SUBASHITHUM FROM Manusmriti
from the Manusmriti
The external body parts are purified by water, the mind is purified by truth.
austerities and education purify the life soul and knowledge purifies the intellect.
adbhiH - by water
shuddhyanti - purifiied (are the)
gaatraani - (external) body parts
manaH - mind
satyena - by truth
shuddhyati - is purified
tapaH - austerities
vidyaa - education
tapovidyaabhyaaM - by austerities and education
bhUtaatmaa - the life-soul (is purified)
buddhiH - intellect
GYaanena - by knowledge
shuddhyati - is purified
Rahul Jain and Manjula Jain were dressed in their Sunday best. The handsome couple was getting ready to attend the parent’s day meet in the school of their only son - Sameer. Sameer, a bright student of the 9th standard had been practicing more than a fortnight for the play where he was selected to enact the lead role of Harishchandra.
Rahul Jain and Manjula Jain went well in time and occupied the front seats for a good viewing of the event. Rahul was playing the lead role in the drama Harichandra being enacted. After several songs and music items, the long play was one of the last events.
Sameer, dressed as Harichandra, played the part true to life. Harichandra the king became a pauper, but he still stuck to his principles of telling truth. He was driven to the most desperate state. From being the king, he was now down to the state of keeper of the burning ghat. But trials to test his integrity were still not over. His dear wife Chandramati brought his only son, who succumbed to snake bite, without the requisite fee for carrying out the cremation. Harichandra did not flinch from his chosen path. He refused to allow the cremation of his son without the fee. Finally the entities of heaven convinced of his integrity stop these trials. Sameer enacted the part so true to life that the audience and even the Jains forgot that it is their son who is enacting the role and got carried away by the scene to the extent of being moved to tears. The play then ended showing the triumph of Harichandra getting back his kingdom and his family intact as a reward for upholding his principles in adversity.
When Sameer came out from the back stage a flock of admirers mobbed him, congratulating him on his excellent performance. The Jains felt rightly proud of their boy for carrying with conviction and without a flaw, the righteous role of Harichandra.
After getting back home, Rahul Jain was in a contemplative mood. He tossed in bed having a sleepless night. The play had given him a moral jolt. Rahul Jain had been brought up in a family of devout Jains. He could recall that two of his paternal uncles had taken to sanyas in the early part of their life. They had led a life following the strict austerities prescribed in the Jain tenet. Always clothed in simple white cotton robes, they followed the Jain dharma to its letter and spirit. The food intake never exceeded more than what was needed for keeping their body and soul working. Their needs were limited. Days on end he used to see them observing fasts and existing on plain water. The fasts were not only for food but it used to extend to spoken words too. They used to observe days of silence communicating the barest minimum with some actions. His parents used to visit the Jain math regularly and partake in many religious rituals. As a young boy though Rahul did not verbally question these actions, his mind could not fathom the necessary to lead such a life of austerity and discipline. He always used to wonder - to what end?
But he had imbibed from his family background living a life of honesty and truthfulness. He had always earmarked part of the sum he earned for charity to the have-nots, for has not the religion taught him that all are the children of the same Father. Hence he had always felt morally bound to help people of lesser means.
Now, the play touched and made alive some moral chord in him. Unawares, the world of business has been carrying him into the slush and scum hidden behind the competitive forces of the market. It was only the other day that to win a public sector contract, he liberally greased the hands of various parties and gave a low down quotation that had no bearing with the actual cost of construction. To keep down the price he would no doubt have to compromise with the quality. Yes he had been acting like a low scum. Where were he high religious principles with which he was brought up? A new remorse started nagging him deep inside. Will wealth gained this way get him any merit in the portals of heaven? By treading into the path of untruth will it eventually be a gain or loss? Has not his religion taught him with out ambiguity that you reap only as you sow? If in today’s living he leans on untruth and false hood will the money fetched equal the bad karma he would incur. Why did his uncles deliberately chose the path of strict austerities though the whole world filled with boghas or enjoyments was in front of them? Eventually were they gainers or losers? Were they more intelligent that they chose to lose out the present, temporary enjoyments for some deeper gains they were to accrue later?
Haven’t the scriptures told repeatedly that the soul is immortal? If everyone is a soul, won’t it be wise to work for the benefit of the soul than toil unceasingly for the perishable body even at the cost of bringing the down gradation of the soul. If the soul is immortal, what about the mind? Isn’t the mind with its five co-workers - the senses, becoming the king in everybody’s life making the immortal man/soul dance to its tunes for the present enjoyments? These questions and more took a swish in Rahul Jain’s being, giving him a sleepless night. Like every man, he was finding it hard to distinguish between the mind its ministrations, the intellect which leads the mind and the soul/atma, his ultimate being. Though he had flashes of illumination on their workings, his present necessities of living seem to put up a curtain, not allowing him to distinguish between the expediencies of present action vis a vis the long term good.
