The 'development model' that our political leaders preach is full of दरिद्रता - daridrata. What is proposed here is the Vedic way. It is a continuous
improvement model that self-corrects. The great gurus have warned us countless
times that we are on a self-destruction trajectory. We continue to discount and
ignore the advice. Economic growth indices must be replaced by sustainability
indices. Political hubris must be replaced by honesty and accountability.
Post-Modernism must be replaced by Neo-Traditionalism (going back to basics).
None of this is possible without spiritual development. Revive the Gurukul
system and promote meritocracy. We are well aware of the problem but don't seem
to accept and employ the rather trivial solutions. Start slowly. Good changes
will happen. Things will get better.
1. One of our duties as human beings is to avail ourselves of every opportunity to do good to others. The poor can serve others by their loyal work to the country and the rich by their wealth to help the poor. Those who are influential can use their influence to better the condition of the lowly. That way we can keep alive in our hearts a sense of social service.
2. Man by himself cannot create even a blade of grass. We will be guilty of gross ingratitude if we do not offer first to God what we eat or wear - only the best and choicest should be offered to Him.
3. Life without love is a waste. Everyone should cultivate "Prema" or love towards all human beings, bird and beast.
4. Wealth amassed by a person whose heart is closed to charity, is generally dissipated by the inheritors: but the family of philanthropists will always be blessed with happiness.
5. A person who has done a meritorious deed will lose the resulting merit if he listens to the praise of others or himself boasts of his deeds.
6. It will not do good to grieve over what has happened. If we learn to discriminate between good and evil, that will guard us from falling into the evil again.
7. We should utilize to good purpose, the days of our life time. We should engage ourselves in acts which will contribute to the welfare of others rather than to our selfish desires.
8. We should perform duties that have been prescribed for our daily life and also be filled with devotion to God.
9. One attains one's goal by performance of one's duties.
10. Jnana is the only solvent of our troubles and sufferings.
Traditional compositions in the classical
music traditions of India quite often contain deep philosophical, devotional
and spiritual meanings. Let us explore one such composition which honors the
guru (गुरु - preceptor).
The lyrics of the attached composition are:
गुरुबिनज्ञाननपावे |
मनमूरखसोचसोचकाहेपछतावे||
सदगुरुकीसंगतकरलेरेज्ञानी|
तबगुणीजनमेंगुणीकहावे||
guru bina jñāna na pāve
man murakh soch soch kāhe pacchtāve
sadguru ki sangat karle re jñāni
tab gunijan mein guni kahāve
One cannot acquire knowledge without the
guru.
Why does the stupid and regretful mind
ponder on useless thoughts?
Be in the company of a great guru, O
seeker.
Then shall you attain wisdom and be
counted among the wise ones.
Let us unpack the translation to bring out
the deeper, more esoteric meaning behind the bandish (fixed
composition). The
central theme in this composition revolves around the seeker of knowledge who
struggles in his/her quest to attain that which he/she seeks. The wise seeker
eventually realizes that the only way to attain knowledge is at the lotus feet
of a great guru. The seeker must follow the path and be in the company of a
great guru as doing so is what bears fruit in the quest for knowledge. And by
the grace of the guru (गुरुकृपा -guru kṛpā), the seeker becomes
wise and gets recognized among the wise ones. However, the meaning of ‘being
recognized among the wise ones’ needs unpacking. So too does the concept of ‘knowledge’.
The guru is the one who cultivates the
seeker's mind, body, and ātmā (आत्मा) so that the seeker is equipped with the
tools needed to achieve the ultimate reality of सच्चितानन्द (satcitānanda). The guru
first gives दिक्षा (dīkṣā -
holy initiation), followed by शिक्षा (śikṣā - regimented
instruction) and then tests one during परिक्षा (parīkṣā- critical examination). It is
believed, that during initiation, the noble guru gives away half of his/her spiritual
power. Our vedic culture does not believe in selling knowledge and so the guru
does not present the student with a fee structure. However, once the education
of a student is completed, he/she is expected to honor his/her guru by presenting
the guru with an honorarium (गुरुदक्षिणा - gurudakṣiṇā)
of either the guru’s choice or what the scriptures prescribe (e.g. offering a
milk-giving cow). The entire process up to this point is known as the गुरुशिष्यपरंपरा (guru-śiṣya paramparā).
One is then ready to embark on साधना (sādhanā- intense spiritual practice) as a
साधक (sādhaka
– practitioner) to achieve the सिद्धी (siddhi- special accomplishment) ofsatcitānanda. The guru’s generosity never ends. When the
able student is initiated, the guru gives half of his/her spiritual power.
During teaching, the guru pours his/her heart out for the student to help the
student reach his/her full potential. The guru uses creative methods to test
the student. When the student is ready to go on his/her own sādhanā,the guru continues to shower
his/her blessings on the student. Now, the true meaning of guru
bina jñāna na pāveis that without the blessings and grace of the guru, a student cannot learn
spiritual knowledge required to achieve the siddhi of satcitānanda. Satcitānanda is the ultimate reality,
state of being, and reality. The noble guru is the one who brings you to this
point. So one must cherish, respect and value one’s guru to the greatest extent
possible. That is the true spirit of the poet’s composition.
