|| Shri Hari ||

Virtuous Conduct as per the Gita

No one says to a person who behaves well that why are you behaving well,  but all say to a person who behaves badly,  that why are you behaving badly ?  No one says to one who is always happy,   that why are you always happy ?  But all say to one who is always sad,  that why do you always unhappy ?   

The point is that due to being an ‘ansh’  (fragment) of God,  divine traits are innately and naturally present ‒

‘ईश्वर अंस जीव अबिनासी चेतन अमल सहज सुखरासी ॥’ (मानस ७ । ११७ । १)

Ishvar ansh jeev abinaashi chetan amal sahaj sukh raasi (Manas 7 / 117 / 1)   

Demonaic traits are not innate and natural,  rather they come, due to affinity with the 'unreal' (perishable).     When man becomes disinclined towards God,  and associates with the 'unreal' (perishable),  i.e. develops a sense of ‘I’  (ego) and ‘mine’ (attachment) with the body, then demonaic traits come in him,  and the divine traits are hidden.   The moment one stops associating with the fleeting and temporary (unreal), good qualities and conduct manifest on their own.     

(2) ‘साधुभावे च सदित्येतत्ययुज्यते’ ‒ ‘Saadhubhaave cha sadityeyujyate’  ‒ The good ‘bhaavas’ (feelings) of the mind-intellect are called ‘saadhubhaav’.  The word used is ‘sat’ for good feelings and sentiments, as they help in realizing God.   Good 'bhaav' (sentiments) i.e. good qualities and good conduct,  are divine traits.   ‘Deva’ is the name of God and His possessions are called ‘divine traits’.   Man develops pride by regarding God’s possessions as his own,  or by thinking that the powers he has,  are his own, which is a demoniac trait.   All evil tendencies reside under the shade of pride.

Good quality and conduct, is not a personal trait.  If it was an individual trait, then it would not come in another person.    Just as all children have rights over the father’s wealth, in the same way,  all beings have equal rights over God’s ‘daivi sampatti’ (divine traits,  good qualities and good conduct). 

The pride of being virtuous, is in fact due to lacking in good qualities and conduct.  That is to say,  they arise when along with the good, there is the  presence of a degree of evilness.  Just as when there is pride of telling the truth,  then along with the truth, there is some degree of untruth.   In perfect truth,  there can never exist any pride.   The nobility of truth is seen,  only due to the presence of untruth, and there is pride of the truth.   Just as if everyone in a village is poor,   and if only one person is a millionaire, then people see the grandeur of the millionaire,  and the rich millionaire feels proud.  But in a village where all are billionaires,  one does not perceive the glory of a millionaire,  neither does he develop pride.   It means, that it is due to seeing something special in us,  that our delusion is strengthened.   

to be continued.....

From book in Hindi 'Kalyan Path'  by Swami Ramsukhdasji 

|| Shri Hari ||

SHARANAGATI

"Na Vidyaa yeshaam shreern sharanampeeshan cha gunaah
parisyaktaa lokkairapi vrajinyuktaah shrutijadaah
sharanyam yam tepi prasrutgunamaashritya sujanaa
vimuktaastam vande yudupatimaham krushammalam." 

"He who does not possess any skill, nor wealth, nor has any support; in whom there are no qualities, no knowledge of Vedas, nor of the scriptures; He who has been abandoned by the world being regarded as sinful, such beings too, that take refuge in the One that is the Ultimate Protector, Prabhu (God, Lord), he can become a saint and can attain salvation.  I prostrate in front of That One whose qualities have attained recognition around the world, the pure Soul, the father of the Yadu dynasty, Shri Krishna Bhagavaan.   

"Sarva Dharmaanparityajya maamekum sharanam vraja
Aham tvaa sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa suchah."  Gita 18:66  

"Abandoning dependence on all duties (dharma), take refuge in ME, alone.  I will liberate you from all sins, therefore grieve not. (Gita 18:66)

Comments -  

"Sarva Dharmaanparityajya maamekum sharanam vraja"  -  God says that leave the dependency on all Dharma, the decisions pertaining to Dharma, i.e. also leave the decisions on what to do and what not to do -  and take refuge only in ME.  

The Self (swayam) is the one that has to take refuge -  this is the essence of all spiritual disciplines. Nothing remains to be done for the devotee that has taken refuge in God;  just like a pativrata (chaste wife) has no work of her own.  Even adorning her body is due to her husband and for the husband only.  She does not consider  the house, the family, the possessions, the son-daughter and the so called her body too her own,  rather considers it to be her husband's (patidev's) only.  The point here is that just like a chaste wife merges her gotra (subdivision of same caste group)  into the gotra of her husband, thereafter living in husband's home, similarly a devotee who has taken refuge in God, surrenders all assumed and known relations with the body (the caste group, race, name, etc) at the Lotus feet of God, thereafter being free of all worries, fear, doubts, sorrows and regrets.   

Here in the Gita, the term "Dharma" stands for Duty.  the reason is that from Gita 18-41 to 18:44,  the term "Svabhaavaja Karam" (duties born of their nature) have been used.  In Gita 18:47 the term "Svadharma" (one's own duty) has been used and again in Gita 18:47 and 18:48 the term "Karma" (Duty) has been used.  It means that in this context at the beginning and the end the term "Karma" (Duty) has been used, while in the middle the term "Svadharma" (one's own duty) has been used, therefore the term "Dharma" stands for "Duty". 

Now the question arises from the words "sarvadharmaaparityajya" whether in essence, one's "dharma" i.e. "duty" should be understood to be abandoned ?  The answer is that it is actually not proper to abandon one's duty, nor does this fit well with the current topic and the relevance to it.  Arjuna on listening to this point from God did not foresake his duties, rather he said "Karishye vachanam tava" (Gita 18:73) - "I shall act according to your word", and accepted to obey and follow the instructions given by the Lord to fulfill his duties.  Not only did he accept, but he carried out his order and waged war.

From "Sharanagati" in Hindi  by Swami Ramsukhdasji.

Ram Ram