Re. Seven question of Garura.

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Ram Chandra ji

Namaskar, Just to break the silence & for my own shake, I am copying from

Tulsi Ramayan, Transleted by A.J. Atkins. I am hoping this is something nice

to read in adwait view too? Sambad (Talk) between Garur and Kakbhusundi about

7 questions.

 

Garur made this answer, with love in his tone:

"You already to me, lord, great kindness have shown;

"Grant that I, then , your pupil and servant may be,

"And pray answer these eight questions clearly for me-

 

"This the first, O thou who hast won vict'ry within;

"Of all bodies which one is the hardest to win ?

"Then tell what form of suffring is greatest, as second,

"And thirdly, sir, what joy the greatest is reckoned;

"Of saintly and unsanity-fourth and fifth-tell

"The true nature; the secret of this you know well;

"Sixth-What virtue does sacred writ show as supreme ?

"Seventh-What form of sin is most vile and extreme ?

"Lastly tell of all ailments that trouble the soul-

"You are all-wise and kindly, therefore tell the whole."

"Lastly tell of all ailments that trouble the soul-

"You are all-wise and kindly, therefore tell the whole."

 

"Listen lovingly, rev'rently," answered the crow,

"As the truth of these things, my son, briefly I show",

"The form human is greatest, most worthy desiring;

"Tis th' stairway to heaven, to hell, or deliv'rance;

It gives knowledge, self-control, bliss, loving rev'rance;

Great fools are they who, born as human, are living

For sensu'l things worship to God never giving;

Like people who give up the famed stone of magic

For mere bits of glass-it is foolish and tragic.

The world's greatest suff'ring is poverty's burden;

The comp'ny of saints the world's happiest guerdon.

The nature of true saintliness is to live

In the service of others, with all one can give;

Sainly ones bear for other men pain's heavy cross;

But the wicked cause others-alas!-pain and loss;

Constant pain the good for others bear, but the mark

Is soon healed like the birch tree when stripped of its bark;

Wicked men are like hemp that to make bonds is flayed,

And then dies- they are stripped, suffer, then are destroyed;

Pain and loss, Garur, wicked men for others make

Needlessly-they are mean like the rat and the snake;

They will lose all that loss may be others be felt,

As spoiling the crops in the fields hail will melt;

In this world when the wicked rise trouble prevails,

As the Planet Ketu's rise misfortune entails;

Rise of saintly men always brings blessing and boon,

As the whole world is blest by the sun and the moon.

Harm to none scripture's praise as supreme virtue wins;

But to abuse another is chief of all sins;

Who reviles god or sage will be born as a dog,

Thro, a thousand births that form his progress will clog;

He who blasphemes a Brahman to hell will be hurled;

Then be born as a crow once again in this world;

He who scripture or heav'nly ones reviles at last,

For his pride, to the nethermost hell will be cast;

He who reviles a saint as an owl will be born,

Loving error,s night , shunning the truth's sun-bright morn;

He who fooloshly reviles all those of his race

Will be born as a bat, bearing thus his disgrace.

Latly, hear the chief ailments by which souls may sicken,

Because of which all men with suffring are stricken;

All ills in delusion and error have rootage,

And throughout the world have in anguish their fruitage;

Strong anguish as wind-pressure, anger as bile,

And as phlegm greediness burn within all the while;

When there comes combination of all these three ills,

The whole being is troubled with tremors and chills;

Who can tell all the names of the pain-giving things

That frustration of longing for sensu'l things brings ?

Selfishness is like ringworm, and envy like itch;

Joy and sorrow like rheumatic pains throb and twitch;

Like consumption is pain at the joy someone tastes

And mailignancy like leprosy the mind wastes;

Self-conceit, gout-like, pain into ev'ry part pours;

Boasting, falsehood, intemp'rance all form running sores;

Like the dead weight of dropsy is uncontrolled thirst;

And life three fold desires like ague at its worst;

Fever-like envy and thoughtlessness alternate-

How much more of such sickness can one relate ?

 

One disese may be fatal to man; by his own

Efforts none of these can he e'er cure;

They perpetu'lly worry his soul; then how can he

Relief and rest hoped-for secure ?

