07/25/11
" If I were to look over the whole world to find out the country most richly endowed with all the wealths, power and beauty that Nature can bestow - - - - in some parts a very paradise on earth - - - - I should point to India. If I were asked under what sky the human mind has mostly developed some of the choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions to some of them, which well served the attention even of those who has studied Plato and Kant, I should point to India "
. . .. . Max Mueller ( a renowned German Philosopher )
Hello to all of you ! Somvaar Suprabhaath !
Well, today also, as in the last week, we will have a ' two-in-one ' Sandesh consisting of the following:
HINDU WAY OF LIFE & DHARMA-S
( 1 ) Hindu Way of Life :
One fundamental thing that must be cleared up about the Hindu way of life, is that with the term 'Hindu', there is no "ism". Today the word 'Hindu' has taken a different meaning because of the so-called Hindutva, and other such organizations, but the word 'Hindu' essentially comes from the word 'Sindhu'. It is a cultural and geographic identity. It is like saying "I am an Indian", though it is a more ancient identity than being an Indian. "Indian" is only about 60 years old. Hindu, on the other hand, is an identity that we have always lived with . . . we call this country 'Hindustan', and whatever we did in this culture was Hindu.
Being a Hindu does not mean having a particular belief system; there is no particular God or ideology which one can call as the Hindu way of life. you can be a Hindu irrespective of whether you worship a Man-God or a Woman-God, whether you worship a cow or a tree! If you don't worship anything, you can still be a Hindu. So you are a Hindu irrespective of what you believe or don't believe in. At the same time, there was a common line running thru all these in this culture . . . the only goal of human life is Liberation or Mukti. Liberation from the very process of life, from everything that you know as limitations, and to go beyond that. God is seen as one of the stepping stones. God is not held as the ultimate thing. This is the only culture on the planet which is a Godless culture, in the sense that there is no concretised idea of God in this culture. yoou can worship a rock, a cow, your mother - - - you can worship whatever you feel like, because this is a culture where we have always known that God is our making.
Everywhere else people believe that God created us. Here we know that we created God ! So we take total freedom to create the kind of God we can relate to. If you like the tree in your garden, you can worship it, and nobody thinks it is absurd. You can worship a stone on the golf course, and nobody thinks it is absurd. If you can relate to that, that's what you worship, because what you are reverentiaal towards is not important; being reverential is what is important. There is so much misunderstanding about these things, because there is a certain dialectical ethos to the culture where we want to express everything in a story or in a song; but in a way, it is a science of how to take a human being to his ultimate potential.
( Source: An article by Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, a Yogi, in 'Deccan Chronicle' a Daily Newspaper )
( 2 ) Dharma-s (Sookti-s or Sayings) :
I. General virtues applicable to all (irrespective of caste or creed):
( As enunciated by Bhishma in the Santi Parva of the epic Maha Bhaarata )
1. Control of anger and impulsiveness (Akroadha)
. . .. . Max Mueller ( a renowned German Philosopher )
Hello to all of you ! Somvaar Suprabhaath !
Well, today also, as in the last week, we will have a ' two-in-one ' Sandesh consisting of the following:
HINDU WAY OF LIFE & DHARMA-S
( 1 ) Hindu Way of Life :
One fundamental thing that must be cleared up about the Hindu way of life, is that with the term 'Hindu', there is no "ism". Today the word 'Hindu' has taken a different meaning because of the so-called Hindutva, and other such organizations, but the word 'Hindu' essentially comes from the word 'Sindhu'. It is a cultural and geographic identity. It is like saying "I am an Indian", though it is a more ancient identity than being an Indian. "Indian" is only about 60 years old. Hindu, on the other hand, is an identity that we have always lived with . . . we call this country 'Hindustan', and whatever we did in this culture was Hindu.
Being a Hindu does not mean having a particular belief system; there is no particular God or ideology which one can call as the Hindu way of life. you can be a Hindu irrespective of whether you worship a Man-God or a Woman-God, whether you worship a cow or a tree! If you don't worship anything, you can still be a Hindu. So you are a Hindu irrespective of what you believe or don't believe in. At the same time, there was a common line running thru all these in this culture . . . the only goal of human life is Liberation or Mukti. Liberation from the very process of life, from everything that you know as limitations, and to go beyond that. God is seen as one of the stepping stones. God is not held as the ultimate thing. This is the only culture on the planet which is a Godless culture, in the sense that there is no concretised idea of God in this culture. yoou can worship a rock, a cow, your mother - - - you can worship whatever you feel like, because this is a culture where we have always known that God is our making.
