Hinduism and Family life (2020)

First of all, I wish all of you a very happy healthy peaceful and prosperous new year 2020. You must be very curious to know what I am going to talk about. Today, I propose to explain one of the statements that I often repeat in my Vedanta classes. And that statement is that in a Vedic society, family is the basic unit. Whereas in a democratic society, the individual is the basic unit. Thus, there is a very big paradigm shift with regard to the Vedic and democratic society. It has got far reaching consequences which are already experienced. Many of the changes are irreversible, but it is worth knowing, what is the basic vision:  In the Vedic society, family is a basic unit, it means, Veda gives great importance to family life. I want to share some thoughts as to why Veda considers family life as a very important thing.

            According to the Vedic vision, the Vedic family is designed in such a way that it can fulfill all human aspirations. By human aspiration, I mean, all the human puruṣārtha - dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. In modern language, they call it Maslow’s hierarchy of human being. While family life will help in the fulfillment of all the puruṣārthas, it will transform a human being also. To put in Swami Chinmayananda’s language, transforming the animal-man into a man-man into a god-man. All these are possible, if we follow a Vedic life.

            In Båhadäraëyakopaniñad, there is a section called puruṣavida-brāhmana, first chapter 4th section. There is a mention of the first manifestation of Brahma as the creator of the universe. It says that, after Brahmaji arrived, he looked around, there was no one at all. Feeling and uncomfortable and he created a partner for himself.

sa vai naiva reme tasmādekākī na ramate

Brahmaji was unhappy as an individual. So he created Manu and Saharūpa and the details are given. The upaniṣad concludes in the section, that since, Brahmaji felt lonely, all the living beings including human beings will never be happy as single. So, the Upanishad says

“ātmaivedamagre āsīt”,

“so kāmayata,” “jāyā me syāt”

All the human beings also, having the genes of Brahmaji, also want partners. Therefore, desire for a partner, desire for getting progeny, and desire for raising a family, the Veda says, it is an intrinsic desire of all living beings, including human beings. This is the fundamental universal aspiration or desire, which is called artha-kāma-icchā. Therefore, family-life fulfills the first fundamental and universal desire of a human being for arthaa and kāma. But we don’t stop there.

            Then Veda points out that if we use a family life, only for artha and kāma, we will prove that we are like all other animals. At this stage, we are just an animal-man only. Therefore, family-life must be utilized to convert us from a mere animal-man to a man-man. Otherwise we will prove ourselves to be well dressed, sophisticated, smartphone wielding animals. That will be the only difference.

āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maitunam ca sāmānyamevatat paśubhirnarāṇām

buddhiḥ teṣām adhigo viśeṣaḥ buddhyāhinā paśubhirsamānāḥ

Therefore, family-life is meant for artha kāma, alright, but it also must be utilized for raising our mind through dharmic activities. The Veda prescribes several dharmic activities to bring about an internal transformation to develop values, to refine our mind, to remove our selfishness and to expand our mind to accommodate the entire cosmos and that is possible only by service.

            The scriptures prescribe varieties of religious and service activities for a gṛhastha in the form of pañca-mahā-yajña which I have talked about very often. I don’t want to get into that topic. Many religious activities are seeking the grace of god, grace of the rishis and grace of our ancestors, deva-riṣi-pitṛ-pūjanam. Many service activities are also prescribed in the form of manuṣya-yajña and bhūta-yajña. They are designed to reduce our ahaṅkāra, our mamakāra, our rāga, our dveṣa, and to expand our mind. Not only Veda prescribes all these activities as compulsory activities, Veda insists that they must be done by the family members together. This is very important, because, only then, family will function as one team and one unit. Otherwise, each member will pursue his/her own activity and family will not exist as one unit. Different members will go out at different times and they will come in at different times and they eat taking from refrigerator at different times and they will never have one harmonious unity. The unity will be among the cooks, drivers and watchman. Such families are prone to break ups as they don’t have a built-in harmony and cohesiveness. Therefore, for the sake of family unity, Veda said that all the pūjas, ritual and services should be done by all the family members to indicate that all these are called yajña.

            The very definition of yajña is given as panktaha- yajñah. Pankta means, every family pūjas should involve five members, yajamāna, patnī, putra, daivavittam, and manuṣa-vittam. Man should be involved. Wife should not say “you do; I will go somewhere”. Wife should also join. Children should not go somewhere. They all should join. Thus, yajamāna, patnī and putra should go together. And of course, daiva-vittam, it should be guided by the scriptural knowledge. And manuṣa-vittam, it should involve money also for dhānam etc,. Therefore, all the dharmic activities are called yajña. Panktam means family should survive together as one cohesive unit. Because Veda was very much aware that family unity is not that easy. Because every member of the family has got his own her own personality, different ways of thinking and different rāga-dveṣas, therefore, bringing different minds with different personalities together is very difficult.

