Spritiual Spirit: Capacity of Individuals

Spritiual Spirit: Capacity of Individuals

According to Your Thought

Like You, Like Your World
Your world is a mirror of what you are. If you are good the world you experience well also be good. If you are happy, you will find the world happy. On the contrary the same world would appear sorrowful to you if you were sad. So the state of your world is 'relative'; it varies according to your mood, your attitude….
If you cultivate a happy temperament, even the hardships would appear to you as tests to examine your capabilities, opportunities to let you increase and improve your potentials and excel further in the march of life. You will this way transform all your adversities into means of progress….
This spiritual attitude will eventually empower you to solve others' problems as well. Achieving this is like accomplishing a grandtapa, which requires tolerance, sacrifice and penance with unflinching zeal; but this, whatever be the state your mind today, your circumstances today, try attitude to inspire positive thoughts, peace of mind and happiness in you. Sincere attempt and practice will induce greater strength and courage and gradually make you master of your world and successful in materialistic as well as spiritual ascent.
Brighten Your Attitude
Don't loose heart if you are attacked by adverse circumstances, tragedies, hardships and failures today. Nothing is permanent in this world. Don't cry over your fate or blame anyone else for it. You just change your outlook. The root of what all you face in the world lies in your own nature, your past or present Karma. So let things happen as other natural events….. Most often the agony or suffering appears more severe and unbearable than it actually is merely because one's low tolerance or inability to cope with them. You look introvert and convince your mind that your real self has immense power and is unaffected by external circumstances. This will inspire new courage and condition your mind to think differently. Let positive thoughts and selfless attitude brighten your horizons.
It is impossible to have a healthy, hearty and progressive life despite having a short tempered nature, jealousy, greed and unbalanced thinking…. Have a critical look at yourself, review your good and bad qualities and attempt diminishing the untoward and enhancing the beneficial tendencies.
By optimistic, think positive, be good…. Proceed ahead with a hope of a brighter and happier tomorrow with higher achievements. Look at your life with a new perspective. You will soon experience a welcome change in everything, your life will now have anew meaning, a superior goal…..

About our True Self

You (the jivas) live in this word in a state of artificial sleep; you regard this word as real, but this is only like a false dream. It is high time you come out of this illusory influence of Maya. Break the thralldom of misconceptions about your true-identity. Destroy the smog of ignorance that has shielded your inner self by the radiance of Atma-gyana (knowledge of soul-reality).
Penetrate the five Koshas (sheaths of physical body, energy body, mind intellect, and the unconscious mind with ego) and liberate your true self. Don't cry "I" "I"; rather, chant "Oam" "Oam" - the eternal sound of the Omnipresent. You are the soul, the king of all kings. Recall the words of Upanishads - "Tat tvam Asi" ('you' are 'That' - the Almighty). Realization of 'That' in the 'self' is like becoming 'That'
Uproot your vices, restrain your senses, purity and control your mind and intellect, learn to distinguish between the truth and the false, the invisible and the infinite… Shun out the petty desires and miseries, long for the lasting joy of meeting the soul. Inculcate introvert search for the soul. Attain atma-gyana and ultimate bliss.

The First Maxim of Religion
The first maxim of the eternal religion is that - the soul is one (Brahm). But how the "One" ("Brahm" could be many jivas). Well, it does not become many; it only appears to be manifested in many forms. This illusion is like - the mirage of oasis in desert, blue color of the sky, suspicion of a snake in a rope, glow of silver in oyster, etc.
What you perceive need not always be real. You should try knowing the ultimate truth by devout endeavors of introvert thinking, self-study, contemplation over the teachings of Brahmvidya, meditation upon "Oam" and upon the soul-reality of Sat, Chit, and Amanda.
All the negativity, misery, fear and flaws in your life are because of your ignorance of your own self. Elimination of illusion and kindling of the light of true knowledge is the key to unalloyed joy. Always remember what the Upanishads say - "the jiva and the Brahm are the same". You are indeed the omnipresent soul, ever existing beyond the bonds of time and space.
Grasp the essence of the divine knowledge of the Vedas - know that you are the immortal soul or the self-existent Brahm, the Omnipresent, Supreme Consciousness Force.

Improve the State of Your Life

If you vow to refine and elevate your thinking and thereby transform the inner domains of your life, the status of your external life will also ascend. Gradually you will attain all your deserving goals successfully and gracefully.
If you are entrapped by the mental aberrations and weaknesses like anger, anxiety, jealous, greed, or depression, etc, you should forget about achieving something worth in life. You should first overcome these deficiencies of your mind and have sound health and mental and physical activity.
Always think positively. Think about making the best use of whatever you have, rather than complaining or worrying about what you don't have. the system of Nature is such that whatever you possess - be that wealth, children, resources, post, etc - that will be cease to be yours if you ignore, neglect or misuse it. Once you review and understand your strengths and weaknesses and then analyze your expectations with respect to your circumstances and ponder over them, your trenchant thoughts would themselves pave the way for your rise and progress.

Being Good is Being Wise

Tyrants or wicked people do not hesitate in committing mindless flaws and sinful activities. Wise are those who restrain themselves from such follies. Evil generates more evil; this is why one should keep away from it and protect himself against it, as one would from the hazards of fire. The vicious consequences and God's penalty for sins follows the sinner like his own shadow and continue the chase with greater intensity life after life till he is ruined completely. Therefore, be vigilant and keep away from all vices.
You accumulate the curse of your own soul whenever you do something that is unethical or wrong. There is nothing more painful and adverse than burning in this fire. Despite knowing this, people are driven towards misconduct, blemishing acts and sins because of their cravings, ego and selfish attachments. Satisfying these passions for some time appears to give some momentary pleasure but traps one's mind into its grip forever. This is like eating sugar-coated poison. Truly intelligent and wise in this world is the one who precludes himself from evil thoughts and mean, cruel, sinful actions, and on the contrary, adopts truthful righteous path. This wisdom proves to be farsighted and opens up the path of glorious achievements…….

