Hari OM
Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!
We are learning that our saadhana needs to always have the invocation of the Higher within it, that our every thought and deed needs to be considered and directed towards That. Two shlokas today.
tÅv< äuva[ain pr< prsmat!
Maxu ]rNvIv sta< )lain,
àavtRy àaÃilriSm ijþe
Naamain naray[gaecrai[.31.
#d< zrir< pir[ampezl<
ptTyvZy< ðwsiNx jjRrm!,
ikmaE;xE> iKlzyis mUF dumRte
inramy< k&:[rsayn< ipb.32.
Tattvam bruvaanaani param parasmaat
Madhu ksharantiiva sataam phalaani,
Praavartaya praangjalir-asmi jihve
Naamaani naaraayana-gocharaani ||31||
Idam shariiram parinaama-peshalam
Patat-yavashyam shlathasandhi jarjaram,
Kim-aushadhaiH slishyasi muudha durmate
Niraamayam kRshna-rasaayanam piba ||32||
Oh Tongue, I am praying to you with folded hands. Please repeat the names of the Lord that point to Naaraayana. These holy names reveal the Truth that is greater than the greatest and are like fruits oozing honey for good-natured people.
This body which constantly changes will surely fall down after growing old and having all its joints broken. Oh, deluded fool, why do you suffer consuming medicines? Drink (recite) the nectarine name of Shri Krishna which will free you from all sickness!
If we want someone to come to us from the next room, we might call out their name, is it not? Or from more distance, we may use modern things like telephone or computer. They may not be able to come to us physically, but by using their name and a 'direct line', we can feel closer. We may never be able to have a physical sense of the Higher, but we can certainly bring it closer to us by using one of the many names given to It! What is more, in the Sanskrit, each name contains so much meaning and we can learn much about ourselves and the Higher Essence simply by paying attention to those names. This is why, even today, when a Guru passes into mahaasamaadhi, there is a long list of names put together into a chant for remembrance of not just the physical person, but of all the qualities portrayed and the things that Guru wished us to learn. Spend a little of each day to recite some of the names by which you know The Higher.
In doing this, you may find that you have a sense of well-being, as indicated by the second of these verses. All the pills and potions we have in the world can certainly alter our physical chemistry in the hope of improving the condition of our bodies. Whether that is in the form of prevention through vitamins and minerals, or through correction by use of otherwise poisonous substances, none of them can truly help when what we really require is a proper connection with The Higher Essence of Being.
Essentially, we are what we think. Correct the mind and what happens with the body becomes irrelevant. This body was always meant to decay, by virtue of having been born. The spirit inside, however, is eternal and it is this which deserves our full attention.
