole

    support in his fearful, solitary journey hereafter. Such a memory is

    his only true and trusted friend.

    "Brothers, wives, fathers, and friends,

    who were very near and dear to the

    heart, are all instantly alienated and

    turned into foes by even aninsignificant sum of money. Even the

    least amount of money upsets them

    and inflames their anger, so that they

    immediately part company, and all at

    once abandoning cordiality they rival

    and even kill one another."

    Bhagavat Gita

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    Verse 9:

    tsangatve nissangatvam

    nissangatve nirmohatvam nirmohatve

    nishchalatattvamnishcalatattve jiivanmuktih

    satsangatve = in the company of sages and saints;

    nissangatvam = non-attachment / detachment;

    nirmohatvam = absence of infatuation/ clear-

    headedness; nishchalatattvam = tranquility /

    imperturbability / steadiness jiivanmuktih = salvation

    + freedom from bondage of birth

    From the company of good and holy

    people, one develops a state of non-

    attachment; from this comes freedom

    from delusion; this leads to a state of

    tranquility of mind, which enables oneto attain freedom.

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    Sat sangham:

    In Sanskrit, the term Satsangamliterally means in the company oftruth. It has come to describe a gathering of people in search of

    Truth. Sat refers to existence, truth or God. Through the

    SATSANGAM one can develop good qualities, good thoughts, good

    feelings and do good deeds, and thereby

    transform his human nature into Divine

    nature. This, in fact, is the primary duty of

    every individual. To develop good qualities,

    one has to get rid of one's bad traits.

    The best of good company is the presence of

    God by ones side. But that fortune was

    reserved for Narada who was blessed to be

    always in the company of Narayana or Arjuna

    who had the fortune of being with Krishna.

    Next best Satsangha can only be that of the

    Guru. Why should one go to a Guru? One can

    do tapas, dhyana, japa, etc. on his own. But unless one takes thedust of the Lotus Feet of the Guru on his head his sadhana will

    prove futile.

    The last, if not the least, is the company of scriptural texts.

    Fortunately there are number of good books available. It should be

    noted however that books cannot be a substitute to a good Guru.

    Along with study, if the seeker can practice and cultivate dispassion

    there is hope for salvation, if not in this birth, at least in later ones.

    The term satsangham has also come to describe a gathering ofpeople in search of Truth. In addition to study of scriptures,

    1. being in the company of God by way of chanting in praiseof God,

    2. associating with persons of similar background who arealso in search of truth,

    3. visiting temples and other places of pilgrimage where onecan feel the presence of his chosen deity or Guru

    4. practicingpranayama andpratyahara

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    5. performing such other rituals and rites that one deems fitand by experience has come to realize their potency

    are all ways of keeping the company of truth.

    SATSANGHA : Company of Saints and Sages , HolyMen, Spiritual discourses, Reading of spiritual booksand attending spiritual congregations.

    NIS-SATSANGHA TVAM:Disengagement from all activities other than theminimum needed to continue to be involved in thefamily and profession.

    NIRMOHATVAM :Detachment from sense objects, lack of interest inmatters mundane, disinclination to participate inparties and festivities.

    NISCHALATVAM: Steadiness of mind, focusedattention on the Lord and thoughts about Truth and thefalsity illusory nature of the world.

    JIVANMUKTHIH: Emancipation, enlightenment ,uncovering of maya,Jivas identification with theEswara, even while encased in the body.

    When the mind stops linking itself to

    the past and to the future,

    it becomes no-mind

    Yogavsishishta

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    Scriptures describe Seven Steps to liberation thus:

    Sage Vasishta tells Rama (Yogavaasishta):

    Satsanga serves as a boat to cross this

    terrible ocean of samsara. The company of

    sages even for a moment is highly beneficial.

    Even the dharshan of Mahatma destroys

    sins and elevates the mind. The company of

    virtuous people produces the fresh blossom

    of discrimination. The company of sages

    wards off all disasters and destroys the tree of ignorance. Sagesprescribe the best rules of conduct for aspirants and teach them

    the correct mode of life. The company of virtuous sheds light on

    the right path and destroys the internal darkness of man. The

    company of sages is the unfailing means to conquer and this dire

    mind

    Avoid the company of the evil ones

    Virtuous Wish

    Step 7

    Step 3

    Step 6

    Step 2

    Step 4

    Step 5

    Reflection

    Non union

    non-ideation

    of objects

    Going into

    Fourth state of

    consciousness

    Entering

    into being

    The state of

    thin mind

    Preceded by association with scriptures and

    practice of dispassion

    On practice of above 3 steps

    Mind becomes pure on cessation of desires

    On practice of above 4 steps

    Shooting up spectacle of Pure Being.

