The highest goal of Bharath
For generations, Bharath (India) has been conferring lasting peace and happiness on peoples of all lands through the impact of the spiritual principles it has cherished. The ideal for which this land has striven has been:
Loka Samasthah Sukhino BhavanthuMay all the worlds be happy and prosperous
This has been the highest goal of the people of Bharath. In order to foster and accomplish this holy ideal, the rulers of past ages, sages (rishis), founders of creeds, scholars, the learned, matrons and mothers, have suffered and sacrificed much. They have discarded honour and fame and struggled to uphold their conviction and to shape their lives in accordance with this universal vision.
Eliminating pride and egotism
Rare and costly articles might attract by their external beauty, but, to the eye illumined by spiritual light, they would appear trivial in value. Physical charm and force can never overpower the charm or force of the spirit. The quality of passion (raj...
But you should avoid the difficult obstacles in the path of meditation, viz. anger, pride, conceit, the tendency to discover the faults of others, mischief, etc. These operate even subconsciously, as the currents in the depths of the ocean.
Spiritual aspirants must be vigilant not to lose their temper on even small things, for that will block their progress. They must cultivate love toward all, and meekness. Then, undesirable habits will fall away from them, since anger is the parent of all wrong behaviour. Anger can turn any person into bad ways, any moment, and in any form. So it should be sublimated first by systematic effort.
Spiritual aspirants must welcome gladly the announcement of their defects by anyone; indeed, they must be grateful to those who point them out. Aspirants must never entertain hatred against them, for that is as bad as hating the “good”. The “good” has to be loved and the “bad” discarded. Remember, the “bad” should not be hated. It has to be giv...
Whenever Maharaja Parikshith toured any region, the rulers and kings of that area welcomed him enthusiastically, with appropriate honours, military and civil. They declared that they were ever ready to render him loyal service, whatever the nature of service that he required of them. Parikshith replied that he had no need of their services and that he expected from them only the promotion of the happiness and prosperity of the people entrusted to their care. He advised them to devote special attention to the protection of brahmins and women, guarding them against harm. He exhorted them to foster the worship of God throughout their dominions. Those were the only requests he made to those who were his tributary kings.
In some important regions of his empire, the people entertained him with folk songs depicting the fame and prowess of his ancestors. They sang of the excellences and exploits of the Pandava brothers. The songs extolled the mercy and grace that Lord Krishna showered on the P...
Obtaining the gold for the horse sacrifices
Dharmaraja accepted Vasudeva’s advice as well as Vyasa’s benediction. He sent his brothers, with the army, to bring the gold that had been thrown aside by the brahmins. They left after purifying themselves by partaking consecrated offerings. They discovered the quantities of gold that had been given as presents to the priests at the conclusion of the sacrifice by Emperor Maruth in the past. The priests had dropped the gold on the sides of the roads along which they returned home. The army collected the gold and conveyed it to the capital on camels, elephants, chariots, and carts. It took them some days to reach Hasthinapura with that load. They unloaded the gold amidst the acclamations of the people.
The citizens were amazed at the success of the expedition; they extolled the good fortune of the Pandavas.
They welcomed the princes and the gold, shouting “Victory, victory (jai, jai)” until their throats were hoarse; they jumped and dan...
On the sixth day of their stay, after the morning rites, bath, and devotional ceremonies like the worship of the dawn, Bharatha called his brother Satrughna and his own aides and followers. He watched for a favourable moment to accost Rama, and when he found one, he rose suddenly from his seat and mustered sufficient courage to lay himself prostrate at his feet. Standing in front of him with his palms folded, Bharatha prayed thus, “O mark of auspiciousness on the brow of the royal Ikshvaku line! You have fulfilled my desires in every way. On my account, you determined to suffer miseries of all kinds. You are undergoing all types of troubles for my sake.
“Lord! I await your commands. For fourteen years, I will be awaiting your return and serving you in the kingdom. Show me the path by which I can feast my eyes on your lotus feet when the period of exile ends. Teach me the courage I need to survive these fourteen years of separation.
“Rama! Your subjects, their families, people res...