Existence of Sorrows is Imaginary
Vair3gya (renouncement adopted by saints) means renouncing all 'rgs'. The word 'rgs' refers to untoward attachments, excessive affection, jealousy, anger, worries, fear, cravings, ambitious - thirst, depression etc. These are the cause of all misery and restlessness in human life. According to sagacious philosopher Socrates, over three-fourth of the sorrows experienced in the world are imaginary, one created them for oneself because of his own illusory thinking and imaginations. If you enlighten your attitude and refine your imaginations, most of your worries and anguishes will disappear in no time. This is what leads to the principle of spirituality that - vair3gya liberated from all sorrows and sufferings.

Good Deeds Wane Ill Omen

The consequences (phala) of good or bad Karmas (deeds) of a person done in the present life are indeed destined to occur at the appropriate time. This is the absolute law of Karma that accounts for one's "fate". How long will it take for materialization of the Karma-phala in one's 'stock' (prarabdha) is unpredictable and inexplicable because of the infinite complexity and constraints of one's interactions with other people and livings beings under different circumstances, mental state, etc, in different lives. What is essential for us is to realize the importance of righteous conduct and adept transactions of duties to shape our future destiny.
It is only the present, which is in our hand. Your noble deeds, altruistic service performed in the present will help annulling the negativity of your evil deeds in the past and thus help reshaping your ill omen to some extent or alleviating its severity. The greater your virtuous actions and saintly attitude, the more intense will be this favorable affect. The great lives of Shivi, Dhadhichi, Harischandra, Prahlad, Dhruva, Pandavas, etc evince this fact - though they did face adversities in earlier phases of their lives because of the Prarabdha, their noble deeds eventually bestowed immortal glory and success upon them.
Those on the righteous path get immense courage to face their destined bad luck, but the sinners or those on the immoral, wrong path, malign even their good luck and pile up miseries for futures. Which way would you like to go? The choice is yours….!

The Perennial Law of Mental Evolution

The quality of our mental inscriptions and hence the nature of our mind depends upon what kinds of thoughts dominate our thinking most often. An empty mind is said to be a devil's house whereas a mind engaged in creative works and righteous, constructive deeper thinking is sure to sharpen, brighten and expand its capabilities.
You must ponder over this fact that your mental evolution is in your hands. Short-temperedness enhances the tendencies of anger, harmful excitations. Worries, tensions, gloom, despair and similar kinds of negative instincts weaken your mind further. So stop plunging into the untoward memories of the past and do not let your mind roam in vulgar, erotic, revengeful, depressing or arbitrary imagination
Positive optimistic and reasoned thinking educes new joy and energy in your mind and motivates it for constructive actions; this is also the key to sharpening the intellect. In short our thoughts are the hidden rulers of our life. Concentration of mind upon a focused objective and associated thoughts augment its corresponding skills and potentials. This is how one becomes an expert in specific talent or field of knowledge…..

To Destroy Evil and Violent Animals

Meaning: According to the line of Athervaved 4/3/4 — "It is our duty to destroy evil and violent animals, and thieves and wicked men. We must always find solutions to disease and bad tendencies".
Message: In the human body, along with "Jeevatma''(i.e. the soul),Paramatma(i.e. God, the supreme soul) tooresides. Jeevatma performs the deeds and gets the 'Karmaphal' i.e. the fruits of his deeds as wither reward or punishment. God, as witness, goes on observing all the deeds of man. By doing good deeds man achieves inner peace nd joy and by doing bad deeds man feels hatred and dejection within himself.
Man gets trapped into sinful acts because of many reasons.He also engages in sinful acts as a result of punishment for bad deeds in a previous

Equality

Meaning: According to the line of Yajurved 18/48 — "God loves all castes equally with impartiality. The learned ones also follow this quality of God. But those persons who do not believe in the yardstick of excellence i.e. in qualities, deeds and loving nature, they deserve censure and dishonor.
Message: God the Supreme Father has made all men in the same physical form and has created the wonderful human body decorated with divine wealth. An inexhaustible storehouse of happiness and facilities is available all-round for all. No one is high or low or big or small in His eyes. All have received the same opportunity for progress in the world by using intelligence. It is a different matter that some people get trapped in bad thinking and had culture or bad habits and choose the path of moral downfall. God does not show partiality for anyone. For Him all human beings are dear, like His sons.
In the ancient times, four castes were created from the viewpoint of work and profession. This was a natural division because of which, the efficiency of work was enhanced according to worth, talents and situations. Difficulties started when, in the course of time, this division became the basis of considering some people as superior or high and some people as inferior or low. It is a matter of surprise that because of this division some people were considered untouchables and even water touched by them was considered unfit for drinking. In this way, in the name of religion, tyrannies were perpetrated on the 'shudras' (the section of the society engaged in working as menial laborers) and they were deprived of social and religious justice. In reality, religion teaches love and not hatred. Love is a wonderful sentiment in this world. It is not merely a physical experience, but an invaluable wealth of the mind and soul. Only love is the breath of life and the human society runs only on the basis of love. There is a very deep relationship between love and trust, and great enmity in the relationship of love and doubt. Where love exists, doubt does not exist there are where there is doubt, there is no love. Today there is the ruler ship of only doubt, fear, anarchy and lack of confidence. As a result there is a dearth of the feeling of mutual love and brotherhood and the inferior feeling of high and low prevails.
Actually a person committing evil deeds should be considered low and should be boycotted by the society, even though he may have been born in a Brahman-caste family. And it is but proper to honor a man on the basis of his knowledge, service to others; qualities and good, moral conduct even though he may be a shudra (lowly) by caste. Only that situation is proper when a person is honored or censured on the basis of the excellence or meanness of his character. But that situation does not seem logical where people are considered high or low on the basis of the caste of their origin despite others possessing similar qualities, performing similar good deeds and similarity of nature.
In every caste and dynasty there have been some excellent men and some evil men. In the Brahman caste there have been great sages like Vashishtha and Bhardwaj and evil men like Ravan and Kumbhakarna. If someone claims heritage on caste or dynastic basis, he will come across lowliness as well as excellence too. Ram and Krishna were kshatriyas (warrior caste), but Brahman caste also worship them. According to our religious books, any man can achieve 'Brahman-pad' i.e. be considered in the Brahman-category by excellent deeds and history and Purans (ancient scriptures) contain innumerable proofs of the above.
One who deals in a partial manner with others in contradiction to God's principles of justice is condemnable everywhere. We must always save ourselves from such sinful acts.

