Pranam ETAT SATAM LAKSHANAM BIRTRHRHARI THRO PARAMANANDA P4
Verse No. 78 tr̥ṣṇāṁ chindhi bhaja kṣamāṁ jahi madaṁ pāpē ratiṁ mā kr̥thāḥ satyaṁ brūhyanuyāhi sādhupadavīṁ sēvasva vidvajjanam | mānyān mānaya vidviṣō:'pyanunaya prakhyāpaya praśrayaṁ kīrtiṁ pālaya duḥkhitē kuru dayāmētat satāṁ cēṣṭitam || 78 || 2 ētat satām lakshanam - This list of virtues indicate the nature of a Sath Purushaha, a Dhārmic Purushaha. He gives the list of those virtues. As I said yesterday, Bhartruhari is not addressing a Mumukshu here. In the case of a Mumukshu, he has already gone through Dharma, Artha and Kāma. He has acquired Chitta Shuddhi. 3 He knows the limitations of Dharma, Artha and Kāma and he is interested only in Mōksha. In his case, the advice will be totally different. sarva dharmān parityajya māmēkam sharanamvraja; na karmana na prajaya dhanēna tyāgēnaikē amrutatva mānashuhu; putraishanāyās cha vittaishanāyās cha lōkaishanāyās cha vitthāya atha bhikshācharyam charanti; This is the advice addressed to a Mumukshu, that too to a Tīvra Mumukshu. In his case, the scriptures will strongly criticize the pursuit of Artha and the pursuit of Kāma. It is because, in the case of Mumukshu, the glory of Mōksha has to be highlighted. To highlight the glory of Mōksha, Artha and Kāma are criticized. It is not because of the Artha-Kāma pursuit is sinful. 4 In scriptures, two types of criticism are found. We should clearly distinguish between the two types of criticism. One type of criticism is to point out that the pursuit is sinful and it will lead to Narakam. So, all the Pāpa Karmās like drinking liquor, eating meat, harming other people are criticized because their pursuit is sinful. This is criticism for the sake of criticism. It is Swami Paramarthananda’s Lectures on Bhartruhari’s Niti Shatakamtrue criticism. There is another type of criticism in which even Dharma, Artha and Kāma are criticized. There, criticism is not because they are sinful. There, criticism is only to highlight the glory of Mōksha. There, we have to apply an important Mimāmsa rule - nahi nindā nyāyaha. nahi nindā nyāyahameans a criticism, not meant for criticism, but to highlight something else. For example, in the Gīta, all the rituals are criticized. yāmimāṁ puṣpitāṁ vācaṁ pravadantyavipaścitaḥ | vēdavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ || 2-42|| When Krishna criticizes those rituals, it is not because they are sinful. Vēda will never prescribe sinful rituals as a duty. Krishna is criticizing those rituals to highlight the glory of Mōksha. In Māndukya Kārika, Saguna Upāsana is strongly criticized. upāsānāśritō dharmō jātē brahmaṇi vartatē | prāgutpattērajaṁ sarvaṁ tēnāsau kr̥paṇaḥ smr̥taḥ || 1|| An Upāsaka is an unfortunate one. Normally, we respect and glorify a Bhakta, an Upāsaka. But Gaudapādāchārya says asau krupanaha - unfortunate one. Why does Gaudapāda criticize Saguna Upāsana? It isnot because Saguna Upāsana is sinful, but in that context, Gaudapādāchārya wants to highlight Advaitam. So, in the context of glorifying Advaitam, any pursuit involving Dvaitam has to be criticized or its limitation has to be shown. Karma involves Dvaitam, therefore Vēdānta criticizes it. 5 Upāsana involves Dvaitam, therefore Vēdānta criticizes it. In the same way, the pursuit of Artha and Kāma is often criticized in Vēdānta. There, we should remember that Artha-Kāma pursuit is criticized not because it is sinful. There is no sin involved, but it is only to show that Mōksha is superior to even Artha-Kāma. A person who is not mature enough to appreciate Mōksha, for him Artha-Kāma pursuit is perfectly justified. It is just as a child’s pursuit of toys and balloons is perfectly justified. If a child asks for a balloon, we don’t criticize the child. At that age, if he doesn’t ask for balloons and toys, there is something wrong because that is a stage which a child has to necessarily go through. Therefore, we don’t condemn it, we don’t criticize it or we don’t say it is sinful. In fact, we buy toys and give. 6 In the same way, Artha-Kāma pursuit, in the beginning of life is perfectly legitimate, logical, not to be condemned, not sinful like the Pāpa Karmās. But what the scriptures say is - certainly pursue Artha-Kāma but observe certain limitations like the traffic rules. You can go to any part of the country