Teachings od DharmaVyAdha - (3)

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...........Continued from DharmavyAdha (2).

The Brahmin, Kaushia, asks DharmavyAdha - How should I

understand what is Higher Conduct and what is not Higher Conduct?

DharmavyAdha continues to expound on this.

 

" yajnyO dAnam tapO vEdAh satyam cha dvijasattama

panchaitAni pavitrANi shishTA-chArEshu sarvadA " - Oh! the superior

among brahmins, performing yajnya, giving charities (dAna), austerity,

study of scriptures and truthfulness - these five constitute Higher

Conduct.

 

" kAma krOdhou vashE kritvA dambham lObham anArjanam

dharmam ityEva santushTAh tE shishTAh shishTa-sammatAh " - Overcoming

desires, anger, arrogance and greed, cherishing and following dharma - such

a person is accepted as a shishTa ( a person of higher conduct) by shishTas.

 

" na tEsham vidyatE avrittam yajnya-svAdhyAya-shIlinAm

AchAra pAlanam chaiva dvitIyam shishTalakshNam " - A person always engaged

in yajnya does not act by his own dictum; he is guided by

dharma. Such is the second characteristic of a shishTa.

 

" guru-shushrUshaNam satyam akrOdhO dAnam Eva cha

Etat chatushTayam Brahman shishTachArEshu sarvadA " - Serving the guru,

truthfulness, overcoming anger and offering dAna (charity) - these four

are always permanently seated in a person of higher conduct.

 

" shishTachArE manah kritvA pratishTapya cha sarvashah

yAmayam labhatE vrittim sA na shakyA hyatO anyathA " - Having decided

to be seated in higher conduct, and declaring so (to himself), the above

four traits - Serving the guru, truthfulness, overcoming anger and offering

dAna will ensure a person achieve his goal.

 

" vEdasya upanishat satyam satyasya upanishat damah

Damasya upanishat thyAgah shishTAchArEshu nityadA " - The essence of vEdas

is "Satya"-Truth(the outcome of study of vEdas is an understanding of Para

Brahma). The essence of Satya is seated in Dama( control of sense organs and

organs of karma). The essence of such control is seated in ThyAga

(renunciation). Therefore these four - study of vEdas, Satya, Dama and

Thyaga- are always

associated in a person of higher conduct.

 

" yE tu dharma anasYyantE buddhi-mOhAnvitA narAh

apathA gacchatAm tEsham anuyAtA cha pIDyatE " - A deluded person who is

jealous of the person of higher conduct, who is ....... towards Dharma,

who takes the path opposite to higher conduct (apathA),such a person and his

followers will perish.

 

" yE tu shishTAh suniyatAh shruti-tyAga-parAyaNAh

Dharma-panthAnam ArUDAh satya-dharma-parAyaNAh

Niyacchanti parAm buddhim shishTA-chArAnvitA janAh

upAdhyAyamatE yuktAh sthityA dharmArtha-darshinah" - A person of higher

conduct, is therefore one, who follows vrata (engaged in a ritual), vEdas,

Dharma, and are ThyAgis, follows the guidance of Guru, and who has the

intellect focused on Para Brahman, and who really understands the true

significance and consequence of Dharma.

 

" NnAstikAn, bhinna-maryAdAn krUrAn pApa-matou sthitAn

Tyaja tAn jnyAnam Ashritya dhArmika anupasyEva cha

kAma lObha grahAkIrNAm pancha indriya jalAm nadIm

nAvam dhriti-mayIm kritvA janma-durgANi santara " - A shishTa rejects

atheists, those who transgress the norms of the world, dharma-brashTas, and

cruel people; He exercises his discrimination in serving the follower of

dharma. He crosses over the river of birth and death infested with the

crocodiles of desire and anger and the floods of the sense organs.

 

" kramENa sanchitO dharmO buddhi-yOga-mayO mahAn

shishTAchArE bhavEtsAdhU rAgah shuklEva vAsasi " - A person of higher

conduct, in following his routine of good deeds within the framework of

Dharma, will be successful in merging his mind in the intellect. He glows

through his higher conduct, just as a white cloth shines when painted.

