Chapter 12: गृहस्थ जीवन (Married Life)

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 bangle, and giving it to Maagha, said, "We should not bid farewell to our daughter with a single bangle."

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Chapter 10: The Human Goal: Moksha - Story of Kotikarna

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? ...

Introspection Practice

Chap 33: AVATAR - God's Incarnations ( STORY OF VED VYAS)

Ved Vyaas, or Baadaraayan, or Krishna Dwaipaayan divided the Veda in four parts and taught them to his four disciples for the ease of learning, remembering and teaching to other people. Pail, Vaishampaayan, Sumantu, and Jaimini. Since Vyaas expanded the Gyaan (knowledge) among the people so much, that is why he is known as the incarnation of knowledge also. Whenever the Dharma is destroyed from the Earth, Bhagvaan incarnates on the Earth. Incarnation is of four types - (1) Nityaavataar - He is present here all the time in the form of Saadhu, Sant (saints) and great Rishi. That is His Nityaavataar. (2) Anshaavataar - He incarnates in this form just to fulfill only one work, such as Matsya Avataar , Varaah Avataar , Vaaman Avataar , Mohinee Avataar etc. (3) Aaveshaavataar - He incarnates in this form for His Bhakt when he is in trouble, such as Narasinh Avataar (4) Poorn Avataar - He incarnates in this form when He has to do all the above three...

बनो नहीं मिटो (Only for True Hearts)

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