            Gṛhasthāśrama can be compared to a delicately balanced coalition government. Family life also is exactly like a coalition government. If we are going to highlight the differences, there will be quarrels; there will be fights and the family will breakup. In a broken family, everyone suffers and the greatest suffering is for the upcoming children. Gṛhasthāśrama will require lot of adjustments. It may be very painful. But if gṛhasthāśrama should survive, that adjustment is required and however much pain is involved, a family must learn to put up with the pain remembering that family is required for dharmaanuṣṭhānam.

            The common minimum programme for a family is dharma and mokṣa. For the sake of dharma and for the sake of future mokṣa, we should be together as one unit and work together as one unit engaging in dharmic activities. It is the vision that is given by the Veda. If every family remembers this and keeps dharma and mokṣa as primary, then that family will complete one full term of gṛhasthāśrama life. In the process gṛhastha will get converted from animal-man to man-man. Artha-kāma-pradhāna to dharma- pradhāna.

            What is the full term of gṛhasthāśrama? According to Veda, the full term of grihista ashrama means raising the children to become healthy, responsible, well-educated adult. In the Vedic society, getting the children married also was considered as part of gṛhasthāśrama term.

Nowadays it is very difficult because the children do not belong to Vedic society, they belong to democratic society. So they have got their own philosophy. But really speaking, getting the children married also is considered as a duty of the gṛhastha. When that much is accomplished, then gṛhasthāśrama life is completed. Children are grown up and the gṛhasthas also have grown up to become the man-man, i.e., dharmapradhāna human being.

            Once gṛhasthāśrama is completed, Veda offers a very beautiful retirement program for those who are interested to grow further. Because animal-man to man-man is not enough. Man-man to God-man is the ultimate growth. For that, Veda offers a comprehensive retirement scheme, in which one retires from professional life, retires from social life and retires from family life also. Life is dedicated for only spiritual enquiry and contemplation, jñāna-yoga-pradhāna life consisting of śravaṇam, mananam and nididhyāsanam. Varieties of schemes are offered by the Veda. Vānaprasthāśrama is one scheme; sannyasāśrama is another scheme.

At this stage of life when the husband and wife, the couple, who have completed their duties, the couple decides to dedicate their lives for only spiritual sādhana. They don't look upon themselves as husband and wife. Husband wife relationship is deliberately ended. They look upon themselves as co-seekers in spiritual life. They change their infrastructure. Also they change to suit the pursuit of committed śravanam mananam and nididhyāsanam, without social distraction, professional distraction and family distractions. In short, self-enquiry and contemplation. This is an option given to the gṛhasthas who have completed their duties.

            Once the couple decides to lead such a life, they have an option to stay with the children or to stay away from the children. Both options are given. Whatever option is chosen, the idea is that life should be dedicated for mokṣa-puruṣārtha, otherwise, spiritual puruṣārtha. Once this step is taken, the role of the parents and the role of children get reversed. Until now, parents served the children, helping them to grow. Now that the children are grown up, they have to serve the parents to pursue their spiritual life style. It means, children should cooperate with parents allowing them to get involved only in spiritual activities, not dragging them to any one of the worldly activities. Not only that, children have to provide all the support to the parents, nearby or far away. Whatever is the type of support, financial support or maintenance of the infrastructure, or all of them, the children take care of them and the family is dedicated to Vedantic study consisting of Bhagavad-gītā and upaniṣad. As a gṛhastha, they said no time Swamiji. But now as a retired gṛhastha, they should not complain, no time. Between two classes, they should revise also.

How to lead such a retired life? Lord Kṛishna gives a beautiful guideline throughout the Bhagavad-gītā.

asaktiranabhiṣvaṅagaḥ putradāragṛhādiṣu

nityaṁ ca samacittatvamiṣṭāniṣṭopapattiṣu (13-9)

Gradually get detached from the family, the children, the grandchildren including the spouse. Detachment is the norm. In the family of the children and grandchildren, so many events will happen. Don’t get obsessed with all those events. Family obsession must be gradually dropped and with an equanimous mind, one should pursue Vedānta-vicāra.

mayi cānanyayogena bhaktiravyabhicāriṇī

viviktadeśasevitvamaratirjanasṁsadi (13-10)

adhyātmajñānanityattvaṁ tatvajñānārthadarśanam

etajjñanamiti proktamajñānaṁ yadato'nyathā (13-11)

May you take more and more seclusion, more and more study, more and more contemplation. And gradually grow into your own highest nature called brahman or ātma. This is called mokṣa pursuit. In fact, mokṣa is dropping self-ignorance, dropping self-misconception and dropping the sense of self-limitation and discovering the highest nature, “ahaṁ brahmāsmi”. This spiritual sādhana must dominate the life of a retired gṛhastha.

