अहंता का नियंत्रण

अहंकार के कारण भी अपनी मानसिक शक्तियाँ बर्बाद होती रहती हैं। अपने बारे में औरों की राय जानने की इच्छा, चर्चित होने की आकांक्षा, दूसरों से प्रशंसा सुनने और करवाने की अपेक्षा आदि कितने ही रूपों में अहंता व्यक्ति के मन मस्तिष्क में उठती-उमगती रहती है। इस तरह की इच्छा और अपेक्षा के मूल में अहंता ही मूल कारण है।

दूसरों से प्रशंसा सुनने या उनकी राय जानने का एक ही उद्देश्य है अपने को महत्वपूर्ण अनुभव करना। अपने को महत्वपूर्ण अनुभव करने या व्यक्त करने के लिए मनुष्य का मस्तिष्क ऐसी उधेड़बुन में उलझ जाता है कि फिर वह अपनी सारी विचार-शक्ति को उसी ताने-बाने में उलझा देता है। महत्वकांक्षा कोई बुरी बात नहीं है पर जब वह अहंकार का पोषण करने के लिए ही की जाती हो तो मस्तिष्क फिर उसी दिशा में सोचने के लिए व्यस्त हो जाता है। उस दशा में रचनात्मक चिंतन की दिशा ही नहीं सूझती।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Keep ego under proper control

…Ego is also one of the factors that drain our mental capabilities. Ego springs up in our mind in many different forms, for example, a desire to know what other people think of us; a craving for being well-known; a longing for hearing our praises, and making other people say good things about us; and so on. Ego is the root cause of all such expectations and desires. Hearing other people praising us, or knowing their good opinions only serves to make us feel important.

Individual’s mind becomes so much engrossed in his/her yearning to feel important or to be seen as an important person that he/she will engage all the mental capabilities to see it materialise in one way or another. Having an ambition isn’t actually a bad idea. However, any ambition that only serves to satisfy one’s ego will make person’s mind, thoughts and attention completely preoccupied with the efforts to fulfil it. In such a situation the mind cannot think in a constructive or meaningful way.

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Translated from - Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya’s work

Various deities and their symbolic visualizations

Indian Culture believes in only one Brahman (God, the Absolute). In fact, God is one and only one. God may be known by many names and may have been visualized in different forms or manifestations by people of different persuasions. However, none of these changes the fundamental truth that the God is only one. Various deities we know are not many gods/goddesses or several independent divine authorities but they are actually various power streams of the Absolute.

The purpose of symbolic visualizations or imaginations of deities in various forms is to help us learn and ingrain good virtues and tendencies in our life. The various aspects of deities like their appearances, vehicles, weapons, etc. have profound meaning and symbolic clues. Each of these serves as a focus of contemplation so that we, the devotees or the followers of a deity can reflect upon them over and over again, learn and incorporate the wisdom they convey in our thinking, actions and conduct and thus, transform our character so that it becomes consistent with the deity we worship. Each deity holds plenty of such inspirations, teachings and clues within their mystical manifestation.

Rituals as well as a variety of articles used in ritual worship (pooja) also have plenty of essential teaching useful for the seekers of religion and spirituality.  

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Translated from - Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya’s work

विभूतिवान लोकरंजन में नहीं सृजन में लगेंगे

साहित्यकार अगले दिनों लोकरंजन के लिए नहीं लिखेंगे । उन्हें माता सरस्वती से वेश्यावृति कराने में ग्लानि अनुभव होगी और कलम का उपयोग जनमानस को पाप पंक में धकेलते हुए उनकी आत्मा रोयेगी । आत्मग्लानि से प्रताडि़त साहित्यकार अब दिनोंदिन लोकमंगल की दिशा में बढ़ेगा । कलाकार, कवि, गायक, वादक, चित्रकार, मूर्तिकार, अभिनेता की आजीविका अब पशुता को भडक़ाकर अबोध जनमानस के साथ व्याभिचार करने की प्रवंचना नहीं रखेगी वरन् वे अपनी प्रतिभा को उसी दिशा में मोड़ेंगे जिधर मोडऩे के लिए मानवता उन्हें करूण क्रन्दन भरे स्वरों में पुकारती है । कला और साहित्य की भूमिका अगले दिनों नवनिर्माण की होगी । पिछले दिनों इस क्षेत्र में जिस प्रवंचना ने जड़ें जमाली थीं उनका अहं लोकाधिक्कार की भर्त्सनना में जल-जलकर विनष्ट ही हो जायगा ।