 

" ahimsA satyavachanam sarvabhUta-hitam param

ahimsA paramO dharmah sa cha satyE pratishTitah

satyE kritvA pratishTam tu pravartantE pravrittayah " - Speaking the truth

and being non-violent are soothing to all beings. Non-violence, seated in

Satya is a very high dharma. When the mind and intellect are seated in

Satya, the activities (pravritti)of a righteous person expresses as karma.

 

" satyamEva garIyastu shishTAchAra nishEvitam

AchArascha satAm dharmah santah cha AchAra lakshaNAh " - The Truth

exhibited by a shishTa is the highest Truth. Righteous conduct is the dharma

of a saintly person. Righteous and higher conduct are the characteristics of

a saint.

 

" yO yathA prikritih jantuh sa svAm prikritim ashnutE

pApAtmA krOdha-kAmAdhIn dOshAn ApnOti anAtmavAn " - The guNa and

karma of a human or animal is consistent with the svabhAva (nature

or instinct). A person of desire, anger, lack of control of sense

organs and mind becomes a person of sin.

 

" ArambhO nyAyayuktO yah sa hi dharma iti smritah

anAchArah adharmEti Etat shishTa anushAsanam " - Any activity that

is logical and accepted as logical is considerd Dharma. An activity

that is against tradition, illogical is considered adharma by the

people of higher conduct.

 

" akrudhyantO anasUyantO nirahankAra matsarAh

Rujavah shama sampannAh shishTachArA bhavanti tE " - A man of higher

conduct does not get angry under any excited situations; he does not

feel jealousy at the progress of other people nor is he arrogant in

achieving very high merits; he is not conceited, he does not show revenge

against anyone that hurts him; he remains calm under all circumstances.

 

" traividya-vriddhAh shuchayO vrittavantO manasvinah

Guru-shushrUshavO dAntAh shishTachArA bhavantyuta " - A person of higher

conduct is adept in the scriptures, displays purity at body and mind level,

good natured, controls his senses and mind and serves his Guru.

 

" tEshAm ahIna satvAnAm dushkarah AchAra karmaNAm

Svaih karmabhih sat-kritAnAm ghOratvam sam-praNashyati " - They are hlghly

cultured, are determined to complete a work with faith, however difficult

it is; they have, by their own self-effort, become people of higher

conduct. They neutralize sinful acts of other people(followers).

 

" Tam sadAchAram Ascharyam purANam shAshvatam dhruvam

Dharmam dharmENa pashyantah svargam yAnti manIshNah " - virtuous

conduct and higher conduct are extraordinary traits. They produce

extraordinary fruits, they are time immemorial, are permanent and

real. an observer of such higher conduct reaches heaven.

 

" AstikA mAna-hInAscha dvijAti-jana-pUjakAh

shrutavratta upasampannAh santah svarga-nivAsinah " -A theist, modest

person, one who respects brahmins, and cultured reach heaven at the

end of their life.

 

" Eda uktah paramO dharmO dharma-shAstrEshu chAparah

shishTA-chArascha shishTAnAm trividham dharma-lakshaNam " - There are

three distinctive marks of dharma - 1) following the teachings of vEdas,

2) organizing life per dharma-shAstra and smrithis and 3) following the

guidelines of the person of a shishTa.

 

" dhAranam cha api vidyAnAm tIrthAnAm avagAhanam

kshamA satya Arjavam shoucham satAm AchAra darshanam " - studying all

disciplines of learning, going on pilgrimages, forgiveness, truth,

simplicity, and cleanliness (internal and external) are also the

distinctive marks of a shishTa.

 

" sarvabhUta dayAvantO ahimsA niratAh sadA

parusham cha na bhAshanTe sadA santO dvija-priyAh " - compassion towards

all beings, non-violent to all beings at all times, and in high esteem

by brahmins are the characteristics of a person of higher conduct.

