Company with Learned Person

Meaning: According to the line of Rigved 1/89/8, Yajurved 25/21 and Samved 1874 — "In the company of learned men; let us hear beautiful words, see the truth and worship of God, so that our longevity may increase. Let us not speak untruth, nor hear words of false praise, nor see what is bad and let us keep away from adultery."

Message: Why has God made this human body? He has created it for the purpose that we obtain longevity by conducting ourselves like deities. Brahma has decided in advance the life-spam of every creature. Man has been usually granted a life of one hundred years. It is in man's hands to fill his life with happiness and prosperity and by divine conduct, increase his life's spam to over a hundred years or getting trapped in wicked actions, and destroy his life by physical and mental diseases. Of course it is a different story if man's life ends through divine intervention or natural calamities.

Man's body has a natural tendency to be attracted towards bad tendencies, bad conduct and bad activities. Wicked thoughts and similar culture snare a man into their net because of their glamour. Various attractive and intoxicating temptations cheat our physical senses and our control over these senses is lost. Uncontrolled senses cross their natural and required limits and become so willful and lusting after gratification that they create trouble for health and religious conduct.

Control over the senses opens the door to heavenly bliss. That itself is the real worship of God and with that only there is happiness, peace and joy. With unrestrained senses, restlessness and darkness prevails everywhere and man lives in a state of hell-like atmosphere. Every moment of his life, man must give priority to self-restraint and denial to gratification of the senses. Let us use our ears in hearing always good and cultured subjects, and accept only those thoughts which are benevolent, and beneficial to all. With our eyes also, let us see only good things, let us not see what is improper. Let us avoid our total destruction by avoiding looking at obscene, lust-exciting scenes and thinking over such scenes. Let our hands, legs and all the parts of the body do only good deeds in service to others. Merely for our own selfishness, let us not do any improper work on behalf of others. Let us not cause pain to any form of life.

This does not mean that we crush the sensitivity of our senses; it only means that we make their proper and restrained use, resulting in health and strength to the limbs and the organs so that the body becomes energetic, dynamic and lustrous. In this way man becomes long-lived while performing deeds of service to the society.

The mental attitudes given to us by the Supreme Father are all very important and useful. We will be able to lead a happy and peaceful life only by their proper use.

May God grant us the proper to keep our senses under control?

Bhadrum karnobhihi shrunuyaam devaa

bhadrum pashyemaakshabhiryajatraahaa

Sthirairange stushtuvaa ngum

sastanubhirvyashemahi

devahitum hadaayhu. (Rigved 1/89/8, Yajurved 25/21 and Samved 1874)

We have to Accept Moral Good Advice

Meaning: According to the line of Athervaved 10/1/13 — "Man should not delay in accepting morally good advice and should very quickly give up bad deeds."

Message: Some people think that they will never be able to make any progress in spiritual life because they are born with bad tendencies and their life will end in failure only. This way of thinking is completely wrong. We should remove the influence of this thinking by positive thoughts. Just as aw gust of wind lifts up dust particles and also pushes clouds over long distances, similarly by the whirlwind of good thoughts, bad thoughts in the mind must be driven away.

Within every man divine and demoniac tendencies exist and their battle is going on constantly within man's mind. For obtaining petty benefits and in the pursuit of pampering our physical desires, we ourselves strengthen our demoniac tendencies and thereby suppress divine emotions. We must repeatedly think about the divinity within us and go on trying to make it stronger. We must think that purity is our birthright. Man ultimately becomes what he thinks.

It is easy to be born a human being, but man achieves humanness only by strong efforts. We also will require constantly exerting very hard and being constantly alert to make our life pure and cultured. Even the smallest habit becomes a part of our nature as time goes on, and then we have to suffer heavy loss. It is our duty to save ourselves from such harmful excitements.

Our mind is highly mobile. It cannot be trusted even for a moment. Sometimes a bad habit in a subtle way comes in the form of quality, helpfulness and friendship, infatuates us and clouds our mind. If we do not remain alert, then the sentiment of attachment is born, which suppresses the original sentiment of helpfulness and friendship and inspires the person towards greed and selfishness.

For real spiritual life, the requirement is of maximum self-restraint and purity, and one has to pay its price since there is no question of any deal about it. While discharging our deeds of daily life, we have to adopt self-restraint, and only with it is real self-development possible. Many a time we think that if we maintain restraint and purity in mind, in our speech and in our deeds, we will be deprived of much material happiness and therefore we must enjoy in the material world. We are forgetting that real joy is not in unrestrained life but in leading a life of restraint. Man's liking increases in self-restraint through the self-study of morally good books, the company of saintly persons and the advice of learned persons. We should always keep our eyes and ears open and adopt good qualities.

It is possible to give up wicked activity only through self-restraint.

Yatha vaatashchyaavayati bhoomya

renumantarikshaachaabhrum

eva mata sarvam durbhootum

brahmanuttamapaayati (Athervaved 10/1/13)

Simplicity of Life

Meaning: After analyzing what is good and what is bed in this world, let us accept only that which is good. This is the only solution for liberation from sorrow and painful problems.