            Even though, mokṣa is the primary goal, there are so many other secondary benefits also, and the biggest practical benefit is the ability to confront old age. Confronting old age is not that easy. Lot of fear, lot of anxiety, lot of problems, degenerative issues will start appearing as the age advances. There will be death happening around. Old age disease and death are inevitable aspect of human life. When we are young, we are not aware, but after retirement, they all will share and if I could confront them, old age disease, death and separation, if I have to confront, spiritual knowledge is the biggest emotional immunity. Just as we wear a helmet or a seat belt to protect us from all types of accidents, to face old age and disease and death, we require an emotional helmet, an emotional seat belt to make the last part of the human journey. If the spiritual teachings of Bhagavad-gītā and upaniṣad are available, we can say

yat yat bhavyam bhavatu bhagavan pūrvakarmāṇurūpam

Oh Lord! let anything happen according to the law of karma, I am not afraid of old age, I am not afraid of diseases, I am not afraid of death also, because I have discovered my higher brahman nature.

            Bhartṛhari, a great person, writes in his vairāgya-śatakam, how an enlightened person should die. When death is nearing, he says, we should invite all the pañca bhūtas, the five elements which have gifted us this human body. So the human body is a mixture of pañca bhūtāni - ākāṣa, vāyu, agni, āpaḥ, pṛthvī. This body has been gifted not for enjoying worldly pleasure, but meant for discovering our immortal nature. So, before we face the mortality of the body, we should have discovered our own immortality. And Bhartṛhari says, oh elements, all of you come, now it is time for me to give this body back to you with a note of thanks, because I have utilized this body very well. Now, I know I am brahman, body may go away, but I will continue to exist as brahman eternally. I am merging into brahman without worrying about death and the separation. This is the transformation from man-man to god-man.

            In conclusion as a gṛhastha, I have dharma, artha, and kāma, but as a retired gṛhastha supported by children I pursue mokṣa and die as sthitaprajña, a jñāni. This is the Vedic vision. On this auspicious New Year, let us pray to Lord Siddhi Vināyaka that we understand the goal of life and we also follow it. Before that we discover that we are none other than brahman. With these few words, I conclude my talk. 

Jivan Mukti (16/07/2019)

As you all know gurupurnima is a very auspicious day especially for all the spiritual seekers. Because it is a day on which all the spiritual seekers worship the entire Acharya Parampara including their own guru. And in our tradition, in the lineage of spiritual teachers, the first guru is Bhagawan himself as declared as Adiguru with an unbroken tradition or lineage which has come up to my own guru.  Whatever spiritual knowledge is gained is coming from this parampara. Therefore, I take the opportunity to worship the entire parampara beginning from the Lord to my own guru.  

             Even though we worship the entire Acharya parampare, the prIde of place is given to Vyasa. He is considered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself. And his contribution to Hinduism in general and the Hindu spiritual teaching in particular are matchless. He is the author of Brahma Sutra through which he comprehensively extracted the spiritual teachings contained in the Veda and Vedanta. And through Bhagavad Gita, he made it available for the entire humanity. And therefore we honour him today as gurupurnima day or Vyasapurnima also.   

            On this day the orthodox sanyasis start the chatur masya. For two months they camp in a particular place. In this period they worship the Acharyas and conduct regular satsangs where people in the vicinity gather. These are occasions for them to talk of ultimate spiritual goal of moksha to the lay people who are lost in, the worldly life. Getting educated, married, career, raising children is not the be-all or end-all of life. Many of us are lost in the worldly pursuit. Therefore, they must be shaken a little bit. Moksha as a concept is introduced as to inspire them to come to spirituality. 

            In keeping with that tradition I would also like to share some spiritual thoughts with you. And today my topic is jivan mukti as discussed by Vidyaranya in his work “Jivan Mukti Vivekah”.  

            Vedanta is the final part of Veda that deal with spiritual teaching where the concept of Moksha as the final spiritual goal is introduced. We can translate moksha as liberation. And according to Vedanta, moksha can be achieved by a person, here and now in this life. It is not something that comes after our death. The question will come, liberation from what? From samsara which is human bondage and shackles. Samsara is the repeated cycle of births and deaths. Dropping one body and again taking another body and again dropping that body; moksha is freedom from this cycle.  The sastras say that this cycle is based on our own karmas – good and bad actions that result in punya and papam. This punya-papam gets partially exhausted in the current janma itself. But not totally. Which means at the time of death, we will always have residual karma.     

            And in every janma, we accumulate the residual karma, and at any time, we have got a huge accumulated punya-papa karma.  And this is called Sanchita karma; a portion of which is responsible for the current birth. And the fructifying bunch is called Prarabdha Karma. And while exhausting prarabdha, we add fresh karma which is called Agami karma. At the time of death, we exhaust our prarabdha karma. And the residual agami will join the sanchita. From the sanchita the next bunch gets ready to become prarabdha, life, death where the residual Agami becomes Sanchita again – hence we are all caught in an endless repetitive cycle of births and deaths.   