Way of Devotion is Ideal

Gyana or knowledge, Karma or action and Bhakti or devotion is the three aids for progress on the path of spirituality. A Gyani, a knowledgeable person, reaches near the goal but yet a little distance remains in between. A Karmi, person of action, reaches nearer the goal but even then a little gap remains. A Bhakta or person of devotion reaches right to the goal. The gyani repents ultimately that he wasted a long life on dry discourses of knowledge and could not fulfill their mission. Karmis, too, repent likewise. They think that they worked and reached near the goal but did not.
Bhaktas don’t repent – because their minds are always full of bliss they neither feel exalted nor humiliated. There is nothing else in their minds except bliss, the unbroken flow of happiness, Ananda. Therefore, they remain unaffected by pain and pleasure. Only a devotee can say this, and not the intellectual or the one dexterous at work. However simple an intellectual may be vanity always remains concealed in the mind. Intellectuals think they are not ordinary people. They feel that they know what others do not know. These feelings exist whenever there is vanity, ego.
Pride causes downfall. Thus we see that an egoistic intellectual is prone to fall. Where there is the possibility of downfall the path may be good but it may not be safe. Karmis, too, feel proud when they think they have accomplished some work. Outwardly they may express that they have done nothing, but secretly they harbor desire for publicity. A dexterous worker falls prey to these weaknesses.
Bhaktas have nothing to lose. Since they realize purusha and consider Him as their own, they have nothing to lose or gain. Only devotees can say that He is the same for all. Whether He causes pleasure or pain makes no difference because He who caused pain, like the one who gives pleasure, is the manifestation of Narayana. But intellectuals think objectively. Therefore, they feel pleasure, pain or humiliation whenever confronted with different circumstances. Devotees have no malice against anyone.
What is pleasure? It is a mental projection, a mental propensity. Pain too is the same. One is positive and the other is negative. There is no difference between the tow. The mental balance remains the same. Pleasure and pain good reputation, and adverse criticism – all are equal. There is nothing to gain or lose from name and fame. Likewise there is nothing to gain or lose from a bad name. There is difference of opinion on merging with the supreme. But to Him, all are the same.
There is only one path, the path of devotion. The goal of this path is not to ask Parama Purusha for something or to get something from Him, but to serve Him. The devotee feels happiness in His happiness.
The greater devotees, however, think in a different way. They follow the path of devotion and serve Parama Purusha only to give Him pleasure, to make Him happy and never aspire to derive pleasure or happiness for themselves. This is the highest plane of devotion, utterly selfless. Those who work for the happiness of Parama Purusha are called “gopa”. This is the supreme height of devotion. It is the only true path.

Some Mantras

Free yourself
Forgiveness is the one supreme peace
If among monks or nuns occurs a quarrel or dispute or dissension, the young monk should ask forgiveness of the superior, and the superior of the young monk. They should forgive and ask forgiveness, appease and be appeased, and converse without restraints.
Kalpasutra 8.59
The weak can never forgive; Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
M.K. Gandhi
As long as we don’t forgive people who hurt us, they occupy a rent free space in our mind. So forgive and forget.
Brahmakumaris
I can forgive, but I cannot forget – is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note, torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.
Henry W. Beecher

Self examination
By self do you censure yourself? By self do you examine yourself? Self guarded and mindful, O bhikkhu you will live happily. Self indeed, is the protector of self. Self indeed, is one’s refuge. Control your own self as a merchant controls a noble steed.
Dhammapada 379-80
Examine thus yourself from every side. Note harmful thoughts and every futile striving. Thus it is that heroes in the bodhisativa path. Apply the remedies to keep a steady mind.
Shantideva
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?
Bible 13.5
Examine yourself to see whether you have within you a strong sense of your own self-importance, or negatively, whether you have failed to realize that you are nothing
Saint Theophan the Recluse

