Spritiual spirit

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Power of Mind is endless

Meaning: As stated in the Yajurved 34/1 the power of mind is unlimited. The person can do each and everything by their will power. This stanza further explains that the power of our mind is endless. It is always working when awake or sleeping. It is like a flame, but covered with bad tendencies. Therefore let our mind be filled with auspicious and beneficial thoughts.

Message: Our mind is like divine power. It is very strong and constantly working. Its work never stops whether in the wide-awake or sleeping state. Every moment it goes on thinking something or goes on wandering somewhere. Sometimes it remembers past events and sometimes starts roaming in imagination of the future. Every moment it is involved in deciding some course or doubting and so on. It does not rest even for a moment. Of course this continues during the waking phase of the man, but when we are asleep, then also the mind's activity does not stop and it on seeing various dreams. It goes on doing something or the other all the time and just in a moment reaches places faster then the speed of light.

Whatever man thinks with, he utters it in speech and whatever he utters, likewise he performs the deeds and gets the results according to the type of his deeds. Ultimately only the thoughts in his mind create his character. If man's thinking is proper and auspicious then his speech and deed will also be auspicious and the result will be also be beneficial. Similarly, if man's thinking is inauspicious, then his speech, deed and result also will be harmful. The thinking of the mind is by itself the most important element.

The effect of wicked thoughts gives birth to demoniac tendencies within us. Mind is like a rein which can control our senses. If there is the fifth of wicked thoughts in our mind, then our senses too will be attracted towards the bad path. One whose mind is under his own control, all his senses remain under control like the tamed and steady horses under a good charioteer. Those who lack discretion, running after their mind's fancy always gripped by impure thoughts, they suffer unbearable pain and endless sorrow by wandering in the cycle of births and deaths. But those who are full of discretion keep their minds under control and constantly think clean and pure thoughts; they attain salvation as a result of their good deeds. The main reasons for man's bondage or liberation are the ignorance and wicked thoughts or the knowledge and clean thoughts only in man's mind.

We should always strive to see to it that the flame of the mind never becomes dim with wicked thinking. We should be careful that not a single bad thought arises in the flow of good thoughts. This divinity of thoughts gets transformed into our actions and the society makes our valuation on their basis. We achieve fame or dis-reputation, honor, or dishonor based on our deeds only. Only the purity of our mind can make our deeds pure.

This task is not impossible for men with tremendous spiritual power

Medhavi (Excellent) intelligence

In the stanza of the Yajurved 32/14 has given us the message that — O God! Give us also the 'medhavi intelligence by which the learned, philosophical and self-realized persons carry our excellent deeds.

Message: There are many levels of intelligence and many names. Buddhimata (intelligence), chaturai (cleverness), hoshiyari (alertness), soojhboojh (insight) tikshna buddhi (sharp intelligence), deerghadristhi (farsightedness) are the terms used to denote intelligence. Generally, the power of the brain is called intelligence. One whose brain is more powerful, more subtle and more energetic is called buddhimaan (intelligent). But this definition is very much insufficient. Many persons are very cunning and treacherous, who use their intelligence for wicked acts, breach of trust and treachery. This type of intelligence is useless and is easily available everywhere in the world. Should we pray to God to grant us such harmful intelligence?

Intelligence is also necessary for success in the world and also for moving ahead on the path of progress. Through intelligence, man achieves success in every field.

The Sanskrit saying 'budhiryasya balum tasya' means one who has intelligence is powerful. We should desire to obtain such intelligence from our Supreme Father, which is clean and pure. This only can inspire us sanmarg (the good path), liberate us from bad tendencies, save us from going on the bad path and lead us on to the good moral path. Only such intelligence is called medha which helps us to differentiate properly between truth and untruth, morality and immorality, pulls us from the darkness of ignorance and makes us bright with sadgyan (good knowledge of morality and truth including spiritual truth or god). Only by medhavi intelligence, our ancient sages and monks, by their good deeds and works of public welfare went on rising in the level of excellence and achieved immorality.

