K K November 2016-2017 IInd corr Print (4.01.17) Newkalyana-kalpataru.org/PDF (Full...

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A MONTHLY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF SPIRITUALIDEAS AND LOVE FOR GOD

Subhå¶itam

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(Dåna Pra‹a≈så 6)Why not give half the morsel of food even if you have

only one morsel. Who has ever received his wishful riches?❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Vol. 62 November 2016 No. 2

C O N T E N T S1. Subhå¶itam ..... 32. Glory of Tyåga of King Cakwaveƒa

óBrahmalina Sri Jayadayal Goyandka ..... 53. Service towards the Destitute

óNityalilalina Sri Hanumanprasad Poddar ..... 164. Gosevå of King Dil∂pa as Portrayed in

Raghuva≈‹amóDr. Purna Chandra Ojha ..... 255. ServiceóDada J. P. Vaswani ..... 306. The Superb Sacrifice of King Rµupasena

óDr. Mukunda Pati Tripathi ..... 327. Sewå as Seen in ›r∂mad RåmåyaƒaóR. Kannan ..... 358. Template for World PeaceóR. P. Dwivedi ..... 409. Ideal RenunciationóSri Paramahansa Yogananda ..... 42

10. Role of Sewå in LifeóSukesh Chander Sharma ..... 4611. TyågaóA Discipline for God-realization ..... 5112. Social Service as Spiritual Sådhanå

óR. R. Diwakar ..... 5713. Super Self and WorldóChilukuri Venkateswarlu ..... 6214. ›r∂ Råmakæ¶ƒa Paramaha≈sa: A Tyåg∂

óDr. A. R. Mohapatra ..... 6315. Purpose of LifeóKuldip Raj Kochhar ..... 65

ILLUSTRATIONS1. Subhå¶itam2. Saints Praying Lord Vi¶ƒu (Cover)

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EditoróKeshoram Aggarwal Co-EditoróDr. Prem P. LakkarPrinted and Published by Jagdish Prasad Jalan for Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya,

Gita Press, Gorakhpur (India)

websites: 1. www. kalyana-kalpataru.org 2. www.gitapress.orge-mail: booksales@ gitapress.org

Glory of Tyåga of King CakwaveƒaóBrahmalina Sri Jayadayal Goyandka

I have not come across the story of King Cakwaveƒain any of the books I have read; it is, however, popularlyknown and has been transmitted by tradition. I have noidea whether this story of Cakwaveƒa is based on historicalfacts or mere fiction. Anyhow, we are concerned with thevaluable lesson it imparts. The story runs as followsó

There was once a king, Cakwaveƒa by name. He wasexceedingly pious, truthful, self-dependent, persevering,steeped in self-abnegation, full of dispassion, a man ofwisdom as well as a devotee of the Lord, possessed ofa spiritual glow and asceticism and a highly realized soul.He looked down upon the public revenues as taintedmoney, and never appropriated it to his own use or to theuse of his consort. The whole of the public revenues wascent percent utilized in the service of the people. He carriedon the administration of the state in a disinterested andunegoistic spirit, devoting his body and soul to it. He hada remarkable hold on the people he ruled. As was the casein the kingdom of ›r∂ Råma, nobody suffered in hisdominion; everybody was perfectly happy.

For his own maintenance he cultivated a separate plotof land. The queen herself ploughed the fields in place ofbullocks, while the king sowed the seeds. His family livedupon the yield of his own private land. He raised the cropsof sugar-cane, cotton, cereals, vegetables and fruits. Hecovered himself with cloth made of cotton that grew onhis own land. Similarly, he partook of gur prepared from

6 Kalyana-Kalpataru

the suger-cane grown on his own land and consumed onlycereals, vegetables and fruits that were the produce of hissoil. His spouse did not have a single ornament on herperson; for he would not get ornaments prepared out ofthe public revenues, and the yield of his cultivated landwas barely sufficient to provide his family with plainclothings and frugal meals. In addition to his agriculturaloccupation he had to devote his time to the state affairsalso. He lived like a virtuous and simple peasant. Leavingapart the six hours he devoted to sleep, the whole of histime was spent in devotion, doing good to others, lookingafter the state affairs and agricultural pursuits. He treatedall living beings with the same degree of love andcompassion. He looked upon all forms of life as amanifestation of God and served them all with disinterestedlove. He was self-dependent and did all his bodily workhimself. He never took personal service from any of thestate employees or menial servants etc. Whatever he did,he did without attachment or egotism and with greatenthusiasm and patience.

One day it so happened that a very big fair was heldat the capital of King Cakwaveƒa, where people from otherprovinces also collected in large numbers. People visitedthe capital all the year round in order to have a sight ofthe king and the queen; but the fair attracted an unusuallylarge gathering of men and women. The visitors who calledon the king were mostly men; while those who visited thequeen were mostly women. One day many a lady belongingto rich trading families, richly adorned and clad in silkenrobes and surrounded by a number of female attendantswent to the queen to see her. They said to the queen, ìYourMajesty! even our female labourers would refuse to wearthe kind of clothes you have on your person. Look at our

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maidservants, and see what costly clothes and ornamentsthey are having on their person! Your costumes andornaments ought to be richer than ours. We are as goodyour servants as these female attendants are ours. Your lord,O good queen, is a big Emperor; on receiving the slightesthint from you he can get you much better clothes andornaments than what we have. Since you are our mistress,we are pained to see you in this unattractive garb. Evenmendicant women begging alms from door to door, wouldnot have such clothes on their person. We should like tosee your Majesty provided with a dress and ornamentsbefitting the spouse of an Emperor.î Observing thus, andleaving their stamp they took leave of the queen anddeparted. Their comments made a deep impression on hermind.

At night when the king called on the queen, sheapprised him of all that had happened and recapitulatedto him what the ladies of the trading community had toldher during the daytime. She entreated him to get her costlyrobes and ornaments. The king replied, ìHow can I procureyou all this? Far from using the public money I do noteven touch it; for the mere touch of it pollutes oneís mind.îThe queen too was a paragon of purity; but those gaudilydressed and richly adorned ladies of well-to-do families hadexercised a great hold on her mind. She therefore, pleadedwith her spouse, ìYou know you are an Emperor and Iam your wedded wife; therefore, in any case, you will haveto oblige me by getting me rich costumes and jewelleryworthy of a queen.î Now impelled by the love of hisqueen, the king said to himself, ìHowever importunatethe queen may be in her demand, I cannot, under anycircumstance, use the public money for our own purpose;being an Emperor, however, I can certainly collect tribute

Glory of Tyåga of King Cakwaveƒa

8 Kalyana-Kalpataru

from the wicked tyrannical and powerful princes.î Havingthus thought over, he summoned into his presence hisminister dealing with foreign affairs as well as those oftributary states and said, ìMy good minister, you call onthe demon-king, Råvaƒa, and tell him that you have beendeputed by me to realize tribute from him in the shapeof a maund and a quarter of gold.î

On receiving the Emperorís command, the minister tooksome men with him and drove in a chariot to theseashore, wherefrom he went across to the opposite shoreon board a ship and landed at Lanka. He called at theCourt of Råvaƒa and delivered to him the message ofEmperor Cakwaveƒa in most civil and polite terms. WhenRåvaƒa heard the message, he laughed and, turning to thecouncillors, said, ìLook here, there still exist in this worldsome foolish kings who hope to recover tribute even froma powerful, independent and exalted Emperor like myself,who has realized levy from gods, §R¶is, demons and all.îHe felt inclined to have Cakwaveƒaís minister clapped intoprison; but his councillors pleaded with him and the envoywas set free. After his release he left Råvaƒaís Court andreturned to the seashore.

Subsequently to this when Råvaƒa called on Mandodar∂in his palace at night, he laughed and in a jocular moodremarked, ìThere is some king, Cakwaveƒa by name, inthe land of Bhåratavar¶a. An ambassador of his called atmy Court today and demanded from me a maund and aquarter of gold as tribute. I felt much amused over it. Justimagine, there still exist on the globe fools who have thetemerity to expect tribute even from one like me, whorealizes tribute from all. I wanted to put the envoy behindthe bars; but my councillors interceded and so I let himgo away.î At this Mandodar∂ expressed her sorrow and

9Glory of Tyåga of King Cakwaveƒa

thus observed: ìMy lord, you have committed a seriousblunder. I know Cakwaveƒa; he is a truthful and virtuousking. He holds undisputed sway everywhere. He who failsto comply with his orders meets with an ill fate. You oughtto have satisfied the ambassador before sending him away.Have him traced out even now and render satisfaction tohim, failing which nobody knows the magnitude of harmthat may come to us.î ìYou are very timid,î repliedRåvaƒa; ìYou fear even ordinary mortal kings! I care afig for what may befall us.î ìAll rightî, said the queen,ìTomorrow morning I will demonstrate to you the gloryof Cakwaveƒa.î No sooner had the day dawned thanMandodar∂ accompanied the demon-king to the roof of thepalace where she used to feed pigeons every day. A largenumber of pigeons used to flock there to feed on the grainsstrewn by Mandodar∂. While they were picking up thegrains Mandodar∂ spoke to them, ìI adjure you by the nameof King Råvaƒa not to pick up grains any more.î But thepigeons took no notice of this warning. The queen thensaid to the demon-king, ìMy lord, mark you, the pigeonscontinued to pick up the grains even when adjured by yourname to stop this doing.î ìYou nitwitî, said Råvaƒa, ìhowcan these poor birds understand all this?î ìNow witnessthe glory of King Cakwaveƒaî, returned Mandodar∂. Shethen turned towards the pigeons and said, ìBeware! I adjureyou by the name of King Cakwaveƒa to stop feeding.îNo sooner they had heard it than the pigeons in a bodystopped picking at the grains. Unfortunately there happenedto be one deaf pigeon, who could not hear the oath anddid pick up a grain. Lo! at that very moment its neck felloff from its body. ìLook here,î said the queen, ìadjuredby the name of King Cakwaveƒa the pigeons one and allceased picking up the grains; one deaf pigeon could not

10 Kalyana-Kalpataru

hear the oath and picked up a grain and the result wasthat the pigeonís neek fell asunder.î The queen once moreturned to the birds and said, ìNow I lift the oath and bidyou to resume feeding.î At once all the pigeons startedpicking up the grains. The queen spoke to the birds again,ì I adjure you by the name of King Råvaƒa. who is standingbefore you, not to pick up any grain.î But none of thebirds paid any heed to it and kept picking at the grainsin spite of Råvaƒa. ìLook hereî, put in Mandodar∂, ìYouhave not the least hold on the birds whereas the name ofKing Cakwaveƒa wields such influence even though heis not present. Just reflect on this,î ìIt seems you haveplayed some trick or employed some magic.î repliedRåvaƒa; ìOtherwise these poor birds could not understandall this.î Quibbling like this he made for the royal court.

Now coming to King Cakwaveƒaís minister, he madea likeness of Lanka on the seashore. He took very finesoot-like clay and mixing it with sea-water turned it intoa thin paste. He then levelled a small patch of land onthe beach and painted thereon an exact representation ofLanka on a small scale. By daubing that thin paste dropby drop on the level ground he painted Lankaís fortification,walls and gates etc. Within the four walls he depicted ona small scale the capital of Lanka as well as the large andprominent mansions therein. Having painted all these herepaired once more to Ravaƒaís Court. Råvaƒa was takenaback to see him again and said, ìWell, sir, what hasbrought you here again?î The minister replied, ìI want toshow Your Majesty a strange phenomenon; pray, comewith me to the seashore.î Råvaƒa got eager to see themiracle and taking some councillors with him went to thespot on the seashore where the minister had painted alikeness of Lanka on a diminutive scale.

