There was an old lady of the name of Gautami who was remarkable for her patience and tranquility of mind. One day she found her son dead in consequence of having been bitten by a serpent. A fowler, by name Arjunaka, bound the serpent with a string, brought it before Gautami and said, "This wicked serpent has been the cause of your son's death. O blessed lady, tell me quickly how this wretch is to be destroyed! Shall I throw it into the fire or shall I hack it into pieces? This infamous killer of a child does not deserve to live longer."Gautami replied, "Release this serpent, it does not deserve death at your hands. By killing it, this, my boy will not be restored to life and by letting it live, no harm will be caused to you. Who would go to the interminable regions of death by slaying this living creature? Those that make themselves light by the practice of virtue, manage to cross the sea of life, even as a ship crosses the ocean. But those that make themselves heavy with sin, sink into the bottom, even as an arrow thrown into the water."
The fowler -- "I know that you know the difference between right and wrong, that the great are afflicted at the affliction of all creatures. Those who value peace of mind assign every thing to the course of Time, but practical men alone assuage their grief with revenge. Therefore, O lady, assuage your grief by having the serpent destroyed by me."
Gautami -- "People like us are never afflicted by such misfortune. Good men are always intent on virtue, the death of the boy was predestined: therefore I am unable to approve of the destruction of this serpent. We do not harbor resentment, because resentment leads to pain. Forgive and release the serpent out of compassion."
The fowler --"Let us earn great and inexhaustible merit hereafter, by killing this creature, even as a man acquires great merit and confers it on his victims as well, by sacrifice upon the altar. Merit is acquired by killing an enemy; by killing this despicable creature, you shall acquire great and true merit hereafter."
Gautami -- "What good is there in tormenting and killing an enemy, and what good is won by not releasing an enemy in our power? Therefore, you, of benign countenance, why should we not forgive this serpent and earn merit by releasing it."
The fowler -- "A great number of creatures ought to be protected from the wickedness of this one. Virtuous men abandon the vicious to their doom. Let me therefore kill this wicked creature."
Gautami -- "By killing this serpent, my son, O fowler, will not be restored to life, nor do I see that any other end will be attained by its death; therefore, O fowler, release that living creature. It came not into life by our orders, nor does it live through our sufferance, we have no right to kill it."
The Fowler said, "Nor had it any right to kill your child, O sacred mother?"
Gautami -- "The death of my child was a predestined affair, it was the will of God and the serpent was only the instrument. And even granting that it was the real and only cause of my child's death is committing a sin will not justify our doing the same. It fell into error through ignorance and our killing it will be much more than an error: it will be a sin committed with knowledge and therefore willfully."
Although, thus repeatedly urged by the fowler for the destruction of the serpent, the big-hearted Gautami did not bend her mind to that sinful act. The serpent painfully bound with the cord, sighing a little and maintaining its composure with great difficulty, then uttered these words slowly in human voice.
"O foolish Arjunaka, what fault is there of mine? I have no will of my own and not an independent! Mrityu (the God of death) sent me on this errand! By his direction have I bitten this child and not of any anger or choice on my part, therefore, if there be any sin in this, O fowler, the sin is his."
The fowler said, "If you have not done this evil, but led by another, the sin is yours also, as you are the instrument in the act. As in the making of an earthen vessel, the potter's wheel and rod and other things are regarded as causes, so are you, O serpent, a cause in this matter."
The serpent said -- "As the potter's wheel, rod and other things are not independent causes, even so I am not an independent cause! Therefore this is not my fault, nor am I guilty of any sun! Or if you think that there is sin, it lies in the aggregate of causes."
The fowler said -- "Not deserving of life, O foolish one, why you bandy so many words, O wretch of a serpent? You deserve death at my hands."
The serpent replied -- "O fowler, as the officiating priests at a sacrifice do not acquire the merit of the act, even so should I be regarded with respect to the result in this connection."
The serpent, directed bt Mrityu, having said this, Mrityu himself appeared there and, addressing the serpent, spoke thus:
"Guided by Kala (Time), I, O serpent, sent you on this errand and neither you nor I am the cause of this child's death. Even as the clouds are tossed hither and thither by the wind, I am, O serpent, directed by Kala. All influences appertaining to Satwa or Rajas or Tamas have Kala for their soul, as they operate in all creatures. The whole universe, O serpent is imbued with this influence of Kala. Sun, moon, water, wind, fire, sky, earth, rivers and oceans and all existent and non-existent objects are created and destroyed by Kala. Knowing this, why do you, O serpent, accuse me? If any fault attach to me in this, you also would be to blame!"
The serpent replied -- "I do not, O Mrityu, blame you. I only say that I was influenced and directed by you. Whether any blame attached to Kala or not, it is not for me to say."
Then addressing the fowler, it said, "you have listened to what Mrityu has said, therefore it is not proper for you to torment me who am guiltless, by tying me this cord!"
The fowler replied -- " I have listened to you as well as to Mrityu and both of you are the cause of the child's death. Accursed be the wicked and vengeful Mrityu that causes affliction to the good! You, I shall kill, sinful and engaged in sinful acts."
Mrityu said,  -- "We both are not free agents, but are dependent on Kala and ordained to do our appointed work. You should not find fault with us, if you do consider the matter thoroughly."
Hardly had he said this, when Kala himself appeared on the scene and spoke this to the party assembled together. "Neither Mrityu, nor the serpent, nor I, am guilty of the death of any creature. We are merely the intermediate causes. The true cause is the past karma (action) of that creature. The child here, died by the result of its own karma in the past. As men make, from a lump of clay, whatever they wish to make even so do men attain to various results determined by karma. As light and shadow are to each other, so are men related to karma through their actions. Therefore none here caused the child's death, he himself was the cause."
Gautami said, -- "Neither Kala, nor Mrityu, nor the serpent is the cause in this matter. This child has met with death as the result of its own karma. I too have so acted in the past, that my son should now die. Let now Kala and Mrityu retire from this place and Arjunaka may release this serpent."
Then Kala and Mrityu and the serpent and the fowler went back to their respective places, but Gautami who knew the truth smiled and said to herself -- "What a drama this is! Karma is itself a conventional word. The truth is, not an atom moves but by the bidding of the Lord, not an atom is outside Him and where then are life and death?"