After a brain storming heated night without getting any restful sleep, his conscience having been stirred due to the impact of the play enacted by his son Sammer, he decided to meet the prime guru in his math and sort out the stirring questions which suddenly seem to well up in him.
The next day early morning found him in the chamber outside the teacher’s room where he used to give his morning audience. As the teacher came out of his room, bare footed, wearing a simple white robe, with serene peace and knowledge emitting out of his learned countenance, Rahul Jain suddenly found a balming feeling that this learned preceptor would give solace to his troubled soul
He sat cross-legged in the floor in front of the teacher and tried to tell as cohesively as he could, the troubles plaguing his mind. The learned seer was quick to understand his confusion. It is not for nothing that he had spent the long innings of his life in austerity, learning and truthfulness. He was ready to give a helping hand to a co-traveler in this world struggling to keep his head above water.
He said to him - `beta, I will tell you some truths - listen carefully; a clear understanding of this fundamental truths will pave way for proper living of rest of your life.
Each of us are souls which are immortal. The present life we are leading is only a small part of our immortal life and as souls, we are pure and part of the parama atma, the universal soul. Thus, we all belong to the same universal soul. However, each one of us is clothed in a different body, mind and intellect, which are temporary endowments. This thick covering of a different mind and intellect makes us different entities.
The objective of this life is to use well the instruments of mind and intellect so that they will upgrade the soul in the evolution of living, and to realize our true self - that we are part of a pure, all knowing, blemishless universal soul - the parama atma.
To achieve this objective, it is necessary to keep the instruments, namely the mind and intellect clean and pure. The mind can be kept clean like a blemishless glass only by taking the path of truth. If we are not watchful, the mind has the capacity to pick up blemishes very easily and eventually our soul will slide from the path of evolution. Hence the penance of truthfulness is very important to keep the mind pure. Our intellect/ buddhi is he one which guides the mind onwards actions which are pure and truthful. To train the intellect, right knowledge is important. Right knowledge can be gained by understanding our scriptures and knowing many basic truths of living like the one I am telling you now.
It is also equally important to train our body which is ruled by the five external senses, which always seek temporary pleasure. Austerities in life will help us not to swing towards our wayward senses, but keep the body pure and as a disciplined servant, tuned towards the realization of the immortal Self hidden within us and know our rightful glorious position in the scheme of universe. These things alone will help our soul to evolve out from the thick covering of mind, body and intellect to its pure blemish less all-knowing immortal Self.’
As the preceptor spelt out these things with clarity, and as Rahul Jain was paying undivided attention to these profound truths, his mind suddenly became light and free. The path may look tedious, but he clearly realized expediency never pays much. When aiming for mega fruits, one has to toil for them. He understood this clearly. His son's play succeeded in helping lift the curtain and show him the grand scene behind the mundane life.
Rahul Jain and Manjula Jain went well in time and occupied the front seats for a good viewing of the event. Rahul was playing the lead role in the drama Harichandra being enacted. After several songs and music items, the long play was one of the last events.
Sameer, dressed as Harichandra, played the part true to life. Harichandra the king became a pauper, but he still stuck to his principles of telling truth. He was driven to the most desperate state. From being the king, he was now down to the state of keeper of the burning ghat. But trials to test his integrity were still not over. His dear wife Chandramati brought his only son, who succumbed to snake bite, without the requisite fee for carrying out the cremation. Harichandra did not flinch from his chosen path. He refused to allow the cremation of his son without the fee. Finally the entities of heaven convinced of his integrity stop these trials. Sameer enacted the part so true to life that the audience and even the Jains forgot that it is their son who is enacting the role and got carried away by the scene to the extent of being moved to tears. The play then ended showing the triumph of Harichandra getting back his kingdom and his family intact as a reward for upholding his principles in adversity.
When Sameer came out from the back stage a flock of admirers mobbed him, congratulating him on his excellent performance. The Jains felt rightly proud of their boy for carrying with conviction and without a flaw, the righteous role of Harichandra.
After getting back home, Rahul Jain was in a contemplative mood. He tossed in bed having a sleepless night. The play had given him a moral jolt. Rahul Jain had been brought up in a family of devout Jains. He could recall that two of his paternal uncles had taken to sanyas in the early part of their life. They had led a life following the strict austerities prescribed in the Jain tenet. Always clothed in simple white cotton robes, they followed the Jain dharma to its letter and spirit. The food intake never exceeded more than what was needed for keeping their body and soul working. Their needs were limited. Days on end he used to see them observing fasts and existing on plain water. The fasts were not only for food but it used to extend to spoken words too. They used to observe days of silence communicating the barest minimum with some actions. His parents used to visit the Jain math regularly and partake in many religious rituals. As a young boy though Rahul did not verbally question these actions, his mind could not fathom the necessary to lead such a life of austerity and discipline. He always used to wonder - to what end?