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The minister said to Råvaƒa, ìLook here, is it not anexact representation of your Lanka?î Råvaƒa saw hiswonderful skill and while appreciating his art asked himif he had brought him there simply to show that picture.The minister, however, said, ìNo, no, I will presently showyou a marvel through this picture. Look here, the Easternwall, gate, domes and battlements of Lanka, are alldistinctly seen from here; is it not?î Råvaƒa dittoed hisremark. The minister thereupon said, ìSwearing by thename of King Cakwaveƒa I proceed to erase the Easternbattlements of my painted Lanka; synchronously with thisyou will find the battlements on the Eastern gate of yourLanka crumbling down.î Saying this and swearing by thename of Cakwaveƒa he struck off the battlements on theEastern gate of his painted Lanka. Simultaneously with thisRåvaƒa saw the battlements on the Eastern gate of his ownLanka falling down. Råvaƒa felt much surprised at this.The minister then added, ìNow I proceed to obliterate thefour domes on the gate of the Eastern wall in my ownpainting; synchronously with this you will find domes ofyour solid Lanka crumbling down.î Saying this andswearing by King Cakwaveƒa he blotted out the domesfrom his own painting and simultaneously with that camedown with a crash all the domes on the Eastern gate ofthe real Lanka of Råvaƒa. This filled Råvaƒa with greatamazement and reminded him of Mandodar∂ís words.

King Cakwaveƒaís minister further added. ìO king, ifyou decline to pay tribute in the shape of a maund anda quarter of gold to King Cakwaveƒa, even then it willnot be necessary for him to wage war with you. His gloryitself holds sway everywhere. I am alone enough todemolish and destroy your Lanka. Swearing by the nameof King Cakwaveƒa. I am going to wreck your Lanka in



an instant with one stroke of my handóI challenge you,protect it if you can. If you would save Lanka fromdestruction, you must give me a maund and quarter of goldby way of tribute; there is no other way of saving it.î NowRåvaƒa thought to himself, ìI have seen with my own eyesthe battlements as well as all the four domes on the easterngate of Lanka falling down in the twinkling of an eye.They were all made of metal and exceptionally strong. Inalike manner it is very easy for this minister to destroythe whole of Lanka.î Pondering thus, he agreed to paytribute in the shape of a maund and a quarter of gold andsaid to Cakwaveƒaís minister, ìCome along with me; I shallforthwith give you the desired gold.î Råvaƒa accordinglyhanded over to him a maund and a quarter of gold andsent him away.

The minister returned to the capital of King Cakwaveƒawith that gold. Approaching the king and the queen heplaced the gold before them and submitted that as commandedby His Majesty he had brought a maund and a quarterof gold as tribute from the demon-king, Råvaƒa. Interrogatedby the king as to how he succeeded in getting the gold,the minister narrated to him the whole episode frombeginning to end.

The queen was much surprised to hear the story whichdeeply impressed her. She eagerly asked the king how sucha thing happened. The king replied, ìWe are self-dependentand lead a life of dispassion and self-denial, earning ourbread through agriculture which involves strenuous exertion,devote the public money to the service of the peoplethemselves in a disinterested spirit and do not even touchit for our personal use. The whole thing is attributable tothis.î

This changed the mind of the queen who said, ìMy

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lord, I am not going to wear costly robes and ornamentson my person. I shall lead the same austere life as I havebeen leading up till now. I am not going to make anychange in it. The evil association of the wealthy ladies ofthe trading class had diverted my mind from the path ofvirtue, dispassion and self-abnegation; but now I am freefrom the effects of their association. I crave your forgivenessfor my pertinacity. Pray, forgive my offence and return thisgold.î

The king agreed to her proposal and turning to theminister, said: ìMy good minister, by the grace of Godthe effect of the evil association has left her. Therefore,now return the gold to the quarter from where you hadbrought it.î The moment the minister received this orderhe departed with the gold and went back to the king ofLanka. Entering Råvaƒaís Court he said to him, ìKingCakwaveƒa has returned your gold. A desire had croppedup in the mind of his queen to have costly robes andornaments on her person, but by the grace of God it hasceased now. The king, therefore, no longer requires it.î

When Råvaƒa heard this he was all the more impressedby King Cakwaveƒaís self-denial. Taking back the goldhe dismissed the minister with honour and respect. Theminister returned home and told the king and queen howhe had restored the gold to Råvaƒa. They felt muchgratified to know this. King Cakwaveƒa exercised hisinfluence over the gods, the sages and seers, the Yak¶asand Råk¶asas, human beings, animals, birds and all othersspecies of creation.

We should learn the following lesson from this story.Every man and woman should earn his or her living ina disinterested spirit by fair and truthful means in conformityto his or her social order and stage in life. To depend for



oneís living on others is detestable. Even if one gets daintydishes with money earned through lying, hypocrisy anddishonesty, they are poisonous; if, on the other hand weget to eat even a handful of parched oats through moneyearned by fair means and therefore free from all blemish,it is wholesome as ambrosia. We must cultivate the habitof attending to our bodily needs ourselves as far as possibleeven though we may have servants and other attendants,wife, children and disciples about us, except when we areill or in cases of emergency, so that we may not have tolead a life of dependence on others. For men seeking finalbeatitude, it is shameful indeed to live a life of dependenceon others.

At the same time we should recognize that time isinvaluable, and should not waste even a second. Think ofGod every moment. We should keep ourselves engagedin doing good to others and procuring means of sustainingour body, Barring the six hours we devote to sleep at night,not a second should be wasted or misused. Human lifeis most precious; hence we should not remain idle evenfor a moment but should keep ourselves engaged in apursuit which, to our mind, is the highest and noblest.

Even a momentís evil association proves very harmfulbearing this in mind, one should not even in an unguardedmoment associate with an unbeliever, a vile wretch, onesteeped in error, a voluptuary, a habitual sinner, and idler,a slothful person, a parasite, a dandy and one fond ofwitnessing plays and entertainments and addicted to intoxicantsand evil habits. Discarding error, sloth, drowsiness, fear,perturbation, attachment and aversion, egotism and eviladdictions etc., one should devote oneís life to the disinterestedpractice of adoration and meditation, fellowship with saintsand study of scriptures with discretion, self-denial and self-

15Glory of Tyåga of King Cakwaveƒa

control. Looking upon all living beings as so many imagesof God, one should serve all in a disinterested spirit withoneís mind and body but without attachment or egotism.Nay, one should cherish unmotived love and compassiontowards all without distinction.

❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Worship the God who is templed in the flowers,heaving in the ocean, and who blesses and caresses youin the wind and in the sunshine. God will never forsakeyou. It is you who are running away from Him. FindHim within. You will behold this world as a dream. Manytimes I see it that way. Rouse yourself. Forget this dreamdelusion, for the world offers nothing but sickness andsuffering, false security and happiness that is short-lasting. Break your limitations. Be ever awake in Him!

óParamahansa Yogananda

God has already given Himself to you, but you havenot accepted Him. That you do not make the necessaryeffort to know Him, is the underlying cause of all yoursorrow.

Service towards the DestituteóNityalilalina Sri Hanumanprasad Poddar

The Lord is the refuge of the man in distress callingfor succour. He befriends the poor and cordially fraternizeswith the destitute. One who is utterly helpless and powerless,and has no means or resources of his own, naturallyinvokes the aid of a benefactor and cries for his help. Butwho befriends the destitute? Really speaking, there are onlytwo helpmates of the suffereróthe Lord and the saints. Itis they who feel for him, befriend him and lending ahelping hand, offer him spontaneous and cordial fellowship,Sincere fellow-feeling for the distressed and cordial lovefor the destitute, are to be found only in the Lord or thesaints. These are ideal qualities, and one who can imbibethem, can make oneís life blessed.

A motherís very nature compels her to love and serveher child; and she never boasts of doing any service toit. It is the childís birthright to receive motherly affectionand service and it has an exclusive claim on them whichnobody else has. There lies their real significance. Similarlythe Lordís and saintsí natural and spontaneous mercifullove is the legacy of the downtrodden, poor, afflictedhumanity. Being generous by nature, the saints never feelas if they are doing good to others: and they are notpresumptuous enough to think that they are putting a manunder an obligation by rendering any service to him. Theynever look upon anything as their own. All that they have,is the Lordís. Their learning, wisdom, power, wealth,property, house, everything they have, belongs to the Lord.

17Service towards the Destitute

It is their very nature always to use everything in theservice of the Lord. Their service of the poor suffering manis, therefore, the service of the Lord Himself, and it is notrendered to put anybody under the burden of an obligation.They are always prompted by the feeling that they arerendering to the Lord what is really His own. On thecontrary, one who accumulates things and looks upon themas his personal possessions and does not render to Godwhat is Godís, is a thief and deserves punishment. Suchone is guilty of appropriating for oneís own use whatbelongs to the Lord. Nårada says in the Bhågavata(VII. 14. 8)ó

ÿÊflŒ˜ Á÷˝ÿÃ ¡∆U⁄¢U ÃÊflÃ˜ Sflàfl¢ Á„U ŒÁ„UŸÊ◊˜–•Áœ∑¢§ ÿÊ˘Á÷◊ãÿÃ ‚ SÃŸÊ Œá«U◊„¸ÁÃH

ìOneís right to things is limited to the means ofsustenance. One who claims more, is a thief and deservespunishment.î It follows, therefore, that all oneís possessionsshould be looked upon as owned by the universal Lord,and one should use them, as circumstances require, in theservice of the needy, the indigent and the helpless. Thisis duty; this is virtue.

There is, however, one thing which man shouldcertainly imbibe. Whatever he possessesólearning, wisdom,wealth, prosperity, house, even his body, mind, senses andfacultiesóshould always be available to satisfy the needsof others, This is virtue. On the contrary, where there isa desire to accumulate riches to gratify oneís own senseof possession and ownership, there is vice. To augmentpossessions is a sin; not to accumulate them is a virtue.

We should become accustomed to make a proper useof our circumstances, means and possessions. What weown is not meant for our enjoyment or to be kept stored.Stagnant water becomes foul and breeds germs. Similarly


things not put to proper use, lose their value and becomeunfit for use. Meat alone is not taboo; food belonging toothers, is also prohibited. To deprive others of what isrightly theirs is a sin. Once a king enquired of a saint thenature of honestly earned livelihood. The saint advised theking to consult an old woman in the town. The kingapproached her and begged for a roll of bread honestlyearned. The woman said, ìO king! I have a piece of breadhalf of which is honestly acquired and the remaining halfdishonestly.î When further asked to explain her meaning,she said, ìOne day I was playing my spinning-wheel whenevening fell and it became dark. Instead of lighting mylamp, I span half a sliver in the light of torches accompanyinga procession which just then happened to pass that way.Flour was bought by selling the yarn and bread wasprepared. Thus half the bread is honestly earned, and theother half rightly belongs to the master of the procession.îThis illustrates how scrupulous men were in discriminatingbetween what was their own and what was not. Theyconsidered it a great sin to take anything owned by othersas it amounted to stealing.

Now no heed is paid to such considerations. Thetendency is to hoard, disregarding the just claims of others;and this is sinful. A saint told me once that it was difficultto find an honest man from whom he might beg alms. Themind is moulded according to the quality of the food taken.And the purity of food depends upon the mode of earningit. The way in which money is earned to procure food,largely determines its quality. Ordinarily that food issupposed to be pure which is prepared by clean personsin a clean place and consists of pure Såttvika things. Thecleanliness of the place where it is cooked and of thepersons who touch it, are important elements in keeping

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the food pure. But there is another fundamental factor,which if impure, vitiates the food and makes it impure;and that is the impurity of the money which has acquiredit. Food bought with stolen or dishonestly earned moneyis always tainted and impure. Thus, the purity of food islargely determined by the kind of money which acquiredit.

