Hari OM
Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!
As we are inclined to fall to the way of the world, lured by sparkly Maya, the king-guru now explains a bit about this, which is called samsaara.
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Suatduiht&klÇÇa[_aaraidRtanam!,
iv;miv;ytaeye mJjtamPlvana<
_avtu zr[mekae iv:[upaetae nra[am!.12.
Bhava-jaladhigataanaam dvandva-vaataahataanaam
Suta-duhitR-kalatra-traana-bhaaraarditaanaam,
Vishama-vishaya-toye majjataam-aplavaanaam
Bhavatu shranam-eko vishnupoto naraanaam ||12||
Bhagavaan Vishnu is the boat for all men caught up in the middle of the ocean of worldly existence, boatless, constantly beaten up by wind of the pairs of opposites (joy, sorrow, etc.), afflicted by the burden of responsibilities to protect son, daughter and wife and sunk in the water of attractive objects!
The best thing to have if out on the ocean is a boat, is it not? That too, a solid, well-built, sturdy and storm-proof one! Life is filled with vicissitudes and duties and, yes, the material joys. We compensate our stresses by acquisition and desire. Here, then, Kulashekhara likens life to being adrift on an ocean. Not a new analogy, it being a recognised example used in Sanatana Dharma. In every day, every hour, we are faced with choices and quite often those choices are between opposite things. This pertains, generally, to shreyas and preyas. Do we choose between what we desire now, or what we know is the better thing in the long-term for our spiritual well-being?
None of us escapes such choices. Mainly they are small things of daily living - what to eat or not, what to drink or not - but sometimes they can be big, even life-changing. Add in the contexts of those whom we hold near and dear and our need to consider their welfare also and life can become a real chore. We may either sink or swim in samsaara. It is this very thing which frequently results in chosen the easy path and that, in turn, is most often the poorer path for the long-term of the jiiva.
If we are wise, we search for a boat which will keep us afloat. In material terms, this might be taking up hobbies and habits which will keep us healthy in mind and body. However, we may also see that there is a larger implication, that of the soul, and seek to find the vessel which carries us best. To have a 'boat' which actually increases its protection of us the more we pay attention to it may sound like magic or total fairy tale… but centuries of those who have experienced this, many millions, cannot all be fantisising. There must be something which keeps folk uplifted in these stormy waters and helps them cross the sea of life in a dignified and relatively undamaged way? The reach of the Higher is wide and strong and all that is required is that we raise our hands and minds in supplication. It may come in the form of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism or, as here, Hinduism. That part matters not. What does matter is that there are true love and devotion towards the philosophy which sails past and to which you now cling. Explore it to the fullest, let it explore you! Find the common thread of Love and Devotion and experience the buoyancy it gives as you traverse samsaara.
If we are wise, we search for a boat which will keep us afloat. In material terms, this might be taking up hobbies and habits which will keep us healthy in mind and body. However, we may also see that there is a larger implication, that of the soul, and seek to find the vessel which carries us best. To have a 'boat' which actually increases its protection of us the more we pay attention to it may sound like magic or total fairy tale… but centuries of those who have experienced this, many millions, cannot all be fantisising. There must be something which keeps folk uplifted in these stormy waters and helps them cross the sea of life in a dignified and relatively undamaged way? The reach of the Higher is wide and strong and all that is required is that we raise our hands and minds in supplication. It may come in the form of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism or, as here, Hinduism. That part matters not. What does matter is that there are true love and devotion towards the philosophy which sails past and to which you now cling. Explore it to the fullest, let it explore you! Find the common thread of Love and Devotion and experience the buoyancy it gives as you traverse samsaara.
