[GEMS FROM THE ASHRAMS]
I found a very good and interesting book called "Bhaja Govindham of Sri Sankaracharya". "Bhaja Govindham" means 'Worship Govinda', and Sri Sankaracharya is the great ancient sage who wrote extensive commentaries on many of the ancient Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. That is all I am going to say to introduce my new series of "GEMS FROM THE ASHRAMS" Series. As I search, discover, and read these really rare and precious Spiritual Philosophy which aims to make the reader a liberated and divine soul let me also share this Knowledge with you as I do. Please note that the great saint refers to both genders even when he says "woman", this means that women should change "woman" to "man" (and vice-versa) because the message is for the Self, – the real identity of a person. Enjoy the read, it is poetry...
Verse:
“Attached to
play, childhood is lost; attached to woman, youth is lost; brooding over many
things, old age passes away. But none there is who wants to be lost in Para
Brahman.” – Bhaja Govindham
HARD indeed is
it to get a human life. It is precious but short. Before this short period of
man’s lease on earth expires, he has to transcend the very bounds of his
existence, annihilate the ego – the arrogating self, and rediscover the true
nature of his eternal and infinite Self.
He has his
life at hand and he has to extract utmost from it. But in his pathetic
imbecility, man does not understand the preciousness of life. Cheated by Maya,
he wanders in the sidewalks and dark alleys forgetting the goal he has to
achieve, forgetting the purpose for which he is born. Before Yama (Lord of
Death) overtakes him, he has to outpace him and realise his immortal nature.
The volcano is
rumbling ferociously beneath his feet and yet he chooses to sit complacently,
flapping idly the wings of his imagination, indulging himself in flippant talk
and behaviour. Lured by passion, hoodwinked by lust and greed, duped by desires
and trampled upon by the armed heel of delusion, he wanders in the world
aimlessly, grabbing at things which give him a touch of momentary joy and
putting him into the abyss of damnation. He creates and suffers the most
violent commotions and passes his days in intense agony and misery.
Man’s mind is
a biological luxury and is inestimably precious. The mind has infinite powers.
If he so desires, he can firmly reject inappropriate thoughts, hold on
tenaciously to the goal, and scale the high peaks of perfection. In a moment
he can lift himself up from the ridiculous to the sublime. But alas, he is
lost in the complexities of life and stands perplexed in their amazing
varieties and charms. His eyes do not see eternal beauty because they are
satisfied with the fleeting forms of beauty; this mind does not find Eternal
Bliss because it contents itself with passing pleasures.
In childhood,
for more than a decade, play and games take away all his time. Nothing but play
delights him then. The days of dolls and plays disappear and the days of youth
come with its pressing passions and lust. Charmed by the sweetheart’s look and
words, youth is lost in the armorous sports of the Cupid. With the wasting of
energies and power, the dreaded old age gains admittance forcing the man to
bend upon his staff for support.
Despair draws
long lines on his face! The grey hair and the tottering frame cling on to
fruitless hopes and anxieties. The infirm frame entertains even at this stage
torturous thoughts because he fails to control his mind and tame his passions
when he had had enough strength and energy in his body and will-power in his
mind. Even then, when so much of sorrow, suffering and misery batters him like
waves of the turbulent sea, he does not wholeheartedly turn to God; his fickle
mind does not take delight in the thoughts of God. He must meet death and yet
he goes on planning as if he is going to live forever.
Let him always
remember that he has to stage a walk-out, sooner or later, from mundane
existence, and so earnestly strive to break every yoke to which he is bound. Eternal
salvation should be the rivet of his life.
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