Sunday, September 4, 2011

SLOKA FOR THE MONTH- SEPTEMBER 2011


“ Nahamarthaparo Devi Lokamavasthumuthsahe
Vidhdhi mam rishibhisthulyam Vimalam Dharmamasthitham”

There was a poet by name Barthruhari. He wrote Vairagya Shathakam. In it he says everything in this world creates only fear. As we enjoy material pleasures we are subject to diseases. Hence even as we indulge in material pleasure we are faced with the threat of Sickness. For an affluent person, he is faced with the threat of protecting all the money he has hoarded. Even the strongest man has the danger from an enemy stronger than him. For a beautiful woman she has the threat of old age which usurpes all beauty. For a talented person , he has the danger of he being won by yet another talented person. For even the most virtuous person on earth the people will talk only of his faults and not his virtues. Thus everything in this world produces fear and danger. Only vairagya ( detachment) gives happiness. But detachment is not hatred or dislike. Detachment towarards wordly pleasure is called vairagya.
Detachment brings wisdom. But how does one develop this vairagya. By the grace of God a true devotee begets vairagya. Ayodhya kandam describes Lord Rama’s vairagya. His thoughts were alwys on Dharma. Thus vairagya is inbuilt in him because of his mind bent towards dharma. This is the reson why he did not want to snatch away the wealth forsaking dharma. He tells Lakshmana” I don’t mind forsaking wealth but Iam not interested in attaining this wealth at the cost of dharma.”
Kaikeyi orders Rama to go into exile. His face did not droop. He was happy as ever. He was happy in the thought that he was following dharma. He said to kaikeyi” Iam not a greedy person. Iam equivalent to rishis. Iam contended following righteousness. Hence I accept exile happily. This is an instance proving his vairagya.

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