It should always be borne in mind that whatever onepossesses is not solely oneís own, because it is the fruitof the cooperative effort of many persons. They have theirown share of it and everyone of them has a claim uponit. Consequently our riches must be used generously andwith a pure motive wherever needed without humiliatingthe beneficiary or assuming superior airs. Even a liberalgift will not please a man if given in an insulting manner.Sweet and soft words have an importance of their ownand are rarely out of place. They delight every heart, justas harsh words wound everyone. Bitter words of insolencehumiliation and hatred hurt a poor man to the quick morethan they affect a rich man. You will not dare to strikea strong muscular athlete; and if you do give him a blow,either he will not mind it or pay you back handsomely.But if you struck a blow to a poor weak man, he wouldsimply smart under it and in his helplessness feel anguishedat heart. If you say something unpalatable to a big man,he would lend no ear to it, because he has a number ofpersons to sing his praises. Your feeble voice of censurewould be drowned in the loud acclaim of others. But ifyou say something harsh to a poor man, it would hurt himpoignantly and he would feel it very much. That is whyit has been said that when a friend is in trouble a hundredtimes more affection should be showered upon him thanwas done ordinarily in the normal condition. A poor man

Service towards the Destitute


is completely overwhelmed by his troubles and afflictions.His heart weeps all the time and he tries to conceal histears. Sometimes he utters a sigh and bemoans his lot; butoften afraid of the frowns of others, he conceals the anguishof his heart. His sufferings alter his temperament and hebecomes a different man, because he is convinced that thereis none to hear his tale of woe. One who can sympathizewith such a sufferer, wipe away his tears and feel forhim, is really a magnanimous and generous person. He isworthy to be called a man who hears the poor manís taleof woe or an orphanís pitiable plight and tries his best toremove his distress.

The Lord has said that He is the disinterested friendof all beings. If He had been a friend of only His devoteesand saints, it would not have been a matter of significance.Then the relation would have amounted to mutual bargaining;but He has declared Himself a friend of all beings, evenof the destitute and distressed. There lies His greatness andglory. This divine nature of friendliness is the commonlegacy of all, more particularly of the indigent. Similarlythe nature of all good men should be the poor manís legacy.Whatever one has, should, therefore, be used for relievingthe distress of the poor and that too generously andsympathetically without making any distinction and freefrom insolence or disdain. To serve the poor it is notnecessary to blow a trumpet of your generosity. Such astep would either hurt the feelings of the sufferers or dulltheir feeling of delicacy and drive away their sense ofshame. What is needed is a burning desire to afford reliefto the destitute. One should feel a kind of pain or uneasinesswhich can be cured only by serving the needy.

The fact of the matter is that the Lord is particularlymerciful to the poor, afflicted and distressed, because they

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can attain Him more easily. They do not possess thealluring things of the world which alienate man from Him.But it is the duty of those men who possess material thingsto recognize the claim of the poor on them and with afellow-feeling to share their troubles and tribulations. Theirsufferings are really speaking, due to the beneficent divinedispensation and that alone can remove them. It is notpossible for any benefactor to afford them any relief; buthis attempt to help them, will be a spiritual gain to himself,because he will be made an instrument of relief. Let him,therefore, feel happy that he was made an instrument bythe Lord to relieve the sufferings of those in trouble. Inspirehope in the heart of the hopeless, be a guide to the lostwayfarer, save a life from the watery grave and wipe awaytears from the weeping eyes. Even if you will only patientlyhear a suffererís tale of woe, he will feel somewhat relievedand comforted. He will realize that, after all, there issomeone whom he can look upon as his own; and youtoo will relate yourself to one utterly desolate and lonely,and this idea will give you a peculiar gratification. If youpraise one who has many flatterers or admirers, your wordswill produce little effect; but if you were to sit for a fewmoments near one who has no supporter and is helpless,one would be comforted.

There was an incurable leper whose whole body washorribly diseased. He was obstinate, bad-tempered and anatheist. All those who passed by him, stopped their nosesand showered abuses on him turning their faces from himin disgust. And so he believed that everyone hated him.One day, when St. Francis approached him, he began toabuse him; but the saint without caring for the abuses, drewnear him and very gently said, ìBrother, you may abuseme or even strike me, I must go to you and wash your



wounds and bandage them. I must serve you in all possibleways.î These words produced a very peaceful effect uponthe leperís mind and he felt happy and comforted. Thesaintís service made him happy in life.

Queen Elizabeth used to go out of her palace to servethe poor wholeheartedly. She visited the huts of the pooronly to make them happy and relieve their sufferings.Christianity has produced many saints who spent theirwhole lives in serving the suffering humanity. Do not attachmuch importance to your own troubles, but do not forgetthe sufferings of others. Lord ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa has asked manto remain free from malice towards all beings and to befriendly and compassionate towards them all. A true friendlooks upon his friendís minor troubles as very great, andhis own really great troubles appear to him insignificant.Never make little of a poor manís suffering; but, takingit as intolerable, do your best to remove it. It is needlessto say that to make anybody suffer for oneís own gainis a great sin.

A rich man constructed a house for his residence.Adjoining it was a cottage of a poor old woman. It wassuggested to the man by his friends that, if the plot of landon which the cottage stood, could also be acquired, thehouse could be built more spacious and that it would lookbeautiful and grand. The man approved of the suggestionand the old woman also came to know of it. She wentto the man and said, ìI hoped that since a rich man likeyou had come to live in my neighbourhood, I should getsupport from you, that you would wipe my tears and thatI should have some comfort. But I see now that you cannotbear the sight of this small cottage which gives shelter tomy children and being the legacy from my ancestors, islike a memorial to them. You propose to destroy the

23

cottage. If you do so, you will never be happy in life; sodesist. God will not forgive you for this injustice.î Theman was wise and he gave up the idea of acquiring thatplot and satisfied the old woman.

If a weak man is suddenly charged by a strong man,what can the poor fellow do? How can a child protect itselfif attached at once by a number of persons? To whom willit appeal for help? If the helpless and poor are tormentedby the strong, to whom can they look up for succour? Thehelpless man cannot even weep out his heart or utter asigh. But his anguished heart weeps and a fierce fire burnswithin him, a spark of which consumes the pride andstrength of the tyrant. Remember: never torment a poorman; cause no pain to the helpless. Never use your strengthagainst a weak person nor inflict pain on one withoutprotection. Do not tempt him and then hurt his feelings.The rich man could give the old woman some acres ofland, but he could not possibly compensate her for theoutraged sentimental attachment for the cottage. She couldnever be happy with the acres received in exchange. Shewould have felt that she was being forcibly displaced bythe man who was taking advantage of her poverty. If youwere in her position, what would have been your ownfeelings? Just realize that.

Our strength must be used for protecting the weak, andnever for destroying or ruining them. If you are equallymatched against a person, you will think twice beforeinvolving yourself in a quarrel with him, though quarrellingmay have some justification. But in the case of a weakand helpless person, if you are displeased with him, youmay deal with him as you like. The poor fellow has tobear your treatment of him silently without even a protest.Take the case, for example, of a poor widow. She is alone



in the house and is cursed all the time by her father-in-law and mother-in-law. If she becomes indisposed, thenshe is blamed for pretending illness to avoid householdwork. There is none to sympathize with her or pity her,and nobody cares to enquire what ails her. No medicalaid is provided and there is none whom she could approachfor help or to whom she could relate her tale of woe. Shemay be subjected to ill-treatment and yet can utter no wordof protest; but her heart weeps all the time. To use oneísposition is thus, tormenting a poor soul is wickedness andsin.

(To be continued)❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

To see many is the cause of bondage. To see one,the one behind the many, is the cause of liberation. Thegoal of life is to attain the knowledge of the onenessof things and through the knowledge, to attain liberation.

ñSwami Lokeswarananda

Relying on divine grace if a human being even oncesays that, ìI am yours and you are my own then Godbecomes his forever.î This is the final achievement ofhuman life.

óSwami Sharanananda

Gosevå of King Dil∂pa asPortrayed in Raghuva≈‹am

óDr. Purna Chandra Ojha

The word “ªÊ” means cow, bullock, beast, the earth,heaven, eye, hair, ray of light, water, arrow, the Sun, theMoon, the star, thunderbolt, speech etc., in Sanskrit andalso similarly accepted in other regional languages of Indiahaving the same meaning. “ªÊ‚flÊ” means devotion or serviceto cow. “ªÊ” here particularly denotes to cow.

The cow, a quadruped domestic animal is eminentlyuseful to men and even the little children know it, theusefulness of cow. From milk to dung, everything relatedto cow is useful to our society. From time immemorial;all nations have used cow milk and its products as food.It is a source of bodily energy and protein. Many importantvitamins are found in abundance in milk. It is also a sourceof minerals such as lime and phosphorous. The cow returnsmore human food from a given amount of feed than anyother domestic animal. Cow-dung is universally recognisedas being better than synthetic products for the retention ofhumus in soil and for maintaining its fertility. So Prof.K. L. Bhalla says that its practical advantages over theseproducts consists in the fact that it can be applied readilyby the farmers without the necessity of soil-analysis andknowledge of the soil content. Similarly Gobara Gas actsas an alternate source of energy. It is generally used forcooking, heating and lighting. The Gobara Gas Plants areless costly and are pollution free.

Cow is called the best wealth “ªÊœŸ¢ üÊc∆U œŸ¢” of human


society. So enjoying the help of cow, in Mahåbhårata “ëÿflŸ◊„UÌ·” said to “⁄UÊ¡Ê Ÿ„ÈU·” ìI do not consider any wealth comparableto cow in this world. Cows provide “üÊÿ—” (Good) to menand “„UÁflcÿ” (Pure sacrificial clarified butter) to the gods.None can describe all the virtues of cows.î Really, theusefulness of cow even does not cease with her death.

Cow is very sacred to the Hindus. We know the five“ª” is very familiar and sacred to Hindus like “ªËÃÊ, ª¢ªÊ, ªÊ,ªÊÿòÊË” and “ªÈL§”. Some say seven adding “Áª⁄UË‡Ê” and “ªÊÁflãŒ”.Hence cow is regarded as a divinity in every Hindu-household and is called “÷ªflÃË ªÊ◊ÊÃÊ”. She is worshippeddaily and tended with the greatest care, solicitude andreverence. Cow slaughtering and taking beef is a great sin.Cruelty to cow, even if to any animal is as much to becondemned as cruelty to men as they are also created byGod as we, and to speak the truth animals can do withoutus, but we cannot afford to do without them. It is saidin our religious scriptures that any cruelty that is broughtto bear upon them is sure to be avenged by God. He neversuffers any creature of his to be ill-used with impurity. Tolove His creatures is to love Him. Truly, if we are notkind to these poor creatures, how can we be expected tolove our fellow-beings! The following lines of poet Coleridgeare well worth noting here as:

He prayeth best who loveth bestAll things both great and small.Service to cow is service to Lord Kæ¶ƒa “ªÊ¬Ê‹”. So we

should be very aware of taking the care of cattle. With greatawe, cow is served and worshipped by Hindus. It is thebelief that if cow is propitiated by devotion or service, it willaugur well for all. So the devotion or service to cow Nandin∂is the burning example in this regard as mentioned below:

In Raghuva≈‹am, one of the five great epics of Sanskrit

27

literature, the first king in Raghu-dynasty of kings asselected by the great Sanskrit poet Kålidåsa, is Dil∂pa whohad access to heaven and who was an ally of Indra. Butthe last of them is Agnimitra, who of the earth was veryearthy. In Raghuva≈‹am, Dil∂país story is developed onthe foundation of a curse motif. The story in a very brief-way has been described nicely by Prof. Kerolapura Kæ¶ƒamµurtithat once, unknowingly King Dil∂pa deviated from his moralduty towards the sacred cow of the heaven “(∑§Ê◊œŸÈ)”óSurabhi in one of his visits to the heaven and rushed backto his queen Sudak¶iƒå to discharge due duty of Kåma,as there was a dire need of a successor to the throne. Thatdisturbed the moral order and brought down upon him thewrath of the sacred cow. He was cursed that he wouldbe sonless until he expiated for his sin by rendering serviceto her daughter (calf) Nandin∂ in the hermitage of Vasi¶¢ha,a preceptor of the king. The wheels of destiny had startedtheir rotation. Without any argument, as per the best counseland advice of ecclesiast Vasi¶¢ha; Dil∂pa and his queen leada hermit-life in their dutiful service to the sacred cow,attending to all her needs, following her like a shadow andat last his loyalty and devotion to the cow was tested andhe could get his result to bless the son Raghu as the bestprogeny of Sun-dynasty.

