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Jun 18 2017
Datta maata 26: Who is valourous (veera)?
In many stories, the heroes are said to be very brave. Usually, all of them appear very attractive and valorous externally. But, what is the true meaning of valor? It is not merely waving the sword. It is in fact related to many virtues like compassion, charity, dharma (righteousness) and bravery in battlefield. There are many sub divisions in valor. Just like there are many upa nava rasās (sub divisions in nine attributes), the valor too is classified in a similar fashion.
Waving sword indicates bravery. How can one become a yuddha vēra (one fights a battle bravely), just because one has killed hundreds of people? Those who possess infinite compassion and uphold righteousness to protect the people by sacrificing their own lives are said to be valorous. Many people keep on saying, “I will do service even if I lose my life?” They do not know their own duty properly. How will they do service after they die?
Similarly, those people who have lost their assets cannot be called charitable. It is not so. One who offers help to others by offering oneself with a broad perspective only must be called dāna vēra (valorous). One who lost the assets for helping others is the true dāna vēra. Likewise, for daya (compassion) and dharma (righteousness), the traits of selflessness and sacrifice are very important. Remember this very well.
Adharma (Unrighteousness) appears as though it will triumph but being steadfast in one’s righteous activities will make one truly valorous. When winning by following dharma is doubtful, if one succumbs to adharma, then it will be called cowardice.
Few people perform many good deeds in different ways by doing charity whereas few others do the same with compassion. Out of them, only few of them have to fight for their goal. But, for any activity of anybody, dharma is like the foundation pillar. Hence, one who strictly adheres to dharma irrespective of victory or defeat is a truly valorous person. Only such a person is brave whether he wins or loses. Even if one wins by following adharma, such a person is considered a coward because he does not have the bravery to win over his own selfishness. Hence, any task undertaken by sticking to dharma will be termed as a brave action. May you all obtain that bravery! Everyone must attain this state. We must practice this. How should be our bravery?
If one loses one’s life and assets merely because someone gets benefitted, then such a person is the real valorous person. This is what we have understood so far. Many people win over others with adharma. It is not nice. Winning over by following the rules of dharma is good. You observe this carefully. Stealing a person just to do charity to another is not the real charity. How is this possible? If your earning is according to dharma, then you can do charity. By earning with adharma, you cannot be called ‘Daana veera’. This is what we must understand.
Jai Guru Datta! Sri Guru Datta!
Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/datta-maata-episode-26-what-is-veeratvam-valourous/
Jun 18 2017
Datta maata 25: Elders should always lead by example
As the children grow, it becomes difficult for the parents to handle them. Their minds undergo strange transformations. Why does this happen? The question here is that as the children get older, why does it become difficult to handle them? It should have been otherwise. As the students grow up, it is very difficult for the teachers to teach them as well. They ask many questions. It is not just that. If we send the children to college for pursuing education, they also get lured by many other fields. As soon as they enter into college, their mind becomes broad. What is the reason behind this? This is the second question. Their minds get diverted to different areas other than education. Similarly, in spiritual practice, as the disciples grow higher, it becomes difficult for the Gurus to maintain them in that path. They read different kinds of books. Even if mahatmas talk about the important subjects like Vedanta, people are busy doing archana (worship) – the small spiritual practices. Despite learning about Vedanta, people go behind archana, pooja etc. Why is this so? This is the third question.
The answer to all the above three questions is one and only one. Every being will acquire certain attributes after birth. The effects of such attributes do not leave the mind and it follows the soul in the future births as well. This is called ‘samskāra’ or ‘vāsana’. This samskara attracts humans to different fields. As the man becomes older, the power of the samskāra becomes stronger. If the samskāra is bad (dussamskāra), then its power is much stronger. Hence, it is difficult to teach the children at home, at school or at temple going against the bad attributes. However, a person always has an opportunity for freedom irrespective of the power of samskāra.
Sadgurus utilize this opportunity and teach their disciples, good lessons. One must have good expertise to utilize the opportunity at hand. Scolding forcibly will not change the samskāra and instead there are chances of opposing. Our elders have observed this a lot.