and you can drive your car through any road. Freedom is given, but you have certain traffic rules and regulations. When there is a red signal, don’t go forward. Drive through your left. In the same way, Artha-Kāma pursuits are allowed, but within certain norms called Dharma. Yesterday, I said that I will discuss some of the important norms. The first thing that scriptures emphasize is - whether a person likes it or not, a person should necessarily follow Nitya Naimittika Karmās. Time, money and energy must be allotted to these Nitya Naimittika Karmās. They are compulsory Karmās. They are like the tax to the Lord. You have to pay tax for being a citizen of this country. Similarly, for being a human citizen in the Lord’s kingdom, we have to do certain Karmās. They are called Nitya Naimittika Karmās, Vihita Karmās or Niyata Karmās. Krishna says in the Gīta - niyatam kuru karmatvam karmajyāyōhya karmanaha. They are choice-less Karmās. kāryamityēva yatkarma niyataṁ kriyatē:'rjuna | saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalaṁ caiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttvikō mataḥ || 18-9|| kāryam ityēva karma kāryam - I have to do it. Suppose, I don’t like to do it, then what should I? We expect an answer - then, you don’t do. That is the answer that you want. So, when we ask this question to the scriptures, the scriptures answer - better you learn to like it. That is the best answer. This Nitya Naimittika Karma alone, I have condensed in the Pancha Mahā Yagnyās which we saw in the Bhagavad Gīta. 7 Dēva Yagnya - allot some time, money and energy for daily Pūja or going to the temple. Either you do or watch somebody doing it. Pitru Yagnya - allot some time for parents. If they are alive, better spend some time with them. Brahma Yagnya - allot some time for the study of scriptures, however busy you are. That I am busy is not an excuse. Swami Paramarthananda’s Lectures on Bhartruhari’s Niti Shatakam 8 Manushya Yagnya - allot some time, money and energy for service to fellow human beings. Finally, we have Bhūta Yagnya. In daily ritual, we have pipīlikābhyaha swāhapipīlikābhya idam namama. Pipīlikā means an ant. So, from an ant, up to Brahmāji (brahmānam swyambhuvam tarpayāmi), I am asked to contribute. You should necessarily find time, money and energy for these three. Having allotted time, money and energy, whatever be the remaining time, it is the time left for you. If you have time after this, in the available time, pursue Kāmya Karmās. Earn any amount of money, have any number of houses, any number of resorts, any number of cars, any number of global tours after finding time for Nitya Naimittika Karmās. Within that available time, whatever you can accumulate, you fulfill. Artha - earn money. Kāma - all entertainments you have. Dance, music, etc, everything is allowed. Indian culture is full of art, dance, music and science. They are allowed. But there is one condition. They have to be pursued and fulfilled in the available time, in a legitimate manner. 9 First causality will be Sandhyāvandanam and prayer and the temple. If you ask, what is Dharma? I have a simple definition. Whatever is the first causality whenever we are busy, that is Dharma. That alone will be cutoff. Therefore, trishnām chindi means cut down your desires to that much extent that you are satisfied with whatever you get within that limited time. That is what Shankarāchārya nicely said - yallabhasē nija karmōpāttam vittam tēna vinōdaya chittam. Thus, earn legitimately and learn to be satisfied with whatever amount you get, without comparing with the other people and their wealth. This is trishnām chindi -moderation and legitimization. Each one is a small sentence. tvam trishnām chindi - may you cut down your desires, may you make your desires moderate. The second advice is kshamām bhaja. bhaja means acquire, develop. Develop Kshamā. Kshamā is another important virtue. This word Kshamā has different meanings. I will give three meanings for the word Kshamā, all of which are equally important. All the meanings are applied in different contexts of the scriptures. The first meaning is dwandwa sahishnutvam kshamā. It is otherwise known as Titiksha. In Tatvabōdha, while talking about the Shamādi Shatka Sampattihi, we have a qualification called the Titiksha. In Tatvabōdha