Anyway, the devotion and service rendered to Nandin∂,the celestial cow so to say, in the hermitage of Vasi¶¢ha,by the Great-king Dil∂pa like more than a cowherd wasunique which was been keenly, cleanly, deeply, lucidly andbeautifully described by Kålidåsa in his masterpieceRaghuva≈‹am. Some of the verses of Raghuva≈‹am maybe taken into account here as:

Both the couple: the King Dil∂pa and His queen Sudak¶iƒåstayed there at Vasi¶¢haís hermitage and then, in the early

Gosevå of King Dil∂pa as Portrayed in Raghuva≈‹am


morning of the next day, the king, the lord of subjects, whosefame was his treasure, set free for going out to the forest thesageís cow which had been caused by the kingís wife toaccept perfumes and garlands and whose calf had beenfastened after it had suckled. So Kålidåsa wrote:

•Õ ¬˝¡ÊŸÊ◊Áœ¬— ¬˝÷ÊÃ ¡ÊÿÊ¬˝ÁÃª˝ÊÁ„UÃªãœ◊ÊÀÿÊ◊˜–flŸÊÿ ¬ËÃ¬˝ÁÃ’hflà‚Ê¢ ÿ‡ÊÊœŸÊ œŸÈ◊Î·◊È¸◊ÊøH

(Raghuva≈‹a II. 1)Then the lawful wife of the lord of men i.e., Dil∂pa,

worthy of being mentioned foremost among pure women,followed the track of Nandin∂, the dust of which wasrendered sacred by placing her hoofs, just as the “S◊ÎÁÃ”follows the sense of “üÊÈÁÃ” i.e., the Vedas. The descriptiongiven by Kålidåsa in his language asó

ÃSÿÊ— πÈ⁄UãÿÊ‚¬ÁflòÊ¬Ê¢‚È◊¬Ê¢‚È‹ÊŸÊ¢ œÈÁ⁄U ∑§ËÃ¸ŸËÿÊ–◊ÊªZ ◊ŸÈcÿE⁄Uœ◊¸¬àŸË üÊÈÃÁ⁄UflÊÕZ S◊ÎÁÃ⁄Uãflªë¿UÃ˜H

(Raghuva≈‹a II. 2)The very kind-hearted king began to guard the daughter

to Surabhi i.e., Nandin∂ as if he was protecting the earthitself, transformed into a cowó

¬ÿÊœ⁄UË÷ÍÃøÃÈ—‚◊Èº˝Ê¢ ¡ÈªÊ¬ ªÊM§¬œ⁄UÊÁ◊flÊflË¸◊˜–(Raghuva≈‹a II. 3)

Then the king rendered his service towards the cowso devotionally that it seemed the king followed the cowlike a shadow.

•ÊSflÊŒflÁj— ∑§fl‹ÒSÃÎáÊÊŸÊ¢ ∑§á«ÍUÿŸÒŒZ‡ÊÁŸflÊ⁄UáÊÒp–•√ÿÊ„UÃÒ— SflÒ⁄UªÃÒ— ‚ ÃSÿÊ— ‚◊˝Ê≈˜U ‚◊Ê⁄UÊœŸÃà¬⁄UÊ ÷ÍÃ˜HÁSÕÃ— ÁSÕÃÊ◊ÈìÊÁ‹Ã— ¬˝ÿÊÃÊ¢ ÁŸ·ŒÈ·Ë◊Ê‚Ÿ’ãœœË⁄U—–¡‹ÊÁ÷‹Ê·Ë ¡‹◊ÊŒŒÊŸÊ¢ ¿UÊÿfl ÃÊ¢ ÷Í¬ÁÃ⁄Uãflªë¿UÃ˜H

(Raghuva≈‹a II. 5-6)The whole day, the king served the cow with staunch

devotion and when he used to return to the hermitage, there

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also the king and the queen as well clinged to her (Nandin∂)service. So the poet described, ìAfter having shampoodthe feet of his preceptor Vasi¶¢ha and preceptress andhaving finished his vespers. Dil∂pa who uprooted his foesby the mighty of his arms again waited upon the milchcow, as she sat down after the milking was over and forher nocturnal-rest as:

ªÈ⁄UÊ— ‚ŒÊ⁄USÿ ÁŸ¬Ë«UK ¬ÊŒÊÒ ‚◊Êåÿ ‚Ê¢äÿ¢ ø ÁflÁœ¢ ÁŒ‹Ë¬—–ŒÊ„UÊfl‚ÊŸ ¬ÈŸ⁄Ufl ŒÊÇœ˝Ë¥ ÷¡ ÷È¡ÊÁë¿UÛÊÁ⁄U¬ÈÌŸ·ááÊÊ◊˜H

(Raghuva≈‹a II. 23)Similarly the king accompanied with his wife spent

nights sitting close after the cow, near whom were placedritual offerings and evening lamps and he too slept aftershe had gradually fallen asleep and rose in the morningwhen she awoke from sleep as:

ÃÊ◊ÁãÃ∑§ãÿSÃ’Á‹¬˝ŒË¬Ê◊ãflÊSÿ ªÊ#Ê ªÎÁ„UáÊË‚„UÊÿ—–∑˝§◊áÊ ‚ÈåÃÊ◊ŸÈ ‚¢Áflfl‡Ê ‚ÈåÃÊÁàÕÃÊ¢ ¬˝ÊÃ⁄UŸÍŒÁÃDÔUÃ˜H

(Raghuva≈‹a II. 24)In this way, the King Dil∂pa along with his queen used

to render his service to Nandin∂ respectively for 21 days.Then being propitiated by his deep devotion, the sacredcow deigned to test the king and to our utter surprise, beingordealed, the king came out with flying colours. Then thestory what happened is more or less known to us. It needsno more description here. The fact only is mentioned herethat how the king was successful in his venture only bythe devotion and service rendered to the cow Nandin∂ fromwhich we can easily experience the importance of cow-devotion or cow-service (ªÊ‚flÊ) , in the past and even whichhas its importance and influence on the present society tilltoday. So it is rightly said that ªÊ‚flÊ is ªÊÁflãŒ‚flÊóserviceto cow is service to Govinda i.e., to Lord ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa.

❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Gosevå of King Dil∂pa as Portrayed in Raghuva≈‹am

ServiceóDada J. P. Vaswani

Sådhu Våsawån∂ was once asked, ìWhat is yourreligion?î His reply was truly significant. He said, ìI knowof no religion higher than the religion of unity and love,service and sacrifice.î

For him, indeed, to live was to serve, to live was tolove, to live was to bear the burdens of othersóto livewas to share his all with all.

One evening, as we were taking a walk on the roadsidewith Sådhu Våsawån∂, we saw a poor man lying underneatha tree. His clothes were tattered and torn; his feet werecovered with mud. Sådhu Våsawån∂ stopped at the sightto this man. He asked for a bucket of water to be brought.And when it was brought, this prince among menóhe hadbut to lift up a finger and hundreds of us would rush tofind out what his wish wasówith his own hands hecleansed the body of the poor beggar and passed on tohim his own shirt to wear! The poor man pointed to thecap on Sådhu Våsawån∂ís head, and without the leasthesitation, the Master passed on the cap to him. On thatoccasion he spoke certain words, which I can never, everforget. He said, ìThis shirt and this cap and everythingthat I have, is a loan given to me to be passed on to thosewhose need is greater than mine.î

Mark the word loanóeverything that we have is a loangiven to us, to be passed on to those whose need is greaterthan ours. Nothing belongs to us; nothing has been givento us absolutely; everything has been given to us as a

31

loanóour time and our talents, our knowledge, ourexperience, our wisdom, our prestige, our influence insociety, our bank accounts, our property and possessions,our life itself is a loan given to us to be passed on to thosewhose need is greater than ours. In these simple wordsof the Master, as it seems to me, are enshrined the seedsof a new humanity, a new world order, a new civilisationof service and sacrifice.

The following Subhå¶ita (gem of speech) is attributedto sage Vedavyåsa:

All the wisdom that is taught through innumerablebooks may be summed up, in half-a-verse, thus: ìTo servehumanity is meritorious, and to harm anyone is sinful.î

Service, it has been rightly said, is the rent we haveto pay for being tenants of this body. Every morning, aswe wake up, we must ask ourselves this question: Whatcan I do to help? What can I do to make a difference?For indeed, each one of us can and must make a difference.There are so many tasks to be accomplished by usóthereare hungry ones to be fed; there are naked ones to beclothed; there are elders to be cared for; there are childrento be taught. There is so much work to be done! And every-one of usófrom the youngest to the oldest, can make adifference.

There are many people who say to me, ìWe wouldlove to make a difference. We would love to serve others.But we have so little money, so little time, so little energy,what can we do? Our resources are, alas, limited. Howcan we be of service to others?î

❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Service

The Superb Sacrifice of King RµupasenaóDr. Mukunda Pati Tripathi

In the days of yore, once upon a time, there lived avery pious king named Rµupasena, in the famous city ofVardhamana. The city enjoyed a full-fledged prosperity andpeace during his reign. The name of his wife wasVidwanmålå. She was truly devoted to him.

One day, during midday, the king was sitting in hiscourt, along with his courtiers. They were pondering overthe law and order situation of the state. The king waspaying due attention to the problems of every nook andcorner of his region. Meanwhile a bold and breezy youthcame into the court, accompanied with his wife andchildren. He solicited some sort of employment. His valiantlook and modest demeanour enthralled the king. Heappointed him at once, at the daily wages of one thousandgold coins.

The remuneration of his services, being pretty considerable,the king made arrangements for knowing the mode ofhis expenditure through spies. He was very glad to knowthat he spent most of his remuneration in worshippingvarious deities and donating lavishly to sages, Brahminsand disabled persons and maintained his family with thelittle money at his free disposal. The king showed hisfavour much more and most to him and made hisappointment permanent.

Once, during midnight, when it rained cats and dogsand the entire atmosphere assumed a ghastly look, thefrequent thundering and flashing frightened the heart of

33

even bold persons, a pathetic sound of some ladyís wailingentered the ears of the king. The King Rµupasena orderedV∂ravara, to know the cause thereof. Valiant V∂ravarafollowed the wailing sound with his sword unsheathed. Theking also followed him incognito, lest he should fall insome serious misfortune.

When V∂ravara reached the cremation ground, he sawa lonely lady wailing aloud. Being asked for the reasonof her sorrow, she revealed that she was the veryëRåjyalak¶m∂íof King Rµupasena, who was destined to diewithin a month. Faithful V∂ravara became alarmed andasked for any remedial step toward the impending dangeroff. The goddess said in reply, ëO Noble V∂ravara! the lifeof the king may be saved if you sacrifice your single sonin the temple of goddess ëCåmuƒŒåí. There is no way out.Overwhelmed with his sense of duty, he rushed back tohis apartment and apprised his family-members of the gravesituation. Possessed with high moral sense of duty, all ofthem were ready to sacrifice everything for the safety ofthe king. The king following him like a shadow, kept onwatching his every activity, V∂ravara came back to thetemple of goddess ëCåmuƒŒåí, prayed faithfully for thewelfare of the king and sacrificed his son. When hisdaughter saw this horrible scene, she could not bear thetragic separation from her brother, she breathed her last.Their mother, too could not bear this double pronged blow,she too, put an end to her life.