             And it is this inexhaustible cycle of repeated births and deaths, the Sastra says that only method of destroying karma is through moksha, a spiritual wisdom from Vedanta. It is this spiritual education that destroys all the karmas. But the scriptures add a footnote – Jnanam destroys sanchita karma, it avoids agami but it cannot destroy prarabdha karma. That bunch of punya-papa karma that has started fructifying for a definition of prarabdha karma. That prarabdham which has given this body. It is praradbha karma that keeps this body going which jnanam cannot destroy.

            Now is this a good news or bad news?  On enquiry you will find, it is bittersweet. Why is it good news? Because, suppose if jnanm destroys even prarabdha karma then when a person gets enlightened, death will be instantaneous. The date and time of enlightenment will be the date and time of my death. Enlightenment and death will become synonymous. And if it becomes synonymous how many students will come to a guru?? Guru will no longer be a savior but a killer!!!    

            Generally, some students come to Vedanta classes. Most of them feel they won’t get enlightenment. But even those few students will consider it a risk to come to the guru because by chance enlightenment comes, I will not be able to go back home. So the good news is jnanam doesn’t destroy prarabdha karma, so the students will continue to live.  Then what is the bad news? Since prarabdha karma is not destroyed, both prarabdha punya and papam will continue to do its function. So even for a jnani, punya will give pleasant experience, pappam bad experiences. Prarabdha will continue to give problems even after I become a jnani.   

If he is a grihasta, family problems can come due to prarabdha karma, health problems can come, death can come, financial problems can come. All problems which a lay an ignorant person will also afflict an enlightened person and just as severe. That is the negative side. Of course we will be happy if jnanam selectively destroys, like targeted radiation to destroy some harmful cells. Suppose knowledge selectively destroys prarabdha karma, it will destroy all the pappam karma so that a person does not go through misery; but continue to enjoy pleasant experiences for punya karma.   

            Unfortunately, jnanam doesn’t do that selective destruction. It leaves both prarabdha punya and prarabdha pappam. Which means Vedanta and Knowledge (Jnanam) does not handle the prarabdha problem. That is the bottom line.  It may save me from taking next birth (freedom from repeated births and deaths). But in the current life, knowledge is not of much use. This will be our doubt.  

            But does Vedanta and Jnanam do to sufferings of prarabdha karma?  These suffering could be intense. Every jiva has to go through the sufferings of one’s past punyam and pappam. But it does help in handling this sorrow in an indirect manner.  Knowledge helps reduce the impact of prarabdha karma to such an extent that the misery gets diluted, mitigated, and made tolerably manageable.   

            And how does it do that? This is the classical answer given by Vedanta.  If a person has gained jnanam very well by going through “Shravanam” properly, “Manam” thoroughly and also internalised the teaching through “Nidhi Dyasanam”; this knowledge will give him a different perspective. He understands that the entire creation is nothing but one reality called Brahman, appearing with different names and forms. Therefore, the world of variety is nothing but “namam” and “rupam”. And the world doesn’t have, its own existence, its own reality. It only appears, supported by the truth called Brahman. The assimilation of this fact is called Mithyam Darshanam.   

            For a “Jnani” or “Jnana Nishta” or “Sthithaprajna”, Mithya Darshanam is very strong.  The wise understand that the world is just “mithya” and the sorrow is only temporary. It will also pass away. This awareness becomes natural.  And when he sees the entire world as “mithya”, it will naturally include the small area called ahamkara (I notion) and mamakara (mine notion). Body, mind, family, property, wife, children that I claim as “I” and “Mine” is now seen as Mithya. For a jnani, the the entire world is appreciated as Mithya.   

            What about Prarabdha? It is also the minutest part of this Mithya universe. And this mithya darshanam makes the whole world insignificant. And prarabdham gets far, far diluted. Like you are look at the trees from an aircraft. When you look from there, even huge trees are like plants. Even huge lake seems like puddles of water. Thus for a jnani, wisdom dilutes the impact of Prarabdham Karma to such an extent, it is so insignificant. Not worth talking about even if the whole world considers it a huge tragedy.  It is like wearing dark glasses when you are walking out in summer. Because of the dark glasses, cooling glasses, even though it is hot outside you don’t feel it. Because the jnanam goggle and mithya darshanam, prarabdha is as good as destroyed. This is the indirect method of handling prarabdha caused suffering. This is a classical answer given. 