#doctrineofkarma #mahabharata #mother #spirituality #vedantictale

"None verily, even for an instant, ever remain doing no action; for every one is driven helpless to action by the energies born of nature." Therefore, unable to resist the inner force, we are bound to do that which we are doing. Each of our actions, furthermore, must inevitably produce some result. Every action is followed by a corresponding reaction, which returns to the point from which it started; hence the reaction of each action must come back to the soul itself and influence the doer. Further study also shows that the character of action and reaction must be the same.

The cause is inherent in the effect and the effect is the outward manifestation of the cause; therefore, if we are the effects of something, that cause must be not outside, but within us.

The cause is inherent in the effect, and the effect is the outward manifestation of the cause; therefore, if we are the effects of something, that cause must be not outside, but within us. This we learn by observing nature and understanding the law of causation. This law, moreover, is irresistible and relentless. It does not stop of the orphan's cry or for the widow's tears; it sweeps on without pity and unchecked by any obstacles. It molds the character of every individual, of sages and sinners, of kings and beggars. Every one is bound by it, no one can escape it. Driven by it, we are moving here and there, apparently in a circle. Starting from one desire, we go to a certain distance, describe a curve, and come back to the same place without the smallest knowledge of where and how the purpose of life will be achieved.

Our belief or disbelief can never arrest the law of karma in its ceaseless action. We have seen that all the causes of our actions are the motives or desires which lie within ourselves. So long as these desires are there, we are forced to work and reap the fruits of our labors. All work done through selfish motives binds the soul to the fruits thereof, and is in consequence a cause of bondage. If, however, we can once reach the point of working without having desire of results, without seeking any return, then the law of karma will be broken and freedom will be ours.

Wise work as if they were paying off a debt which they owe to society, to parents, to humanity. If we can labor with this idea, that all we do is merely to cancel our debt to the universe, then we can work for work's sake. When we pay off a debt, do we think of getting something in return? No; we do our work, cancel our obligation and think no more about it.

Foolish and self-blinded men fancy that they are the doers of their actions, and consequently, continue to reap the fruits throughout their lives. The one essential thing is never to forget that the work done by mind and body is, in reality, not performed by the true self, but by nature. Some people may imagine that by giving up action they will escape the law of karma, but they are mistaken!

We cannot withdraw from the work of the world without, like Arjuna, being guilty of cowardice. Besides, however eager we may be to retire from a life of action, we cannot, in reality, pass outside the region of activity. If we cease to work with our bodies, our minds still remain active, and our only hope of freedom is in learning the secret of work. This consists, as we have already seen, in working ceaselessly without desires for returns, and without other motives than the emancipation of the soul paying our debts.