Tear-smeared V∂ravara cremated all the three with aheavy heart and he made up his mind to sacrifice himself.The tragedy culminated in his final sacrifice. The kingwatching all this attentively felt quite dazed to see the greatsacrifice of his faithful employee. He, himself, decided tosurrender at the feet of the ëDev∂í. The moment, he tried

The Superb Sacrifice of King Rµupasena


to cut his head off, the deity intervened. She said that therewas no need for any further sacrifice, she was very muchpleased to see his love for his true servant V∂ravara andthe noble, worth emulating sacrifice of the family-membersof ëV∂ravaraí. She asked him to ask for some boon as hervery sight was potent enough to dispel every misfortune.The obliged king requested, ìMay this employee of mine,V∂ravara regain his life with all his family-membersî. TheDev∂ acceeded to his request. All the members of V∂ravaraísfamily regained life and forgot the pangs. They returnedto their habitat. V∂ravara went back to his place ofassignment. The king had entered the palace before hand.Despite knowing all the happenings, he asked V∂ravara,ìWhat was wrong with the ailing lady and what did youdo?î Mincing the matter, V∂ravara said, ìShe was acrooked old lady my lord! She disappeared to see me.There is nothing to bother about.î

The king, Rµupasena became very glad to realise theboldness, modesty and dutifulness of V∂ravara. He madefriends with him by marrying his princess to his son. Thestory shows a grand example of true love and self sacrifice.It shows the highest moral temperament of the master andservant. The sacrifice of the members of V∂ravaraís familywas natural and praiseworthy, no doubt but the sacrificeof King Rµupasena was beyond description. It was the rarestrecognition of the worthy performance of his loyal servant.V∂ravara was great, his family-members were greater farbut the king was the greatest of all, no doubt.

❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Sewå as Seen in ›r∂mad RåmåyaƒaóR. Kannan

Sewå is to do service. Service can be of two types.One type of service is done expecting some returns andthe other one is selfless, that is not expecting anything inreturn. The second one selfless service is considered as ahigh and superior quality in a human being.

The spiritual knowledge is obtained from a Guru orpreceptor by doing selfless service. In olden days, disciplesused to stay in Gurukulam and do service to Guru andhis family night and day. It is laid down in the scripturesto do service to Guru, while learning. Pleased with theselfless service, the Guru imparts spiritual knowledge tothe disciples and blesses them with a great future. EvenLord ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa, did service to His Guru Sånd∂pani andobtained knowledge. In fact He narrates the story ofservices done at Gurukulam to His erstwhile colleagueSudåmå (Kucaila), when the later called on Him, inDwårakå.Lord ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa Himself pronouncesó

ÃÁmÁh ¬˝ÁáÊ¬ÊÃŸ ¬Á⁄U¬˝oAŸ ‚flÿÊ–©U¬ŒˇÿÁãÃ Ã ôÊÊŸ¢ ôÊÊÁŸŸSÃûflŒÌ‡ÊŸ—H

(G∂tå IV. 34)ìJust try to learn the reality by approaching a spiritual

master. Inquire from him submissively and render serviceunto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledgeunto you because they have seen the Truth.î

Thus we see Sewå, selfless service find an importantplace while learning. It is also needed to uplift oneís


character and make him a role model to be followed byothers in their lives.

In ›r∂mad Råmåyaƒa, we find selfless service done bythree brothers. Let us briefly go through them.

Lak¶maƒa: He is the younger brother of ›r∂ Råma.King Da‹aratha exiled ›r∂ Råma to forest as per the boonhe has granted to his wife Kaikey∂. When ›r∂ Råmaprepared himself to proceed to forest, S∂tå Dev∂ compelledhim to take her also. At that time, Lak¶maƒa pleads withhis brother to take him also to forest to do service to Himand S∂tå Dev∂. In fact he falls at their feet, surrendershimself and entreats them to take him also to forest.

÷flÊ°SÃÈ ‚„U flÒŒsÔÊ ÁªÁ⁄U‚ÊŸÈ·È ⁄¢USÿ‚–•„¢U ‚flZ ∑§Á⁄UcÿÊÁ◊ ¡Êª˝Ã— Sfl¬Ãp ÃH

(Vålm∂ki Råmåyaƒa II. 31. 27)Lak¶maƒa utters ëI shall perform all services necessary

in the forest night and day, when you are awake or sleepingí.That means he prepares himself to do all services at all timeand at all places. Here we may note that only ›r∂ Råmahas been banished to forest and Lak¶maƒa could haveenjoyed princely life in Ayodhya, but he prefers to accompany›r∂ Råma for doing service which he enjoyed most.

While doing service to ›r∂ Råma, he always feelsdependent on ›r∂ Råma, that is to obey His orders fully.He never carries out service on his own will and eagerlyawaits the wishes of ›r∂ Råma. When in the forest, ›r∂Råma asks Lak¶maƒa to build an Å‹rama (hermitage) tolive, choosing a suitable place, to this, Lak¶maƒa says thatHe is not independent and it is the right of ›r∂ Råma toorder him to build the hut as desired and pleased to Himand that he will carry out the same. This shows howhumble and dependent Lak¶maƒa is, while carrying out theservice.

37

¬⁄UflÊŸÁS◊ ∑§Ê∑È§àSÕ àflÁÿ fl·¸‡ÊÃ¢ ÁSÕÃ–Sflÿ¢ ÃÈ L§Áø⁄U Œ‡Ê Á∑˝§ÿÃÊÁ◊ÁÃ ◊Ê¢ flŒH

(Vålm∂ki Råmåyaƒa III. 15. 7)Later, when ›r∂ Råma and Lak¶maƒa meet Hanumån

in §R¶yamµuka Mountain, Lak¶maƒa utters that he serves ›r∂Råma, purely attracted by His auspicious qualities.

•„U◊SÿÊfl⁄UÊ ÷˝ÊÃÊ ªÈáÊÒŒÊ¸Sÿ◊È¬ÊªÃ—–(Vålm∂ki Råmåyaƒa IV. 4. 12)

This shows that Lak¶maƒa does selfless service to ›r∂Råma, not only because He is his elder brother but alsobecause of a superior character. Hence, it should be inferredthat we should do service not only to elders but also personsof superior knowledge and character.

During the coronation of ›r∂ Råma, He requestsLak¶maƒa repeatedly to accept the post of Yuvaråja (heirto the throne), Lak¶maƒa refuses the offer firmly, feelingthat the same would deter him to do continuous serviceto ›r∂ Råma. This kind of attitude and service, we maynot find in any other persons.

‚flÊ¸à◊ŸÊ ¬ÿ¸ŸÈŸËÿ◊ÊŸÊ ÿŒÊ Ÿ ‚ÊÒÁ◊ÁòÊL§¬ÒÁÃ ÿÊª◊˜–ÁŸÿÈÖÿ◊ÊŸÊ ÷ÈÁfl ÿÊÒfl⁄UÊÖÿ ÃÃÊ èÿÁ·ÜøŒ˜ ÷⁄UÃ¢ ◊„UÊà◊ÊH•ÊÁÃc∆U œ◊¸ôÊ ◊ÿÊ ‚„U◊Ê¢ ªÊ¢ ¬Ífl¸⁄UÊ¡ÊäÿÈÁ·ÃÊ¢ ’‹Ÿ–ÃÈÀÿ¢ ◊ÿÊ àfl¢ Á¬ÃÎÁ÷œÎ¸ÃÊ ÿÊ ÃÊ¢ ÿÊÒfl⁄UÊÖÿ œÈ⁄U◊Èm„USflH

(Vålm∂ki Råmåyaƒa VI. 128. 92-93)Service of Bharata: Bharata has been secured the

throne of Ayodhya by his mother Kaikey∂. But he doesnot like it and goes to forest to bring back ›r∂ Råma andentrust him the Reign of the kingdom. But the Lord refusesto come back immediately, in order to fulfil His fatheríswishes to stay in forest for fourteen years. Instead, Hegrants His Pådukåóthe Sacred Sandals to Bharata anddirects him to return to Ayodhya and rule the kingdom.

Sewå as Seen in ›r∂mad Råmåyaƒa


Bharata readily agrees, obeys His orders and goes backand rules the kingdom from Nandigråma as a representativeof the Pådukå of ›r∂ Råma. Here we see Bharata carriesout the orders of the Lord, in true spirit. His service tothe Lord is also very commendable as he does everythingas per the wishes to the Lord, though not physically andpersonally doing the service to Him, as in the case ofLak¶maƒa.

Service of ›atrughna: Satrughna is seen very muchattached to Bharata and goes wherever he proceeds. Hedoes service to Bharata, a great Devotee of ›r∂ Råma, inthe same way as Lak¶maƒa to ›r∂ Råma. This type ofservice to a Bhågavata (devotee) is extolled in scriptures.The Lord Himself states that He is more pleased when thedevotion and service which are done to His devotee thanto Himself.

◊◊ ÷ÄÃSÿ ÷Q§·È ¬˝ËÁÃ⁄UèÿÁœ∑§Ê ◊◊–ÃS◊Êã◊jQ§÷Q§Êp ¬Í¡ŸËÿÊ Áfl‡Ê·Ã—H

(Mahåbhårata, Å‹wamedhika Parva 92)Service of Hanumån: The service rendered by Hanumån

in ›r∂mad Råmåyaƒa cannot be compared to any otherservice rendered by anybody else. His trip to Lanka byskyway in search of S∂tå; conquering all the hindrances;fighting with demoniacal forces; putting fire to whole ofLanka; shouldering ›r∂ Råma during the war with Råvaƒa;bringing Sa¤j∂van∂ mountain to give life to Lak¶maƒa anddoing continuous service to the Lord after coronation, aresuperb and cannot be imagined. That is why Hanumån isreferred as, ëS∂tå sameta ‹r∂ råmapada sewå durandhara¨íóa highest tribute.

We see other characters like Sugr∂va, the monkey-kingrendering service to the Lord by employing his whole army

39

in search of S∂tå and in fighting with Lanka Army;Vibh∂¶aƒa helping ›r∂ Råma identifying the strength andweakness of Råk¶asas; Guhaóthe hunter helping the Lordto cross Ga∆gå; Kabandhaóa demon directing the Lordto have friendship with Sugr∂va who would help insearching S∂tå; ›abar∂óan aged huntress woman offeringfruits to the Lord just before attaining Mok¶a (the Bliss)and Ja¢åyu the Eagle-king even sacrificing his own lifetrying to protect Sµ∂tå while she has been abducted byRåvaƒa; all doing Sewå to Lord in their own way.

Thus, we see that many characters doing selfless Sewåto the Lord in their own way and have become immortal.

The highest and supreme Sewå we can do to the Lordis to offer our Soul to the Lord and do eternal service toHim when we attain Mok¶a.

❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Sewå as Seen in ›r∂mad Råmåyaƒa

A Mahåtmå once said, people now-a-days have learntto utter pleasant and flowery words but the inside of theirheart has been filled up by the vices of hypocrisy andduplicity. People of the older generation lacked the giftof pleasant speech, but they possessed simple hearts.They knew not how to conceal their defects. Know itfor certain that it is a truer sign of progress to developthe character of a simple, unsophisticated villager ratherthan to pass as a cultured man whose qualifications arehypocrisy and the power of pleasant speech. Purity goeswith simplicity, and impurity with hypocrisy. The injurythat a hypocrite does to himself is much greater than theinjury he inflicts on others.

óHanumanprasad Poddar

Template for World PeaceóR. P. Dwivedi

If only we truly realized that the Supreme Truth is OneYet, it is variously named by sages the world over.If only we understood that love is the first seed of soulAnd the source of creation, for it stirred our Creator

or GodTo resolve to manifest Himself in countless variety

of forms.For the world is but a bountiful, beauteous reflection

of His love,Which unites all His children with the bonds of spiritual

kinshipAnd innate fraternity, which visualizes inter-faith amity

and toleranceIf only we realized that love is the inter-play of the

finite and the infiniteOr the eternal bond between the individual soul and

the Cosmic Soul,And life, in its numerous kinds, is an invaluable gift

of GodMust be loved, protected, preserved and made sublime.If only we felt that love is the light of life and crown

of knowledgeAnd its fruits are sanctify, selfless service and sacrifice

for others.If only we understood that beneath the flux of phenomenaLies deep an essential unity or oneness of ultimate

Reality.

