CHAPTER VII.
Self-regarding Virtues.
WE have seen that the Jivatma is related to all around him, and that Ethics is concerned with making his relations with others harmonious. But we must not forget that he is most closely related to his own koshas, or bodies the parts of the Not- Self that he has most closely united to himself, and that unless he is in harmonious relations with these, he can hardly hope to be in harmonious relations with the bodies that are further away from him. While he is young, these bodies of his master him, and lead him into all sorts of trouble ; as he grows older, he begins to try to master them, and many a hard fight he has with them, before he develops the great virtue called self- control the control of the lower selves by the higher Self, of the bodies by the Jivatma.
Virtues that belong to these bodies, considered by themselves, rather than in connection with the relations between different Jivatmas, are called self-regarding in modern classifications. But every one can see that a person who has these virtues will promote harmonious relations with others much more than one who has them not .
Manu, the great law-giver, lays much stress on the necessity for this self-control, and gives some most valuable advice about it. He says that action has three forces behind it, and that each of these must be mastered. " Action is born of mind, speech and body."'*
The mind the Manomayakosha, which includes the emotions must be conquered. This is the hardest task of all. For the mind runs after the objects of desire, swayed and controlled by the longings to possess the objects which promise to give pleasure. The emotions are ever craving satisfaction, and the mind seeks to gratify them, becoming their slave. The Jivatma must free the mind from this slavery, and subdue it for his own service, making it the master of the senses and the sense-organs : as Manu says : " In conquering this (the mind) the two sets of five become conquered." The "two sets of five" are the ten Indriyas, that is, the five ज्ञानेन्द्रिय Jriunendriyas and the five कर्मेन्द्रिय Karmendriyas. Let the student, then, aim at ruling his mind ;if it runs to evil things let him call it back ; let him allow it to fix itself only on good things. This is the first, the most difficult, the most essential part of self-control.
The control of speech is the next step ; we must think before we speak. Hasty speech leads us into endless troubles. Arjuna was often very hasty in his speech, and so got himself into many difficulties ; as in his hasty vow to slay himself if he did not kill Jayadratha, the slayer of his son, before sunset, thus necessitating the interference of Shri Krishna, who shrouded the sun prematurely to induce Jayadratha to come out from his shelter.* So again in his quarrel with Yudhishthira, provoked by Yudhishthira's taunting speech,f and on other occasions. Nay, his failure to keep a hasty vow led to his death on the Great Journey:" Arjuna said he would consume all our foes in a single day. Proud was he in his heroism, but he did not what he boasted. Hence has he fallen down. "J He who has conquered his tongue is near to self-mastery."
Thirdly, the physical body must be controlled, and not be allowed to hurry us into sin for its gratification. Says Shri Krishna: "Worship of the Devas, the twice-born, the gurus and the wise, purity, straightforwardness, chastity and harmlessness, are called the austerity of the body."
Youth is the time for conquering the body, for it is then most easily subdued, and set in the right way. For the body is a creature of habit and though at first, it will oppose the will of the Jivatma with great energy, a little perseverance makes it give way, and then it goes as contentedly and readily along the new road as it did along the old.
Among the sources of evil and of sorrow that we should strive to get rid of by this self-control is selfish desire, for out of the insatiable desire for material wealth and material pleasures grow many miseries, and peace arises from the absence of these desires and not by their continued gratification. Thus Manki found. For, greedy of wealth, Manki had searched for it long, but ever he seemed doomed to disappointment. With the last remnant of his property he bought a pair of calves to train up for the plough. But fate ordained that the cord with which the two were tied should get entangled with a passing camel, so that both were killed. This last mischance opened the heart of Manki, so that desire fled thence unconfined, and Manki burst forth into song :
" He that desires happiness must renounce desire. Well did Shuka say that of these two the one who gets all that he wishes and the one who casts off every wish the latter, who renounces all, is surely much superior to the former, for none can ever attain to the end of all desires. Do thou, my soul, so lon*< a slave to greed, taste now for once the joys of freedom and tranquillity. Long have I slept, but I shall sleep no longer ; I shall wake. No more shalt thou deceive me, Desire. Whatever object thou didst fix my heart on, that didst thou force me to follow, heedless, never pausing to enquire if it were easy or impossible to gain. Thou art without intelligence. Thou art a fool. Ever unsatisfied, thou burnest like a fire, always lambent for more offerings. Thou art impossible to fill, like pace itself. Thy one wish is to plunge me into sorrow* This day we part. From this day, Desire, I live no longer in thy company. I think no more of thee or of thy train. I cast thee off, with all the passions of my heart. I, who was harassed with despair before, have now attained to perfect peace of mind. In full contentment of the heart, senses at ease, shall I live henceforth on what comes to me, and labour no more for the satisfaction of thy wishes, my foe. Casting off thee and all thy train, I gain at once instead tranquillity and self- restraint, forgiveness and compassion and deliverance." Thus Manki lost a little, and gained all.* Hear also the story of King Yayati, who driven mad by wild desire, took from his own son his fair and splendid youth to strive to fill therewith the ever-gaping maw of Desire the insatiable. For thus the story runs.