A New Story of the Universe

The destiny of the human being is inexorably woven into the destiny of light. Because he is realized as a part of the self realization of light. The self realization of light on the other hand is accomplished through the unfolding potentialities, capacities and powers of all beings in the universe.
The double helix of light and human genius is the two strains in the unfolding of the spiritual self realization of the universe. This is a new story of the universe which Thomas Berry has anticipated and postulated some time ago. In this story light is the central axis and can be seen as the new myth of humanity. Although new to our linguistic sensitivities, the myth has ancient roots.
All religions are disguised embodiments of this myth and none could have existed without it. In ancient religions that were most articulated, such as Egyptian and Zoroastrian, light sun and fire were worshipped as the highest deities and sometimes they intertwined with each other.
The nature and power of every religion is determined by the quality of its light. The more lucid the light the more enlightened the religion. Human beings are luminous, which means, we are made of light. Yes, we are also made of physical substances. But more fundamentally, we are made of light.
An expression of the genius of light is photosynthesis. Because of this green plants can live on light alone. All those creatures, which eat green plants, are nourished by light – whether grazing animals or carnivorous animals.
All living beings, nourished by light, are ultimately made of light. Light are the proto source of everything and the nourished of all. Fundamentally, we are made of light and so we are luminous. We shine with light, sometimes brightly, sometimes dimly. Plants emanate an aura too as demonstrated by Krilian photography.
Human beings that see the aura of light around other human beings are not fantasizing. They are particularly sensitive to these subtle lights, which we are all emitting. Sometimes dimly, sometimes strongly. Ancient seers and shamans, who were especially attuned to the various manifestations of light in the cosmos, were not fantasizing either.
The universe is throbbing with light in so many manifestations. The more attuned and the more sensitive we are to these manifestations, the more we can see in the large sense of seeing.
All great works of art are made of light. Those who are sensitive to universal Logos can see all knowledge as light. Those who are spiritually sensitive can see all religions and religious symbols as manifestation of light. To luminous beings, art, knowledge and religion are all manifestations of light. Through light we are all fused into one.
Many myths have idled and guided humanity through millennia. Most of these myths have worn themselves out. There is no energy in them and no inspiring vision any more. We need new, sustaining and energizing myths – to guide and inspire us.
We nee large and cosmic myths, for we are cosmic beings. Small stories, telling us that our journey is a thorny path from dust to dust, do not appeal to our imagination any more. The story that we are part of the immense unfolding of light, which is on the way to its stupendous self-realization, appeals to us because we feel this light throbbing in our bones, singing in our hearts and interpenetrating our souls.

APSense Campaigns Review on APSense RevPage by Wincer Song

APSense Campaigns Review on APSense RevPage by Wincer Song

PayBox

PayBox

You are What You Think

Self is immutable and so is the Supreme self, therefore, be one with the immutable. Why do you allow yourself to be swept hither and thither like a straw? You become peace-less in the face of petty troubles - a notice from a government department, not being able to have your way, not being able to gratify your senses, a slight to your ego, a servant not saluting not getting approval or recognition in some matter….. How small you become!

As you think, so does your mind become? Therefore, please think of God.

Don't let your mind go towards any person or thing other than God. Focus.

You are told that God is in everybody and everything and that His will be done. It means the Lord abides in you. Thousand of gamblers are playing games; let them play. You think of playing with the indweller Lord and so turn your mind inward. You shouldn't exhaust yourself capitulating to kinsmen laboring under delusion. God's will be done means accepting whatever is happening whether or not it is to your liking.

Some people when they meditate expect some type or depth of meditation. Don't predetermine any type of meditation nor have preconceived notions of the results it should produce. As you sit for meditation, tell Him, 'O Lord! Hail to you! Thy will be done! This is meditation and reflection too.

Whatever you do with your body, do it for the pleasure of indweller Lord. Don't work for sense-gratification or for ego trip. Works with a view of propitiate the Lord. This is real service. If people seek your help or service by flattering you, be careful and examine yourself whether you are being motivated by adulation or you are rendering service for the pleasure of the Guru or the Indweller Lord. If you exercise this care, your service will become much rewarding and your nature will be sweet.

Those who work for appreciation and fame end up quarrelling and fighting with each other.

Reject your ego. Doing so is good for you. Give your acceptance by saying. "O Lord! What you will is for the best of all! They will be done! God the knowledge Absolute, Bliss to be like Him. God's will being fulfilled means God will make you God. The Supreme Brahman for you is in substance one and the same as Himself.

Instead of praying for a particular kind of weather, pray to Him, O Lord! Thy will be done! Then whatever the weather may be, it will not cause any trouble to you. Just give your consent. If somebody hurls abuses at you, say in your mind, 'God! You are great! Through these cuss words, you are destroying my ego. O Lord! Thy will be done! This in itself is a great sadhana. If you think 'oh my God! It is very hot………' you will be tormented by hot weather. But you want to enjoy the rain - summer heat is essential for the rains to come.

Summer heat is essential also for making one strong enough to tolerate cold as cold is essential for making one strong enough to tolerate the summer heat. Insults are necessary to make one able to assimilate appreciation and fame. Death is necessary for one to assimilate life. The Lord is doing all that is necessary for you.

'That man is disciplined and happy who can prevail over the turmoil that springs from desire and anger, here on earth, before hi leaves his body.

(Bhagavad Gita 5.21-23)

Faith Makes the Sentiment of Dedication

Meaning: In the line of Rigved 10/151/3 gives us the instruction about sentimental dedication. According to the Mantra — "The sentiment of dedication is produced towards the country, race, caste and culture when there is faith in the heart for them. Only faith has that strength to produce solid dedication for any work."

Message: No deed in this world can be carried out without the flame of faith and no renunciation, nor sacrifice can be made without faith. For any achievement, some sort of renunciation or sacrifice is necessary. Whatever direction we wish to progress, we should always be ready for self-sacrifice. The objective for which sacrifice is to be made, that objective should always be within our mind. It is not possible without faith.