Message: The only objective of Nepalese way of life, of Nepalese literature (on philosophy and religion) and Nepalese learning is to illuminate the entire path of man's life by lighting the flame of illuminate knowledge within the heart. In this it is expected that with the dawn of knowledge in man's mind, all his deeds must be in accordance with it. The only aspiration of Nepalese culture is that we absorb and imbibe the knowledge - which manifests every moment of our life, whether it is from a blade of grass or the vibration of an insect - and then turn it into a wise deed. Here, the knowledge is not understood to be merely imprisoned in books or confined within temple and hermitages, separate form a man's life. The essence of Nepalese philosophy is gyaanamaya karma, karma Maya Gyana, i.e. 'knowledgeable deed and knowledge in action'.

The Nepalese Vedic knowledge is not merely the deduction of principles to be confined to books only for the pleasure of reading, but it is for putting into action in action in one's conduct and therefore proves useful in every aspect of life. As a result both the material and the spiritual life benefit form this gyaanamaya karma, or knowledgeable deed. Only 'karma' or deed is the character of life, and inaction is the characteristic of the deed. Therefore, an ignorant, foolish and lazy man is inactive and 'deed' although alive.

A knowledgeable man possesses a peaceful and balanced attitude, does not get angry, or irritated. He does not cry and goes on doing his work peacefully and wisely. A knowledgeable man discovers new paths and follows them because he has not kept blindfolds on his eyes and because he hates narrow-thinking. He considers all deeds, which benefit every creature, pure and therefore he measures every deed by the broad outlook of 'aatmavat sarvabhooteshu' i.e. all living creatures contain the soul similar to his. He has equal love for all living creatures and therefore a wise, knowledgeable man deals lovingly with all.

It is necessary to have a harmony between 'gyan' i.e. knowledge and 'karma' i.e. deed. Fro that one must work with firm resolve and stick to the daily routine specially laid down for all of us from early morning till night. We have to create the nature of accepting the good and discarding the bad on the basis of the knowledge of considering the merits and demerits of everything. We have to refine ourselves by insisting on examining even the petty aspects and then only accepting them. Only then the knowledge within our hearts is expressed in our deeds, the brightness of great philosophy and divinity is seen in the life and faults and wicked tendencies dare not come near.

Nectarine peace is showered on our life only with a harmonious blending of knowledge and deeds. Beneficent or harmful aspect has to be decided after deep thinking with discretion about  what is moral or immoral, truth or untruth and proper or improper, and after that the decision has to be firmly implemented in our conduct.

Simplicity of life lies in this only and it makes men peace and happiness.

Keeping Good as Our Witness

Meaning: According to the line of Ribved 7/89/3 — "Keeping God as our Witness, let us accept our faults, wicked tendencies and wicked deeds so that we may not be lax in eliminating them. Our only prayers to God should be, 'O God! Drive away our wickedness"

Message: We sleep daily for 6-7 hours, which means that we remain awake for 17-18 hours daily. Innumerable thoughts arise within us throughout the day, and we talk quite a lot and also carry out the prescribed work. Let us take any one exclusive day and think over what all we thought, spoke and did. If we analyze, look within ourselves and do a little close observation, we will come to know how much unnecessary talk was made and how many abusive words and bad thoughts came in our minds. Then we will realize that most of the speech and thoughts were wicked, foolish and faulty. With only one day's self-analysis our attitude will be, "I was immersed in so many wicked thoughts and bad deeds and unnecessarily lost one day of my invaluable life." To save ourselves from such wasteful mental attitude we must obtain the help of God, and every day, every moment we must trust in God.

If we understand God as our friend, companion and well-wisher by believing in His omnipresence, then we will not feel shy about finding out our faults and accepting them. HE knows everything, sees everything, and then why hesitates before Him? At that time one does not feel ashamed to admit," How foolish I am that although I know and understand, even then I am not doing my expected duty, but doing the opposite. I know that I must not do this, but am still doing it. I am not able to fulfill any good or auspicious resolve, because mentally I become very weak. Some good thoughts arise to my mind, but because of the fear of people's ridicule, I am not able to even start any action on them. I also understand what I am expected to do. He tells me that I am going on the wrong path but I am so weak that I continue walking on the opposite path".

When such feeling becomes profound, then the spiritual strength of giving up the faults and wicked tendencies is achieved. In identifying one's own mistakes, accepting them and hating oneself for them, one gets that drive inspiration which liberates us from the wretchedness, incapacity, weakness and lack of mental brightness. Then that all knowing, auspicious and powerful God fills us with His brightness. By taking shelter under Him, by confessing sincerely one's bad tendencies and actions before Him, and resolving not to repeat them in future, that just pitiful God forgives us. Then He changes this life which earlier experienced failure at every step, and makes it complete with peace and happiness. Our bad habits leave us, bad thoughts and bad culture start running away and our life becomes meaningful.

The easiest way of eradicating our mistakes is to confess them.

