Sri Sadhguro Pahimam Parama Dayalu Rakshamam

[Guest guest]

Dear Members

" Hindu Dharma " is a book published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan which contains

English translation of two volumes of the Tamil Book " Deivatthin Kural " ; which

is a collection of invaluable and engrossing speeches of Sri Sri Sri

Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi MahaSwamiji.

 

http://kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part4/chap3.htm

 

Neither too Much Ease nor too Many Comforts

 

Now people want to live in comfort and to be provided with all sorts of

amenities. There is no end to their unseemly desires. In America, it is said,

everybody has a bungalow, car, radio, telephone, etc. But are people there

contented? No. There is more discontent in that country than in our own. There

the incidence of crime is more than anywhere else. It is all right that every

American has a car. But today's car is not good enough for them tomorrow. More

and more new models keep coming in the market and each new model offers more

comfort than the previous one. This means that the American citizen is

compelled to earn more with the appearance of each new car. A time may come when

aircraft will be used in the U. S. for people to fly from house to house.

Similarly, we see such a progression all over the world in the matter of

housing. First there was the hovel or the hut; then came the dwelling with the

tiled roof; afterwards houses with cement and concrete walls. The flooring also

changed over the years. First the floor was wiped with cowdung; then it was

plastered and cemented; the mosaic flooring came later; and the search is on

for smoother and shinier surfaces. It is the same case with clothing - better

and finer fabrics are being made everyday. Although we are already living in

comfort we are all the time using our ingenuity to discover objects and gadgets

that will make our life still easier. However, all the time we are likely to

have the feeling of uneasiness with all the comforts we already possess and

this means there will be no end to our yearnings. Not knowing any contentment

or peace of mind we are compelled to earn more and more. It is like thinking

that fire can be extinguished by pouring petrol

on it; we keep discovering newer and newer objects but in the progress we keep

further inflaming our longing for ease and comfort.

This truth was known to our sages, to our forefathers. They taught us that we

ought not to seek more than our bare needs. In recent times Gandhiji impressed

upon the people the same lesson.

In this century, people seek ostentatious living in the name of progress. So

long as the hunger for new comforts continue neither the individual nor society

will have contentment. There will always be feelings of rivalry, jealousy and

heart-burning among people. In the varnasrama dharma, the Brahmin and

non-Brahmin are equal economically speaking. In spite of the caste differences,

the same simple living is enjoined on all. The ideal of equality can be

achieved only if all people live a simple life. In this order every individual

experiences contentment and inner happiness and no one has cause of envying

others their prosperity.

No man, whatever his vocation, should have either too much money or too many

comforts. Above all what is important is that for which all these are intended

but that which cannot be truly obtained through them: contentment and a sense

of fullness within. Only when there is inner satisfaction can one meditate on

the Lord. And only in the mind of a man who has such contentment is the

Ultimate Truth realised as a reality. When a person has too many comforts he

will be incapable of going beyond the stage of sensual pleasures. If he is

addicted to enjoyments, without any need for physical exertion, he will do

injury to his mind, and his inner being. Hard work and the capacity to suffer

discomforts are essential for those who yearn for Atmic uplift. They will then

learn to realise that there is comfort in discomfort and in hard work.

 

JAYA JAYA SANKARA HARA HARA SANKARA

 

Thwameva Maathaa Cha Pithaa Thwameva

Thwameva Bhandhuscha Sakhaa Thwameva

 

Thwameva Vidhyaa Dhravinam Thwameva

Thwameva Sarvam Mama Dheva Dheva.