Pursuit of wealth.

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Respected members,

These is regarding the pursuit of wealth by a spiritual

seeker in the present world conditions.Excuse me for the long mail.

 

The answer to this problem can be looked from two views :-

 

1. The Individual or the seeker himself.

2. The Conditions of the present world.

 

Before i go to the answers, i would like to highlight some relevant

points:-

 

1. The Isavasya upanishad has the compatibality of material and spiritual

life as its main theme.It explains that a balanced life of both material and

spiritual pursuits with the spiritual goal as the primary goal and the

material pursuits as a support for bodily sustainence for moving in the

direction of the primary goal is essential for a seeker of brahman.

 

2. The main theme of the Bhagavad gita is the spiritual seeking of an

Individual from the conditions in which he is presently placed.It gives

examples of karmayogins like janaka explicitly,who was not only a great king

from the worldly point of view,but is also a Brahma-jnanin.

The gita advises its follower not to run away from the material

world,though pointing out the miseries and the fleeting pleasures,

which the world called by krishna as anityam,asukham and dukhaalaya

offers to an inidividual.

It also tells that spiritual life or practise is a continous process to

be followed from childhood(if possible) upto the last breath and not after

Retirement(when majority of us will be unfit in all the ways)according to

the popular belief.

 

3. Many examples like yagnavalkya,vasista,vedanta-desika of the past

and present day philosophers like Radhakrishnan,DrS.S.Raghavachar.

Dr.Rangachar,N.T.Srinivasa Iyengar(living example),Dr.N.S.Anantha

Rangachar(living example)etc. have shown that compatibility

between spiritual and material life is practically possible and

very much necessary.

 

The answers:-

 

1. The Individual or the seeker himself.

 

Not all spiritual seekers are of the same temperment, each one has

his own unique psychological,social and economic background.Being in such a

frame work,he is the best judge to evaluate his material stand in the world

in such a way that it does not affect his spiritual growth.In otherwords the

material pursuit of one person will vary from that of the other,which is a

sensible practical truth and should not be a cause of relative unworthiness

from the spiritual point of view.The main aim that each individual seeker

has to satisfy is, his own spiritual growth.

 

The best and optimum way to spiritualise the material pursuit is to

follow the sequence laid down by our shastras :-

Dharma -> Artha -> kaama -> Moksha.

Note that Artha(Wealth) and Kaama(desires) have to be well within the

boundaries of Dharma and Moksha.Any other order of the above is undesirable

for a mumukshu or spiritual seeker.

 

2. The Conditions of the present world.

 

We live in kaliyuga where corruption,senseless violence,cheating etc.

are the order of the day.Atheism and Utiliterianism are predominent

attitudes among majority of people.The world is becoming unfit for a person

who is sensible and follower of Dharma to live in or Vice versa.To lead a

life of Dharma is itself a great challenge in the present competitive world.

Also the population of true spiritual seekers is very less and the

shastras are getting the last look or an value as a past time after

retirement by a large section of Brahmins themselves.

In such an atmosphere,a spiritual seeker gets discouraged by himself or

is discouraged by people of opposite attitude.Practically it is very

difficult to lead a life of a Brahmin in the true sense(compared to other

yugas).Finally the present worldly conditions offer a great challenge for a

person who follows the spiritual path at the same time overcoming his

material shortcomings.

 

Though the above paragraph looks discouraging, there is really nothing

to worry as Bhagavan Narayana is there to look after the welfare of his

devotees who do their duties as a service to him.

 

So,let us go with the modern world but follow the eternal values of our

shastras.

 

Sri krishnaarpanamasthu

 

Regards

B.N.Suresh.

 

 

 

 

 

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