विज्ञान दुधारी तलवार है, उसे पैशाचिकता के लिए भी प्रयोग किया जा सकता है और समर्थ संरक्षण के लिए भी । अगले दिनों विज्ञान के सिद्धांत अध्यात्म विरोधी न रहकर समर्थक सहयोगी होंगे । साथ ही नये अविष्कारों का उदय और पुरानों का परिमार्जन इस प्रकार होगा कि वैज्ञानिकों की श्रमसाधना मानव कल्याण मे विविध पक्षों में अभिनव उपलब्धियों का प्रयोग कर सकें । आज संकीर्णतावादी राजसत्ताओं ने विज्ञान को-वैज्ञानिकों को अपने फौलादी पंजों में जकड़ रखा है और उससे करने न करने योग्य कार्य करा रहे हैं । कल ऐसा न हो सकेगा । विज्ञान को भी मुक्ति मिलेगी और वह युगान्तरकारी भूमिकाएँ सम्पन्न करेगा ।

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

The Genius will engage in Development, Not in Mass Entertainment

The authors will not write for entertainment in coming days. They will feel embarrassed in selling the mother of knowledge – goddess Saraswati. Their conscious will bite before using the pen to lure mankind to sin. Literature will be created only for uplifting of the larger mass. The artist, poet, singer, musician, painter, sculptor and actor will not earn by emotional exploitation of mass mentality and by pampering the beast in gullible public, but they will divert their personalities to humanity’s call urging for help. Role of art and literature in times to come will be for new development and creating a new world. The illusion that is deep-rooted in them will now be destroyed by apathy and repulsion from people.

Science is a double edged sword – which can kill or protect, based on how you use it. In the new age to come, science will support the spirituality instead of contradicting it. New inventions and interpretation of ancient scriptures will help scientists to strive for the benefits of larger masses. Today, science and the scientist, being tightly gripped by the narrow-minded selfish politicians, dance to their ugly tunes. This will stop tomorrow. Science will become free to attain its objective of the transformation of the world to the new age – the age of benevolence and kindness.
 

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Translated from - Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya’s work

तृष्णा और मोह

वस्तुओं के प्रति आकर्षण का - अतृप्त इच्छाओं का नाम तृष्णा है, तो व्यक्तियों के प्रति आकर्षण और मानसिक बंधन का नाम मोह है |

तृष्णा के कारण व्यक्ति जिस प्रकार अपनी इच्छित वस्तुओं से अपने मन को बांध लेता है, उसी प्रकार मोह के कारण मन को अपने स्वजन सम्बन्धियों में बांध लेता है |

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Craving and undue attachment

Craving represents a strong attraction for material objects and unfulfilled desires. In the same way, any such strong attraction for, and mental fixation with certain individuals is known as an undue attachment for them.

Craving causes an individual’s mind to remain obsessed about the material objects he/she desires a lot. In the same way, any undue attachment for near and dear ones makes an individual’s mind remain obsessed or preoccupied with them.

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Translated from - Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya’s work

The Physical Form of the God

It makes us look frivolous asking God for material gains and to rid us of our miseries. These things should rather be achieved by our powerful hands and balanced mind. These two should be considered as the 'paras' (the divine stone which can turn iron into gold), and the 'kalpvriksha' (a wish fulfilling tree) - two celestial boons, which help us overcome even the greatest of challenges in life and pave way for us on the path to success. Almighty is always with us in these two physical forms. Riddhis and Siddhis (divine blessings) are nothing but the manifestation of our physical labor and pragmatic mind, which are ultimately responsible for material comforts in life. These two are the true giver of all the material wealth, and if at all, we should worship these as the main deity. Lord Laxmi Narayan, the most generous of all, are always with us in the form of these two - hands representing Goddess Laxmi, and mind - Lord Vishnu Himself.

Prayer is the time when soul strives to merge with the supreme. Any material distractions should be kept away during prayer.  

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Translated from - Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya’s work

Utilise faith to evolve faith!

The impact of conventional education mostly remains limited to the sphere of body and mind, i.e. the development of physical and intellectual capacities. Acquiring so-called conventional knowledge hasn’t proved to be of much help in realizing individual’s even farther or deeper transformation. Had the conventional bookish education been really capable of moulding the core beliefs, every politician would have surely been true patriots and every public servant would have been discharging his/her duties with total dedication, exactly the way they were taught during their training.

Now the question arises as to what should be done to cultivate and uplift the personality (i.e. the sum total of feelings, thinking, actions and nature) of an individual in a very real sense?  The only answer to this question would be to make faith (i.e. the core inner beliefs) of an individual evolve with help of faith (worthy beliefs having high values and principles). Trained elephants are used to capture wild ones. A thorn lodged under the skin after a prick can be removed with help of another thorn! Venom can be neutralised using anti-venom which itself is a product of venom. Iron can be cut using tools made from iron itself. To get someone drowning out of the water, one will have to plunge into the same water. Similarly, one will have to replenish worthy beliefs having high values and principles (faith) to get rid of the corrupted beliefs residing deep inside their inner core.