    Non attachments to objects.Thinness in

    thought arising out of non-attachment

    On practice of above 5 steps

    Absence of thought of inner and outer objects

    By long practice of above 6 steps

    And by non cognition of difference

    Step 1 Preceded by absence of worldly desires

    Seven steps of knowledge*

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    A man is known by the company he keeps and Birds of the same

    feather flock together are maxims that are true in every sense.The company of the evil begets evil. The company of the evil

    persons weakens the heart and ruins ones spiritual life. The

    company of those who speak evil, whose every action is in the

    nature of hurting fellow human beings, who have scant respect for

    the noble and hence pride themselves in deriding the noble, should

    be eschewed. Evil company destroys spiritual resolve. At times evil

    men not only destroy spiritual life but ones worldly life as well.

    Evil company is not necessarily the gangster type. By evil company

    is meant anyone and anything that leads to downward pull ofworldly affairs, wealth and valour, honour and esteem and all such

    body and mind related attachments. Every

    sense object is a standing invitation to sin.

    Sri Sankara says: Just as a tortoise

    withdraws its head into the shell whenever

    there is danger, a human

    being should withdraw his senses from the

    sense objects into himself. Whenever senses go hither and thitheron their own it is danger time for the human. The tortoise has to

    draw into its shell only when it smells danger but the human being

    has to do this all the time. Doing this all the time is the sadhana.

    People who understand renunciation

    consider the renunciation of mind

    (giving up of thoughts) as complete

    renunciation

    Yogavasishta

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    Trust not the evil ones:Aesops Tales)

    A Wolf followed a flock of sheep for a long time, and did not

    attempt to injure one of them. The Shepherd at first stood on his

    guard against him, as against an

    enemy, and kept a strict watch over

    his movements. But when the Wolf,

    day after day, kept in the companyof the sheep, and did not make the

    slightest effort to seize them, the

    Shepherd began to look upon him as

    a guardian of his flock rather than as

    a plotter of evil against it; and when

    occasion called him one day into the

    city, he left the sheep entirely in his charge. The Wolf, now that he

    had the opportunity, fell upon the sheep, and destroyed the

    greater part of the flock. The Shepherd, on his return, finding his

    flock destroyed, exclaimed: "I have been rightly served; why did I

    trust my sheep to a Wolf?"

    Wood that is put in fire burns slowly, losesits form and finally turns into ashes.

    Similarly a person who comes into contact

    with the fire ofsatsang kindled by a

    mahatma loses his hardness and becomes

    spiritually transformed and evolves into a

    higher being

    Swami Sundara Chaitanyananda

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    Verse: 10

    vayasigate kah kaamavikaarah

    shushhke niire kah kaasaarah

    kshiinevitte kah parivaarah

    gyaate tattve kah samsaarah

    vayasigate = vayasi+ gate, when age has

    advanced / gone; kah = who / what use (in the sense of

    kva?(where) kaamavikaarah = sexual feeling;

    shushhke = in the drying up of niire = water; ka = what

    (use) is the kaasaarah = lake; kshiine = spent-up /

    weakened state of vitte = wealth; kah = what (use) for;

    parivaarah = family (is there? gyaate = in the

    realized state; tattve = truth; kah = what (use) is;

    samsaarah = world / family bond

    What good is lust when youth has fled

    away? What is the use of a lake that has

    dried up? Where are the relatives when

    wealth is gone? Where is samsaara, the

    worldly life, when the Truth is known?

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    When attachment is lost, everything is gained:

    When youth is lost, lust is useless. Lust makes sense onlywhen in youth. With old age setting in and parts and limbsfailing and frail, one can have no outlet for his lust. Lust is

    thus coterminous with youth.

    When water is lost, lake is useless. The very word lakemakes sense only when there is water. Only that water

    bed on the otherwise dry shallow land can be called a lake.

    When wealth is lost, relatives are useless. Relatives will bethere around alright, even when one has lost his wealth.

    But they would not have the same regard and profess thesame respect, since they find no use for the poor man

    now.

    In all the three cases when the content, namely youth, water and

    money is lost, the container is observed to be useless.

    But when attachment is lost, everything is gained. In the fourth

    case, when the container full of attachment and aversion is

    emptied, everything is gained. Samsara is when attachment is and

    the consequent lust and desire are present. There is no moresamsara when the attachment is gone. Samsara exists a long as

    illusion persists. Under the spell of illusion one assumes that he will

    have a lasting relationship and conjugal bliss in matters related to

    family and friends. Under the spell of illusion one assumes himself

    to be the physical body and gets entangled in relationships.