 

" shubhAnAm ashubhAnAm cha karmaNAm phalam sanchayE

vipAkam abi-jAnanti tE shishTah shishTa-sammatAh " - a shsisTa is

indifferent to the fruits of action (auspicious or in-auspicious)

 

" nyAyO-pEtAh guNO-pEtAh sarvalOka-hitaishinAh

santah svarga-jitah shuklAh sam-nivishTA-scha satpathE " - A person of

higher conduct is just to all, he exercises shama (control of mind) and

dama (control of sense organs) and goes to heaven by the merits of his

good deeds.

 

" dAtArAh sam-vibhaktArO dInAnugraha-kAriNah

sarvapUjyAh shrutha-dhanAh tathaiva cha tapasvinah

sarvabhUta-dayAvantah tE shishTAh shishTa-sammatAh " - He follows non-

violence, follows the guidelines of learned people, he is disposed towards

charities; takes care of the family in a just way towards all; supports the

poor and is respected by all.

 

" Ana-shishTAh sukhA-llOkAn ApnuvantIha cha shriyam

pIdayA cha kalatrasya bhrityAnAm cha samAhitAh " - A person of higher

conduct who lives by the remnants after offering charities not only

goes to heaven at the end of the life, but also receives fame in his

lifetime; he treats un-invited guests, even at the cost of his family

members, servants and employees

 

" ati-shaktyA prayacchanti santah sadbhih samAgatAh

lOkayAtrAm cha pashyantO dharmam Atma-hitAni cha

Evam santO vartamAnAh tvE dhantE shAshvatI samAh " - A person of

higher conduct follow the dharma of the land, that are also soothing to him.

He lives a life of fame for a long time.

 

" ahimsA satya-vachanam anRishansyam atha Arjavam

adrOhO na abhimAnascha hrIh titIkshA damah shamah " - Non-violence,

truthfulness, compassion, absence of malice, absence of pride, hold-

back from committing sinful acts (hrI), forbearance (titIksha) and

peace are the hall-marks of a person of higher conduct.

 

" dhImantO dhritimantascha bhUtAnAm anukampakAh

akAma dvEsha samyuktAh tE santO lOka-sAkshiNah " - Good persons

exhibiting discrimination, determination, compassion towards all

beings, free from desire and anger are the leaders of the society.

 

" trINyEva tu padAnyAhuh satam vratam anuttamam

na chaiva druhyEt dadyAccha satyam chaiva sadA vadEt " - Three

important duties to be observed by a person of higher conduct are

1) non-violence, 2) offering dAna (charity) and 3) always being truthful.

 

" sarvatra cha dayAvantah santah karuNa-vEdinah

gacchantIha susantushTA dharma panthAnam uttamam

shishTAchArA mahAtmAnO yEshAm dharmah sunischitah " - Such a person

who is sympathetic and compassionate towards all beings, being

a follower of Dharma, will continue to follow the dharma in to

heavenly lands. The sages have firmly established the path of

shishTA-chAra

 

" anasUyA kshamA shAntih santOshah priya-vAditA

kAma-krOdha parityAgah shishTAchAra nishEvaNam

karma cha shruta-sampannam satAm mArgam anuttamam " - The life followed by

saints is filled with patience, free from jealousy, peace, ever happy,

speaks agreeably to others, free from desire and anger, serving the

shishTas, and doing karma prescribed by shruti and smriti

 

" shishTAchAram nishEvantE nityam dharmam anuvratAh

prajnyA prAsAdam Aruhya muchyantE mahatO bhayAt " - Such saintly persons

follow all through their life, shishtAchAra, adherence to dharma, on

realizing Self Knowledge, are liberated from the cycle of birth and death.

 

" prEkshantO lOka-vrittAni vividhAni dvijOttama

ati-puNyAni pApAni tAni dvija-varOttama " - These saints are witness to

varieties of activities in this world. They are able to discriminate

between the righteous action and sinful action. Oh! Brahmin, association

with such saints is really very beneficial.

 

....................................to be continued.