the question is asked - titiksha kā? The answer is - shītōshna sukha dukhādi sahishnutvam titiksha. In the Gīta - mātrāsparśāstu kauntēya śītōṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ | āgamāpāyinō:'nityāstāṁstitikṣasva bhārata || 2-14|| >From these two, we come to know that Kshamā is the capacity to cheerfully accept the opposite pairs of experiences like heat and cold, gain and loss, growth and declination, birth and death, Māna and Apamāna, honor and dishonor, Nindā and Stuti. In fact, life is a series of Dwandwa experiences. nirdwandwō nitya satwasthaha niryōga kshēma ātmavān. nirdwandwaha bhava - which means I have to toughen my body and mind. Otherwise, it is impossible to withstand the onslaught of opposite experiences. Therefore, I should be tough skinned, in the positive sense. More than physically, mentally I should be tough skinned especially, for people’s comments. 10 Dēva Janma is Punya Pradhāna, Asura Janma is Pāpa Pradhāna, Manushya Janma is Mishra Pradhāna. We have got almost equal measure of Punyam and Pāpam. Therefore, we will have opposite experiences. If the first group of people had a nice time, they had Punyam exhaustion first and then they will have Pāpa exhaustion. You irst had Pāpam exhaustion and now you are going through Punyam. If you ask -Swāmiji what about you? I am accommodating both of you. That is why Punya-Pāpa exhaustion. Therefore, life is series of Punya-Pāpa exhaustion. Therefore, learn to accept. In extreme cases, you can do Prāyaschitta. But if you have to do Prāyaschitta for every mosquito bite, then the life will be spent on Prāyaschittam alone. Therefore, Titiksha is the first meaning of kshamām bhaja. The second meaning of Kshamā is - learn to manage your anger. Krōdha management or Krōdha Upashamaha or Krōdha Nigrahaha; Shankarāchārya gives in the 16th chapter of Gīta – ahiṁsā satyamakrōdhastyāgaḥ śāntirapaiśunam | dayā bhūtēṣvalōluptvaṁ mārdavaṁ hrīracāpalam || 16-2|| tējaha kshamā dhriti shoucham adrōhōnāti mānita -he talks about Kshamā in that context -learning to manage anger. Anger management involves two stages. First, you learn to manage the anger which has lready originated, arisen. The second management is, not allowing anger to rise at all. utpannasya krōdhasya upashamaha akrōdhaha. krōdhasyaiva anutpattihikshamā. Of course, that will take long time. It is very difficult to avoid anger coming. In fact, if I go on repeating this, you may get anger. But what we have to understand is - once anger has come, it is like fire. It has to destroy something like acid. It is so powerful. Now, the problem is - if you express your anger, it is going to afflict and affect the victim of your anger. He will be at the receiving end of your shouting or your beating. Some people still beat. Somebody suffers either beating or verbal onslaught or physical onslaught. Often, it will be injustice because we give more punishment than is required. It is because in anger, we do not have discriminative power. Hence, often the punishment that we meet out is more than required. It is a big Pāpam. This Pāpam necessarily happens because Vivēka Shakti doesn’t function. So, expressed anger is Para Himsa. Para Himsa means harm done to other people. 11 n There are some other people who don’t express their anger. They swallow it because the other person is their mother-in-law or father-in-law or husband. It is a helpless situation. Some wives manage to scold, but in some families it doesn’t work. Therefore, they are not able to express either because they are in-laws or the husband or the boss. If I express the anger, I will lose my job. Swallowing anger, suppressed anger is equally powerful Himsa. It is Sva Himsa. I am burning myself. So, expressed anger is Para Himsa, suppressed anger is Sva Himsa. Either way, Himsa is taking place. So, what do you do in anger management? Either you express the anger in a proper way at a proper place and at a proper time. Dayānanda Swāmiji says - Express your anger by writing it on a paper and then you tear it off.In our religious method, they say express your anger to the Lord because the Lord is available to receive anything. He is Karunā Mūrty. Therefore, shout at the Lord. That is why you will find many devotees in their Tamil prayers, scold the Lord. One method is judicious expression of anger, which involves the retention of Vivēka Shakti. Don’t stop the anger, but judiciously, very intelligently express. This is one method of anger management. The second method is try to raise your Vivēka Shakti, your understanding, your appreciation of the other person, his back ground, his situation. 