Dear All,
In the
concluding chapter, Swami deals with pre-requisites of following a dharmic path
and certain qualities / attributes necessary for a dharmic person.
Swami
gives 3 stages in pursuit of Dharma
Three
stages to knowledge of dharma
“The knowledge
of dharma is reached in three stages:
(1) You must
receive training under wise people (vidwans), who are also imbued
with dharma.
(2) You must
aspire to attain self-purification (Atmasuddhi) and truth (sathya).
(3) You must
realize the value of knowledge of the Vedas (Veda-vidya),
the voice of God (Parameswara).
When these
three are completed, then one understands the truth and how that truth is to be
separated from untruth. This
Everyone’s
opinion must be tested on the touchstone of dharma, of universal
good (sarva-lokahitha). The principles that pass this test have to be
specially kept apart, used and spread in the world for the advancement of human
welfare. By this means, all will develop joy and happiness in equal measure.”
“All are the
same (samithih samaani)”, says the scripture. All have the same claim
for spiritual wisdom (jnana) and for the means of attaining it, like
education. Therefore, all must do noble and pure deeds.”
Swami
continues,
The
discipline of truth (sathya)
"If you
are careless about the discipline of truth, every duty laid on you by dharma and
every action prompted by dharma will hang heavy as a burden.
Search for the reality behind all these phenomena and that search will make
all dharmic actions light and pleasant.
The Lord has
shaped people so that they are inclined toward God and is delighted at the
expansion of their vision and happy when they are moral and virtuous. So,
people must serve their best interests by adhering to their basic nature, by
concentrating on Brahman, by cultivating truth, and by practicing dharma.
Truth has to be
sought and tested by all the canons of reasoning. The discipline consists of:
- The heroism to
observe dharma rigorously (ojas).
- Fearless
self-control (tejas).
- The discarding
of all feelings of joy or sorrow at the ups and downs of life, with equanimity.
- Having
unshakable faith in truth and dharma (sahana).
- Mental and
physical health of the most excellent kind, earned by discipline and
celibacy (bala).
- The desire and
ability to speak sweetly and straight, won by the practice of truth and love.
- Withdrawal of
the five senses of wisdom (jnanendriyas) and the five senses of action (karmendriyas)
from vice and sin and the sublimation of all the senses for the service of
truth (indriya-moha).
- The winning of
the overlordship of all the worlds by the self-won domination of the inner
world.
- The destruction of one’s prejudices and the pursuit of truth at all times (dharma).
The
prayer one has to make is, “May all this be conferred on me” as found in the “Chamaka hymn”.
Dharma brings good to all; it confers bliss (ananda) here and hereafter.
It is essential that all humanity today see the glory of this universal dharma.
Love.
