Pranam
Truth about Belief and Value
Śraddha (श्रद्ध).—*a.* Believing, trusting. अर्जुन उवाच
अयति: श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानस: ।
अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति ॥ ३७ ॥ arjuna uvāca
ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāc calita-mānasaḥ
aprāpya yoga-saṁsiddhiṁ kāṁ gatiṁ kṛṣṇa gacchati//
*Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, what is the destination of the unsuccessful
transcendentalist, who in the beginning takes to the process of
self-realization with faith but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness
and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?*
Despite constant endeavour one may fail, for many reasons. First of all,
one may not be sufficiently serious about following the process. To pursue
the path is to declare war on the illusory energy. Consequently, whenever a
person tries to escape the clutches of the illusory energy, she tries to
defeat the practitioner by various allurements. A conditioned soul is
already allured by the modes of material energy, and there is every chance
of being allured again, even while performing disciplines.
naiveha nāmutra vināśas tasya vidyate na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścid
durgatiṁ tāta gacchati=*one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by
evil. (BG 6 40). *Humanity may be divided into two sections, namely, the
regulated and the nonregulated. Those who are engaged simply in bestial
sense gratifications without knowledge of their next life or spiritual
salvation belong to the nonregulated section. And those who follow the
principles of prescribed duties in the scriptures are classified amongst
the regulated section. The nonregulated section, both civilized and
noncivilized, educated and noneducated, strong and weak, are full of animal
propensities. Their activities are never auspicious, because while enjoying
the animal propensities of eating, sleeping, defending and mating, they
perpetually remain in material existence, which is always miserable. On the
other hand, those who are regulated by scriptural injunctions, and who thus
rise gradually to consciousness, certainly progress in life.
Man is responsible for his acts. Evil is the free act of the
individual who uses his freedom for his own exaltation. It is fundamentally
the choice which affirms the finite, independent self, its lordship and
acquisitiveness against the universal will. Evil is the result of our
alienation from the Real. If we do not break with evil, we cannot attain
real freedom. *‘**He fetters himself by himself, as a bird by its
nest.’(Maitri Upanishad III.2). *Some theistic Upanishads say that the
inner power, the Divine, caused the man whom He will lead on high from
these worlds to do good works and He causes the man whom He will lead down
to do evil works ((Kaivalya.Upa III.8). In the Svetasvatara Upanishad*,* the
Self is the overseer of all actions, who apportions to each person his
qualities, who executes justice, who restrains the evil, allots good
fortune and brings to maturity the actions of the individual souls.
(Sveta.Upa. VI.II, 2,4).
Life is compared to a sacrifice where the fee shall be ascetism,
liberality, integrity, non-injury to life and truthfulness (Ch.U.III.17) *The
*Taitriya Upanishad ( I-ix-1)gives a list of students’ duties. He should
not be negligent of truth, virtue, welfare, prosperity, study and teaching.
Dama *is* self-control We should reduce our wants and be prepared to suffer
in the interest of truth. Austerity, chastity, solitude ad silence are the
ways to attain self-control. Dana enjoins gifts. It is negatively freedom
from greed and positively assistance to those in need.’ There is no hope of
immortality by wealth’. (Braha.Upa.II.4.2.). Ethical life includes moral
uprightness. It is by compassion, which shrinks from no sacrifice, that we
can overcome the ravages of selfishness. We must be patient. God himself is
unimaginably patient. Tolerance, long suffering, patience are the fruits of
spirit. Vedic ethics and values are lying untapped and unutilized by us.
KR IRS 29/01/22
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