Fwd: Have a Generous Disposition

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Hare Krsna.Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be

given up but should be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and

penance purify even the great souls.All these activities should be performed without any

expectation of result. They should be performed as a matter of duty, O

son of Prtha. That is My final opinion. GITA 18-5/6

 

The yogis

should perform acts for the advancement of human society. There are

many purificatory processes for advancing a human being to spiritual

life. The marriage ceremony, for example, is considered to be one of

these sacrifices. It is called vivaha-yajna. Should a sannyasi,

who is in the renounced order of life and who has given up his family

relations, encourage the marriage ceremony? The Lord says here that any

sacrifice which is meant for human welfare should never be given up. Vivaha-yajna, the marriage ceremony, is meant to regulate the human mind to become peaceful for spiritual advancement. For most men, this vivaha-yajna should be encouraged even by persons in the renounced order of life. Sannyasis

should never associate with women, but that does not mean that one who

is in the lower stages of life, a young man, should not accept a wife

in the marriage ceremony. All prescribed sacrifices are meant for

achieving the Supreme Lord. Therefore, in the lower stages, they should

not be given up. Similarly, charity is for the purification of the

heart. If charity is given to suitable persons, as described

previously, it leads one to advanced spiritual life.Although all sacrifices are purifying, one should not

expect any result by such performances. In other words, all sacrifices

which are meant for material advancement in life should be given up,

but sacrifices that purify one's existence and elevate one to the

spiritual plane should not be stopped. Everything that leads to Krsna

consciousness must be encouraged. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam also

it is said that any activity which leads to devotional service to the

Lord should be accepted. That is the highest criterion of religion. A

devotee of the Lord should accept any kind of work, sacrifice or

charity which will help him in the discharge of devotional service to

the Lord. Whatever we have in our possession, is for everyone, not just for

us - having this broad, generous and philanthropic view towards life

gives immense peace. When food is prepared, if anyone that is hungry

arrives at door step, whether it be a friend, or a holy man, or a dog,

then according to our available means, we must give them food. We may

not be able to entirely satisfy their desires. Rather all human beings

on this planet together cannot satisfy the desires of one person.

 

"Ath prthivyaam vrihiyavam kiranyam pashavah striyah;

Na durhyanti manapritim punsah kaamahtatya te." (Sri Bhagvatam 9:19:13)

 

"In this planet the total amount of grains and food supplies, entire

world's gold (wealth), animals and women, all together cannot satisfy

the mind of a man that is filled with desires." (Sri Bhagvatam 9:19:13)

 

 

The Bhartiya Sankruti is very amazing, that can lead to the salvation

of all beings. In Rajasthan when the farmers are farming their land,

they pray to the Great One to bless them with enough food that includes

portion for birds, beasts, animals, small insects and other creatures

etc ! The point here is that the crops grown are not only for us, but

for all beings. When the crop is ripe, and when the first harvest is

in, then the farmers instead of using it themselves, send portion of

the first harvest to the temples, the Brahmins and ascetics, thereafter

for themselves. Similarly when food is prepared, then guests and

visitors are fed first and then the home members eat. As a matter of

fact there are certain days when offerings of food are made to God,

demi-Gods, all beings and more.

 

There is no shortage whatsoever in God, but just like a child offers

his father's thing back to the father, and the father is pleased,

similarly God's things when offered back to God, pleases Him. Water is

offered to the oceans and lighted lamp is offered to the Sun when

performing "Aarti". Is there any shortage of water in the ocean? Does

the Sun have any shortage of light and brilliance? Undoubtedly there is

no shortage, but our generous disposition, a feeling of wanting to

serve all, a feeling on wanting to give happiness to all is one that

will lead to our salvation

 

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