12 This is the method neutralization through Vivēka. It is a difficult thing, but we can do. Neutralization of anger through Vivēka; In those days, especially the ladies had this appreciation. When the men go out and face different situations, they are full of pent up feelings and pressure. They will be able to express in many places, and they will not be able to in some places. Therefore, they have to find some place for expression. Generally, that punch bag is the poor wife. Wives were also trained to become punch bags from young age. But it is no more the case these days. They started saying, enough is enough. Why should we be punch bags all the time? For a change, why can’t you be the punch bag? Here afterwards, that philosophy won’t work. But wives had that psychology. She knew that he has got some problem with the boss. He cannot shout at him and therefore, he is expressing it my presence. Therefore, she had Titiksha, a tough skin. Therefore, family also survived. Now, when both do not want to become punch bags, the family life also is getting affected. Anyway, that is a different sociological problem. I don’t want to get into that. Here, the idea is kshamām bhaja - learn to manage your anger, either by intelligent expression or by intelligent neutralization through Vivēka. This is the second meaning. The third meaning of Kshamā is forgiving another person’s mistake - aparādha kshamāpanam. That is what we are asking in-front of the Lord. In Ramayana, they say that when Vibhīshana came, everyone said that Vibhīshana should not be allowed on our side as he is coming from the enemy camp. He may be a spy. Rama said - nothing doing, whoever surrenders, I will forgive all his mistakes and I will accept. It seems, when they all went, he called back. Vibhīshana and Rāvana may look the same. They are brothers. Therefore, after going near you may find that it is not Vibhīshana, but Rāvana himself. Seeing Rāvana, you need not come the second time to find out whether I will accept or not. Even if it is Rāvana, you please bring him. [Valmiki Ramayana 6.18.33B-34A] sakr̥d ēva prapannāya tava asmi iti ca yācatē || abhayam sarva bhūtēbhyō dadāmi ētad vratam mama | ) [Valmiki Ramayana 6.18.33B-34A] Lord is Lord because of one main virtue and that is forgiveness. That is why we all are surviving. Otherwise, for the number of mistakes that we are religiously and regularly doing, Bhagawan should have finished us long before. In the Gīta Slōka – api cētsudurācārō bhajatē māmananyabhāk | sādhurēva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasitō hi saḥ || 9-30|| Even if he is the worst sinner in the world, I am ready to forgive him and give him Mōksha. Therefore, they say - to forgive is divine. If I should be closer to the Lord, I should develop the virtues of the Lord. Only then, I can also become divine. Just as I am bound to commit mistakes and the Lord is accepting me, the other people are also bound to commit mistakes. I should not keep them in my mind. But remember that forgiving a person does not mean approval of his wrong action.Forgiveness of a person has nothing to do with approval of his action. Action is strongly condemned if it is wrong. Just because Rama is ready to forgive Rāvana, it does not mean Rama approves stealing his wife. What is wrong is wrong. If punishment is required, that also will be given. Dealing with the action is different and dealing with the person is different. Forgiveness is directed towards the person. I may deal with the action in different methods. Even when I punish a person for his mistakes, I accept that person. I love him and I am ready to include him in my prayers. I am his well wisher. This virtue is very difficult. Forgiveness is great, not from the standpoint of other person alone. Forgiveness is great from our own standpoint because when we don’t forgive a person and when we are going to keep hatred towards him, we are the ones who have to carry the burden. 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