Saturday, November 22, 2014

मूर्खलक्षणे - संत रामदास

धरून परावी आस । प्रेत्न सांडी सावकास । निसुगाईचा* संतोष । मानी तो येक मूर्ख ॥ (*आळशीपणाचा)
घरी विवेक उमजे । आणी सभेमध्ये लाजे । शब्द बोलता निर्बुजे * । तो येक मूर्ख ॥ (*काही कळत नाही - घाबरून)
नायके त्यास सिकवी । वडिलांसी जाणीव दावी । जो आरजास* गोवी । तो येक मूर्ख ॥ (*भोळ्या, सरळ माणसास)
औषध ने घे असोन व्यथा । पथ्य न करी सर्वथा । न मिळे आलिया पदार्था । तो येक मूर्ख ॥
घरिच्यावरी खाय दाढा । बाहेरी दीन बापुडा । ऎसा जो का मूढ वेडा । तो येक मूर्ख ॥
जिवलगास परम खेदी । सुखाचा शब्द तोहि नेदी । नीच जनांस वंदी । तो येक मूर्ख ॥
कळह पाहात उभा राहे । तोडविना कौतुक पाहे । खरे अस्ता खोटे साहे । तो येक मूर्ख ॥
विचार न करिता कारण । दंड करी अपराधेविण । स्वल्पासाठी जो कृपण । तो येक मूर्ख ॥

In Sarth Shridasbodh, Sant Ramdas gives general and common symptoms of idiots and of intelligent people. Above is a selection from the symptoms of the Idiots. These are basically the "Don'ts" for living a life.
Sant Ramdas says, one who keeps hope on somebody, stops his own efforts and enjoys laziness is an Idiot. He wants us not to stop efforts in any situation, we can take help from others but should not totally depend on them, and should continue our efforts.
Next, he talks about the persons who become very intelligent at home and are too shy to speak in meetings outside (or on stage) and out of stage-fear are unable to utter a word, he is an idiot. Here, he is urging people to become fearless and courageous to speak your mind in public, and to be intelligent in doing so.
One who teaches the person who does not listen to him, who tries to teach what is right and what is wrong to his elders, who tries to put simple (naive) and straightforward person into difficult situations, is an idiot.
One who does not take medicine even though he is ill, and does not restraint his food as required for curing the disease, who is not satisfied in the current situation, is an idiot. He wants us to take up medicines and restraint ourselves so as to get well from the diseases, here controlling the desires of taste and short term pleasures is important.
He who shouts on his family members, fights with them, but is very kind and poor fellow for outsiders, one who is such a mad person, is an idiot.
One who is always gives pains to his loved ones, and never speaks a kind word to them but salutes mean people, is an idiot. i.e. one who is good for bad people and bad for his loved ones is an idiot.
Watching the quarrel of others and enjoying it, not trying to resolve the problem, who accepts (endures) a false/lie even when he knows the truth, is an idiot.
One who thoughtlessly punishes others without their mistake, who is a miser even for very small things, is an idiot!

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Mind - Dangerous Tiger


Below is a verse from Adi Shankaracharya's Vivekchudamani.

मनो नाम महाव्याघ्र: विषयारण्यभूमिषु |
चरत्यत्र न गच्छतु साधवो ये मुमुक्षव: ||

मन नावाचा खूप भयानक वाघ, विषयांच्या अरण्यात शिकारीसाठी फिरत असतो. सज्जन आणि मुमुक्षू लोक हे तिथे जात नाहीत.
A dangerous tiger named Mind lives in the vast jungle of the sense-objects. Good people and seekers of salvation do not go there.