(..To be continued, 6th of a seven part series).

#doctrineofkarma #karma #philosophy #spirituality #swamiabhedananda

किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् -- Even wise men are deluded on this point, what is action and what is inaction. I shall tell thee the philosophy of work, by knowing which thou shalt attain to absolute freedom from all imperfections. -- Bhagavad Gita, Ch.4, 16.

Karma Yoga means literally "skill or dexterity in work", and deals with all activity whether of body or mind. Recognizing that activity is an inevitable condition of life, that no human being can live without performing some kind of work , either mental or physical, it seeks through its teaching to show how this constant output of energy may be utilized to acquire the greatest spiritual enlightenment and to attain to perfection and absolute freedom.

There are five conditions necessary for the accomplishment of all mental or physical labor:

1. We must have a physical body, it is the storehouse of energy.
2. There must be present the sense of the ego as the doer or actor.
3. We must have the instrument with which to work.
4. We must have the desire or motive to work.
5. There must be some sort of environment.

The results of actions performed under these five conditions are of three kinds:

1. Those that are desirable because they help us to fulfill our aims in life, and bring us comfort and pleasure.
2. Those which are not desirable.
3. Those which are partly desirable and partly undesirable.

It is not possible to escape these results at every moment of our existence; since, as has already been said, the activity of our organism never ceases. Practically speaking, there cannot be absolute rest of body or mind.

If activity is inevitable and each action must produce its result, what can we do to make all such results harmonize with the highest ideal of life? To search for that which, in the midst of our varied activities of mind and body, remains always inactive. When we have found that and recognized it, we have understood the pur­pose of the philosophy of work, and can make our every effort lead us to the final goal of all religion, to the realization of Truth, and to the attainment of Blessedness. If we cannot do this, we shall be forced to go on reaping the fruit of our actions and continue in the suffering and misery which we now endure. By practicing the teachings of the philosophy of work, on the other hand, we shall not only bring freedom to the soul, but shall rise above all law and live on a plane above motion. From the subtlest atom up to the grossest material form, there is cons­tant motion. Nowhere is there rest. One thing, however, moves not; one thing is at rest, and Karma Yoga explains what it is, how we may realize it and make ourselves one with it.

That something which is beyond all activity, is called in Sanskrit Atman. It is the knower in us. If we use a higher discrimination and try to understand the nature of the knower, by observing our internal process while we are doing anything, we will know that the knower is constant. The knower is unchangeable and is not bound by the conditions which govern the changeable.

It is when, on account of our imperfect knowledge, we identify our true Self or Atman with the limitations of mind and body, we become selfish and are ready to do the things which brings us suffering and misery. Those who are living on this plane of sense perceptions, are like primitive beings. They do not believe in the existence of things which cannot be revealed by the senses. They cannot differentiate matter from spirit, soul from body, or the knower from the object known. Consequently they identify themselves with their mental and physical activity.

We must remember that the five conditions already described are absolutely necessary for any kind of work; but they can in no way influence or affect the Knower (Atman). Intellect, mind, body, and senses exist in relation to it and cannot be active if cut off from it ; but they are perpetually changing, while it is unchangeable. He who realizes this — that all things on the mental or physical plane exist only so long as they are in relation to the Atman, the absolute source of life and knowledge, sees that one which is inactive in the midst of all activity, and becomes a right worker. Such an one attains to perfection through his work.

Let the body work, then, while we remember that it is the mind and the sense organs which are working, and that we are in reality the Knower, the Atman. Anything else is not permanently connected with us. We have taken this body for the time being and are using it for the fulfillment of the highest purpose of life.

If anger or hatred or desire surge up within us, we have only to separate ourselves from that mental change and it will vanish. If passion arise, we have only to remember that we are the witness-like Knower of passion and it will subside. It is when we forget that we are the Knower, and become identified with anger, passion, or hatred, that we fall under their dominion.

Wise men work ceaselessly, being conscious at the same time that they are not working; allowing the body and mind to act, but seeking nothing in return. Those, on the other hand, who are passionate, ambitious, easily affected by joy or grief, gain or loss, are ordinary workers of the world. They are never happy, but are always disturbed, anxious, and uneasy. Yet all their wickedness, selfishness, attachment, and passion proceed only from ignorance of their true Self. ॐ तत् सत्। 

(..To be continued, 5th of a seven part series).