But he had imbibed from his family background living a life of honesty and truthfulness. He had always earmarked part of the sum he earned for charity to the have-nots, for has not the religion taught him that all are the children of the same Father. Hence he had always felt morally bound to help people of lesser means.
Now, the play touched and made alive some moral chord in him. Unawares, the world of business has been carrying him into the slush and scum hidden behind the competitive forces of the market. It was only the other day that to win a public sector contract, he liberally greased the hands of various parties and gave a low down quotation that had no bearing with the actual cost of construction. To keep down the price he would no doubt have to compromise with the quality. Yes he had been acting like a low scum. Where were he high religious principles with which he was brought up? A new remorse started nagging him deep inside. Will wealth gained this way get him any merit in the portals of heaven? By treading into the path of untruth will it eventually be a gain or loss? Has not his religion taught him with out ambiguity that you reap only as you sow? If in today’s living he leans on untruth and false hood will the money fetched equal the bad karma he would incur. Why did his uncles deliberately chose the path of strict austerities though the whole world filled with boghas or enjoyments was in front of them? Eventually were they gainers or losers? Were they more intelligent that they chose to lose out the present, temporary enjoyments for some deeper gains they were to accrue later?
Haven’t the scriptures told repeatedly that the soul is immortal? If everyone is a soul, won’t it be wise to work for the benefit of the soul than toil unceasingly for the perishable body even at the cost of bringing the down gradation of the soul. If the soul is immortal, what about the mind? Isn’t the mind with its five co-workers - the senses, becoming the king in everybody’s life making the immortal man/soul dance to its tunes for the present enjoyments? These questions and more took a swish in Rahul Jain’s being, giving him a sleepless night. Like every man, he was finding it hard to distinguish between the mind its ministrations, the intellect which leads the mind and the soul/atma, his ultimate being. Though he had flashes of illumination on their workings, his present necessities of living seem to put up a curtain, not allowing him to distinguish between the expediencies of present action vis a vis the long term good.
After a brain storming heated night without getting any restful sleep, his conscience having been stirred due to the impact of the play enacted by his son Sammer, he decided to meet the prime guru in his math and sort out the stirring questions which suddenly seem to well up in him.
The next day early morning found him in the chamber outside the teacher’s room where he used to give his morning audience. As the teacher came out of his room, bare footed, wearing a simple white robe, with serene peace and knowledge emitting out of his learned countenance, Rahul Jain suddenly found a balming feeling that this learned preceptor would give solace to his troubled soul
He sat cross-legged in the floor in front of the teacher and tried to tell as cohesively as he could, the troubles plaguing his mind. The learned seer was quick to understand his confusion. It is not for nothing that he had spent the long innings of his life in austerity, learning and truthfulness. He was ready to give a helping hand to a co-traveler in this world struggling to keep his head above water.
He said to him - `beta, I will tell you some truths - listen carefully; a clear understanding of this fundamental truths will pave way for proper living of rest of your life.
Each of us are souls which are immortal. The present life we are leading is only a small part of our immortal life and as souls, we are pure and part of the parama atma, the universal soul. Thus, we all belong to the same universal soul. However, each one of us is clothed in a different body, mind and intellect, which are temporary endowments. This thick covering of a different mind and intellect makes us different entities.
The objective of this life is to use well the instruments of mind and intellect so that they will upgrade the soul in the evolution of living, and to realize our true self - that we are part of a pure, all knowing, blemishless universal soul - the parama atma.
To achieve this objective, it is necessary to keep the instruments, namely the mind and intellect clean and pure. The mind can be kept clean like a blemishless glass only by taking the path of truth. If we are not watchful, the mind has the capacity to pick up blemishes very easily and eventually our soul will slide from the path of evolution. Hence the penance of truthfulness is very important to keep the mind pure. Our intellect/ buddhi is he one which guides the mind onwards actions which are pure and truthful. To train the intellect, right knowledge is important. Right knowledge can be gained by understanding our scriptures and knowing many basic truths of living like the one I am telling you now.
It is also equally important to train our body which is ruled by the five external senses, which always seek temporary pleasure. Austerities in life will help us not to swing towards our wayward senses, but keep the body pure and as a disciplined servant, tuned towards the realization of the immortal Self hidden within us and know our rightful glorious position in the scheme of universe. These things alone will help our soul to evolve out from the thick covering of mind, body and intellect to its pure blemish less all-knowing immortal Self.’
As the preceptor spelt out these things with clarity, and as Rahul Jain was paying undivided attention to these profound truths, his mind suddenly became light and free. The path may look tedious, but he clearly realized expediency never pays much. When aiming for mega fruits, one has to toil for them. He understood this clearly. His son's play succeeded in helping lift the curtain and show him the grand scene behind the mundane life.
posted by Rama Venkataraman | 1:44 PM
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