            And there is a second answer also.  Which is given by some of the Acharyas. Especially those Acharyas who came after Sankaracharya. This second method of handling sorrow inflicted by Parabdha karma is crystallised in the famous work called “jivan mukti vivekah” by Vidyaranya. It is this second method I want to share on this auspicious gurupurnima day. Up to this you already might be remembering. Sankaracharya says in Atmaboda which says: Whatever I see, hear, smell is nothing but Brahman. If there is anything other than brahman, it is nothing but mithya nama-rupa darshanam. Using this idea, we can make use of “Nidhi Dyasanam” as a source of happiness. Nidhidyasanam is Vedic meditation which is meant for neutralizing our habitual notions that I am the body, mind, etc. That habitual notion called “Viparitha bhavana”.  To remove viparitha bhavana, nidhidyasanam is prescribed. Here these Acharyas say: Nidhidaysanam is used for “viparitha bhavana nrivitti” where it is used as a source of happiness. 

            What is Vedic meditation or Nidhidyasanam? It is the meditations on the mahavakya of Vedanta. It talks about Atma which is about me only.  It removes my ignorance about me and my misconceptions about myself. And it reveals that I am not a miserable jiva. But I am the most wonderful brahman. This is so graphically presented in Kaivalya Upannishad.   

 A knower of Brahman regards that good and bad are but different manifestations of the same Atman. Virtue and vice do not afflict him. They cannot generate subsequent births. He realises that he is non-doer and non-enjoyer. He knows that the Atman is actionless, and that the mind alone is the doer of all actions. He has neither wants, nor egoism, nor desires

 (Jiva understands I am not the body or the sense organs – I am not the three bodies nor the three states of experience. I am Chaitanya tatvam that illumines the three states, this chaitanyam is the essence, the adhara. It’s very nature is Ananda and if a student goes through sravanam and mananam, this is a live fact). .

            Because through sravanam, mananam, and nidhidyasanam, he has internalized that I am Sachithananda rupam. It is a greater fact, than I am the physical body human being. I am a human being is a lower fact. As somebody said, I am not a human being seeking spiritual experience. I am a spiritual being temporarily having a human experience. If this has been internalized, how will such a jnani look at himself whenever he is alone? When Ajnani is alone, he will worry and wallow in misery. But the wise soaked in knowledge will relish and savor.

How he relishes and savor is given in Kaivalya Upanishad:

The text, in verses 18 to 24 describes the state of liberated renouncer. The Upanishad states he is blissful, content in all three states of consciousness, feels everything was born in him and abides in him and dissolves in him, that he is Brahman that is in everyone, he is sadashiva, ancient, diverse, spiritual, with the gift to know eternity.

The liberated renouncer, feels he is the knower, the perceiver, the one to learn the Vedas, the one to perfect the Vedas. He feels his essence is beyond good and bad, beyond body and mind, beyond merit and demerits, beyond what perishes, asserts the text. The liberated man, states the Upanishad, has found the highest Atman in his heart.

            These are not simple words and closed and forgotten or to be stored in CDs. But for a Janani these are live words talking about his own glory. The more he looks at the meaning of these verse, more he appreciates his own glory. I am so wonderful. I am so fantastic. In fact, entire world enjoys existence because on my existence. With nama-rupa I alone appear as the whole world. Appreciating his own glory in the form of glorious universe.

            Therefore, for a jnani, nidhidyasanam can become a source of experiencing Ananda. This nidhidyasanam Ananda is an experiential pleasure. Because, during nidhidyasama my mind is Satvic. My mind is entertaining jnana vruti. Not only I am Bhimba Ananda, my mind experiences Prati Bhimba Ananda - Experiential joy. He jumps with joy. It is an unique Ananda different, for it doesn’t come from Anatma. And it is qualitatively superior because it is born out the finest Jnanam regarding the finest reality. And it is quantitatively also superior. Because it is Brahman reflected in the mind as I dwell upon my own glory,

            Whenever opportunity comes I soak the mind in the nidhydyasanam Ananda. And when I look at prarabdha with this Ananda, I will never curse my destiny. In fact, I am grateful to it. It is because of prarabdha, I am born a human being. Because of prarabdha, I got Sastram and a guru. Because of prarabdha, I have got this knowledge. Because of this prarabdha, I have got the greatest fulfilment. All this because destiny gave me opportunity and it is prarabdha that is keeping me alive. Otherwise I will not be here to enjoy. Therefore, I have got a rare opportunity to enjoy nidhidyasanam Ananda, And when a jnani practices this meditation, all the problems inflicted by parabdha will appear as insignificant.

Krishna gives the same method in the six chapter of the Gita in verses 20, 21 and 22.

His mind is so happy because of this knowledge that the worst crisis will become

insignificant. Knowledge dilutes prarabdha based problems.

            As a conclusion, mithya darshanam is the first method. The second is soak the mind with happiness with nidhidyasanam. For the second method, we require time and

inclination. When you have bitten some chilli, just as you put sugar in your mouth, when prarabdha problems bite, jivan mukti sugar, you put in mouth. That is what is said by

Lord Krishna also. prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān

ātmany-evātmanā tuṣhṭaḥ sthita-prajñas tadochyate. With this I conclude my gurupurnima talk. May we have the grace of the guru for tackling prarabdha karma either through mithya darshanam or nidhidyasanam or both.  