#doctrineofkarma #karma #philosophy #spirituality #swamiabhedananda

रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन्‌ आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति -- A wise man moves about the objects of senses free from love and hatred keeping the tranquil state of mind absolutely controlled by his true Self. -- Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 2, 64.

As every act brings its own reward by the law of compensation, so every crime brings its own punishment by the law of retribution, whether it is found in this life or in the next.

The soul perceives the causal retribution, but the people call the change of external circumstances as retribution which comes after some time. This law manifests itself in the soul long before the external changes appear. Emerson says, "Every act rewards itself first in our own soul, then in circumstance. People call the circumstance retribution."

St. Bernard said, "Nothing can work me damage, except myself; the harm that I sustain I carry about with me and never am a real sufferer but by my own fault." It is for this reason that the Hindus although do not believe in the hell-fire doctrine, struggle hard to live virtuous lives simply fearing the eternal law of karma. The Buddhists who do not believe in a personal God, and deny existence of the permanent entity of the soul, have founded their ethics and religion upon this universal law of karma, or of cause and sequence.

The doctrine of karma can explain the mysterious problem of good and evil and reconcile man to the terrible and apparent injustice of life. Those who believe in this noble doctrine, are never disturbed in their minds at the sight of the inequalities of birth and fortune, or of intellect and capacities around them. The knowledge of this universal truth prevents them from cursing life. The law of karma, eternal as it is, predestines nothing and no one, but, on the contrary, making every one free agent for action, shows the way out of the world of misery, through good thoughts and good deeds. We really create by our actions the causes of good and evil and receive reward or punishment as the reactions of our thoughts and deeds by the law of compensation.

(..To be continued, 4th of a seven part series).

#doctrineofkarma #karma #spirituality #swamiabhedananda

सर्वारम्भा हि दोशेण धुमेनाग्निरिवावृताः -- Works are always followed by their defects and demerits just as the fire is enveloped with smokes. -- Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 18, 48.

No event can occur without having a definite cause behind it. To trace the causes of events and to become familiar with the conditions under which an effect is produced have always been the aim of the various branches of science and philosophy.

It can be shown that every action however minute or trivial it may appear to us, being conditioned by the universal law of causation, produces different effects visible and invisible and affects the whole world of phenomena either directly or indirectly.

This universal law of causation is called the law of Karma. Under the sway of this all-pervading law of Karma , there is no room left for a chance or accident. What we call happening by chance or accidental is in reality the product of some definite causes which we may not know or cannot trace on account of our limited knowledge. The causes might be on the moral or spiritual planes, but we seek only on the physical plane. That which appears to be supernatural or Pro­vidential to an unscientific mind, is natural to a scientist or a philosopher whose concep­tion of nature is larger and more universal.

In this world of relativity within the limitations of time and space, it is impossible to find any action which is absolutely good or which produces a result that creates no discord or disharmony in any shape or man­ner in any part of the world. It is impos­sible to find any work producing absolute evil effect, without causing some kind of good somewhere. Ordinarily, in judging a result when we see the prepon­derance of good over evil, we call it good and where evil predominate we say, that action is evil, wrong or sinful.

(..To be continued, 1st of a seven part series).

#causation #doctrineofkarma #karma #spirituality #swamiabhedananda

MOTHER! Far away, one whom I love is very sad to-day. His heart calls to mine for help, but though I tell him how I love him, I leave him still uncheered. How is it? I know he thinks towards me, I know I talk with him. Yet I long to see him, and hear him, and comfort him face to face!

My child, if this were not so, the sense-life would not be yours, or would not hold you. When you have reached that place where the communion of souls is enough, you will find that it is more than the knowledge of the senses, faith will already be swallowed up in sight.

But, oh Mother, what can I now do to ease this craving pain? I prayed for the vision of Râghunath and did not know that it meant torture multiplied a thousand fold. When one is in trouble oneself, one's own little world lies in gloom; outside, the busy feet pass up and down beneath the windows, the birds build nests, and the children play in the sunshine, as before: but the universe becomes all black when the beloved suffers.

Cease, My child, from inordinate affection. Give Me your heart, and let Me govern it alone. Be the witness of earth's joys and sorrows, sharing them not. Thus only can you keep yourself from entanglement, and attain to peace.