41

If only we sincerely felt that within us lies an all- embracing Divinity

Like a single invisible thread that runs through a garland of flowers.

And the world we live in is a large, undivided familyOr a vast home that holds us all in its loving folds.If only we realized that even as man is the measure

of all thingsHe lives not by bread alone but by those perennial

values,Which have sustained all that is best in human life.If only our highest consideration was love and compassion

for all,We could have ushered in an era of harmony in human

relations.If only we truly realized that Truth ultimately prevails

in lifeNo room would be left for discord, deceit, dishonesty

and falsehood.If only we could attain the triune ideals of liberty,

equality and justiceAnd let the fragrance of fellow-feeling and friendship

fill our hearts,A sense of ìSarvåtma-bhåvaî or pervasive Cosmic

ConsciousnessOur dream of ëVasudhaivaku¢umbakamí or one-world

familyMight come true and we might build a better world

order,Wherein humanity could be crowned with the radiance

of peace.❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Template for World Peace

Ideal RenunciationóSri Paramahansa Yogananda

Jesusí words also addressed his lifestyle of completerenunciation, akin to the ancient tradition in India ofwandering mendicants. In accord with the tenets of thesemonastic renunciant orders that have existed continuouslyin India since ancient times, Jesus considered no dwellingplace as his home and amassed no money for food orclothing; he did not marry or acknowledge his earthlyrelatives as his sole family. He required of his apostles,also, the strict life of renunciation: ìAnd commanded themthat they should take nothing for their journey, save a staffonly; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse; but beshod with sandals; and not put on two coatsî. ìWhosoeverhe be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannotbe my disciple.î ìSell that ye have, and give alms; provideyourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in theheavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neithermoth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will yourheart be also.î The corollary of outer renunciation is thenon-attachment of inner renunciation: ìTake no thought foryour life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink; noryet for your body, what ye shall put on.î That is, consideryour body a part of God and do not emphasize the materialconsciousness in it; spiritualize it by tuning your consciousnesswith God-consciousness, and you will realize that your lifeis sustained directly by your creator.

A God-surrendered, God-supported life has been extolledby some of Indiaís greatest prophets, including Lord

43

Buddha, Swåm∂ ›a∆kara and ›r∂ Caitanya. Initiates of theSwåm∂ order, reorganized by Swåm∂ ›a∆kara, and of theBuddhistic monastic order (predating the Christian era),follow the above-mentioned tenets of renunciation.

People in the West tend to forget that the Bible is anOriental scripture and that Jesus was an Oriental. He is,therefore, in many ways, more understood in the Orient thanin the Occident, where the Christian scriptures are generallyinterpreted with ample accommodation for a lifestyle thatis spiritually less demanding. Jesus lived the life of arenunciant and celibate, but the West little cares to followthat. They take from his teachings as much as they canadapt without inconveniencing their mode of living. SomeCatholic monastics and a few others in the West do livethe single-hearted renunciant life enjoined by Christ (becomingsainted examples); but in the East this ideal has beenemphasized both in the material and the spiritual life.

In the West and in the East, there are those who haveexemplified the requisite inner spirit of renunciation insecular life as well as in the hermitages. Bhagavån Kæ¶ƒa,a godly king to whom are ascribed the sublime Yogateachings of the Bhagavadg∂tå, emphasized how to live inthe world without being attached. King Janaka, a ruler inancient India who was an illumined saint of perfect innerrenunciation, also demonstrated this ideal. In the modernera, the life of Lahir∂ Mahå‹aya offered the same example.

Swåm∂ ›a∆kara extolled wisdom and renunciation;Jesus emphasized devotion and renunciation. Jesus, like›a∆kara, was a Sa≈nyås∂, follower of the path of completeouter and inner renunciation. The Sanskrit word Sa≈nyåsa,from roots meaning ìto cast aside,î denotes one whodivests himself of all encumbrances of identification witha limited body, mind and ego, acknowledging no other self

Ideal Renunciation


but Spirit. Jesus, who had expanded his love beyond theexclusivity of family ties and attachments, said: ìWho ismy mother? and who are my brethren? ›a∆kara similarlyexpressed his transcendent freedom: ìNo birth, no death,no caste have I. Father, mother, have I none.î The greatSwåm∂ went on to say: ìMind, nor intellect, nor ego, Citta;sky, nor earth, nor metals am I. I am He, I am He; blessedSpirit, I am He.î Jesus likewise averred: ìI and my Fatherare One.î

A follower of the monastic renunciant life forsakes hisfamily name. The family name is indicative of the nationand particular family to which a person belongs; butmembers of monastic orders are invested with new namesindicating their aspiration to achieve identity with God orto manifest one of His holy qualities or to emulate oneof His saints. The name ìYogånandaî is derived fromYoga, meaning divine union, and Ånanda, meaning bliss.ìBliss through divine unionîóhe who is united with thebliss of Spirit. The original family name was forsakenwhen I took the sacred vows of Sa≈nyåsa from my Guruand received from him this new designation as a memberof the ancient Swåm∂ order.

Some Swåm∂s adopt the practice of non-attachment byconstantly moving from one place to another, neverremaining for more than three days in one dwelling, inorder to observe the truth that since God is everywhere,every place is their home in Him. Even when Swåm∂s livein monasteries or hermitages, they are enjoined to keep theirconsciousness free of personal attachment, caring for thesacred precincts as a place consecrated to seeking andserving God, and remembering the Spirit as their real Homeand Refuge.

A devotee who localizes his consciousness to one bodyor dwelling place loses sight of the omnipresent Spirit

45

within him. Attachment to oneís body and locale humiliatesthe soul with rude limitations. The Yog∂ is the paradigmof renunciant wanderers. His peregrinations are in theinfinitude of Spirit. He closes his eyes and consciousnessto mortal perimeters and meditates on the uncircumscribedeternal sphere of Spiritóabove, beneath, and all aroundhim; his soul in ecstatic joy reclaims its forgotten identitywith the One who is all-pervading. ìHeaven is My throne,and earth is My footstool: what house will ye build Me?saith the Lord: or what is the place of My rest? Hath notMy hand made all these things?î

To devotees following the path of complete outwardas well as inward renunciation, as did Jesus, he said; ìEvery-one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sister or father,or mother or wife or children or lands, for my nameís sake,shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlastinglifeî (Matthew 19: 29). One who gives up his limitedconsciousness of home and I-me-mine identity receivesGodís infinite kingdom and all treasures of creation as hisportion. The universe is his home, the whole human familyis his family, and Spirit is his Father-Mother-Friend-Beloved God.

❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Ideal Renunciation

When we go on performing our duty the rights willaccrue to us automatically. On the other hand, if we onlycare for our rights without doing our duty properly, weshall be only disappointed. The law of nature is like this.

óSwami Rama Tirtha

Role of Sewå in LifeóSukesh Chander Sharma

Swåm∂ Vivekånanda said, ìThe short. The vanities ofthe world are transient. He alone lives who lives for others.The others are more dead than alive.î

Work is worship. This is an old maxim. If theimplications and content of this maxim are fully grasped,work be a source of joy and the work place will be aheaven with harmony, peace, love and productivity as theby-products. This can be achieved only if the worker hasa disciplined mind with an ingredient of spirituality. Manserves society by working for others or organisations.Ultimately it amounts to working for oneself. His survivalon the planet needs work. This work becomes enjoyableif man loves work and works for the love of work withoutexpecting anything in return. Returns or rewards will flowautomatically without his asking if he has done his workwith dedication; for this will produce a change in the heartof other person, for whom he works.

Work can be through physical effort or through generationof ideas which takes several forms. In all these cases workwithout expectation of reward, brings returns without ourknowing it. Such work done with love and dedicationbecomes the supreme kind of work and there is nocomparison. The effect of such work is lasting for centuriesand beyond. This is seen from the example of SaintTyågaråja who composed thousands of songs in praise of›r∂ Råma. He dedicated all his work to the Lord and therewas love and dedication. His devotion was manifested

47

through songs in praise of the Lord. He was not lured byeven the greatest attraction of wealth. That is why evenafter two hundred years people remember him, worship himand sing his compositions.

The joy of work is its own reward. This will be evidentand realised if one works considering work as an offeringto God. It makes the mind pure. Of all kinds of Sewå thatwhich passes on knowledgeí is the greatest especiallyspiritual knowledge. Just like the light from one lamp doesnot lose it brightness when several thousand lamps are litfrom it, knowledge does not diminish when passed on tomillions. Gift of knowledge is the supreme service tomankind.

Dedicated work without expectation of anything inreturn brings out the best in man. It is the highest motivatingfactor working from within. From this, the best in a personcomes out and productivity increases, from increasedproductivity comes national prosperity. Such a nationprogresses rightly and in the right direction.

The great law giver Manu saysó‚fl·Ê◊fl ŒÊŸÊŸÊ¢ ’˝rÊÔŒÊŸ¢ ÁflÁ‡ÊcÿÃ–

(IV. 233)ìImparting of divine knowledge is the best of all

charities.î For it is through knowledge that man achieveshappiness in this world and salvation for himself.

Hindu philosophers have attached a very great importanceto Sewå, selfless and loving service to others. Sewå occupiesa high position in oneís spiritual life and advancement.One should not only seek to relieve the misery of hisfellow-men but also identify himself with them and becomea part of them so as to undergo their suffering and sharein their misery. ìHe alone lives who lives for the sake ofhelping others.î Says the §Rgveda: Pare¶åmupakårårtha≈

Role of Sewå in Life


yajj∂vati sa j∂vati. This thought is exemplified in the story,King Ranti Deva contained in ›r∂mad Bhågavatam, writtenby Sage Veda Vyåsa.

It so happened during his reign that his kingdom wasgripped once by a severe and devastating famine. Hissubjects were hungry and distressed. Moved by theirsuffering, the king was determined that he would share intheir misery. He decided to fast himself until all the hungrywere fed. His fast lasted for forty-eight days during whichperiod he took no food and not even water but servedhis poor subjects. At the end of forty-eight days of fasting,he wanted to break his fast by taking a morsel of foodand a glass of water. His ministers and councillors werewith him at the time of breaking his fast. Just when hewas about to drink a glass of water, he heard the cry ofPulkasa asking for water to drink desperately. The kingimmediately ordered that his glass of water be passed onto Pulkasa in spite of the remonstrations of his ministersand his own condition. He then proceeded to eat a morselof food. Just at that time a guest came at his door askingfor food. The king gave all his food to the guest. Thepeople around him pleaded with him not to do so sincehis life itself was in danger. The reply that the king gaveat that time stands out as the attitude of the true Sewå Kartå(server). He said:

ìI do not seek from God the Highest bliss attended witheight types of powers (Siddhis). Nor do I care for my ownsalvation or freedom from the cycle of births and deaths.My only desire is to be present in all beings (share theirfeelings) and undergo suffering with them and serve themso that they may become free from misery, hunger, thirst,fatigue, loss of strength in limbs, distress, grief, disappointment,delusionóall these undesirable features of my distressed-

49

soul have all disappeared upon my giving water to onewho was suffering from acute thirstî.

God was pleased with this noble act. Needless to saythat King Ranti Deva was blessed with eternal happiness.He has shown us a noble example of ideal Sewå! Kåmayedukha taptånå≈ pråƒinå≈ artinå‹anam!