Hence, mahatmas descend down from their level and teach the people around by doing the tasks that ordinary persons are ought to. As a result, the disciples get inspired and they too follow their footsteps. Here, the samskāra of the disciples gets surrendered through love. Hence, the results are permanent and sweet at the same time. Sadgurus struggle a lot for their disciples to get the profit.
The behavior of a person depends on the samskāra. Hence, there is no use of forcing anybody to change their behavior. We must show the good results directly by taking up the tasks for ourselves. If we do so, it will attract the samskāra and bestow auspiciousness. Hence, the elders must try to first follow and lead by example. Irrespective of the field, all the leaders, Gurus, teachers and all those who teach about good must lead others by example.
Jai Guru Datta! Sri Guru Datta!
Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/datta-maata-episode-25-elders-should-always-lead-by-example/
Jun 18 2017
Datta maata 24: Every married couple should aspire to develop qualities of Atri and Anasuya
Just like the body stands on the feet, the entire family depends on wife and husband. The entire society is based on them. Couples are very important. That is why; we worship demigods as Lakshmi-Narayana, Gauri-Shankara (in the form of couple) etc. We can also quote several examples about the sage couples. But, the most famous amongst them is the couple, Atri and Anasuya. We can know about the entire history with their names. They were an ideal couple.
Nistraigunyo bhavarjuna – Krishna says that one has to overcome the Trigunas (the three gunas (traits) namely Sattva, Rajas and Tamas). Many have a doubt whether one has to necessarily leave sattva guna as well along with rajasic and tamasic traits. If sattva guna is the reason behind the ego of a person that he is sattvic, then it is of no use. You must be very careful. Hence, it has to be sacrificed.
Sage Atri was like an intense flame of fire and pure Ganga water. He was ever pure. The head of a family must be like him. Feeling an envious resentment of others for their growth is known as ‘Asuya’ (jealousy). In fact, that is the reason behind all the losses. With such envy, many families are ruined. Those who think of others can never grow themselves. If there are such feelings in the woman who handles a family, then we need not mention the consequences. Hence, women must give up jealousy. When the couple become like Atri-Anasuya, God will bestow himself as Datta. Datta incarnates in every house either in the form of Datta or Anagha Lakshmi.
In this way, world is getting benefitted. The entire society relies on such family. It is Datta who makes it happen so. For Datta to offer himself, the couple must lead their life like Atri- Anasuya. Only then, the entire world will be filled with the vibrations of Datta. Everybody can see Datta. Because of the penance of Atri and Anasuya, the paramatma offered himself to them. Datta means ‘one who gives himself’. Hence, a couple must be like Atri and Anasuya. Atri is a pure soul who is beyond the trigunas. Anasuya had no asuya (jealousy) at all. By seeing God everywhere, she has seen the truth in every being. Such is the greatness of Anasuya matha. She is Jaganmatha (mother of the world). That is why, a couple must become like Atri and Anasuya. Hence, Datta is born to them as the son. They have also shown many good ways to the society. Hence, we describe them as the ideal couple. We too many a time wish to become the ideal couple. The couple must understand each other, being good at heart and without indulging in any fights. If we can lead such a happy life, our house will be like ‘Nanda Gokulam’.
Jai Guru Datta! Sri Guru Datta!
Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/datta-maata-episode-24-every-married-couple-should-aspire-to-develop-qualities-of-maharishi-atri-and-mother-anasuya/
Jun 18 2017
Datta maata 23: Who is a samsari? What is samsara?
Samsāra (worldly bondages) does not mean possessing wife, children, house and others. It is this ‘life’ which is the foundation of everything. Getting rid of this is called liberation (mukti). In the worldly life, a samsari (one who is in samsāra) who is fully habituated to the sensory pleasures will not forget the samsāra even if death has approached him. He will not at all think of chanting the divine names at least at this point of time.
Once, a man (samsāri) was travelling in a forest. At some point of time, he heard the sound of cruel animals. He saw a big tiger at some distance. He soon started running. He was hurt on his way but soon gathered stamina and resumed running. Seeing the man, the tiger followed him. He ran much faster and fell into a well which had thorny shrubs. The man was hanging upside down in the well. There was a venomous snake which was hissing at him, watching over him. The man was trembling with fear trying to safeguard his life amidst the thorny shrubs.