But peace for myself, dear Mother, why should I seek? How can I turn a deaf ear to his voice that calls me, adding another pang to the heartache of a life, and go away myself, and be at peace? Give him that inner peace! Let me win it for him, if Thou wilt be kind! But I cannot will to fail him in his need and loneliness, even to gain Thy blessing!

Ah foolish one! Every thought of love that you send out to answer his, becomes a fetter of iron to hold him in life's anguish. Hide you yourself in My heart, My child, and he, too, will come home to Me. For your love's sake, let your voice cease to be one with the voices of the world. Let it come to him only in Mine, when that is borne on the south wind at the time of sunset, calling him gently to worship at My feet. Let it be one with transcendent love, with infinite freedom. Only thus can you satisfy him. Only by withdrawing yourself can you bring him peace.

Mother! I yield. Take me, I pray Thee, into Thine own heart. Let me not look back. If Thou wilt call me I shall find my way there, surely, though my eyes now are blind with tears.

And for those I love, shall I trust Thy mercy less than I trust mine own?

Yet if at the last they seem to stumble, if the foot slip, or Thy voice fail them by the way, promise, dear Mother, once more to wake me from the dream of bliss. Cast me out from Thy heart, I beg of Thee, and let those who so need Thee, go in before to peace!

Silly, silly child! Like a helpless bird you beat your wings of littleness against My grace! Look up and laugh! For already the cloud that seemed so black is passing. Already the clasp of hands about the heart is loosened. Two souls draw the long breath of strength and relief. The feet of two who come to Me are shod with gladness. The hearts of two beat high, for the conquest born of renunciation.

I have gone to weekly IT Milan on and off for almost three years now. We memorize one Subhashita every month. They are wise sayings, instructions and stories, either in poetry or in prose. I found myself humming a few of these on several occasions -- and so I decided to record and share some of them! The compelling motivation came from one of the Subhashita itself:

The knowledge which is residing in the book and one's wealth which is in possession of some other person is of no use at all. At the time of need they will not be of any help.

https://soundcloud.com/ekvastra/sets/subhashita

#itmilan #soundcloud #spiritual #subhashita

I had a nice dream today. I am writing about it. Unlike normally I remember my dreams and am mostly conscious that I am dreaming. I can choose to wake myself up from that dream. I hear the sounds around me even in my sleep and am aware that certain sounds are not the creation of my dream. Most of us would not have noticed that dreams that occur in a peaceful place with no sounds around us! Characters in such dreams do not speak. My dreams are mostly mute. Characters happen to communicate through thoughts but that is occasional, often they are not in sync. Today I saw divine Mother Sarda in my dream. And the first thought was that I want to serve her in some way, to please her in some way, and I sat near her feet. It was this thought that made me peaceful. I did not desire anything. I was happy to wait there. A sense of completeness and being at peace, accepting all.. was there. And I was aware that it is a dream. The emotions were very strong, I had to wake up.  Now I was thinking how I may continue to stay in that peaceful state? Answers were coming to me.

First visual was about serving my parents. Next I saw some friends. I thought about an orphanage we had visited sometime back. I tried going back to sleep and fall into that state again. I could not. It was about four o’clock and my sleep was over. I still tried - it was greed in my mind. As I tried falling asleep some random thought would start a new dream but I would wake up myself every ten minutes and try to fall asleep thinking about the joyful dream. I did not have success and finally I woke up at five o’clock.

There is something related to this topic that I may write here. I have the demerit of getting jealous. I still find difficulty in controlling this emotion. I had devised a remedy for it. When I felt jealous of a person I would deliberately force myself to do a good act to the person. It did not change things completely but it did prevent me from brooding over that person. Another observation I made is that i would get jealous of someone when I resent some action of theirs. Presently I have a different perspective. I understand that the permanent solution for me is to accept people around me as they are. All paths lead to the the same goal. Everyone wants to be happy and to give happiness to others. It is foolish to judge people. We cannot help anyone. We may only serve and in doing so we are helping only ourselves. We all have demerits but teachers say we are all essentially divine. Sometimes due to ignorance and limited knowledge we overlook this beautiful understanding. We can always choose to help each other progress on our individual journey.

Thank you for reading this, if you have a comment you are welcome to write it. Your views are most welcome.

#dreams #emotion #emotions #friends #ignorance #knowledge #mother #paths #peace #perspective #sarda #spiritual #teachers