 

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Translated from - Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya’s work

काँटे से काँटा निकाला जाए

जिस बुद्धिवाद के सहारे आस्था से अनास्था तक पहुँचा गया है, उसी सीढ़ी से उलटे पैर रखते हुए नीचे उतरना होगा । इन परिस्थितियों में काँटे से काँटा निकालने के अतिरिक्त और कोई चारा नहीं । बुद्धि की बुद्धि से ही मुठभेड़ कराई जाएगी । तर्क को तर्क से ही निरस्त किया जाएगा । प्रमाण, उदाहरण मात्र अनाचार की सफलता के पक्ष में ही साक्षी नहीं देते, उनसे बढ़े आधार ऐसे प्रस्तुत किये जा सकते हैं जो आदर्शों की गरिमा, आत्मिक शान्ति से भी बढ़कर भौतिक प्रगति में योगदान करने की बात सिद्ध कर सकें । सत्य को तथ्य और श्रेयस्कर सिद्ध करने पर किसी का आग्रह हो तो उसे उस रूप में प्रमाणित करने वाली मनीषा ने चुनौती स्वीकार करने का निश्चय कर लिया है ।

धर्म तत्त्व के शाश्वत सिद्धांतों को बुद्धिवाद की कसौटी पर कसे जाने के उपरान्त मान्यता मिले, यह लगता तो बड़ा अटपटा है, पर बालहठ के सामने कोई क्या करे । मचले बच्चे को बहलाने के लिए बाबा को यदि घोड़ा बनना पड़े तो

उसे प्रतिष्ठा का प्रश्न नहीं बनाया जाता । यदि विज्ञान और बुद्धिवाद ने तर्क, तथ्य, प्रमाण, उदाहरण के आधार पर ही किसी प्रतिपादन को स्वीकारने की बात ठानी है तो उसमें शैली बदलने भर की कठिनाई पड़ेगी । नये आधार ढूँढ़ने का झंझट तो है, पर बात असम्भव नहीं । एक भाषा बोलने वाले को यदि दूसरी बोलने और सीखने के लिए विवश किया जाय तो यह झंझट भरा काम भी किसी प्रकार पूरा किया ही जायेगा । इसमें असम्भव जैसा तो कुछ है ही नहीं । 

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

Let intellectualism have a taste of its own medicine!

Intellectualism (rationalism) has led us from theism to atheism. We will have to retrace our steps back to theism. In the given situation, there is no other alternative but to let intellectualism have a taste of its own medicine. We will have to deploy intellectualism to tackle intellectualism and make use of logic to disprove logic. Evidences and examples cannot just speak for evil only. Taking advantage of their sheer strength, they can also be utilized to prove that the goodness of ideals is not just limited to achieving inner (mental and spiritual) peace only but can also help in attaining progress in the material world (e.g. money, possessions, etc.). If someone does insist on proving the legitimacy, credibility and usefulness of any truth (of dharma), we have resolved to accept the challenge and will indeed prove it the way that is intelligible to them.

It may seem somewhat strange that the eternal truths of dharma will have to get through the acid test of logical reasoning to earn its recognition. However, this has become the unavoidable necessity given that the today’s world is the world of ‘seeing is believing’. A father shouldn’t remain adamant in not giving a piggyback ride to a demanding child if it can help to appease him. If the world of science and rationalism is bent on not accepting the truth unless it can verified by logic, evidences and real life examples, then so be it. All we need to do is to change our style or methodology. It may need inventing some new ways or new means which may be too much of a hassle but shouldn’t be impossible at all. This is akin to someone compelled to learn a second language other than their native language which may be a bothersome task but can certainly be accomplished one way or another. It is in no way impossible!

