The second of the four ashramas or stages of life is the household life or the Grihastha ashrama. Grihastha ashrama forms the foundation of society. To care for the family, to extend the ambit of one’s family beyond the walls of one’s home, to serve the society, to care for others – all these form the very challenge as well as the beauty of this stage of life. For this, the interesting story of the famous poet Maagha and his wife Vidyavati has been chosen. The great poet Maagha used to give away in charity everything he received as gifts. Once, a brahmin approached him for help to conduct his daughter's wedding. Maagha sold items from his home and sent the money to the father. All arrangements were made, but for golden ornaments; so the compassionate Maagha took the golden bangle off his sleeping wife Vidyavati's wrist and sent it to the brahmin. In the morning, when Vidyavati awoke, she took off the second b...
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Bhikshu Kotikarna mentioned that Moksha is to understand your true nature. (अपने असली स्वरूप को पहचानना ही मोक्ष है।). However, for a majority of us the question would remain as beautifully asked by the student in Vivekachoodamani: भ्रमेणाप्यन्यथा वाऽस्तु जीवभावः परात्मनः तदुपाधेरनादित्वान्नानादेनार्श इष्यते॥ अतोस्य जीवभावोऽपि नित्या भवति संसृतिः न निवर्तेत तन्मोक्षः कथं मे श्रीगुरो वद॥ [- १९२ & १९३] bhrameṇāpyanyathā vā'stu jīvabhāvaḥ parātmanaḥ tadupādheranāditvānnānādenārśa iṣyate. atosya jīvabhāvo'pi nityā bhavati saṁsṛtiḥ na nivarteta tanmokṣaḥ kathaṁ me śrīguro vada. [192 & 193] That the Supreme Self has come to consider itself as the jiva, through delusion or otherwise, is a superimposition which is beginning less. That which is beginning less cannot be said to have an end ! So the jiva-hood of the Self must also be without an end, ever subject to transmigration. Please tell me, O revered Teacher, how then can there be 'moksha' (liberation) for the Self? ...
Bondage is the identification of the Self with the not-Self. It is thus just only a misunderstanding of one’s true nature. Bondage is merely mental and not factual. Right thinking dispels bondage; wrong thinking only serves to strengthen it. This story comes in Bhaagvat Puraan, 5/2 and Amritbindu Upanishad. Once a man came in an inn and asked for a place to stay. Bhagat Jee permitted him to stay there. he went to tie his camel, but unfortunately he forgot his rope with which he used to make his camel sit. He tried his best but he could not make him sit without the rope. He came to Bhagat Jee and told him the whole story. Bhagat Jee suggested him to play a drama just by hands movement if he could sit by it. The man went back, played the drama, and the camel sat and he tied him. The man got very happy to see this, now he did not need the rope to make him sit. The same thing happened in the morning too. He was asked to do the same and the camel got up. Thus everybody has some k...
Your thoughts and thinking can change the world
ReplyDeleteWe don't have to change the world. It is quite impossible.
DeleteBut we can change ourselves. It is quite possible.
Tushar to Akhilraj
ReplyDeleteThis type of mindset really means