Hari
OM
Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!
The Narada Bhakti Sutra is our guide for a while… the
nature of Love (with the capital 'ell') and a full exploration of it. As
always, you are encouraged to seek out the full text from Chinmaya Publications
(links in side-bar); but for those who prefer e-readers, this version is recommended. Whilst awareness and interest can be
raised by these posts on AV-blog, they cannot substitute for a thorough reading
and contemplation...and practice!
Chapter
Eight; Section 2 - Obstacles and Remedies; Cultivate Devotion. Having pointed
out that after thought must come action, what are some attitudes and values
which can create the favourable conditions for living the Life Divine?
Aih<sasTyzaEcdyaiStKyaidcairÈyai[
pirpalnIyain.78.
Ahimsaa-satya-shaucha-dayaastik-yaadi-chaaritryaani
paripaala-niiyaani ||78||
Virtues like non-injury to others, truthfulness,
cleanliness, compassion, faith in the Lord etc. should be consistently
cultivated.
Without
right thinking (vichaara), right conduct (aachaara) is not possible. The
virtues of conduct can only be cultivated if the intellect has taken up proper
enquiry and prepared the mind of the seeker. Aachaara of an individual can be
changed and beautified only through vichaara. It is worth noting, though, that
if the aachaara is lacking, then the vichaara will also become dulled and less
fruitful. It's a two-way thing.
Those
who succumb to vaasanas - those deeply planted grooves our the jiiva's history
- and live according to desires and instincts are likely to find that it not
only affects their life, but their thinking capacity also. It becomes 'too
hard'. There is an awareness that perhaps there is a better way to live life,
but the cycle of self-destruction has its vice-like grip and intelligent
thinking is soon submerged again. Let us not even talk in terms of the Divine
at this point. We all are familiar with the problems caused in society by poor
behaviour patterns; often these are centred around the very activities which
can bring the communities together, but for one reason or another, control is
lost. There are the obvious things of drink and drugs and excess food and such
like, but there many subtle and much more individual 'hooks' also. Secret
little lusts which may not affect others, but certainly ruins us when it comes
to living as fully-fledge human beings. Even the best of us will have something
which distracts us from the path of total spiritual commitment.
Neither
are the virtues highlighted here by the Guru particular to one group of people,
or nation. These are universal. The make for a better society, regardless of
whether one has spiritual desires or not. This is why these are the rules which
are used in counselling the world-over - one does not have to have a faith in
God as such; but a faith in the highest human standards is equal to it.
For
our purposes here, however, it is being made clear that to unfold spiritually,
one must 'clean up one's act'. Ahimsa is not simply about 'non-kill' but is
about non-intention of harm. If we have a sour and uncharitable thought about
anyone, we are, by intent, causing harm. Thus the call to ahimsa is about
control of our thoughts and turning them only to Love. Satyam is also not
simply about 'telling the truth' - always desirable - but about being congruent
within one's personality. To cheat ourselves is the worst kind of lack of truth
there is. We must 'come clean' about what distracts us and seek to eradicate
this warp within us. Only then can we begin to properly understand others and
their plight. Compassion is something which can come naturally to some, but for
others, there is work to be done. Only when we automatically and instinctively
feel the pain of another and reach out to assist in whatever way we can,
without thought for ourselves or any return, can we truly be compassionate.
Then,
as spiritual seekers, we must at all times find ways to sit in and with spirit.
Reading scriptures or other inspirational works, utilising prayer and
meditation and singing the praises of our Beloved… here we can be as creative
as we wish.
Carrying
out the actions can help to focus the mind; but if the mind is not strong, the
actions will become weaker and fall away also. At the bottom of all this is the
Will, the 'sankalpa shakti'; power of determination to become the change we
wish to see in the world.
