Subhashithaani-Quotable quotes

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32.ijyaa aDhyayana dhaanaani thapaH sathyam DhrthiH samaaH

 

alobha ithi maargo ayam Dharmasya ashtaviDhah smrthaH

 

Worship of the Lord, learning the scriptures, penance, charity, truth, courage, self control and absence of avarice, these eight are the path of dharma.

 

Ijyaa- doing pooja to one's favourite deity in any form, need not necessarily in an elaborate manner but according to one's ability, is meant here. Srimadbhagavatham says that Lord Krishna was simultaneously present at the place of worship of a poor Brahmi and also at the palace of a king who was doing pooja in a grand manner. Even in kaliyuga we have the anecdote that Lord of the seven hills discarded the golden flowers offered by the king in favour of the flowers of clay offered by a poor potter. It is because the Lord looks at the heart of the devotee and not at the offerings of material things.

 

There is an anecdote in which Krishna pointed out to Arjuna the large heaps of flowers as being the offering of Bhima in worship and a small heap as being that offered by Arjuna. The latter wondered because he has never seen Bhima doing pooja anytime whereas he, Arjuna, used to do it regularly. The Lord said that Bhima used to offer everything he sees and enjoys to the Lord while Arjuna offers only at the time of pooja. As the Lord says in the GIta yathkaroshi yhath aSnaasi yajjuhoshi dhadhaasi yath yath thapasyasi kountheya thath kurusghva madharpaNam (BG.9.27), one should offer everything he does, eats, offers in sacrifices, gives away in charity and perform as an austerity to the Lord. This is the attitude of a true devotee as made out in the sloka recited at the end of vishnusahasranama `kaayenavaachaa mansaa indhriyairvaa buddhyaathmanaavaa prakrtheH svabhaavaath karomi yath yath sakalam parasmai naaraayaNaayethi samarpayaami,' meaning, "`Whatever I do physically, by speech or by my mind, or intellect or my indhriyas,or by my inherent nature , I offer all to Lord Narayana.'

adhyayana- learning of scriptures like gita and putting them into practice as far as possible.

 

dhaana- Charity which should begin at home by sharing with others what we have, and also helping the poor and needy to the best of our ability. In the Gita the Lord says bhunjathe the thu agham paapaaH ye pachanthi aathmakaaraNaath ( BG.3.13) the one who cooks for himself only consumes sin.

 

One who earns and accumulates money and possessions for himself and appropriates what is not due to him by right is the one mentioned here as `yo pachathi aathmakaaraNaath,' one who cooks for himself. He is called sinner who eats sin by his actions.

 

thapaH- penance or austerity. In this age this should not be misconstrued as to mean doing penance or observing sever austerities but it really means that we should endure suffering as something that is brought by our karma praying to the Lord for alleviation. Paramacharya of Kanchi once said that when we have any physical suffering such as fever we should think that God has given it to us as we could not do any other more severe penance in kaliyuga and try to endure it..

 

sathyam – Truth. This means being true in thought word and deed. Vide sloka27 re. `sathyambrooyaath priyam brooyaath---"

DhrthiH- fortitude. The mental strength even in adversity.

 

SamaaH- control of mind giving up desires and attachment.

 

alobhaH- absence of avarice by cultivating contentment.

 

Thee qualities are enumerated among the dhaivee sampath or divine attributes in the Gita chapter 16