ë›ar∂ramådya≈ khalu dharmasådhanamí is also agreat dictum handed over to us by Kålidåsa according towhich one by doing Sewå can achieve Dharma which iskey element of four Puru¶årthas. §R¶is say that this bodydoes not belong to us. It is neither today ourís nor in futureit will be. It is only for a very brief period belonging tous. Its use is meant for welfare of this world. Its disuseis to harm this world. However, its best use is for thewelfare of the soul.

Så vidyå yå vimuktaye, education is that which liberatesus from what? Narrow-mindedness, Self-projection, fromselfness and from self-seeking. It was once prime motiveof education and one could see common writing on theschool wallsóCome to learn, go to serve. Latter hasvanished. However, in colleges and universities people justgo for securing higher pay packages.

We should evoke the feelings of Sewå among ourpeople right from childhood. ∫‹åvåsyamida≈ sarvam, ∫‹am(the God) is present (inhabits) and here, everywhereónothing exists separate from God, because God is presenteverywhere.

In the present day, social service is viewed in a differentmanner. Schools and hospitals are built. Banks functionon a community basis with the object of eradicatingignorance, diseases and poverty. But it is evident that theseforms of social service have not been an unmixed blessing.Education has not eradicated falsehood and corruption. On

Role of Sewå in Life


the other hand, unsophisticated tribal people not exposedto modern education, are found to be more honest thanthe so-called educated people. Confidence of obtaining curein hospitals has made people lead reckless lives. All thebanks that have come into existence have not succeededin eradicating poverty among the masses. In our modernmode of life we have multiplied our wants. This will leadonly to perpetual discontent. A life of extreme simplicityalone can bring contentment and happiness to the people.

For the benefit of patients who are obliged to remainin hospitals for long periods, voluntary organisations canarrange weekly Pµujås in some reputed temple and distributethe Prasådam from this temple among the patients. Theycan also be given specially written pamphlets or bookletscalculated to promote faith and devotion in their hearts.These patients, even if they eventually succumb to theirailments, will die with the name of God on their lips.Imparting spiritual strength to all, will enrich their lives.How much happier the world will be if this hope is fulfilled.To conclude serving man is serving God. That is Sewå.

❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

The lover works very hard and conscientiously forhis beloved, he will do more for the one he loves thanhe will for himself. This is the way to serve God. Wewill work joyously for Him.

TyågaóA Discipline for God-realization

TyågaóThe Supreme VirtueóAmong the good qualities which man has to cultivate,

the most important is Tyågaósacrifice. Tyåga is ordinarilyequated with charity or generosity. There is a greatdifference between charity and real sacrifice. Giving awaythings like land, cows, gold, food or knowledge representsonly an attempt to share with others what you have. Bygifts of these kind one does not lose much. In fact manyof those who are born in poverty and misery in this life,are suffering the consequences of not exercising charity inprevious lives. The ›åstras have laid down that sharingis an inherent obligation of man. According to the ›åstras,compassion and oneness towards all beings have beenregarded as two eyes for a man. Tyåga, however, transcendscharity and compassion. It is the readiness to part with asmile the things which one loves, including oneís life itself.This is true sacrifice and it is that kind of sacrifice thathas been regarded as the means to realise immortality(Amætatvam). Vedas have also declared that peace comesfrom Tyåga. Those who seek peace of mind, peace of thespirit and peace for the world or the calmness of the senses,have to cultivate the spirit of sacrifice. One must trycontinually to see how oneís wealth or talents, knowledgeor qualities can be utilised to promote happiness amongothers.True Spirit of Tyågaó

Sacrifice is the highest step. One who has the true spiritof sacrifice gives to others without any hesitation or


reservation, smilingly and gladly, even his dearest andhighest possession. Surrendering the fruit of action to theLord is real sacrifice. A Tyåg∂ does not shrink even to giveup his body, regarding it as worthless straw. Sacrificemeans something more than giving up of wealth, gold andmaterial objects. Evil qualities like hatred, jealousy, wrathand malice which have become ingrained in man overmany lifetimes, should be discarded. There is no happinessgreater than that obtained from sacrifice. Only those whosacrifice, are children of immortality because they liveforever.Sacrifice and Sharingó

True sacrifice consists in sharing with others, oneíswealth, strength, etc., that have been derived from society.Man becomes immortal by the spirit of sacrifice and notby deeds, progeny or wealth. Man should therefore makean effort to make his life meaningful by sacrificing personalcomforts for the sake of society and his fellow beings.ìSacrifice and share Divinity with everyoneî, is themessage of the Upani¶ads. It is only by sacrifice you canachieve immortality. You should love all without distinctionand serve society. You should not bother about your closerelations alone, as these relationships are only temporary.One should develop Vi‹wa Prema or Universal Love. Getrid of too much attachment to kith and kin. Love yourchildren but do not get excessively attached to them. Makeuse of body for doing duty, without getting too muchattached to it. Devotee doing selfless service to humanityas a way of serving God. This is only in our interest andfor our spiritual uplift. Discriminate between what ispermanent and what is temporary and pursue the pathleading to permanent bliss. Do not hanker after trivialtransient pleasures. It is by renunciation alone that immortality

53

can be experienced! Renounce the petty pleasures and treadthe path towards the supreme bliss, which is God.Sacrifice is the Key to Immortalityó

Sacrifice is sweeter than enjoyment. Sacrifice shouldbecome the aim of life. Only through sacrifice can oneattain peace. Sorrows do not flee from us as long as themind is not at peace with itself. Agonies dwell foreverwithin us. Without the tranquility of the soul any amountof wealth cannot be of any use. Surrendering the fruit ofaction with a dispassionate mind is eligible to be termedsacrifice. The Upani¶ads have proclaimed in a full throatedvoice that sacrifice alone leads to immortality. Sacrifice isthe chief trait of the pure person. Everyone must imbibeand display the spirit of sacrifice in oneís life. In sacrifice,it is not quantity that counts. It is the quality of sacrificethat matters. True sacrifice means giving up that which ismost dear to you, that which you value most. Sacrifice isthe key to immortality.What is True Renunciationó

There is a tendency to interpret renunciation as merelygiving up worldly attachments. Renunciation truly meansattaining perfect equanimity. What is Sa≈nyåsa in the realsense of the term? It is renouncing of all desires. As longas a person entertains desires, he will only be Sa≈sår∂(worldly person). He will develop worldly relationships. Hewill desire to have a son in the first instance. Thereafter,the whole retinue of daughter-in-law, grandsons, grand-daughters, etc., will follow. People put up a show as thoughthey have renounced everything. In fact, it is they whocrave for worldly possessions. Students should have onlyone desire. That is Brahmacarya (celibacy, purity). Thatis real renunciation. What has to be given up is Jagat-bhåvam (worldliness). The reason is that the world is notdifferent from God.



ì∫‹åvåsya≈, idam jagatî (God pervades the entire universe).Disregarding this profound and sacred truth, man isbecoming prey to grief because of his worldly attachments.The world should not be viewed merely from the physicalplane, but should be looked upon as a divine manifestation.It is only when man is filled with godly thoughts that hewill be rid of sorrow. Giving up worldliness alone, theÅtmånanda (the Bliss of the Spirit) can be attained. Blisshas to be sought not through accumulation of materialwealth, but through sacrifice and promotion of the welfareof oneís fellow beings. Tyåga is recommended by theVedas as the only path of immortality. Give in plenty, givegladly, and with gratitude to God. Selfishness is the cankerthat destroys charity. Be equal-minded in fortune andmisfortune, in happiness and sorrow, loss and gain. Theups and downs of life have lessons to teach us. In fact,without reverses in our life, we will not be able toexperience Divinity. Without darkness, we cannot appreciatelight. Without experiencing difficulties, we will not valuethe pleasures. It is lack of peace of mind which compelsus to seek the means to realize everlasting peace. Upani¶adshave declared that through renunciation alone can immortalitybe attained. Man should learn to practice renunciation soas to discover the secret of enduring peace and bliss.Immortality can be Experienced only through Tyågaó

The Upani¶ads declare that immortality can be experiencedonly through Tyåga (renunciation or sacrifice). This renunciationdoes not mean giving up hearth and home, kith and kin.It means giving up the transient and impermanent thingsof the world. This calls for discrimination between whatis permanent and what is perishable, what is good and whatis bad. Only then can man discover the Divine principlewithin him. There is no need to retire into a forest or acave to know your inner Truth and to conquer your lower

55

nature. In fact, while living in isolation, one has no chanceto exercise restraint on oneís anger and other weaknessesand so the victory achieved there, may not be long lastingor genuine. Win the battle of life; be in the world but yetbe away from its shackles. That is the victory which onehas to achieve through the loftiness of the impulse torenounce. The lines along which the endeavour has tobe directed:

1. Spiritual exercises and discipline,2. Cultivation of detachment,3. Development of confidence in oneís self.Without these three, life is a wearisome and wasteful

journey. Give up, renounceóthat is the virtue one needsfor spiritual progress. It is not the value of the things giventhat counts, it is the loftiness of the impulse behind theact. The Vedas have taught the means to make life in theworld pure and meaningful. They have declared: ìNakarmaƒå na prajayå dhanena tyågenaike amætatwa-måna‹u¨î (not through rituals, progeny or wealth, but onlythrough sacrifice can immortality be achieved). A Tyåg∂does not hesitate even to sacrifice his body for otheríswelfare. Sacrifice means something more than giving upof wealth, gold and material objects. Evil qualities likehatred, jealousy, wrath and malice which have becomeingrained in man over many lifetimes, should be discarded.Tyåga Real Yogaó

Three evil qualities have to be renounced before mancan rise to his real role. Anger, which smothers wisdom(J¤åna), Lust, which pollutes the deed (Karma) and greed,which destroys oneís love for God and man. The touchstonewhich pronounces an act as meritorious is Tyåga. If anact is self-directed, if it helps to inflate the ego, it is asin. Tyåga is the real Yoga.



Tyåga Must be Regarded as a Great Yaj¤aóTyåga must be regarded as a great sacrifice (Yaj¤a).

What you offer should be within your capability. Theperson to whom it is offered should deserve and shouldbe capable of making proper use of what is offered. Tomake offerings beyond oneís capacity to undeservingpersons or to persons incapable of putting them to properuse is like offering a golden toy to a child or presentinga knife to a lunatic. It may have many undesirableconsequences. §R¶is who prescribed Yaj¤as and Yågas didnot intend them for the use of a particular country,community or time. They are valid for any country, forany people, at any time. Benediction at the end of Yaj¤ais ìLokå¨ samastå sukhino bhavantuî (May all the worldsbe happy). These Yaj¤as and Yågas must be preserved byus with appropriate adaptations. What is essential is toadhere to the spirit and deeper purpose of the Mantras inthe Yaj¤as. When the Yaj¤as are performed in this waythey will result in the purification of the heart and leadus to the God-realisation.

ó Compiled by Dr. Subhas Chandra Mahajan❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

By knowing a single being of earth, you know allobjects made of earth. All changes are mere word, inname only. But earth is the reality. It is that there is onlyone single reality in this world and that reality appearsto be many because of the different names and forms,superimposed on it.

óChhandogya Upanishad

Social Service as Spiritual SådhanåóR. R. Diwakar

The aim of spiritual Sådhanå always is to attain thehighest inner poise where the individual consciousness ismerged in the Universal Consciousness. The result sought,is a kind of continued ecstatic bliss and peace which refusesto be disturbed by happenings and influences affecting thebody and the individual being. This is the ëSamådhií orecstatic communion. If instead of occasional spells a personis blessed with a continuous state of this kind, it is calledëSahaja Samådhií. In this condition a person may be saidto be enjoying a kind of double consciousness. While theinner poise is continuous, the person is also conscious ofwhat he is doing by his body and mind. But he looks uponit as if it were a reflection in a mirror without being affectedby it.

This might be said to be the highest reach of humanconsciousness attained by any person. This may be calledthe Superconscious state, where a person may be said tohave gone beyond the different layers of consciousness andestablished a kind of control over them.

