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.

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