Vedic approach to happiness (01/01/2019)

Firstly, I wish you a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous new year, 2019!

And today, I propose to talk on the topic of the Vedic approach to happiness. And, this is based on a well-known portion, named ānanda mīmāṃsa, which occurs in taittirīya and bṛhadāraṇyaka upaniṣads. Ananda mīmāṃsa meaning, an analysis into the nature and means of ānanda.

            The Veda divides happiness into three categories, based on the means by which the happiness is acquired by a person. The concepts are there in the Veda; but, I am only giving them three different names. Those three types of happiness, are kāma ānandaḥ, dharma ānandaḥ and mokṣa ānandaḥ.

            The word kāmaḥ in this context means, all the sense objects in the world which are capable of giving us sense pleasures when we contact them through our sense organs. Here, the word kāmaḥ means, not desire; but, the desired or desirable objects. kāmyate iti kāmaḥ. [karma vyutpatti]. And the sense objects can give us ānanda - śabda sparśa rūpa rasa gandha – sound, touch, form, taste, and smell. Varieties of music, varieties of eatables, varieties of colours - they all can give us happiness. That happiness is called kāmānandaḥ. In simple English, all forms of sense pleasures will come under kāmānanda, which is seen as New Year revelries and parties.

            This kāmānanda, sense pleasures, are not entirely condemned by the Veda; but, are advised in moderation. All legitimate, dhārmic, sensory enjoyments are accepted by the scriptures. Veda even prescribes pūjās to get those pleasures. There is a homa, called āvahanti homa. "āvahantī vitanvānā I kurvāṇācīram ātmanaḥḥ I vāsāgṃsi mama gāvaśca I annapāne ca sarvadā I ..." [taittirīya upaniṣad - śīkṣāvallī -anuvāka 4]

            'I should have wonderful food, clothing'. All of them are asked for. They all come under kāma ānanda only. I don’t have to talk much about this; because, kāmānanda is the most popular ānanda, all over the world. In fact, when we talk about happiness, the world understands only kāmānandaḥ! That there are two other types of ānanda is introduced by

the Veda which are dharma ānandaḥ and mokṣa ānandaḥ. kāmānanda is well known.   

           Dharmānandaḥ means, the happiness that a person enjoys by following a dhārmic way of life. And by dhārmic life what we mean is, a life style that is prescribed by the Veda. And dharmic life means, a life style governed by dharma. I generally present the vaidika dharma in 3 categories. sadbhāvanāḥ, sadguṇāḥ, satkarmāṇi. Healthy attitudes, healthy values and healthy or noble actions or activities. All put-together is called dharma. All the three limbs are equally important and complimentary.

            Of them, the first one is sadbhāvanāḥ - healthy attitudes. And while talking about healthy attitudes Veda repeatedly mentions, that we should have a healthy attitude towards the very world in which we are living. Because, unfortunately, since the world is already available for us and we are born into that, we take the world for granted. And when we take it for granted, we don’t understand its value, its glory etc; and therefore, we don’t have a proper attitude. Because of that alone, there is destruction, abuse, exploitation; and the world becomes unfit for our very living itself.        

Therefore, Veda talks about varieties of upāsanās/meditations in which we are asked to dwell upon the wonderful universe and the wonderful earth and the wonderful environment – consisting of animals, plants, human-beings and nature - rivers, mountains etc. All of them you don’t take for granted; may you meditate on them regularly, ppreciating their glory, their designs. A beautiful upāsanā in taittirīya upaniṣad [anuvāka 1.7.1] talks about bringing awareness the stars, the sun, the moon, the plants, the rivers, the oceans, the animals. All of them are gift given to us; a fantastic and marvelous, well-designed universe!

            We cannot create even a blade of grass! But, all of them are provided to us; the best resources are available. And the whole earth is a specially designed house where life can be sustained. They are struggling to find life elsewhere. But, the conditions are not favorable. The Earth has got all ideal conditions to sustain life! And not only all basic resources are there, everything is provided even for the fulfillment of all human aspirations - dharma artha kāma mokṣa! And, we have an extraordinary brain by which we can discover more and more and we can create more and more and enjoy more and more. Only, we have to learn to appreciate this universe. And this appreciation should change to admiration. And the admiration should change to reverence. "namo brahmaṇe namaste vāyo". In fact, we have to do namaskāraṃ to vāyu; because, in some of the cities vāyu is so polluted that even living is becoming difficult! Chennai is also progressing towards that. So, vāyu we take for granted. Veda says, revere the vāyu. "namaste vāyo; tvam eva pratyakṣaṃ brahmāsī". Thus, appreciate the universe; admire the universe; revere the universe. 

