Introduction to Vedas and Vedanta - Part 24

SHAD SAMPAT

We are going to learn about the 6 virtuous qualities which a spiritual aspirant in the path of wisdom / Self enquiry must attain, which lead him to develop an intense craving for Self Realization.

It has to be noted and driven deep into our heart/mind that the following sequence cannot be changed/ done away with :-

1st -  viveka, i.e., Discriminating between real and unreal, Sat and Asat.

2nd-  Vairagya- Dispassion for the unreal. This is possible only after we have exercised viveka. If one is not able to discriminate between real and unreal, then how possibly can one develop a dispassion for the unreal? 

A practical example- Suppose one has been drawn into too much of socializing involving alcohol, woman etc. Unless one realizes, using his discriminating intellect ( viveka) that these things are never ever going to fetch him eternal joy/ happiness and that he must look for some thing within himself or in Godly thoughts for deriving eternal joy, How is it possible for him to develop dispassion for his habits ?? How can he have the courage to say NO to such socializing next time when his friends want to drag him into the same?

Most of us continue to be the way we are through out this life or even for several lives , only and only because we have not developed discriminative intellect and invoked the same for knowing what is real and what is unreal, what is eternal and what is fleeting, what is right and what is wrong. 

Now, coming to the 6 virtuous qualities, let us be sure. Only after viveka and vairagya, can we develop these qualities, not before that.

Sama is serenity or tranquility of mind

Sama is serenity or tranquility of mind that is brought about by eradication of subtle desires. Serenity is the state or quality of being serene. It is calmness or coolness of mind, or peace. It is evenness of temper and undisturbed state of mind.

A serene mind is unclouded or unruffled. In a serene mind alone the divine light descends.

Serenity comes when you annihilate all desires and cravings. Desires and cravings produce restlessness. If you are serene, it is the greatest manifestation of power and strength. When one is serene, the mind is kept in the chambers of the heart and is not allowed to join with the senses and to move outside into sensual objects. The mind is fixed in the source.  

Serenity of mind is the most important qualification for an aspirant. This is difficult for attainment, but the aspirant must have this qualification at any cost. It demands incessant and protracted practice.

Dama is control of the Indriyas (sense-organs). 

Dama is control of the Indriyas (sense-organs). This is rational control, not blunting or deadening of the sense by foolish austerities. 

This body is the moving temple of God. It should be kept healthy and strong. It is a vessel to take you to the other shore of fearlessness and immortality; it is a horse to take you to the goal.

Ignorant people adopt foolish methods to control the senses.

Remember, it is only the abuse or misuse of the organs that brings misery and untoward results. The senses should be consecrated at the lotus-feet of the Lord for His services. They should be utilized in serving one's Guru and other Mahatmas. 

If the senses are disciplined properly and if they are kept under control, they become your useful servants.

People ask: "Where is the necessity for the practice of Dama, when one practices Sama?" Dama, control of the senses, is also necessary. Then only will one get supreme control of mind. 

Though the senses cannot independently do any havoc when the mind is under control, yet their control ensures perfect safety and supreme peace of mind.

When one's inclinations and emotions, desires and appetites, senses and mind are under control, it is called self-control. Control yourself first, then you can control others. Self-control clears the mind, strengthens judgment and elevates your character. 

There is no triumph more glorious than that of the victory obtained over your own Self. Till you have done this, you will only be a slave of the senses. He who is subject to his passions is the worst slave on the surface of this earth; he who rules his passions, desires, cravings and senses is the real King of Kings.

Continued.......

Love.

Dayananda Saraswati

Introduction to Vedas and Vedanta - Part 23

VAIRAGYA contd....

When Vairagya appears in the mind, it opens the gate to Divine Wisdom. 

From dis-satisfaction (with the sense-objects and worldly sense-enjoyments) comes aspiration. 

From aspiration comes abstraction.

From abstraction comes the concentration of the mind.

From the concentration of the mind comes meditation or contemplation.

From contemplation comes Samadhi or Self-realisation.

Without dis-satisfaction or Vairagya, nothing is possible. 

Just as water, when it leaks into the rat-holes, instead of running into the proper channels in agricultural fields, becomes wasted and does not help the growth of plants, grains, etc., so also, the efforts of an aspirant become wastage if he has not got the virtue Vairagya. He gets no spiritual advancement. 

Enemies Of Vairagya 

The Curse of Affection 

Delusion proceeds from affection. It is a common observation that a person is distressed, if the cat eats his domestic fowl; but when his affections are not touched, for instance, if the cat eats a sparrow or a mouse, he expresses no sorrow. 

At the back of affection and love, there is grief and sorrow. 

Affection is mixed with sorrow.

At the back of pleasure, there is pain. 

Pain is mixed with pleasure.

Man sows the poisonous seed of sorrow under the name of love, from which quickly spring up shoots of affection which contain a fire dangerous as lightning; and from these shoots, grow trees of sorrow with innumerable branches which, burning like a heap of covered straw, slowly consume the body. 

The knot of affection is strengthened by long indulgence. Affection has entwined its threads around the hearts of men. 

The principal means to get rid of affection is to consider that this is a fleeting existence. 

In this wide world, how many millions of parents, wives, children, uncles and grandfathers have passed away. You should consider the Society of Friends as a momentary flash of lightning and, revolving this often in your mind, enjoy felicity. 

Hope and Anticipation 

Hope and Anticipation are the opposite of Vairagya and Tyaga. They fatten the mind. To be perfectly hopeless is a very high state for a philosopher. 

They always say with contempt: "He is a hopeless man". Worldlings and philosophers move towards diametrically opposite poles. 

Swami says "Life is lost in dreaming, BEING is lost in becoming".

Man spoils a perfect today by thinking about future, planning for the future, hoping for better things in future. 

As long as man continues to hope to get more and more in worldly aspects, he gets lesser and lesser capable to develop dispassion / vairagya.

How many times, on how many occasions, the author has talked / given sessions to so many, on this viveka and vairagya!!

Other than the sessions, whenever Viveka, Vairagya topic has been taken up spontaneously by the author while conversing with many beings, their conscience from within says "YES" to whatever he advises / tells them.

But Maya is so powerful, they get caught up in Maya which binds them to the world and its glitter that the VIVEKA required does not arise and stays!!!

The call of conscience from within that "this is real and this is unreal" (viveka) and the momentary feeling for discarding want is unreal (vairagya) is what is called in common parlance as "masana vairagya" or "prasava vairagya".

Masana vairagya - When we see a dead body being burnt in the ghat, intense vairagya crops up from within "chi, what is this world, what is the significance of this body, once prana leaves the body, see, how my own dear friend / relative's body is getting burnt there. Why do we give so much importance to our body and this world" and there comes the uttering of "God is the only Reality"!!!

The intense vairagya stays only for the 13 days from the death of our near ones. After that, we are back to this world, dreaming and losing our vairagya.

Prasava vairagya - The word is self explanatory. The pregnant woman during the labour pain cries out, "enough, enough, no more children, can't bear this pain" and there, after few months, her husband conveys to his Father in law, "Be blessed and happy to know that your daughter is pregnant (AGAIN!!)”.

Continued........

Love.