King Yayati, son of Nahusha, of the Lunar Dynasty of Kings, was over-fond of the pleasures of sense and fell into sin, which brought upon him the wrath of his father-in-law, the great Rishi Shukra, the priest of the Titan-Kings. Because of that wrath, King Yayati was suddenly struck with shrivelled and tottering old age in the very midst of his glorious prime of manhood.
He propitiated the Rishi, and Shukra, taking pity on him, decreed that he could exchange, for a thousand years, his age and feebleness for the health and youth of any of his sons, who should consent willingly to the exchange. Yayati asked his five sons in succession ; the fifth and youngest Puru, for love and reverence of his father, gave him his own youth and took from him his age for the period of a thousand years. For that long period King Yayati assiduously pursued the pleasures of the senses, endeavouring to exhaust the luxuries of the world of matter. But ever he found that his craving grew, even when his senses dulled with satiation. He longed in vain that his longing for the world of sense should be exhausted by fulfilment. As one spoke of a wheel running after another spoke of it, the chase was endless.
At the last, as the thousand years approached their close, a great vairagya arose in his mind, and he saw that desire ceases not with satisfaction but with frustration. He called Puru to him, took back his own old age with gladness, and gave to him his youth together with the kingdom, and retired into the forests chanting the verse that sum- med up all his life-experience : "Desire may not be quenched by enjoyment of its objects ; it only increases manifold therewith, as fire with libations of butter. " * (* Mahabharatam. Anushasana ParVa, cxvi 37.)
Let us pause a moment on the word " harmlessness, " in the above quotation of Shri Krishna's words, p. 141. " Harmlessness is the highest Dharma," Bhishma taught. We should injure nothing.Our life should be a source of help, not of harm. The control of the body includes this abstention from injuring others. As said Brihaspati : " That man who practises the religion of universal compassion, achieves the highest good.... One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious to one's own self. This, in brief, is the rule of righteousness. " *
People often harm others in more thoughtlessness, and so bring about much trouble- When Yudhishthira and Duryodhana and their brothers were boys and all lived and studied together, Bhima, who was the strongest of them all, often indulged in practical jokes and rough horse-play, exercising his great strength with boyish thought-lessness upon the younger and weaker boys. When a number of them climbed up into a tree to pluck the fruit, he would take the trunk between his hands and shake the tree, till the little boys tumbled down like ripe fruits. Bhima thought it was great fun and laughed ; but some of the boys were hurt, hurt in body, and what was worse, hurt in mind.
Again, when they were out bathing and swimming in the river that flowed beneath the walls of Hastinapura, Bhima would swim underneath the other boys, and, catching hold of a number of them, would dive into the water, and hold them there till they were almost drowned, while his own greater lung-capacity helped him efficiently against similar distress. He delighted in this, but the others were agonised.
What was the consequence ? A smouldering fire of repulsion and dislike, that later on grew into a blazing fire of hate that consumed Kaurava and Pandava alike. The boyish thoughtlessness of Bhima was one of the chief causes of the Great War. It is true that unless the combustibles are there, the spark will not kindle the fuel ; unless the tissues are tainted, the microbe will not develop the disease ; still it is our duty to guard against such a destructive spark, such a death-bringing microbe, as long and ascearfully as we can.
When thoughtless exercise of strength hurts the weak who cannot retaliate, then the anger, that is born but is not vented, becomes transformed into what is contemptuously called hate and malice, but is in reality far less to blame than the careless spoliation of the weaker by the stronger. To the superficial eye of one who is himself equally inclined in his secret mind to oppression, such acts may appear blameless or even magnificent. But to the just eye of a true chivalry they will always appear in their real character of meanness and tyranny. And he who studies the Great History carefully knows well that the Pandavas were not all to praise, nor the Kauravas all to blame.