With medhavi intelligence, we get money, fame, happiness and everything. It fulfills all our wishes and makes all our work successful. In Gayatri mantra also we pray to the Lord for inspiring 'dhi' (medha) and we say 'dheeyo yo nah prachodayat'. The main aim of worshipping God is that God should make us intelligent with the 'medhavi' intelligence and make us philosophical by which we get real self-knowledge and arouse in us 'satya-aacharan' i.e. the truthful moral conduct. All the excellent persons in the world have achieved immorality by this 'medhavi' intelligence only. By renouncing selfishness and with pure hearts, they were always involved in works of welfare.

Ultimately only the 'medha' intelligence goes on adding to the strength of the soul and gives us such powers that even adverse situations cannot sway us from the path of truth. With it our mind becomes 'nirmal' (free from dirt), clean and pure and it becomes easy to control the mind. Mental perversities like anger, fear, jealousy, hatred, desires, greed, hypocrisy, attachment etc become subdued by the 'saatvik' influence of 'medha' intelligence.

The blessing of 'medha' intelligence is obtained only by God's grace. The increase of divine qualities in man is in direct proportion to the extent of his efforts of becoming one with the authority of God and with increased divine qualities, man experiences heavenly bliss.

Only the 'medha' intelligence increases the strength of the soul or the will power of the man.

God's Authority is everywhere

Meaning: The information about the God's authority is expressed in our Yajurved 40/1 is that — one who does not snate away others wealth by believing that God's authority is everywhere, such a 'dharmaatmaa' (religiously great man) obtains happiness in this world, achieves salvation and reaches God's world.

Message: This whole world is richly resplendent with God, who is present in every particle. Every life on earth including insects is active because of Him. All useful matter including grains and wealth are produced only by his benevolence. But it is our misfortune that man is not able to recognize this reality. Believing that whatever exists in the world, all belongs to Him, he (i.e. man) only has the right on it, he is immersed in only utilizing it, enjoying it. It is true that God has produced all these materials for man, but hs also indicated that all the material be utilized with the sentiment of abnegation. Keep only the minimum for your requirements; give up the remaining for others. Only in this lies the salvation.

Kasya swid dhanam? We forget this fundamental question, viz, "To whom does this wealth belong? The owner of all this luxury, buildings, bungalows, lands, fields, orchards and gardens is only ONE, the ONE who feeds and nurtures the population. All this belongs only to the society, the nation and the GOD and GOD only will be its owner for ever. It has been God's from time-immemorial and only God will be its owner for ever. We have come here in the human species only for some time, and after enjoying material happiness, will go on the further journey according to our deeds. All this did not come with us (when we were born) and will not go with us in future also (i.e. after death). Then why this tendency for greed and temptation? Why are plans made for snatching away others' wealth? Why is there the temptation to stake our claim on all the wealth of the world? There can be only one answer to all these questions - it is that we falsely believe that all this wealth is ours and get treapped in false illusions. We are forgetting the fact that its owner is our supreme Father, the God. In fact we have been granted the right for its limited use only.

It does not mean that man should not make any attempt to earn money. Actually, the Vedas assert that man should earn money by the hardest austerity, labor and diligence. But at the same time man should also remember that all the wealth belongs to God, the Supreme Father and He only has given it to us. Out of that the requirements as suits a Brahman (that is simple necessities) only should be taken and the remaining should be surrendered for societal welfare. Think first of self-denial, think of the welfare of others and only after that think of utilizing for self. But we usually think completely reverse. We go on making plans for utilizing, enjoying everything alone by ourselves. We never get the time to think of others and that only is the reason for all the troubles of this world. The person who understands this fact, for him all the binds of personal and worldly attachments get automatically broken. He starts observing the reflection of his own soul in others with the broad outlook of 'aatmavat sarvabhooteshu' (i.e. all the living beings have the atma soul similar to mine). Such people pay attention first to the happiness and welfare of others.

Human-life can be happy and peaceful only by very properly recognizing the wealth in this form.

Conduct of the Senses

Meaning: According to the Atharvaved 19/9/5 — our mind is molded according to the conduct of the senses. It is within man's power either to make good use of the senses. Therefore one must always try to save himself form the excitement of the senses.

Message: God has prepared this human body with deep thought and consideration. No living being possesses a body so perfect and with so many attributes as men. The sense-organs have been placed in such a special way that through them man gets not only happiness, satisfaction and joy but he can also achieve personal development.