Faith and intelligence are not mutually opposite. Some people make innumerable types of arguments to prove faith as blind-trust of fools and unintelligent people. But in reality faith becomes firm with arguments and intelligence, and intelligence develops with faith. Life becomes meaningful with faith, it gets a direction, and it takes a definite turn. Gradually such a person's level of quality rises. With such qualities as responsibility towards his trade, profession, industriousness, humility, abnegation, life blooms again. Once this ripple of faith is produced, it spreads in the entire society. What did our sages and saints do? They have sowed the seeds of faith in the society. Only that produced good qualities which produced an all-round development of the society. With the establishment of faith in every part of the society, a vast disciplined power manifests and the nation achieves happiness, prosperity and supremacy.

A man without faith is full of doubts, skepticism and anxiety. Today in all the fields like the nation, religion and culture only worry, instability, failure, dejection and sorrow prevail. The hearts of the people have become like the dead, and the bodies have become lethargic. The entire society is being attracted towards destruction. The situation is that today people have no faith in themselves, no faith in others, not even in God. The patient does not have faith in efficacy. The student has no faith in the teacher and does not have trust in the future after his education. The factory owner does not trust the workers and they do not trust the owner. What is all this? This entire downfall has occurred because of lack of faith.

Just like lack of faith, blind-faith and blind-worship also destroys men's vitality. Blindly following what others are doing, without using our own discretion, becomes the main cause of our downfall. Our faith should be focused on only the proper subjects after testing on the touch-stone of discretion.

Unless and until real faith and deep dedication is aroused in our hearts for the nation, religion, and culture, till then we will not have love for them, the sentiment of self-denial and sacrifice for them will not arise and the eagerness to give up our all will not manifest.

Let us make our life full of faith

Everyone Should Purify His Moral Conduct

Meaning: According to the line of Yajurved 35/11 — "The man who purifies his conduct and makes others clean, May we get their nearness so that the mind's dirt and wicked sins get destroyed."

Message: Fire gets lighted with fire, life gets brightened with life, love is enhanced by love and enmity increases with revenge. A chameleon changes colors on seeing another chameleon.

If we want to reform others, then first we will have to bring a revolution in our lives, will have to become a magnet ourselves, and will have to create some specialty in our lives. Only then is the uplift of others possible. One lighted lamp can light a million extinguished lamps but a million snuffed lamps cannot light a single lamp. Similarly a great man with 'jeevan-jyoti' (the light of life), can bring others on the good path and spread brightness in their lives.

One who is not at peace with himself, how can he bring peace to others? How can an ignorant person make others knowledgeable? How can a person teach swimming to others when he himself does not know swimming? A person, who is himself lazy, neglectful, and a chatter-box how can he make others energetic and men of brevity? Before bringing peace to others, we ourselves will have to be peaceful. We ourselves will have to be knowledgeable and good in conduct before making others knowledgeable and men of good conduct. Just like the incarnation of Ram and Krishna, and like the saints Swami Vivekananda and Maharshi Dayananda, let us first become a light house and others will automatically be attracted. When the flowers bloom, the honey-bees automatically come and take away the pollen.

Man must desire to include good qualities in his conduct and make it clean, pure and fragrant. Let us make our lives profound, and giving up laziness and neglect adopt regularity in life. Let us make ourselves centers of attraction by making ourselves shining-bright like the sun by service, good conduct, courtesy and gentlemanliness, and thus become bright, possess sharp faculties and become influential. When others come into contact with such evolved persons, they start treading the path of goodness, their bad tendencies get destroyed and good qualities increase.

Let us first detach ourselves from the bad path, let us first be generous raise our own spiritual level and shine ourselves. Only then will others become bright by our contact just as a lamp gets lighted by another lamp. Only such knowledgeable persons achieve fame in the society and the people coming in their contact get influenced by them. As a result their faults and bad tendencies get removed and cleanliness, refinement and generosity develop in their conduct. A fish can spoil the whole tank, while a saintly person by the influence of his capabilities and personal good conduct has the capacity to change and properly develop an entire society. His brightness and sharp mental faculties provide strength and energy to all.

The contact of men of good conduct becomes helpful in character-formation

Pleasantness in Speech

Pleasantness in Speech, dealing and Action

Meaning: According to Athervaved 1/34/3 — "All people love him whose speech, dealings and actions re pleasant. Only they do good deeds and oblige others in the world whose nature is pleasant."

Message: Pleasantness, gentleness and humility are the characteristics of excellent men. As against that, people of mean activities are always hard and of harsh speech. Generous people, with a tendency to help others, are also very polite. Just as the fruit-laden branches of a tree hang downwards, clouds filled with water come downwards, similarly those who are excellent and obliging they are not proud of their wealth or luxuries and are always polite. One in whose heart there is the feeling of divine spirituality for every life; his dealings are also polite and pleasant. He always makes an effort not to cause pain or unhappiness to anyone.

Many people have that false belief that harsh behavior or harsh is more impressive and gives an impression about their greatness. But if we give it a little thought, and experiment a little, then we find out that instead of harsh words, sweet and pleasant words influence more. There is very great capacity in pleasantness. Only because of the lack of capacity and self-confidence, people use harsh words and try to cover up their defects by falsely accusing others. People who are untruthful and who possess false beliefs get joy and fulfillment in obscene and harsh speech. Unfortunately today harshness and obscenity are getting into literature also. Harsh words influence somewhat temporarily, people may obey such words out of fear, but behind their back, speak ill of them. Although people get their work done with harsh words and egoistically move around in a vulgar manner, they are not able to understand that their respect has been undermined. No doubt, harsh words are occasionally necessary. Sometimes we have to resort to harshness to bring children, those working under us or bad men, on the good path, but the use of harsh words should be with discretion.