Divine and Personal

A person doesn't have life unless he has a personal relationship with God. I am talking bout life that is filled with divine consciousness, and its accompanying joy of living, the joy of the Self Within.

I remember once traveling in a subway in New York, and watching people around me as they started unthinkingly into space, and then picked up their lives again when they reached their destination. How many people's entire existence is like that, as though spent waiting for something to happen. Is this living? Until you have at least something of God awareness, you don't really have life.

The spiritual path is like climbing a mountain, moving upwards for a time, and then descending into a depression, then upward to fresh heights. In our relationship with God, we rise consciously towards Him for a time and then suddenly discover things coming from the subconscious that pull us down - hopefully, temporarily. When this happens, we find ourselves needing to work at getting back. It may seem to us that we've gone backwards. But if were trying steadfastly and sincerely, this very dip of consciousness is part of the overall climb towards Him.

In this divine relationship, you find your inner joy ever increasing. The higher you climb up the mountain of spiritual attainment, the more you feel an underlying current of happiness in everything you do. You feel guided in everything. You find that you have only to ask; and suddenly, you know the answer.

When people ask me questions, and I try to answer them out of my anxiety to help them, I often come up with no answer at all. But then I remember: I'm not the one who has the answers. I then pray. "You tell me what to say". Then, almost always, the answer comes to me immediately.

The more we feel God's presence, the more we find Him playing an active part in our lives. Things that we need are there when we need them. Right opportunities seem to materialize almost as if by magic. Inwardly, we feel an ever-increasing sense of security, happiness, love and joy, until joy itself begins to pervade everything we do.

In addition to prayer and meditation, cultivating a personal relationship with God involves your attitude towards your work, and towards others. It's here that descent into touch with the joy with it is mostly because they have allowed ego to intrude. Real spiritual work takes place inside, in the realm of consciousness. The outward work that you do is secondary. Offer whatever you do to God; to try to serve Him in others - not thinking with you want from Him in return, or what others want from you, but rather what God wants from you.

The essence of spirituality is impersonality - not coldness or indifference, but absence of ego-motivation. Cultivate a direct relationship with God. Not to ask oneself, "What would God think? But what do you think"? This practice brings your thoughts to Him directly, instead of in a roundabout manner. In everything you do, hold the though that He is there, listening to you, guiding you. Share directly with Him everything that you do. This has been called "practicing the presence of God". The more you continue this practice, the more it will become natural for you, and the most rewarding thing you can do in life. And you'll see, gradually, that is really very simple.

An Ignorant Man Suffer From Disease

Meaning: An ignorant man suffers from disease and sorrow by being greedy but a religious man by spreading knowledge and wisdom liberates himself as well as others from the shackles of this mundane world.

Message: Fire is the source of light. It is also the source of energy. Fire is lighted in Yagya for the bestowal of light and the flame of knowledge. Only a wise, knowledgeable person can light this meaningful fire. It reflects the inner desire of the 'yagyakarta' that he becomes 'prabhuddaha' (wise with knowledge) and alert or awakened. The feeling of liveliness, alertness and surrender is awakened in the mind. The yagyakarta tries to make the holy-fire his friend by establishing oneness with it. By that it means that one has to imbibe the fire's qualities within himself to make the fire-God his friend. By leading an 'agnimay' and 'yagyamay' life the darkness of ignorance vanishes and awakening and light are obtained and thus the road to success in human-life gets opened up.

One meaning of 'agni' is also God the embodiment of light. God is all knowing, omnipresent and the source of knowledge. Man becomes pure, religious, mentally sharp, lustrous and influential and divine qualities enter a man in closeness to God.

If we maintain deep devotion for God by keeping Him, the Supreme Father as our ideal and make him our companion, then there is no fear afterwards. When He is with us, then nothing untoward can happen. But all sorts of difficulties march towards us if He is not with us and if we are deprived of His grace. It is a fact that He is with us, within us, but the sorry fact is that we are not within Him. The activity of a real devotee should be that only, that he should always be with Him just as He is always with us, within us.

In this manner with divine knowledge, the darkness of all round ignorance is dispelled and man becomes free form the bind of attachment, possessiveness, greed etc. An ignorant person is perpetually busy in selfish, fulfillment and immersed in greed and temptations. Greed means the with to obtain others' money without exertion. Greed is a bad affection; it is the root of all sins and wickedness. All sins are born from greed. A greedy person does not recognize the relationship of his mother; father, brother, sister, friend, or anyone. He does not hesitate even to kill them for money. In the grip of greed, a man becomes a demon and carries our despicable deeds. He forgets that material means never accompanied a man after his death, nor will they in future also. Does money accompany a dead man? It remains behind only.

Only with devotion and real knowledge can a religious man enlighten his life. Even once if we are able to hear the voice of conscience, then we will not have to waste this invaluable human life. Doubtless, there will be ups and downs in our spiritual journey but we should not be disappointed because of that. We should adopt an optimistic attitude and courageously go on striving. Only then, freeing ourselves from materialistic binds, shall we be able to attain salvation and inspire others also to go on the good path.

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