But the ignorant man invites self-destruction by getting trapped in the indulgence of senses. It is within his own power to keep the rein of the mind under control and by putting his senses to good use, achieve spiritual bliss. But man considers it as acts of bravery to use the senses for bad purposes. On the contrary, our mind goes into a spin with the unquenchable thirst of our desires. First of all they tempt the mind towards wicked tendencies. After that the mind starts imagining and feeling happy at the thought of action. Then the thought of happiness of action sways the mind, and after some struggle, man surrenders himself and starts wandering behind the temptations of the senses. Gradually the downfall of the mind occurs. Bad thoughts and bad tendencies overwhelm it and man gets trapped more and more in the temptations of the senses.

Man can save himself permanently from the excitement and sway of the senses by abnegation and practice. Our mind can be free from the power of the senses if they are put to proper use by control and discipline. That itself is the right meaning of a pure life. Do not have a sense of possessiveness or attachment for anybody. The only dear one for us is God Supreme. Some people, specially the youth, are doubtful about the subtle authority of God. But the truth is that the one and only reality is GOD. God is within us but we are not awakened about him. To be awakened about God is a great gift to humanity. \the more the man becomes pure, the more he will be able to see the image of God within himself.

The easiest solution for protecting the mind from the temptations of the senses is to keep it engrossed in the worship of God. Man should go on doing the life's deeds without attachment of the mind, which should be protected from them and diverted for acts of public welfare. That is the real devotion to God. Once Swami Dayananda Saraswati was asked. "You too have the body of does and flesh; do the sexual desires not trouble you?" The Swamiji replied, "I have never had the time to think of sex throughout my life. Well similarly join the mind in God's work in such a way that the thoughts of desires of the senses are not able to enter the mind at all.

We can achieve such a beautiful result by strong spiritual power.

Blessing from the Supreme God

Every person should be faithful. If the person is not faithful and depends on other he can do nothing in his life, even he has the power of everything. So to achieve the goal of life our ancient Yajurved (23/15) has given the message for every individuals that — No one's aim is ever achieved by anyone's preaching or blessings. For that good deeds and deeds for other's welfare will have to be carried out by one's own body, mind and soul.
Message: The main reason for the downfall of religion and the sentiment for divinity in man are because the so-called Brahmans made religion only a means for filling the belly and introduced religion in a distorted form before people for selfish interests. They have somehow drilled such stupid beliefs in the minds of people that they believe that all wishes will be granted if they just worship the icon or idol of God, serve the priests, and please them with donations. Can the preaching and blessings of such Brahmans who are they irreligious in conduct, liberate men and give them salvation?
if merely with someone's blessings only, our welfare could be achieved, them today no one will be wretched and lowly in this world. The harassment seen today in man's life everywhere is lazy and shy away from work. They themselves do nothing and wrongly blame God and their own luck for their failures. If you plant a thorny bush, how can you get sweet mangoes on it?
There is a saying in the Vedas that a man becomes what he thinks. No power on the earth can make a person powerful if he thinks himself to be powerless and weak. Therefore there is a very strong need to change our attitudes. Preaching and blessing give rise to the emotions of enthusiasm and brightness (or enlightenment) in the mind and since the routine gets molded accordingly, the life shines brilliantly with excellence valor. The person's facilities go in developing on the basis of the trust that the power of the preaching and blessing will always cooperate with him for success in his work and will take him to the objective. Such people start working with redoubled enthusiasm.
Blessing someone is by itself a glorious responsibility. Only a capable and powerful man has the right to bliss and preach. It is also necessary that attention is paid to the worthiness or unworthiness of a person while blessing. Who can be a greater fool than a person who does not wish to do anything and wastes for the fulfillment of his wishes on the basis of the Guru's (spiritual teacher's) or Brahman's blessings? Even Dhrutarashtra blessed Arjun before Mahavharat with the words "Vijayi Bhabha" (May you be victorious), but he was not able to give the same blessing to his own son Duryodhana despite the son's insistence for the same. This is because Duryodhana was undeserving.
A sermon or a blessing does the work of merely strengthening one's diligence of efforts. If we have real faith in the person blessing us then there is a surge of enthusiasm in our mind and full trust that our work will succeed. In this manner because of the blessing our body, mind and soul become one for doing good deeds and deeds for others' welfare and the feeling of divinity develops within us.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

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