Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Edge of a sword....contd.


Brathrihari has this to say about the 'Power of fate'.

Success or failure of men lies in the hands of fate alone.

When the branches of a tree is cut , its shoots grow again. The moon wanes and waxes.Thus wise men reflect and are not overwhelmed by distress.

A bald headed man was scorched by fierce rays of the sun. Fate guided him to the shade of a palm tree . Whilst resting , the fruit of the tree fell on his head with a loud crash and broke it.Wherever the unfortunate man goes he meets disaster!

It is not sun's fault that the owl cannot see at day.
Who can interfere with what fate has written on the forehead of us all ?

Monday, August 23, 2010

Edge of a sword .


Bhartrihari says the following "In praise of wisdom" -

O Mighty rulers -cast away your pride in presence of those who are rich in the inward treasury of wisdom . They can't be robbed by thieves, but their treasure , which is continually increasing becomes even larger when they share it with the needy, and it will not perish at the end of the world . Who can compare with the wise?

If a man has anger in his heart ,what other enemy need he fear?If he lives amongst ill disposed people ,why should he fear the serpent? If a man has patience why should he need a armour?If he possess perfect wisdom why should he strive for wealth?If he is modest why does he require ornaments?

Bracelets do not set off a persons appearance nor strings of pearls as pure and clear as the moon , not yet bathing , perfumes, flowers and carefully dressed hair!Nothing adorns a person more than perfect wisdom. Jewels may perish but wisdom the most beautiful ornament lasts for ever .

Social intercourse with wise takes away dullness of mind .Exalts the intellect .Makes our words, more truthful. Wisdom is like a friend to the man who travels to distant countries!

Love righteousness. Avoid evil even at pain of death. Have no contact with the wicked . Do not lose your dignity even in adversity.Do not covet another's riches and wife.Nor take any one's life. A poor man,howsoever close shouldn't be asked alms.Adhere to doctrines of good and great. Even though the attempt to do all this is as difficult as trying to stand on the edge of a sword!

On reading books.


Rene Descartes ---French philosopher says

"The reading of all good bocks is like a conversation with the finest men of past centuries."

Charles Richardson says-----

"Books are never troublesome, but immediately answer every question I ask them .Some relate to me the events of the past ages, while others reveal to me the secrets of nature . Some teach me how to live , others how to die. Some by their vivacity drive away my cares and exhilarate my spirits, while others give fortitude to my mind and teach me the important lesson how to restrain my desires and depend wholly on myself."

Right reading of books gives culture ,to mind."Culture is the contact with the best that has been said and thought in the world "---- Mathew Arnold.


[Courtesy --Bhavan's journal]

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Edge of a sword.


Bharthrihari was a great grammarian of ancient India.He is also famous for composing poems in classical Sanskrit.One of his compositions the 'Nithi Sataka' deals with ethics. They contain brilliant poems in miniature ,that are entertaining , observant .wry and often deeply reflective.They were written roughly 1500 to 2000 years back !

Some of his poems are as follows :


A man may tear the pearl away from the teeth of a crocodile. He may steer his ship over roughest seas. He may twine a serpent around his brow like a laurel, but he cannot convince a foolish and stubborn opponent!

A man may squeeze oil from sand. He may slake his thirst from the well in a mirage . He may even obtain possession of a hare's horn ,but he cannot change the opinion of a stubborn and foolish man !

God has given a cloak, whereby he can conceal his ignorance . He can wrap it any moment for it always lies at hand. The cloak of silence . An ornament peculiarly fitted for an ignorant man in the company of wise.

The man who cannot appreciate music and literature is exactly like lower animals even though he may not possess horns and a tail.Though he may not eat grass , he yet lives a life precisely like that of kine.

A person who does not study, do penance and charity and has no virtues like patience , pity and courage is nothing but an animal in human form

It is better to roam among mountains with the wild beasts than to live in a palace with fools!


to be contd.....

Monday, August 2, 2010

I am convinced.


We acquire degrees by mugging up reams upon reams of unintelligible pages and consider ourselves to be highly educated and turn our noses at illiterate people and those who are less educated than us and close our minds to their opinions .

Adi Shankara had memorised and digested all the 4 Vedas and every other scripture that Bharat was abounding with, by 16 years of age and had won every single debate with brilliant scholars in Sanskrit and the various schools of philosophy in Hinduism as well as in other religions ,all over India.
He has written innumerable treatises ,poetries,commentaries ,slokas and lyrics ,that were analytical as well as poetic , in chaste Sanskrit .He let his accomplishments rest lightly on his person and could cull the diamond of knowledge and let it sparkle irrespective of its source.

Maniisha Panchangam is a set of 5 verses composed by Shankara .'Maniisha' means 'conviction'. These verses,bring out in short, the philosophy in which he believed and expounded.This was written in Varanasi in the 8 th century A.D .The story behind these verses are legendary.

Shankara was on his way to a temple after bathing , On seeing a chandela [out caste] on his way ,he gestured to him to keep his distance as per customs of those days.

The out caste asked two questions which were poignant as well as of highest knowledge that made Shankara to pause and ponder and evoked a reply in the same vein, in 5 verses.

The questions posed by the chandela were ---
'
O great ascetic ! tell me .Do you want to keep a distance from you , by uttering 'Go away' 'Go away ', taking me to be a out caste ? Is it addressed from one body made of food to another body made of food or is it from one consciousness to another consciousness --who , O , the best among ascetics , you wish should go away?Do tell me.

Then the 2nd question ---

The sun's light falls on the waters of the Ganges as well as on drains .The sun's image is reflected from both the surfaces . Is there any difference between the two images ?Similarly is there any difference in the images of sun reflected in water contained in a vessel whether the latter is made of gold or mud?

These questions evoked the following reply, from Adi Shankara who saw the personification of lord Shankara in the out caste.


If one is convinced firmly , that he is that very soul which manifests itself in all conditions of sleep ,wakefulness and dream ,in all objects of the great Brahma[ the creator]
to the tiny ant and which is also vibrant ,but invisible , witness of all ,he is the great teacher /preceptor , be he twice born or an out caste. This is my firm conviction!

He is the great master ,be he a brahmin or an out caste ,who dwelling on the pure and the infinite Brahman,thinks himself as that very Brahman , of whose manifestation the whole universe is , though apparently the universe is assumed to consist of different things due to ignorance and the 3 gunas viz rajas ,thamas and satvic.This is my firm conviction !

The preceptors words that the entire world is perishable is true. A person who constantly meditates on the Brahman with a pure and calm mind will burn his past and future karma's ,in the fire of knowledge . This is my firm conviction !

As sun's halo is covered by clouds , the effulgence of god is hidden by ignorance . The yogi is great who grasps this truth within himself He is my guru . This is my firm conviction !

He who worships Brahman and is at peace with himself , is himself that Brahman . This is my firm conviction !

Shankara then concludes ---
O lord ! In the form of body I am your servant . In the form of life O, three eyed one I am part of your self .In the form of soul you are within me and in every other soul !




[ condensed from internet]