    Bondage is Samsara:

    ASHTAVAKRA says: Bondage is when the mind longs for something, grieves about something, rejects something, holds on to something, is pleased about something or displeased about something.

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    Verse: 11:

    maa kuru dhana jana yauvana garvam

    harati nimeshhaatkaalah sarvam

    maayaamayamidamakhilaM hitvaa

    brahmapadaM tvaM pravisha viditvaa

    maa = do not; kuru = do / act; d hana = wealth;

    jana = people; yauvana = youth; garvam = arrogance /

    haughtiness; harati = takes away / steals away;

    nimeshhaath = in the twinkling of the eye; kaalah = Time;

    sarvam = all; maayaa = delusion; mayam =

    full of / completely filled; idam = this; akhilam =

    whole / entire; buddhvaa = having convinced;

    brahmapadam = the state / position of Brahma / God-realized

    state; tvam = you; pravisha = enter; viditvaa

    = having known / realized.)

    Do not take pride in wealth, friends, and

    youth. Time takes away all of these in a

    minute; give them up having known that

    all these things are nothing but delusion,

    and enter the state of God realization and

    merge in Brahman.

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    Sarvam maya:

    MAYAmeans "that which is not" (i.e. illusion). It refers to accepting the temporary as havinglasting value, and looking for enduring happiness in this

    world.

    In the twilight, one may easily mistake a rope fora snake. In so doing, we feel fear. Hence fear and other

    emotions are often based on illusion, an incorrect

    perception of reality.

    If one pursues a mirage of an oasis in the desert, one will not find

    water but will be misled. Similarly, this world provides no real

    happiness, which exists only as an elusive dream The mirage

    indicates the presence of a real oasis, of real water. Similarly, our

    desire for happiness, though frustrated, implies that real pleasure

    does indeed exist and that one is sat-chit-ananda swaroopa.

    Maya gives rise to ignorance:

    Maya or illusion gives rise

    to avidhya or ignorance.

    Since Maya veils reality it

    is said to be the cause for

    the veiling power in man.

    This veiling power, called

    the avarana sakthi, in

    turn gives rise to the

    rajasic nature in man, the

    projecting power, called

    the vikshepa sakthi. Because of this fragmenting and projecting

    power ofvikshepa, man sees many where there is only one.

    Under MAYA'S influence, the individual mistakenly identifies

    himself with the body. Such false identification results in such

    thoughts as "I am white and I am a man," or "This is my house, my

    Sattva

    Rajas

    Thamas

    Brahman

    Maya

    Avarana

    Vikshepa

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    country, and my religion etc". The feeling of me and mine and all

    the associated ills like lust and anger are a direct result of this false

    identification. Race, gender, family, nation, bank balance, andsectarian religion are all results of false identification. The

    consequent wars and exploitation, as well as deprivation and

    denigration too are the results.

    Under this sense of false-identity man aspires to control and enjoy

    matter. However, in so doing he continuously succumbs to lust,

    greed, and anger. In frustration he often redoubles his efforts and,

    compounding mistake upon mistake, and falls deeper into illusion.

    This quagmire and quicksand drags man to deeper and deepermisery from which he struggles to extricate.

    Youth, wealth and friends and pride in their association are also the

    results of the illusion. Under illusions sway one wastes away

    precious youth in the company of friends and indulges in placating

    the senses. Sri Sankara cautions the seeker to understand the fact

    of illusion and make effort to get rid of illusion. When there is

    darkness it is prudent to light a lamp rather than fancy friendship orfear objects.

    "On the basis of this misconception which

    ties together the hearts of the male and

    female, one becomes attracted to his

    body, home, property, children, relatives

    and wealth. In this way one

    increases life's illusions and thinks

    in terms of 'I and mine.""

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    Verse: 12

    dinayaaminyau saayam praatah

    shishiravasantau punaraayaatah

    kaalah kriidati gachchhatyaayuhtadapi na mujncatyaashaavaayuh

    dinayaaminyau = dina + yamini, day + night;

    saayam = evening; praatah = morning; shishira =

    winter; vasantau = (and) spring season; punah =

    again; aayaatah = have arrived; kaalah = Time;

    kriidati= plays; gachchhati= goes (away);

    aayuh = lifespan / age; tadapi = tath + api, then even;

    na = not; mujnchati = releases; aashaa = desire;

    vaayuh = air (meaning craze) (the wind of desire does not let

    off its hold.)