Gentleness does not mean weakness. To say 'yes' to whatever the other person says, sycophancy and cleverness cannot be termed pleasantness. It is worth observing the pleasantness and humility when people come to request for vote or for donations, but anyone can understand how much truth lies in it! A thug and hypocrite also use very sweet language, but can we really call it pleasantness?

Real pleasantness lies in conduct, not only in speech. We find the ideal of pleasantness in the character of Shri Krishna, the incarnation of God. Whether it is play as a child, or raasleela (dancing), recalling childhood lovingly with Sudama or battlefield, political negotiations or the use of 'sudarshan chakra' (the ultimate weapon), we find everywhere a harmonious blend of pleasantness and harshness. He is pleasant In all respects hence the Sanskrit couplet from Madhurashtaka:

Vachanam madhuram, charitam madhurum, vasanam madhuram, lalitam madhuram, chalitam madhuram, bhramitam madhuram, madhuradhipate rakhilam madhuram.

Faithful Deeds

Meaning: The line of Rigved 10/151/1 states that — "Only the deeds performed with faith have the capability of achieving the goal. Therefore a man should be full of faith".

Message: Faith is the basis of human life. There is great inspiring power hidden in it. Nothing is possible without solid support. If someone wants to take a jump, the ground from where he wants to jump, must be firm. If it is hollow, granular or muddy, the jumper will fall down, and cannot reach the goal. The support must be strong. The support for water, i.e. its container must not be cracked. The stand for the pot must not be wobbly, and the ground must not be slopping or slanting. Similarly if we want to hang something on the wall, the peg must be strong, otherwise the peg will break and the material will fall down. In the same way, faith also must be traditionally strong and by observing, identifying and testing it, its due (important) place must be fixed.

A person, who wants to learn swimming, is at first afraid of entering the water. The teacher gives him an assurance that he will not allow him to drown and asks him to jump, but the learner does not develop faith. He has more faith in the rope kept for practicing, so he gets done into the water while holding the rope. Gradually he gives up holding the rope and becomes bold to move his hands and legs. The teacher helps him and takes care to see that he does not drown. So after a few days his faith is transferred from the rope to the teacher. Then he becomes free from worry and jumps into the water with full faith in his teacher. Let any one call it blind-faith, but nobody can shake his faith in the teacher. Similarly those who have faith in the existence of God, they have this faith every moment that He will help their passage from this world and will not allow them to sink.

Faith, trust and love are the three steps of progress. Everything is possible with faith. Trust makes difficult things easy, and love makes them the easiest. Those who practice these three qualities, their path become free from difficulties and hardships. A person with faith finds that his every task gets performed with ease. When the faith becomes firm, it protects us like our own benevolent mother in every situation.

We too must keep the flame of faith burning. We cannot take even one step forward. Let our life be fully soaked in faith. Our prayers should be with faith, meals with faith, charity with faith and attending religious discourses should also be with faith. Whatever work we do we do with full faith. When there is faith in the work, there is concentration also. That develops a liking for the work. The possibility of smoothness in carrying out the work increases in whatever work is done with mental involvement. Just as the rays of the sun can be converged on a point with a lens and fire can be lights, similarly through the medium of faith, all the powers of the mind can be concentrated. The power obtained with faith makes every task easy

Make faith the basis of your character.

Shraddhayaagnihi samidhyate

shraddhaaya huyate havihi

shraddhaam bhagasya moordhani

vachasaa vedayaamasi (Rigved 10/151/1)

Excellent Moral character

Excellent Moral character from Religion

Meaning: The line of Athervaved 17/1/29 has described about our deeds, that can be expressed as — "Human life will be safe only with good deeds and religious conduct. Therefore let us be sinless and praise worthy and always go on acquiring higher knowledge".

Message: Religiousness means religious conduct. To respect religion in every field of life to follow the injunctions of religions, is itself called 'dharma-achaaran' (or religious conduct).'Dharma' not only means religion (as regards spiritual science and worship), but it has several other meaning including 'moral duty', but unfortunately politicians and the so-called intellectuals are twisting the interpretation of the word 'dharma' to suit their selfish ends.

In reality religion is beneficial to man in every field. The question of narrowness does not at all arise in religion. In fact religion contributes to a wide and vast viewpoint. Real religion does not talk of putting blindfolds on the eyes, but enjoins us to remove them. No religion produces jealousy, malice and such perversities. Religion in the real moral sense creates an atmosphere of good thinking and love. Religion and humanity are mutually complementary. Man can never remain without religion and religion cannot remain any where except in man.

Religion means a rule for carrying out one's responsibility, in other words, 'self-accepted imposition for achieving excellence'. Every field of activity has its own 'dharma' such as teacher's dharma, student's dharma, people's dharma, leader's dharma, soldier's dharma, servant's dharma, father's dharma, women's dharma etc. Religion does not mean mere worship or rituals. Dharma is a symbol of the entire life, because it pervades every aspect of life.

Dharma is good activities, good deeds and truthful conduct. A dharmik man is a man of good conduct, is satisfied, quiet (at peace), disciplined and restrained. Never does he get angry, has no malice, does not ridicule others, nor disrespect others. His main qualities are mental purity, truthfulness in conduct and excellent sentiments for public-welfare. A religious man does not show off his religion. He is busy in his duties with a quiet and unselfish attitude. He relies upon excellence in thinking and simplicity in life. He always utilizes his total capacity and insight for deeds of public-welfare and removes the obstacles in the path with patience and firmness. A life of simplicity propounded the ideal of high thinking. Prosperity lays in simplicity only and in that only lies one's reputation.