            Then the next two are sadguṇāḥ and satkarmāṇi. Healthy values and healthy actions. Healthy values and noble actions prescribed by the Veda are based on one fundamental principle. It is beautifully given in a ślokā - sukham me sarvadā bhūyāt ; duḥkhaṃ mābhūt kadācana I itīcche sarva sāmānye te jñānād eva siddhyataḥII - all the living beings, including human beings, have got two instinctive desires. Being instinctive, they are universal. There are so many desires which vary from individual to individual. They are subjective, acquired and variable desires. But, this ślokā talks about two universal, instinctive desires of all living beings. They are sukham me sarvadā bhūyāt - let me be happy. When? sarvadā - always. Let me be happy, always! This is the desire, whether a person is an Indian or foreigner; or, a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian; or, a male or a female; or, even an animal or plant! Therefore, sukham is one desire for all.

            The other instinctive, universal desire is, duḥkhaṃ mābhūt kadācana – I should never have sorrow. Do you want sorrow at any particular day of the week, or at a particular hour of the week!? No. sukha bhāvaḥ and duḥkha abhāvaḥ are universal desires. And therefore veda says, dhārmic life is a life which is led by taking into account these two universal desires. So, when my life is based on these two basic desires of every living being, and I don’t violate or contradict that, my life is in harmony with the universal craving. Therefore never give pain to others. Always be alert. And, always try your best not to give duḥkhaṃ or pain to others, even by thoughts or words or deeds. Never give sorrow. And even if pain is to be given during extraordinary circumstances, try to make it as minimum as possible, to get the things done appropriately. manu smṛti says, advena ca bhūtānāṃ alpa droheṇa vā punaḥyā vṛttiḥ tāṃ samāstāya vipro jīved anāpadi I vipraḥ - a vedic follower - should have a philosophy of life that 'I will never give sorrow to others'. Even if he has to, that should be as minimum as possible, like a doctor giving minimum pain during treatment. This is considered the most important value; a healthy value. It is said - ahiṃsā paramo dharmaḥ. And, Swāmĩ Dayānanda Saraswatĩ says, 'all other values are nothing but an extension or derivative of ahiṃsā only'. When it is said, "satyaṃ vada", what is the message? By telling lies, by giving wrong information, we are hurting others; therefore, 'don’t tell lies' means, ahiṃsā. 'Don’t cheat others' means, ahiṃsā. Thus, all values are based on one fundamental seed value, which is ahiṃsā. Therefore, dharma consists of bhakti, which is healthy attitude. dharma consists of ahiṃsā, which is the fundamental value. So, healthy attitudes, healthy values.

What is the third one? satkarmāṇi. What do you mean by noble karma? Noble karma we can easily understand! It is that which fulfills the basic desires of all living beings. [Do you understand what I am trying to arrive at?!] Nobody wants sorrow. Therefore, what can be the noblest karma? Whatever I do to alleviate or remove the pain of others. Like, a few nice words.

            Even though we cannot spend money, a few nice words or whatever help I can

give to alleviate the pain of others - duḥkha abhāvārthaṃ. Or, the other one. What is that? Everybody wants happiness. Whatever help I can do to give or improve the comfort and joy of others. Whatever I do for para duḥkha nivṛtti or para sukha prāpti. All these actions - which are done directly or indirectly - they are all satkarmāṇi. A beautiful verse says -

aṣṭādaśa purāṇeṣu vyāsasya vacanadvayam I paropakāraḥḥ puṇyāya pāpāya parapīḍanam There are 18 purāṇās. Each purāṇā running into thousands of verses. skanda purāṇaṃ is 80000 and odd verses, bhāgavataṃ 18000 verses and so on. So many purāṇās have been written! Many people will wonder, where do we have time to study? The entire essence of all the purāṇās I will tell you in one ślokā. In that, the first line of the ślokā is introduction. aṣṭādaśa purāṇeṣu vyāsasya vacanaṃ dvayaṃ - vyāsa condenses their essence, in just 2 ststements :: paropakāra puṇyāya, pāpāya para pīḍanaṃ. para upakāraḥ - do whatever help you can do. No doubt we all have so many commitments and responsibilities; we have to earn money, we have to raise the family, we have to settle children, we have to buy house for children - [in fact we have to one house each for every child!]. Thus, we have got so many desires centered on me and my family. May you fulfill those desires. But, may you also give some time for paropakāra puṇyāya, pāpāya para pīḍanaṃ. May you alleviate the pīḍa - the sufferings – of others; may you give any help you can. Allot some time for any voluntary work you can. [We find many volunteers are doing voluntary work during weekends; just going to some temple and cleaning; or, going to some temple and collecting prasāda and visiting hospitals and giving to patients there].