Everywhere else people believe that God created us. Here we know that we created God ! So we take total freedom to create the kind of God we can relate to. If you like the tree in your garden, you can worship it, and nobody thinks it is absurd. You can worship a stone on the golf course, and nobody thinks it is absurd. If you can relate to that, that's what you worship, because what you are reverentiaal towards is not important; being reverential is what is important. There is so much misunderstanding about these things, because there is a certain dialectical ethos to the culture where we want to express everything in a story or in a song; but in a way, it is a science of how to take a human being to his ultimate potential.
( Source: An article by Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, a Yogi, in 'Deccan Chronicle' a Daily Newspaper )
( 2 ) Dharma-s (Sookti-s or Sayings) :
I. General virtues applicable to all (irrespective of caste or creed):
( As enunciated by Bhishma in the Santi Parva of the epic Maha Bhaarata )
1. Control of anger and impulsiveness (Akroadha)
2. Ever speaking Truth and Truth alone (Satya Vachan)
3. Credibility i.e., dependability and trustworthiness
4. Forbearance, Forgiveness and Patience (Kshama)
5. Chastity with respect to family life (Pavitrata)
6. Purity, both physical and mental (Soucham)
7. Non-violence i.e., not harming any being (Adroaha)
8. Straightforwardness, being forthright and frank (Aarjavam)
9. Taking good care of dependents (Bhritya bharanam)
10. Dignity of Labor, whatever be the nature of work.
II. Next, to be qualified to be called a 'Brahmana', certain essential pre-requisite qualities are prescribed:
1. Self-Control and Self-Discipline (Damam)
II. Next, to be qualified to be called a 'Brahmana', certain essential pre-requisite qualities are prescribed:
1. Self-Control and Self-Discipline (Damam)
2. Zest for acquiring Knowledge (Swaadhyaaya)
3. Sharing and imparting the Knowledge. To accumulate and radiate it. (Swaadhyaaya and Pravachanam)
4. Parameshti Kaarya (Act the Will of the Supreme. All actions be as offerings to God)
5. Friend of all and harming none (Maithroe Brahmana Mutyateh)
6. Supremely trustworthy with total credibillity. 7. A person of intrinsic virtue, standing head and shoulders above all.
III. Next are the Kshaatra Dharma-s (Qualities of a Ruling Agency) :
1. Never begs, never stretches his hand.
III. Next are the Kshaatra Dharma-s (Qualities of a Ruling Agency) :
1. Never begs, never stretches his hand.
2. Extremely generous, ready to help.
3. Prepared for any sacrifice, including life.
4. Never shows his back to the battle-field. Never runs away from it. Never submits. Possesses a heroic nature.
5. Ever ready to put down any evil or crime.
6. Affords protection and ensures welfare of people (It is said that the test of safety is: even a young woman, pretty, bejewelled and decorated, should without fear, freely go about alone in a street).
It is said that every Dharma ultimately depends on the Kshatriya or Raaja Dharma. If this Dharma be ensured, all other Dharma-s can be fulfilled.
Just as, in the footprint of the elephant, all oter footprints can be accomodated.
Finally, the 'Shoadasa Sadguna' (sixteen virtues) extollled by Bhishma in his counsel to Yudhishtara in the Santi Parva, are :
1. Forgiveness
It is said that every Dharma ultimately depends on the Kshatriya or Raaja Dharma. If this Dharma be ensured, all other Dharma-s can be fulfilled.
Just as, in the footprint of the elephant, all oter footprints can be accomodated.
Finally, the 'Shoadasa Sadguna' (sixteen virtues) extollled by Bhishma in his counsel to Yudhishtara in the Santi Parva, are :
1. Forgiveness
2. Patience
3. Non-violence
4. Impartiality
5. Truth
6. Sincerity
7. Control of senses
8. Efficiency
9. Gentleness
10. Modesty
11. Steadiness
12. Generosity
13. Cheerfulness
14. sweetness of Speech
15. Benevolence
16. Freedom from Malice
Well, all the above excerpts from the greate Epic, are indeed pointers and guidelines towards a clean and virtuous life, conducive to peace of mind and happiness, and, progress towards the realization of life's Supreme Objective.
Well, all the above excerpts from the greate Epic, are indeed pointers and guidelines towards a clean and virtuous life, conducive to peace of mind and happiness, and, progress towards the realization of life's Supreme Objective.
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