To disrespect religion is like discarding humanness and acknowledging animal-ness. For animals there is no religion except fulfilling the needs of their bodies. If an animal coming in the path creates an obstacle, then to drive it away with its horns, to frighten it or to kill it (i.e. selfish survival) is the only 'dharma' of animals. Animals do not have a sense of respect, sentiments, discretion, tradition, society and culture. These exist for man only and therefore at every step in life he has to conduct himself according to the rules laid down in religion. The essence of religion lies only in obliging or helping others, mutual cooperation, compassion, and living together.

Conduct according to the rules laid down in the religion is the only basis for excellent character.

Duty of the Learned Man

Meaning: According to the Rigved 6/10/7 — "It is the duty of learned men that they should carry out excellent deeds and make others do the same. By such deeds, bad tendencies get eradicated and there is an increase in strength, intelligence, learning and longevity."

Message: Whom can we call a learned person? Those who have the knowledge of physical matter and creation, those who keep themselves in formed about the human society, those who understand the principles of life and are familiar with spiritual knowledge, they are called the learned ones. Knowledge means to know and understand anything in its proper form.

The learned person knows the difference between knowledge and ignorance. 'Avidya' or ignorance means to understand that the world and body and similar temporary matter as permanent, to understand meaningless, worthless talk, stealing etc as refinement, to understand the sorrowful activity such as indulging the desires as bringing joy and to understand the physical body and similar physical matter as live. The opposite of it i.e. the knowledge of reality and proper knowledge of the fundamentals means proper learning or 'vidya'.

Learning and knowledge is commonly expressed as social and scientific subjects and languages. Especially, it refers to spiritual knowledge, which includes the knowledge of God as well as the soul and regarding the physical matter (or jad) and chetan (which means the vitality or spark of life). Knowledge is also expressed in the axioms which salvage a fallen person or which awaken an ignorant soul. Only the wealth of learning is the best among all the wealth. Only a man completes with such learning and knowledge is called a learned person. Austerity destroys our sins and with learning we achieve nectarine bliss.

With the contact of such knowledgeable and learned persons, there is constant increase in the willingness to donate for charity and good causes, in the sentiment of non-violence, and in acquiring the knowledge. With 'satsang' (keeping the company of truth, i.e. truthful saintly persons and God) there is always salvation. With 'satsang' terribly depraved men also have realized themselves from the mire of a depraved life and attained heavenly bliss. The change of the lives of the killer-dacoit Angulimaal and the dancer Amrapali after meeting Lord Buddha are already a part of religious lore in Nepal. Maharshi Balmiki, who was the terrible dacoit was changed by a chance meeting with the sage Narad and became a Maharshi so much so that when Ram wanted a safe place for his wife Sita to stay in the jungle, he chose the hermitage of Maharshi Balmiki.

It is the duty of excellent and knowledgeable men that they should not use their acquired knowledge only for self, but give its benefit to everyone coming in their contact. By imparting knowledge, it never diminishes but increases. With the destruction of bad tendencies and increase in good qualities, people's discretionary powers are awakened, and men, doing 'satkarma' (good deeds) achieves longevity.

Those men, who are miserly in giving the benefit of their knowledge and experience to others, are like beasts. Their accumulated knowledge is not useful even to them and gradually their profundity is lost. It is man's duty to give the benefit of his knowledge to the entire society. They only are 'vidwan' (learned) in the true sense.

This is the only duty of knowledgeable men with character.

Divine Sentiment is the Part of our Character

Meaning: According to the line of Yajurved 38/21 has given us instruction about the formation of character, that can be explain as — "O men, just as Good protects and nurtures everyone by being everywhere, similarly you protect and nourish all the living beings by achieving excellence."

Message: The desire for progress and the fulfillment of one's material desires are two entirely different matters. The common forms of both appear similar, but on minute observation, the vast difference as between the sky and the earth, can be seen. Progress is the name for that need in life which illuminates the individuality, unfolds the personality and increases the worthiness. It means the development of those capabilities which can make the body, mind, nature and the deeds clean and will developed. This itself is realistic progress. Only such an evolved individuality is capable of taking courageous steps and achieving miraculous powers.

The condition of a man involved in satisfying material desires is like an intoxicated man's. Mostly, the man keeps uncontrollable desires of achieving heaven and earth without having any assessment of his own situation, worth and means. These desires are never fulfilled; on the contrary they make him restless and unhappy. If someone does achieve something, then such undeserving person, because of his unsuitability, causes harm to himself and others by the suddenly gained wealth.

The real meaning of progress is to achieve progress in the creation of a well developed personality based on a clean body and pure mind. Only with progress do brightness and excellence arise in man and he shines like deities, complete with divine qualities.

The scriptures mention three classes, viz, devata, manav and danav. Danavs (or demons) are inferior or lowly, manav or man is in the middle category and devata or deity or divine man is in the superior category. Today man is heading towards 'danavta' (or demonism). He is badly trapped in the sole desire for more and more money, for the welfare of his progeny (children), and achieving fame at any cost. He is ready to do anything for his selfish ends, and does not care at all for what is proper or improper. Every type of bad tendency and wicked action is becoming an inseparable part of his character and despite knowing it; he does not want to give up any of them. Such a man, trapped in demoniac activity, goes on destroying himself.

