Taking Refuge in Gita
continued .......
Singing the glories of the Lord, Brahmaji said -
Hrdavaagvapurbhirvidadhaannmas
He who continues to salute and bow in reverence to you with his heart, speech and body, he becomes entitled to your eternal post, just as the father’s wealth goes to his son!”
Namaskaar se Ramdas, karam sabhi kat jaay |
Jaay mile parabrahm mein aavaagaman mitaaya ||
To prostrate in front of the Lord is taking refuge in Him. Bowing means - “I am Yours; therefore whatever you dispense, I willingly accept.” Several places in the Gita, it has been mentioned about salutations to the Lord; like - “Maam namaskuru” (Gita 9/34, 18/65), “namasyantsch maa bhaktyaa” (Gita 9/14), “Sarve namasyanti cha sidhasangaah” (Gita 11/36) etc. “Sharanagati” (taking refuge in Lord) is predominant in
our culture. A disciple, salutes the Master (Guru), son pays obeisance to the mother and father, wife does the same to her husband etc. It has come in the Manusmruti -
Abhivaadansheelasya nityam vruddhopasevinah |
chatvaari tasya vardhante aayur idayaa yasho balam ||
“He whose nature is one of bowing in reverence, and who constantly serves the old people, their lifespan, knowledge, glory and power (strength) - all these four increase.”
In the beginning of the Mahabharat war, Yudhishtir bows in reverence to those standing in opposition - the grandsire Bhishma, Guru Dronachaarya etc. and then he seeks their permission to engage in war. Being pleased with this, they grant Yudhishtir success in war. There is such glories of salutation and bowing in reverence, that the best of great men (Mahatma), who have realized that all is God “Vasudeva Sarvam”, that very same thing can be realized with ease by doing salutations. (Srimad Bhagwat 11/29/16-19)
Refuge in God takes place once only, and it happens forever. Simply just once “O’ Lord! I am yours” after saying so, what else is left to be said? Once if you have given yourself, then what else is left to give a second time?
Sakrudansho nipatati sakrutkanya pradeeyate |
Sadrudaaha dadaaneeti treenyetaani sataam sakrut ||
(Mahabharat. van. 294/26; Manusmruti 9/47)
Wealth etc, is distributed to family members, just once, a daughter;s hand is given away in marriage, just once, a decision to give away a thing takes
place just once. These three things happen only once for gentlemen”
Sinh gaman sajjan vachan, kadali phalai ik baar |
tiriyaa tel hameer hath, cadhai na dooji baar ||
Just as on getting married, the woman accepts that now I belong to my husband’s family, I no longer belong to the parent’s family, in the same way “O’ Lord! I am Yours” on saying so, accept that now I am God’s, I am no longer of this world.
(to be continued)
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