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Translated from - Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya’s work

संयम को सार्थक दिशा दें

अब तक संयम का एकांगी अर्थ ही समझा जाता रहा है - संयम अर्थात् शक्तियों के प्रवाह को रोकना। यदि शक्तियों के प्रवाह को रोका जाता रहे, पर उनका कोई उपयोग न किया जाए तो लाभ के स्थान पर हानी ही है।

नदियों का पानी बाँध बनाकर रोका जाये, न उससे सिंचाई का काम लिया जाये और न ही बिजली पैदा की जाए तो एकत्रित होता जा रहा पानी विनाश ही प्रस्तुत करेगा। संयम की अब तक जो एकांगी व्याख्या की जाती रही है, उसी कारण यह अव्यावहारिक सिद्ध होता जा रहा है, क्योंकि शक्तियों के प्रवाह को दिशा तो मिलनी ही चाहिए, न मिलेगी तो वह विपरीत परिणाम उपस्थित करेंगी। संयम का अर्थ शक्तियों के प्रवाह को निरर्थक और हानिकारक दिशा से रोक कर सार्थक और कल्याणकारी दिशा में लगाना है। संयम के इसी स्वरूप को जीवन में धर्म कर्तव्य बताया गया है। 

-पं. श्रीराम शर्मा आचार्य

जीवन देवता की साधना-आराधना (२) - ४.३

Channelize self-control in a meaningful direction

So far self-control has been generally viewed in a very narrow sense to imply controlling or restraining the energy flow. But, if energies are only restrained but not utilised for any meaningful purpose, they would do more harm than good. For instance, a dam is built across a river to stop the water from flowing. But then if water is not utilised in irrigation or generating electricity, the continuously rising water would ultimately lead to a large-scale destruction.

As self-control had so far been widely looked at in a very limited sense (and hence wasn’t applied to its full potential), it failed to prove its usefulness since it is also equally important to channelize the saved energies in a meaningful direction, otherwise they would lead to untoward results rather than yielding benefits. The real meaning of self-control is to stop energies from getting wasted in worthless and harmful tasks and diverting them into a meaningful direction that is  beneficial to all. This is indeed the very form of self-control which has been pointed out as being obligatory religious observance in life.

-Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

Translated from - Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya’s work

Jeevan Devta Ki Sadhna Aradhana - page 4.3

भाग्यवाद की आवश्यकता किस लिए ?

एक ही औषधि हर मर्ज पर हर व्यक्ति के लिए काम नहीं आ सकती । इसी प्रकार परिस्थितियों के अनुरूप अनेक सिद्धांतों का प्रयोग किया जाता है । भाग्यवाद का सिद्धांत भी एक ऐसा ही प्रयोग है जो केवल तब काम में लाया जाता है, जब मनुष्य के पुरुषार्थ करने पर भी अभीष्ट सफलता न मिले । असफलता में निराशा और खीज उत्पन्न होती है और अपनी भूल तथा दूसरों के असहयोग के अनेक प्रसंग ध्यान में आते हैं । ऐसी दशा में असफलता की हानि के साथ लोग भावी सतर्कता के लिए शिक्षा तो नहीं लेते, उल्टे अपने या दूसरों के ऊपर झल्लाते, उद्विग्न होते देखे जाते हैं, इन परिस्थितियों में भाग्यवाद की चर्चा करके चित्त को हल्का किया जा सकता है । उस समय के लिए यह उपयुक्त औषधि हैं । जैसे तेज बुखार के सिर दर्द में एस्प्रो की गोली खाकर थोड़ी देर के लिए राहत मिल जाती है ।

इसके अतिरिक्त यदि , कर्त्तव्य क्षेत्र में उसका उपयोग किया जाने लगा तो उससे केवल अनर्थ ही उत्पन्न होगा । लोग अपना कर्त्तव्य और पुरुषार्थ खो बैठेंगे । आशा और उत्साह, साहस और शौर्य सब कुछ कुण्ठित हो जायेगा । अपने देश में ऐसा ही कुछ बहुत दिनों से होता चला आ रहा है और हम अपने कर्त्तव्यों के प्रति निर्जीव, नपुंसक, अन्यमनस्क और निराशाग्रस्त होते चले जा रहे हैं । “जो भाग्य में लिखा है, सो होगा - होनी टलेगी नहीं; जितना मिलना है, उतना ही मिलेगा - कर्म-रेखा मिटती नहीं; जब अच्छे दिन आयेंगे, तभी सफलता मिलेगी” - जैसी मान्यताएँ यदि मजबूती से मन में जड़ जमा लें तो किसी भी मनुष्य को अकर्मण्य और निराशावादी बना देगी । वह यही सोचता रहेगा कि जब अच्छा समय आयेगा तब सब कुछ अपने आप ठीक हो जायेगा। यदि अपने भाग्य में नहीं है, तो मेहनत करने पर भी क्यों मिलेगा ?