From times immemorial, this state of consciousness hasbeen sought after by different methods of discipline calledUpåsanå or Sådhanå. The well-known methods whichhave been clearly defined and laid down, are the fiveschools of Yoga: Ha¢ha, Råja, Karma, Bhakti and J¤åna.I shall try here to see how far, in what category, and underwhat conditions social service would help a man on in thequest of the highest attainment.


Before going into the above question, I should like topoint out that the highest attainment open to any person,as indicated above, has a double aspect, the individual andthe social. The individual aspect is quite clear in so faras it is the highest inner status that one can attain and thus,it must satisfy the most ambitious amongst us. But thesociety in which such a person has been born and bredup and which has contributed to his Sådhanå by providingcongenial environment, has also a claim over him. It hasevery right to say that he must ërender under CeasarCeasarís coin.í Society or the human community can withall justice say that the person concerned should be ableto serve it in two ways, by leading deserving persons tothe same goal as has been attained by the person concerned,and by performing such social duties as are incumbent uponthe person, not in the ordinary manís way but as aSiddha. Though it looks rather odd to dictate any dutiesto a Siddha, because ëhe is unto himself a lawí, yet it isnecessary to point out the social aspect of such anattainment, as there is a misconception prevailing thatëSiddhaí has no social aspect at all. Society might well say,what is it to me if a certain person enjoys inner harmonyand peace and does not take note of the society whichhas made it possible. He is as good as a wealthy manenjoying all his wealth himself or as good as an opium-eater who continues to be in a kind of semi-comatosecondition and imagines that he is enjoying bliss. Man isafter all a social being and the social aspect of anythinghe does or does not has an important bearing on the ethicsof action or inaction, as the case may be. Looked at fromthis point of view, social service as Spiritual Sådhanå hasadded significance both for the individual as well as forsociety.

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Social service is an expression which has a very widesignificance. It may be taken to mean any service renderedto members of society in a non-mercenary spirit, and whichis calculated to result in physical, mental, moral or spiritualbenefit to the person or persons concerned. It is real lovethat inspires such service and is rendered for its own sake,irrespective of any return for it. The highest type of realsocial service can be compared to the service that themother renders to the child. It may be that such personsare sometimes paid for, but the motive is not receivingpayment but serving. The ëlabourer is always worth hishireí and above all he must live in order to serve. Thus,it is the spirit and the attitude with which a person servessociety that is important in this context and not so muchwhether he gets some remuneration or not. Of course, ifa person is in a position to render social service withouttaking any remuneration, it makes the matter easy and itproves beyond doubt that the person is not interested inany money return.

But apart from money, it is possible that a personrenders service from various other motives. Some may doit for name and fame, some for attaining power, others withsome ulterior purpose. Some may engage themselves in itas a mere matter of fashion or convention or for repayingthe ëdebtí to society. It goes without saying that no suchservice can help spiritual Sådhanå.

If social service is to be a means of spiritual uplift ofthe person engaged in it, it is absolutely necessary that thereshould be no strings attached to it. It must flow out oflove, out of a realization of identity with the whole ofhumanity. In fact, love in such a case is much more thanidentity. Because a person, for instance a mother, cansacrifice herself wholly for her child, which she cannot do

Social Service as Spiritual Sådhanå


for herself. One cannot sacrifice oneself unto death foroneself, because in that case the very object of sacrificeis defeated. But in the course of service rendered out oflove one can sacrifice even oneís life for the other personor persons. Thus, there is something more than a realizationof identity in such cases. However, it is clear that socialservice of the highest type is inspired by love and countsno cost too dear and may be in the form of completesacrifice, a holocaust.

In the case of a mother, the sense of identity with thechild is natural and requires no Sådhanå. In the case ofothers however, one has to cultivate love for others andprogressively learn and realize that all life, all spirit is one.Such a Sådhanå alone can result in the ultimate realizationof identity with humanity. It is then only that the individualis wholly integrated with society and feels that oneself andsociety are not separate. This leads to identity of interest,and whatever a person who has reached such a height does,is in its very nature, spiritual in the highest sense.

The G∂tå describes such a man as being absorbed indoing good to all beings, to the whole worldóSarvabhµuta-hiteratå¨í. The ∫‹åvåsya describes two stages of a personwho thus, tries to identify himself with all. ëHe who seesall beings in himself, and himself in all beings, ceases tofear and is free from the necessity to protect himself.í Thenext stage is that of a person who is enjoying completeidentity. ëThe wise man for whom all beings are himself,and who sees only One, is beyond all illusions and allsorrowí.

This, of course, is the acme of spiritual realization. Thiscan be progressively achieved by starting with selflesssocial service born out of the love of the ëotherí. The morea person advances in the path of selfless social service,

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the more he advances towards the feeling of identity withthe whole of human society. Gradually individuality iswiped out and universality looms large. Everything that isdone, is then a step towards the realization of the immanentPresence and a dedication to that Presence. It is thus, thatone would attain the highest by looking upon humanityas the very reflection of the Highest Spirit, which calls uponus to lose ourselves in loving service and total sacrifice.We shall then lose ourselves completely but only to findourselves in the Universal which is Sat-Cit-Ånanda. Whatmay begin as simple acts of social service may, if properlyguided, develop into a means of taking a man higher andhigher to the highest spiritual status that a human beingis capable of.

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Social Service as Spiritual Sådhanå

The mind should always be filled with noble thoughts.And in order to stimulate pure and noble thoughts, itis necessary for a man to associate with noble souls, toreflect on noble things, to study noble literature and toengage in the service of a Satguru (God-inspired preceptor).One whose mind is full of good and elevating thoughtsis, indeed, a happy and benevolent man, for, by spreadingthose noble thoughts all round him, he brings roundothers to the right path.

óHanumanprasad Poddar

Super Self and WorldóChilukuri Venkateswarlu

Around the world, I roamed;Every holy place, I visited;Many a saint, I consulted.

Men of letters advised,Psalms of good old bards inspired,Glimpses of nature mobilised.

For the supreme self, I searched;System of rituals, I learned;A bit of knowledge, I acquired.

Away thought and action I left,My mind in myself firm I kept,ìIî in myself, I myself swept.

I recognized not myself,But the whole world and supreme self,Existed only in myself.

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›r∂ Råmakæsƒa Paramaha≈sa: A Tyåg∂óDr. A. R. Mohapatra

›r∂ Råmakæ¶ƒa Paramaha≈sa was indeed a multi-faceted personality. He was a holy man, mystic, saint anda priest of Mother Kål∂ at Dak¶iƒe‹wara temple. He haddedicated and devoted his pious life, to worship, to prayor to weep like a child, longing for a sight of the mother.Who weeps for God? People seeing him thought, perhapshe was mad. Råmakæ¶ƒa used to say: ësome are mad aftermoney, some after fame and name, some after women,some after eating and drinking and I am mad after God.

To purify his mind and to sacrifice the materialattachments, he practised Sådhanås in his own way. Hewould take in one hand some coins and a lump of clayin the other and telling himself, ìThis is money, this isclay, these are the same to me,î he would throw into theGanges. All his life, ›r∂ Råmak¶æƒa refused even to touchmoney with his hand. He used to say to his devotees thatgrace of God can be acquired if one leave the attachmentof ëwoman and goldí (Kåmin∂-Ka¤cana). ›r∂ Råmakæ¶ƒahad did it in his life and realised the divine bliss of mother.He said that Bhakti and J¤åna never possible withoutrenunciation of lust and possessions. He never seeks anymaterial comforts or happiness except spiritual realisationthrough Viveka, Vairågya and Bhakti.

›r∂ Råmakæ¶ƒa was talking to the devotees aboutrenunciation. His attitude was liberal towards the house-holders. He said, ìDo your duty with one hand and withthe other hold to God. Mental renunciation with detached


life is highly required for the Sådhanå. He said live in thisworld without attachment, like a lotus leaf in the water. Keepyour mind on God, do your duty and surrender to Him.

›r∂ Råmakæ¶ƒa was a simple and a noble person ofhaving Divine values viz. truth, love, kindness, non-violence, charity and renunciation (Tyåga). As a Tyåg∂person, ›r∂ Råmakæ¶ƒa refused to accept the offer ofMåthura Båbµu (son-in-law of Rån∂ Råsamaƒi) and Lak¶m∂Nåråyaƒa Mårawår∂. For instance, one day Måthura Båbµu,the administrator of the estate and temple had proposedto give a large property in the name of ›r∂ Råmakæ¶ƒa buthe denied to accept. Similarly, Lak¶m∂ Nåråyaƒa hadoffered a sum of ten thousand rupees for the future needsof ›r∂ Råmakæ¶ƒa. The proposal was so painful to ›r∂Råmakæ¶ƒa that he requested him with folded hands, neverto mention the subject again.

Regarding Tyåga or renunciation, ›r∂ Råmakæ¶na said,ìthe worldly-minded never come to their senses, eventhough they suffer and have terrible experiences. Camelsare very fond of thorny shrubs. The more they eat of them,the more do their mouths blood, yet they do not refrainfrom making them their food. What are you to do whenyou are placed in this world? Give everything to Him,resign yourself to Him, and there will be no more troublefor you. Then you will come to know that everything isdone by His will.î Live in the world like a maidservantin a rich manís house. She performs all her duties, but justthe same, her mind dwells in her native-place. Likewisedo your worldly duties but fix your mind to God.

The life of ›r∂ Råmakæ¶ƒa and his Ma¢has and missionare working with dedication, Tyåga and Sevå for thewelfare of Nara-Nåråyaƒa.

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Purpose of LifeóKuldip Raj Kochhar

What is a purpose of life? This question often comesin mind, is oneís life. The answer has always been:

1. Getting Mukti (Mok¶a) i. e., to be free from birth anddeath circle.

2. Attainment of Almighty God or to find truth.Here the question also comes that mearly taking birth,

attaining youth, then marriage; generating offsprings,earning assets for them and also for oneís old age and thenone day quietly leaving this world is a purpose of oneíslife, the answer, however is big ëNoí. After all there mustbe some purpose for such creations.

All religions, sects, rather mankind are endeavouringin one way as the other to know the Truth. ReligiousscripturesóVedas, Bhagawadg∂tå, Quran, Bible, GuruGrantha Såhiba prescribe ways of happiness, good honourableliving brotherhood, morality and prescribe killing, rapes,inhuman activities, are very well beneficial and worthworshippings, paying obeisance and almost all of us aredoing so and try to follow their teachings, lessons of morality.

One possibility may be that all such creations, thinkingsare manís generated just to keep element of fear, disciplinein human mind is essential for peaceful living is society,someone has also said that God is naught but a creationof ignorance and fear. This thinking, however, does notappeal as every creation has a creator. There must be asupreme personality for creation of universe. This is amatter of belief and faith, so there is an endeavour to find


the Truth and this could be a purpose of life.The fact of course, is that no body has seen God so

far and also nobody knows what happens after death. Theconcept of Heaven and Hell is all imaginary. No authenticversion has come so far. Again such thinkings may be forkeeping discipline in society. There is also a thinking thatHeaven and Hell are here in present life-based on Karmatheory. Good deeds generate healthy and enjoyable life.

Another aspects also comes in mind. In every religion,sect, society there have been great honourable personalities,who by there good deeds, selfless service, intelligence,supreme sacrifice made a name, left their footprints wellto be followed. Though physically they may not beexisting,but are well remembered, their birthdays are celebrated andlive in hearts of people. Have they not achieved Mok¶a?Surely they have. Very recently Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam,being from a poor family, living simple, honest, normaland praiseworthy life, by his hard work, intelligencebecame a missile man and then President of India and aworld figure. All sects mourn his death.

Keeping this aspect in mind, the purpose of life couldbe to work hard, do selfless service, promote brotherhood,be positive, malice towards none, lead a pious life and makea place in every bodyís heart. Perhaps by doing so onemay set a unique example and make a name in societyand thus, attain Mok¶a.

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