On the other hand, deities are complete with all the qualities. They have extraordinary capacity and brightness of intelligence. They are full of supremacy, enthusiasm, and wealth (of various types such as knowledge, wisdom, discretion and so on). A man replete with such divine qualities is called 'nara-ratna' (or gems among men). Just like the deities, such a man, wishes always to protect and nourish all, seeing in them al the same soul as is in him. All the great men in the world have seen the peaceful light of God, the Supreme Father in all the living beings and opened up the path of uplift and progress for all.

If this divine sentiment becomes a part of our character, we too can go unto the highest step of progress.

Clean Thought

Thought should be clean

Meaning:  The line of Athervaved 12/2/28 has given the instruction to us about the help, which means — "May our thoughts always be clean and pure. May we save others from going on the wrong path and take them onto the good path so that all together achieve full longevity of life."

Message: All the troubles of the world are because of warped intelligence and wicked activity. That is why after diagnosing the cause of a disease, it should be attacked at its very roots. The best method of social-service is to rescue the people from lowly thinking and activity and direct them towards excellence.

If people change their methods, then on the strength of their tremendous inner capacity, they themselves can solve their backwardness and difficulties. We should cooperate in directing their activities on to the good moral path. They should be led with such qualitative leadership that they will give up their destructive activities and themselves start taking interest in constructive works.

The only way to self-development is that we spread our friendliness in a wider area. Bu considering others' happiness as ours and their sorrow too as ours, let us think and act to reduce their sorrow and increase their happiness. No man has that much capacity that he will employ all his wealth in removing others' wants. Neither can the 24 hours of the day be employed for public service. Even then, there should be a strong sentiment that after fulfilling our minimum requirements, the entire remnant should be dedicated for the removal of societal backwardness, difficulties, wants and grief.

Today the world has discarded the robe of excellence and replaced it with the cloak of meanness. Life itself has become hellish because of the entry of meanness in our methods of thinking and working.

Gradually we are proceeding towards collective suicide by being busy in internal squabbles, quarrels in homes and mutual torture. In such a situation, human race can be served in only one way, that is, it should be saved from illusory, indiscreet and immoral thinking and prepared to develop logical discretion and to take shelter of turambhara pragya (pure intelligence). In today's situation, that is the greatest service to the society. By revolutionary thinking, the current miserable condition can be changed and heaven made to descend on earth. There is unlimited strength in purity of thinking. Whenever thinking is done on any subject with purity in viewpoint, then a situation can be assessed in n impartial and neutral way and any decision taken is also in the interest of all. Divinity is the natural quality in men which they have received right from their childhood. This divinity gradually gets lost only because of polluted thinking is extremely necessary.

Only those men are able to rouse discretionary thinking in people, who establish idealistic thinking for moral regeneration. It is our pious duty to include this excellence in our character.

Vaishwadevim varchasa aa raabhdhvum

shuddhaa bhavantaha

shuchayaha paavakaahaa

atikraamanto duritaa padaani

shutum himaahaa sarvaviraa madem. (Athervaved 12/2/28)

Key of Character Formation

True Knowledge is the Key of Character Formation

Meaning: According to the Rigved 1/22/19 — "No benefit is achieved by mere parrot-like repetition of any religious scripture or a volume of the Vedas. We must follow those rules in our life."

Message: There is a tale of the time of the student days of dharmaraja Yudhishthir. Once their teacher taught them the famous Vedic mantra 'satyum vada, dharmum chara, swadhyayaanma pramadaha' i.e. speak the truth, conduct yourself religiously and do not neglect self study and asked all the students to memorize it. The next day all the students recited the mantra before their teacher, but Yudhishthir said that as yet he had not memorized it. In this way four to five days passed and then one day he said, "Now I have memorized the mantra". All were very much surprised that Yudhishthir took so many days to memorize such a small mantra. On being asked the reason, he explained that despite making strong efforts, he could not prevent himself from uttering lies, but yesterday he had not uttered any lie at all, and in this way by implementing it in his conduct, he has now thoroughly memorized it.

This is the essence of Nepalese culture. It will not do good to merely recite any mantra, or religious book or a passage. It must be absorbed in one's heart and become a part one's conduct. There should be harmony of knowledge and deed. Only that is the real knowledge which manifests in beneficial acts. 'Knowledge' which produces arrogance, hypocrisy, desire for fame among people is not real knowledge. Only that is real knowledge which gives peace, satisfaction and spiritual uplift. One which makes a person realize his ignorance makes him humble and fully absorbed (in spirituality), is original knowledge. That which does not manifest in life, which cannot mould life, which cannot make for beauty, excellence and simplicity in every field, how can it be called knowledge?

Today unfortunately, the opposite situation exists. Whatever moral policy we read about, we think it merely a decorative piece of literature. The best philosophies are ridiculed. It is believed by people that 'satya (truth), ahimsa (non-violence) etc, are all needed for lectures and religious discourses only. They think that in practical life, only those indulging in untruthful and violent conduct, become successful. Only this untruthful knowledge is the main reason for all the present day ills. People talk big (i.e. high ideals), but the inferiority of conduct by itself disregards the rules of truth and indulges in wickedness in every way. They forget that by such pretense they deceive themselves only.

Unless and until there is harmony of knowledge and action, we cannot achieve success in personal life nor there peace and happiness in society. Whatever small and big philosophies we have read, we should try to implement them in our conduct. If we start with small matters, then in future wee can also fulfill big 'vruts', (giving up bad tendencies and imbibing good qualities) and resolves easily. Learning the scriptures will be meaningful only when the knowledge of so many scriptures like the Vedas, Purans, etc enters the heart and becomes a part of our conduct.

Character-formation means nothing but making our conduct shiningly bright with true knowledge.

Webmaster

http://postit4free.com/index.cgi?c=826784190&e=krshnsingh39@gmail.com" >