Teachers and students
Teachers reveal the direction and the goal. Students lay the road and journey into the future. The skill and strength, the status and stature of mankind are shaped and furthered in proportion to the quality and character of its teachers. Character is the hallmark of humanity. Teachers must dedicate their learning and wisdom to the great task of uplifting pupils to higher levels of knowledge and action. The virtues that they help to inculcate in their pupils are essential for the uplift of society also. When virtues are rooted in the heart, man shines in full glory. A life without good character is a shrine without light, a coin that is counterfeit, a kite with a broken string.
Teachers who teach with the salary paid to them in their minds and students who learn with the jobs they may procure in their minds are both pursuing wrong paths. In fact, the task of the teacher is to discharge their duty of instructing and inspiring the students so that they develop their ...
Krishna takes human form in sheer sport
“Listen, O King, to this momentous event,” said Suka. “The Divine Boy, Gopala, God, had taken human form in sheer sport. No one could know the significance of His movements, for He was never in the habit of telling others about His divine sports (leelas), either before or after. One could only observe and obey. No one could guess their nature or plumb their meaning, whoever he might be, whatever his attainments.
Krishna grew up like human children and attained the age of five. One day, He collected the cattle secretly, so that His parents didn’t know anything about it. Even His elder brother, who generally would accompany Him, was unaware of these goings-on. Krishna got His comrades together, and they went with the cattle to the bank of the Yamuna river. He took them to a deep pool in the river, which people generally avoided.
The poisonous pool
“That pool had a sinister history. Such pools are naturally stagnant and slushy, but this on...
Bliss (ananda) is the innate nature of all. But the pity is that people are searching for it everywhere except where it is available. Bliss is not something lifeless and inactive. It is another name for purposeful living.
Peace is the authority under which the rule of bliss prevails. It lays down the limits and laws for all activities. It must be made so stable that it is unaffected by the ever-wandering mind or the outward-bound senses. It can be experienced, personally, only through the natural state of wisdom. It is the most precious treasure. The one who grasps that which is deathless, that which cannot be destroyed, that which is not modified - that one is the enjoyer of peace and has no death.
Peace is a shoreless ocean; it is the light that illumines the world. Having it is having all. It confers knowledge of both this world and that. It leads to the understanding of Brahman, the very fulfilment of human life, which Vedanta tries to teach.
Pure love can emanate only from a heart...
The root cause of all anxieties and calamities of man is envy. We can find from the Bhagavad Gita that Krishna warns Arjuna off and on, “Arjuna! You have to be envy-less. Don’t get infected by envy.” Envy is invariably accompanied by hatred. These two are twin villains. They are poisonous pests. They attack the very roots of one’s personality.
A tree may be resplendent with flowers and fruits. But when the inimical worms set to work on the roots, imagine what happens to the splendour! Even as we look on admiringly at its beauty, the flowers fade, the fruits fall off, and the leaves turn yellow and are scattered by the wind. At last, the tree itself dries up, it dies and falls.
So too, when envy and hatred infect the heart and set to work, however intelligent and however highly educated one is, one falls. One is turned into an enemy of society. One becomes the target of ridicule because one is no longer human. One cannot be counted as a member of the community. In the end, even ...
Sita was watching the entrance door, for she was anxious to learn what had happened at Kaika’s palace and why Rama had not come yet, though the auspicious hour for the coronation was fast approaching. She had finished her own rites of vigil and fast, and she held in readiness a plate of sandal paste, flowers, grain, and other prescribed articles so that she would not be the cause of delay. Her heart beat fast in expectancy of Rama’s arrival.
Her maids and attendants were overcome with the ecstasy of the coming hour of triumph. Lovely maidens were ready with sparkling lamps for the ceremony of waving them before Rama as he entered the decorated hall shining in unprecedented charm. Suddenly Rama stepped in, unheralded, with bowed head and bare feet.
Everyone was shocked. Sita moved forward toward her Lord; she could scarcely believe her eyes. Her body shivered like a leaf in the wind. She bit her lips and swallowed her surprise. “Lord! What is the meaning of this?
Why are you thus?...