He may try countless remedies, practice all kinds

Of religious works, penance endure;

Learning, sacrifice, charity, pray'r - try all these-

But his sickness ne'er leaves him, Garur

Thus in this world some sickness besets ev'ry life;

Grief and joy, fear and love grip them-ever at strife.

I have told you in brief of the soul's dread diseases;

All have them; a rare one his ills recognises;

If recognised, somewhat the force is abated,

But never destroyed; to their pow'r man is fated;

Such sickness attacks even saints by bad diet.

Of "Things"; other men are beset always by it;

But Rama's grace all such disease destroys,

For the one who the following measures employs:

Worhty teacher as doctor; trust what he prescribes,

Shunning strictly all fleshly, material bribes;

Love for Rama the med'cine which health may effect;

And its medium-one's worship in faith and respect;

All disease will be wiped out by foll,wing the course;

Other means are in vain - one will rather grow worse;

Then the mind you know is disease -free & whole,

When within the heart always rules temp'rate control;

The mind's hunger for goodness will daily arise,

As the pow'r of desire for material things dies;

When in wisdon's pure water it bathes ev'ry day,

>From the heart love for Rama will send out its ray.

Siva Brahma, and wise sages-as Sukadev,

Narad, Sanak, who to divine thought their life gave-

All with one mind and voice, Garur, this truth proclaim;

"Love for Lord Rama's lotus-feet is life's chief aim."

This is the truth that all scripture and worthy books teach-

Only by loving him can one happiness reach;

Hair perhaps on the back of a tortoise might grow;

Or a childless one's son kill a man with a blow;

Or in skies above all kinds of bright flowers bloom;

But in hearts that oppose the Lord joy finds no room.

>From a mirage might water be got for one's thirst;

Or great horns from the head of a rabbit might burst;

Or thick darkness might rise up to destroy the sun;

But apart from the Lord joy has never been won.

Fire might suddenly burst from an icy snow-heap;

But if severed from him, true peace no one can keep.

 

One by churning up water might get butter; or

Oil from sand-that is if one were clever !

But this cannot be denied-None finds delivrance

Unless God he worship-No! Never!

Lord Rama can make Brahma less than a gnat,

Or gnat Brahma-like--if he chosses!

A wise man, regarding this, worships Lord Rama,

And all doubts and questions refuses.

 

I'he told thus confirmed truth of that which is wondrouly possible-

That serving Lord Rama one crosses the ocean uncrossabl.

 

 

I beg your pardon for a long post at once.

My pranams to all the members of Advaitin.

Raju

http://www.serenitywalks.com

[Guest guest]

Raju100 wrote:

>.....................

> I'he told thus confirmed truth of that which is wondrouly possible-

> That serving Lord Rama one crosses the ocean uncrossabl.

>

> I beg your pardon for a long post at once.

> My pranams to all the members of Advaitin.

> Raju

 

Harih Om, Dear Raju:

 

Thanks for your beautiful message. Tulasidas, the great Rama Bhakta was

able to see Lord Rama everywhere and all the time. He never missed Rama

for a moment. Brahman has no name or form when we have the vision to see

Him without any illusion. Tulasidas wanted to get out of the illusory

life with the illusory actions and results through his services to Lord

Rama. Who can dispute his claim that serving the Lord can take us across

the ocean of Samsara (Samsara Sagaram!) and beyond.

 

Keep posting and Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

 

--

Ram V. Chandran

Burke, VA

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/11/98 7:18:00 AM Pacific Standard Time,

chandran writes:

 

<< Who can dispute his claim that serving the Lord can take us across

the ocean of Samsara (Samsara Sagaram!) and beyond.

 

Keep posting and Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

 

--

Ram V. Chandran >>

 

Dear Sri Ram Chandran

Namaskar.

I thank you for your kind & encouraging post in response to "Seven question "

of Garura in Tulsikrit Ramayan.

I very much enjoy reading the post at Adwaitin & very greatfull to all the

members you mention their name in your earlier post about their contribution.

Namaste.

Raju

Hikes & walkes in Santa Cruz Mountain.

http://www.serenitywalks.com