Adi Shankaracharya has used an excellent metaphor to describe the nature of mind, sense-objects and its effect on us. He says mind is a tiger who hunts in the vast jungle of sense-objects, if we go there we would surely get killed. Hence, seekers should not allow the mind to wander in this vast jungle of the sense-objects i.e. they should control their mind. If they do not, they will surely get destroyed.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

तुका म्हणे विंचु सर्प नारायण, वंदावे दुरोन शिवो नये - संत तुकाराम


We know that God is equally present in all living entities. So we must love and respect all the living entities.
In this case, if we come across a person who is difficult, having bad habits or is trying to disturb/distract our path, how to handle such a person. Tukaram Maharaj explains beautifully in the below Abhang:

जन देव तरी पाया चि पडावे | त्याचिया स्वभावे चाड नाही ||१||
अग्नीचे सौजन्य शीतनिवारण | पालवी बांधोनि नेता नये ||२||
तुका म्हणे विंचु सर्प नारायण | वंदावे दुरोन शिवो नये ||३||

As God is present in all the people, we should pay our respects to them, but should not keep dealing with them if we are not able to handle them. We cannot change anybody's nature easily, we should rather stay away from such a person.
Fire is very beneficial to us, in that, it saves us from cold. But if we put tender leaves of the tree in the fire, they'll surely get burnt. Here, tender leaves do not have capability to handle the fire (which in itself is not bad), hence they are expected to stay away from fire.
He further says, God is also present in snakes and scorpion, hence one should respect them but should not go and touch them.
This is the way to handle difficult people, if you cannot manage them, stay away from them!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Doubts/Questions - Sant Tukaram (प्रश्न - संत तुकाराम)


जनी जनार्दन ऐकतो हे मात | कैसा हा वृत्तांत न कळे आम्हां ||
जन्म जरा मरण कवण भोगी भोग | व्याधी नाना रोग सुखदु:खे ||
पापपुण्ये शुद्धाशुद्ध आचरणे | ही कोणाकारणे कवणे केली ||
आम्हा मरण नाश तू तव अविनाश | कैसा हा विश्वास साच मानू ||
तुका म्हणे तू चि निवडी हा गुढार | दाखवी साचार ते चि मज ||

Tukaram maharaj is asking doubts directly to the God, about reasons behind different mysteries of life like birth, death, miseries etc and is asking God to clarify those:

I hear that, God lives in every living being, I do not understand how this comes to be.
Why and who has created birth, aging, death, enjoying material desires, diseases, happiness, sadness, sin, good deeds, pure and impure ways of living?
We have death and destruction and You are imperishable, how should I believe this?
Tuka says, please you resolve these puzzles for me and show me the truth.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

नाम महिमा - १० - संत तुकाराम


हे चि माझे तप हे चि माझे दान | हे चि अनुष्ठान नाम तुझे ||
हे चि माझे तीर्थ हे चि माझे व्रत | सत्य हे सुकृत नाम तुझे ||
हा चि माझा धर्म हे चि माझे कर्म | हा चि नित्यनेम नाम तुझे ||
हा चि माझा योग हा चि माझा यद्न्य | हे चि जपध्यान नाम तुझे ||
हे चि माझे द्न्यान श्रवण मनन | हे चि निजध्यासन नाम तुझे ||
हा चि कुळाचार हा चि कुळधर्म | हा चि नित्यनेम नाम तुझे ||
हा माझा आचार हा माझा विचार | हा माझा निर्धार नाम तुझे ||
तुका म्हणे दुजे सांगायासी नाही | नामेविण काही धनवित्त ||

My austerity, my good works of donations, my religious ritual is (chanting of) your Name.
My holy place, my vow, my true good deed is (chanting of) your Name.
My religion, my duty, my daily rules and regulations is (chanting of) your Name.
My yoga, my sacrifice, my meditation, my chanting is (chanting of) your Name.
My knowledge, my listening, my thoughts, my continuous focus is (chanting of) your Name.
My family rituals, family religion, my daily regulations is (chanting of) your Name.
My way of living, my thoughts, my commitment is (chanting of) your Name.
Tuka says I don't have any other possessions (money etc) except your Name.