यह विचारधारा भारतीय दर्शन के सर्वथा विपरीत है । अपने यहाँ सदा पुरुषार्थ, कर्म, प्रयत्न और संघर्ष को मानव-जीवन की अनिवार्य आवश्यकता के रूप में प्रतिपादित किया जाता है । अपना सारा अध्यात्म इतिहास और दर्शन इसी प्रतिपादन से भरा पड़ा है । फिर यह भाग्यवाद विकृत विचारधारा कहाँ से चल पड़ी ? इसकी खोज करने पर स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि सामन्तवादी शोषकों ने अपनी अत्यचारों से पीड़ित जनता को किसी प्रकार शान्त-संतुष्ट करने के लिए यह मनोवैज्ञानिक नशे की गोली विनिर्मित की । उनके इशारे पर साधु-पण्डित भी इस तरह के किस्से-कहानी गढ़कर पीड़ितों के रोष-प्रतिरोष को शान्त व शमन करने में लगे रहे । शोषक और दुष्ट-दुराचारी अपने द्वारा उत्पीड़ित शोषित लोगों को इसी आधार पर ठण्डा करते रहे कि तुम्हारे भाग्य में कुछ ऐसा ही लिखा था, जिसके कारण दु:ख-दारिद्र सहन करने पड़ रहे है । हम तो निमित्त मात्र हैं । असली कारण तो तुम्हारा भाग्य है । जब भाग्य और भगवान की इच्छा ही जब एकमात्र कारण है, तब उस कुकृत्य को रोकने की, विरोध करने की बात सोचना ही बेकार है । इसलिये आवश्यक है कि इस बौद्धिक दासता के भ्रष्ट सिद्धांत को ठोकर मारें, जिसे शोषकों ने हमारे रोष की प्रतिक्रिया से बचने के लिए गढ़ा और फैलाया है । कल का कर्म ही आज भाग्य बन सकता है । कल का दूध आज दही कहला सकता है । इसलिए यदि भाग्य कुछ है भी तो केवल हमारी कर्मठता की प्रतिक्रिया, प्रतिध्वनि मात्र है। इसलिये हमें भाग्य की और न देखकर कर्मनिष्ठा को ही प्रधानता देना चाहिए ।

What is the need to believe in destiny?

One medicine cannot cure all the ailments or people. In the same way, one particular principle or belief cannot be universally applied to all the situations. Destiny is also one such principle which should be taken into account only when one fails to succeed despite all the best efforts. Failure naturally leads to disappointment and frustration and also brings back lots of past memories of mistakes and lack of required help or support from others. People caught up in failure start finding faults with themselves as well as others and become agitated instead of trying to learn from their mistakes and not to repeat them in future. In such circumstances, one may console him/herself by ascribing the failure on destiny or fate which may be appropriate medicine for that particular moment. It helps to pacify the person in the same way as aspirin temporarily relieves headache in fever.

But if people start misusing the belief in destiny or fate as an excuse for not discharging their duties, it will certainly lead to undesirable consequences. People may start neglecting their duties and efforts. Hope, enthusiasm, courage and determination will all wither away. Our nation is facing almost similar situation for some time and we are becoming uninterested, incapable, irresponsible, careless, idle and unenthusiastic towards our duties. “Whatever predestined is bound to happen, no one can change that;” “Our fate is sealed;” “One will get only that what has been decided by the destiny;” “One can never change the destiny;” “Success will only come when fortune smiles on us”. Any such mistaken beliefs taking root in anyone’s mind will make him/her work-shy and feeling hopeless. He/she will keep thinking that everything would get alright once the luck becomes favorable and that his/her efforts will be futile without any such luck.

The above ideology is totally contradictory to Indian philosophy which has always advocated active efforts, karma (sow better to reap better), doing one’s best and keep doing all these despite any hindrances as being the indispensable qualities of our life. The entire Indian history and philosophy too abound in hordes of references that endorse these qualities. That makes one wonder how the distorted belief of destiny came into being? If we look into its root cause, it will lead us to the oppressive feudal lords of the medieval times who invented this idea to make the masses whom they used to exploit to meekly accept their plight believing it to be result of their destiny. On their command, the clerics and preachers too started inventing some supporting mythical stories to pacify the agitated minds of the oppressed. The tyrants and corrupted individuals used to pacify the aggrieved people by saying that their bad fortune was the main culprit that made them suffer at their hand who were made to do what they have been doing by the same mysterious force of destiny. The aggrieved people would resign themselves to enduring their misery thinking of being helpless against the mighty force of luck and the will of the god. Therefore, it is essential that we get rid of such distorted and crafty belief which have been introduced by the oppressors to their advantage to save their skin from the anger of the aggrieved people. Remember that our deeds of today will become our destiny of tomorrow. What is milk today may turn into yogurt tomorrow. Therefore, if there is something known as fate or destiny, it is nothing but the reaction and the reflection our deeds. Therefore, we should better pay attention to doing hard work rather than thinking of luck.