Hari
Om
Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by
which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality
and become more congruent within our personality.
We are reading "Tips for Happy
Living - jIvnsUÇai[
/jiivanasuutraani", by Swami Tejomayananda (Guru-ji). Choose-days writings
are here to prompt deeper thinking on the choices made on a daily basis and
seek to provide prompts for raising the standard of one's thinking and living.
This text composed in format of Sanskrit traditional teachings, speaks directly
to this purpose. As ever, the full text may be obtained from CM Publications - or your local centre
(see sidebar).
Continuing,
Guruji now ponders the question as to whether love is governed by rules.
parSpirkSnehivñase
vtRmane ivixinyma AnavZyka>.3.
Aiv*mane=ip
AnavZyka ytae in:)la>.4.
Paarasparika-sneha-vishvaase
vartamaane vidhiniyamaa anaavashyakaaH ||3||
Avidyamaane-pi
anaavashyakaa yato nishphalaaH ||4||
If there is mutual love and trust, then rules and
regulations are not needed.
In its absence also, they are not needed, because they
do not work.
'Love
Rules, Mistrust Fails' is, perhaps, the nutshell version of this! Once, a
dictator passed a law that everyone should love and respect him. They showed
their love by bowing in fear before him and giving him gifts to placate him.
There was a priest who commanded everyone to 'love they neighbour'. A man
changed his house in order to follow the commandment!
We
cannot love or trust another by simple command; love happens when we identify
with the object of affection and respect.
In
the world, some rules are formed and written and some are unwritten. When love
rules, there is harmony and no formal rules are needed. In a close-knit family,
there are unwritten rules like 'each takes care of the other when sick, or on
becoming poor, or just in sharing the chores'. Unwritten rules based on love
and trust are strong. There was a time which such was there among whole
communities and nobody had to lock their doors or fear for their children in
the streets.
We
find that laws are made, agreements and treaties are signed, constitutions are
formed, rules are formalised, support is pledged, help is sanctioned and deals
are authorised where love and trust prevail. Where they do not, however, these
agreements do not work and there is strain and strife.
Love
enables rules, but is not governed by them; where it is absent, any rules are
anyway ignored.