On top of the well is the tiger and on the bottom is the snake. Because of the movement of the shrubs, the beehive around it got disturbed and the bees pierced him on his body. Only God knows the difficulty of that man! Surprisingly, the honey started to ooze out from the hive and dripped into his mouth. He gradually started to sip the honey and felt happy for its delectable taste. He got the desire of taking the honey to his wife and children. How foolish he is! This is māya (illusion).
Inspite of struggling with death, he is still dreaming. If he slips down; he will be gulped by the snake. If he goes up, he will become prey for the tiger. Meanwhile, he does not know when he will fall down. On top of that, the honey bees are hurting him. In such a situation, one must involve in singing the names of God. If one does not remember the divine names despite knowing that death is certain, then one has to meet the downfall.
When King Parakshit got to know that he would die in a week’s time; he gave up all the luxuries and spent his time in listening to Bhāgavatam. We know this story very well. Let everyone inculcate such good traits. Despite knowing that death is fast approaching, many people have lot of desires. During the time of death, we must fearlessly chant the mantra given by Guru, follow righteousness or chant the divine names of God. Instead of that, we wish to live for two more days just because the share market would come out of losses and that it would bring more money for us. We wish to live for few extra days to see our daughter getting married. We want the grace period of two days only to buy an apartment. This is how many people think foolishly. They do not want grace period for chanting God’s names. It is just to buy apartments, to get the child’s marriage done or to witness the growth of share market. This is not good.
Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/datta-maata-episode-23-who-is-a-samsari-what-is-samsara/
Jun 16 2017
Datta maata 22: Walk on path specified by Sadguru to reach ultimate destination
Some people say that God exists and few other say that he does not. We have been listening to such arguments everywhere now. Sometimes, we too get doubts about God’s existence. A teacher teaches his science students that the Earth is round. He tells them that people live in America that lies in a straight line to India. The teacher gives explanation that it is the gravitational pull of Earth that makes the people stay in America without falling. He explains them that even though they are upside down, they do not fall down because of the Earth’s gravitational pull. Few students believe the teacher’s words while few others do not. For them to believe, they themselves have to go to America. There is perhaps no other way. Once they see themselves, they will certainly understand.
Similarly, to get rid of the doubts about the existence of God permanently, we must try to see him perfectly. However, it is not so easy. If we wish to go to America, we obtain the passport, VISA; ask others about the flight charges, etc. Likewise, to experience God, we must follow the path that Sadgurus followed and with their help, we must practice and follow the righteous (dharmic) path. We must not go in the way we want. We cannot argue about going to America without passport, VISA or without taking flight. We cannot go by bus. That is not possible. Those who want to go independently without the help of anybody cannot reach the goal.
You must practice in the way the experienced persons tell you. Only then, you can get the realization. You cannot argue saying that, ‘I will do as I wish’, ‘I will follow only this mantra’, ‘I do not need a Guru’ and so on. If you do so independently, you will not get to know the way. Instead, you can listen to the experienced persons and better yourself in it. Without leaving the friendship of experienced persons, if you share their experience and follow the path, then you can definitely reach the goal.
Instead if you argue that you do not need passport, VISA or flight, you cannot go to America. Same is the case with the spiritual practice. One cannot argue saying that, ‘Why should I do only this?’ Why should I do these many lakhs of mantra?’ ‘Will I reach God only if I do these many vratas (austerities)?’ If you argue so and do as you wish, you can never realize God. Sadgurus will teach the disciples the way they adopted. They will narrate their experiences to their friends and fellow human beings. If we follow them, we will reach the goal we want to. Otherwise, we cannot.
In the spiritual life, by following Guru, we must trust each and every word of him. If we follow each and every step of Guru, we can experience the true bliss and realize God. Only then you will grow spiritually and can certainly see God.
Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/datta-maata-22-by-walking-on-path-specified-by-sadguru-we-will-undoubtedly-reach-the-destination/
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