    Day and night, dawn and dusk, spring and

    winter, come and go again and again; Time

    enacts its play and life goes in vain;

    Yet the fire of desire doesnt quench

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    Time quenches not thirst:

    Why is it that, day in and day out, year after year, from birth todeath, birth after birth, man over millenniums has been running

    after objects? What is it that he is seeking in the objects and why is

    it that repeatedly, even after attaining the objects, he still finds no

    lasting satisfaction? What propels one to go after objects, knowing

    fully well the attendant problems and miseries?

    If we look closely the one underlying desire in every being is to be,

    to know and to be happy. There is no living being, be it an ant or

    an elephant, a reptile or a human who does not want to be. To beforever. To live for ever. Even a mosquito knows where to breed

    and how to suck blood. Knowing is inherent and as a corollary

    wanting to know too is. To live happily is the desire in everyone.

    Thus sat (to be), chit (to know) and Ananda (to be happy) is the

    goal of every being. This desire to be sat-chit-ananda is inherent

    because everyone IS already one such, but has forgotten, He is

    longing to become what he already IS, because of ignorance of the

    fact of his already being what he seeks to be.

    Happiness is the very nature of the Self; happiness and the Self are

    not different. There is no happiness in any object of the world. We

    imagine through our ignorance that we derive happiness from

    objects. When the mind goes out, it experiences misery. In truth,

    when its desires are fulfilled, it returns to its own place and enjoys

    the happiness that is the Self. Similarly, in the states of sleep,

    samadhi and fainting, and when the object desired is obtained or

    the object disliked is removed, the mind becomes inward-turned,and enjoys pure Self-Happiness. Thus the mind moves without rest

    alternately going out of the Self and returning to it.

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    Fire of desire is difficult to control:

    Arjuna asks Lord Krishna: What force is that, that drags us towards

    the objects and propels us to sin, even against our own will; as if by

    some compulsion? Lord Krishna answers: Know that the enemy

    here on earth is desire and anger, which arise from all consuming

    rajasic guna Lord Krishna says it is the rajasic guna that is

    responsible for the outward object oriented nature of man. But

    what is this rajasic guna?

    Naturally the answer leads us nowhere. Further study is needed toprobe this aspect more and arrive at a solution. Without this

    solution, there can never be peace of mind. The elusive objects are

    like mirages. Chase them and they lead us further on. Chase them

    further, farther it goes. Until, tired and exhausted one falls dead,

    gets up again with a new body, continues the quest and finds his

    troubles continuing too.

    Rajasic gunacan be translated as activity oriented nature? For thequestion, why one is activity oriented, the answer is, it is very

    purpose for which he has taken on a new body. Now that there is a

    new body, it is also possible to realize that taking on new bodies

    repeatedly is of no use and desires can never be quenched. The

    quest should therefore be to realize that desires are the byproducts

    of delusion and delusion is due to false identification with the

    body-mind unit. Naturally efforts should be towards de-

    identification. Cultivating association of Gurus and men of wisdom,

    study of scriptures, practice of praanayama and pratyahara etc areall efforts aimed at de-identification and realization of ones true

    nature as the un-decaying Atman and not the decaying body. De-

    identification process involves abhyasa and vairagya.

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    The story of Mr Greedy

    Mr Greedy kept praying God, until one morning, God blessed him

    with a boon: Greedy could choose to run in whichever direction he

    wants from where he was standing, unto 24 long

    hours. As he crosses the miles, the distance will

    be taken as the radius and a circumference

    drawn; all the properties- buildings, roads, lakes

    and even the bus stations, airports and railway

    terminals that come under the circumferencewould be his, for him to keep or sell. Greedy kept

    running and running non stop. By the evening he

    had already crossed the city, the suburbs and even some villages

    nearer the city. All property under the 16 mile radius, which meant

    the entire city and adjoining suburban area and villages were his.

    Since morning, he ran for sixteen hours.

    He was already panting for breath, exhausted. But the temptation

    to keep running was higher now. Additional mile would mean a

    bigger circumference and larger property to be had. He ran and ran

    and ran until by the twentieth hour he fell dead! Greedy did not

    realise that the boon had a built in bane. Greed did him in, for he

    could see only the gain to be accrued as he ran, but did not notice

    the impending loss of his very life!

    Even if one performs severe penance for

    thousands of years there is no use. There

    is no other means than cessation of

    thoughts. Be without wish

    Yogavasishta