            So many methods of paropakāra and parapīḍa varjanaṃ are there. Do whatever help you can, whatever be the scale. Veda doesn’t prescribe the scale. veda says, you decide that; but, do something or the other.

            Thus, dharma consist of three principles. sadbhāvanā = viśvarūpa bhakti. satguṇaḥ = ahiṃsā. satkarmāṇi = para upakāraḥ. If these three we follow to the extent possible, it is called a dhārmic way of life. Veda says, this dhārmic way of life itself will give immense joy; a joy derived by giving joy! Because, in paropakāra, we give joy and increase our joy. A win-win situation in which both benefit. The other day, I read in an auto-rickshaw - give joy and discover joy! The whole humanity will enjoy! And, when everybody enjoys, it becomes my also! This ānanda is called dharmānandaḥ.

            And Veda says, dharmānanda is quantitatively and qualitatively much superior to kāmānandaḥ. And you know how much superior? Taittirīya upaniṣad says - te ye śataṃ, hundred times superior is the dharmānanda that we can enjoy. And once we start enjoying dharmānanda, kāmānanda will appear sour or bitter!

            Materialistic society promotes kāmānanda. Vedic society promotes dharmānandaḥ. Veda doesn’t condemn or criticise kāmānanda. It only says, may you gradually promote yourself from kāmānanda to dharmānanda, which will preserve the earth also. In kāmānanda unchecked exploitation of worldly resources is taking place. It will make the Earth unlivable. But, dharmānanda will make the Earth livable for us & for the coming generations also! This is, dharmānandaḥ.

            Now, what is the third one? mokṣānandaḥ. This is also the teaching of the Veda.  mokṣānandaḥ is the ānanda derived through mokṣa. In kāmānanda, kāma is the means of ānanda. In dharm-ānanda, dharma is the means of ānanda. In mokṣānanda, mokṣa is the means of ānanda. mokṣa means, liberation or freedom or release. Freedom from what? Release of what? Dropping of ignorance and misconception. Ignorance and misconception with regard to what? veda says, self-ignorance and self-misconception that we have. We think we know ourselves well; but, in the vision of the Veda, we do not know ourselves. And, if it is only pure ignorance it is bliss; but, it is ignorance followed by misconception also! And there are several misconceptions. The fundamental ignorance is: to be happy we have to get happiness from the external world; to be happy we have to depend on the external sources; [in modern language, we have to outsource happiness!] And this is based on our conclusion - a thoughtless, un-enquired, unquestioned or unchallenged conclusion - "I have to get happiness from outside; I don’t have happiness."  According to Veda, that is the worst misconception. And, Veda makes a diagonally opposite statement. A mind-blowing, un-swallowable, unacceptable, almost laughable statement. Veda says, I am the only source of happiness. It first says, I am the source of happiness. You will then challenge that, 'looking at my face Swāmĩjĩ, do you say that?' How you can say, 'I am the source of happiness?!' But, Veda says 'yes, you are'. veda says, "not only you are the source of happiness. You are the only source of happiness; there is no happiness coming from outside". ātmā ānanda svarūpaḥ. Anātmā duḥkha svarūpaḥ.

            Naturally, we will be questioning it. "How come? I am deriving happiness from the external world. When I enjoy music [music season] or when I enjoy nice food or when I meet people, I am deriving happiness". Veda says, when you say, 'I am deriving happiness from the external things and beings', really speaking they are not giving you happiness. They are only bringing out the happiness which is already in you; which is hidden in you as your core nature. So, those happiness-giving-objects are nothing but a mirror to show your own happiness. They are only mirroring your happiness! When you bring a mirror in front of you, you see a very beautiful face. Veda says, mirror doesn’t give you that charming face. Mirror is only mirroring the face that you already have. Similarly, both kāma ānanda and dharma ānanda are the ānanda brought-out by the external objects from within our own inner core. They are just brought to our mental plane. The inner happiness surfaces and appears in our mental plane!

            This is the truth; but, we may not accept that. Veda says, if you are willing I have got a beautiful teaching and training program by which you can discover this fact for yourself. By which you will discover that ānanda which is our own, which puts an end to all our struggles; because, I need not go out in search of happiness with a begging bowl, pleading 'you give me joy', 'you give me joy'. Nothing need give me joy; because, I have got my own! yastvātmaratireva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥḥ I ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṃ na vidyate II [bhagavad gĩtā 3.17] After mokṣānanda all the struggle for ānanda ends. That is called liberation; freedom from ignorance; freedom from misconception; freedom from

struggles to get happiness from outside. 

            kāmānanda is great. dharmānanda is greater. But, mokṣānanda is the greatest. And Veda says, 'on the happy New year day may you resolve to gradually promote yourself from kāmānanda to dharmānanda to mokṣānanda!' This is the Vedic message which I wanted to share on this New Year day, happily!