Satyopanisad

[Guest guest]

Swami! The growing trend today is to earn more and more money. Ego and pride are

growing beyond control. Would you kindly give us the solution for this trend?

 

The earth revolves round the sun. So also, man today is revolving round money.

In fact, money provides only comfort and conveniences. There are many things

that money cannot do.

 

`With money you can have delicious food in a five star hotel,

But how about your appetite?

You can buy a beautiful bed,

But can you buy sleep?

You can have the latest, costliest medicines,

But can you with your money extend the life of a dying man?'

 

You think money makes many things, but it is not so. It leads you on to vices.

People have two important resources - `Head' and 'Heart'., Head carries with it

responsibility. It has all the knowledge of pravrtti, the external world, but

heart stands for nivrtti, right internal awakening. Values like sacrifice,

truth, charity, love, compassion, come out of the heart. All that you find

outside is only `art', but `heart' is inside. Don't be carried away by the outer

`art'.

 

The breeze you get from a number of electric fans is nothing compared to natural

breeze. Tank water, river water, and lake water can never equal rain water. God

is infinite. Where does man stand in front of Him? Why are you egoistic and

proud? What for? Mountains may be of high altitude. But, water from the mountain

top flows only downward. Similarly, you may be a great scholar or occupy a good

position. If you are proud and egoistic, your fall is near. Light travels

upward. So also, the fire of knowledge takes you to the heights. In fact modern

man is much worse than cats and dogs. When they are sick they do not eat

anything, they fast or starve. However, man is for a feast even in times of

sickness. He never `fasts'. He likes `feasts' only. Therefore he falls sick

frequently.,

 

The cycle of creation goes by the three attributes or Gunas: tamas, inertia,

rajas, passion, and sattva, piety represented by the triune, Brahma, creator,

Vishnu, sustainer, and Siva, annihilator. Among the eighty-four lakhs of

species, the human being is very special. He is blessed by God, his creator with

mind and intellect. But man has become so egoistic and proud that he even

doubts, questions, and denies God, his creator. This is the significance of the

episode of Mohini Bhasmasura in our epics.

 

There was one demon king by name Bhasmasura. He did penance and pleased Lord

Siva. He prayed to Siva to grant him a boon that would give him the power to

turn anybody into ashes the moment he lays his hands on his head. Siva granted

the boon. Thus, intoxicated with this new found power, Bhasmasura began laying

his hand indiscriminately on the heads of all those persons he found near him.

Naturally, according to the boon he got from God, they died and were burnt to

ashes. He became so bad, so horrible, and so highly egoistic that he decided to

place his hand even on the head of Siva, the very giver of the boon. Then Lord

Vishnu took the form of a beautiful dancer Mohini, and started dancing in front

of Bhasmasura who, excited by her enchanting beauty, also started dancing along

with her. In the course of gestures and postures, Mohini had suddenly put her

hand on her head and Bhasmasura did the same thing. The moment he placed his

hand on his head he died. So by denying God, man is ruining himself.

 

Modern man is like Bhasmasura. He harms the person who helps him. Whatever is

said, thought, and done by him is full of selfishness. He has lost the value of

fundamental discrimination, which is applicable to all and beneficial to

everyone. He lacks divine qualities like truth, peace and love. This is the

flaw. He lacks divine qualities and possesses demonic qualities like jealousy,

pride, and hatred. He " kills " knowledge. He has to `skill' his knowledge to

maintain balance. This is the reason for all his troubles .He removes the letter

`S' that stands for 'Sai' from the word `skill' and loses balance. Ego, avarice,

jealousy, and such bad qualities are due to our ahara, vihara, and samparka:

food, company, and interaction. When you control and discipline yourself, you

will find the solution

beneficial to everyone. He lacks divine qualities like truth, peace and love.

This is the flaw. He lacks divine qualities and possesses demonic qualities like

jealousy, pride, and hatred. He " kills " knowledge. He has to `skill' his

knowledge to maintain balance. This is the reason for all his troubles .He

removes the letter `S' that stands for 'Sai' from the word `skill' and loses

balance. Ego, avarice, jealousy, and such bad qualities are due to our ahara,

vihara, and samparka: food, company, and interaction. When you control and

discipline yourself, you will find the solution.