The triple control of mind, speech and body results in righteousness, in right character expressing itself in right conduct. The man who has thus put himself into right relations with the things nearest to him, his own emotions, mind and body, and has thus partially acquired the virtues classified as "self-regarding "or "egoistic " in western ethical books, is able to practise more effectively those classified therein as "altruistic, " those which arise in relation to other living beings.
We have now to study the virtues and vices which arise in the relations between human beings. These are best classified under three heads :
1. The virtues and vices which arise in relation to superiors.
2. The virtues and vices which arise in relation to equals.
3. The virtues and vices which arise in relation to inferiors.
In this way we shall obtain a clear and simple classification of the virtues which make our relations with all around us harmonious, and seeing them distinctly, we can strive to attain them.
And we shall also see plainly the vices which make disharmony and can try to avoid them. All the virtues have their root in pure Love, and have Bliss for their fruit ; all the vices have their root in personal Hate, and their fruit is Misery.
शुभाशुभफलं कर्म मनोवाग्देहसम्भवम् ।
कर्मजा गतयो नॄणामुत्तमाधममध्यमः ॥ १२.३॥
मानसं मनसेवायमुपभुङ्क्ते शुभाशुभम् ।
वाचा वाचा कृतं कर्म कायेनेव च कायिकम् ॥ १२.८॥
वाग्दण्डोऽथ मनोदण्डः कायदण्डस्तथैव च ।
यस्यैते निहिता बुद्धौ त्रिदण्डीति स उच्यते ॥ १२.१०॥
त्रिदण्डमेतन्निक्षिप्य सर्वभूतेषु मानवः ।
कामक्रोधौ तु संयम्य ततः सिद्धिं नियच्छति ॥ १२.११॥
"Karma, that bringeth good or evil fruit* ariseth in the mind, or in speech, or in the body. And threefold are the paths of men, according to their karma, high or low or middling.
" This (Jiva) reapeth good or evil, mental with the mind, vocal with speech, and bodily even with the body."
" The danda of the speech, the danda of the mind, the danda of the act he who has laid these Rods (of rule) ; over his intelligence he is the Tridandi.
" Having laid these rods (of control over his mind) with respect to all beings, and having conquered lust and anger, (the Jiva) attaineth perfection.
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते।।17.14।।
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते।।17.15।।
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते।।17.16।।
"Worship given to the Devas, to the twice-born, to the teachers and to the wise, purity, straightforwardness, continence and harmlessness are called the austerity of the body.
" Speech causing no annoyence, truthful and beneficial, the practice of the study of the Scriptures, are called the austerity of Speech.
" Mental happiness, equilibrium, silence, self- control, purity of nature this is called the austerity of the mind."
न जातु कामः कामानां उपभोगेन शाम्यति ।
हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते ।
"Not by the enjoyment of the objects of desire doth desire abate ; rather it increaseth again, as fire with libations of butter."
विषयों के सेवन से इच्छाओं की वृद्धि – यह निश्चय है कि एव कृष्णवत्र्मा हविषा जैसे अग्नि में इन्धन और घी डालने से भूय एव अभिवर्धते अग्नि बढ़ता जाता है कामानां उपभोगेन कामः न जातु शाम्यति वैसे ही कामों के उपभोग से काम शान्त कभी नहीं होता किन्तु बढ़ता ही जाता है । इसलिए मनुष्य को विषयासक्त कभी नहीं होना चाहिए ।
मनःसंयोग
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते।।6.35।।
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्।।6.26।।
"Without doubt, o mighty -armed the miund is hard to curb and restless. But, son of Kunti, it may be curbed by constant practice and by dispassion.
" As often as the wavering and unsteady mind, goeth forth, so often, reining it in, let him bring it under the control of the Self.
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि।।12.10।।
"If also thou art not equal to constant practice be intent on My service. Performing actions for My sake, thou shalt attain perfection."
नित्यो नित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनानामेको बहूनां यो विदधाति कामान्।
तत्कारणं सांख्ययोगाधिगम्यं ज्ञात्वा देवं मुच्यते सर्वपाशैः॥
एको वशी निष्क्रियाणां बहूनामेकं बीजं बहुधा यः करोति।
तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीरास्तेषां सुखं शाश्वतं नेतरेषाम्॥
" That which is the Eternal of all eternals,That which is the Life of all lives, That which being One inspireth many with desires the wise that behold that One seated within themselves, to them alone belongs the lasting peace, unto none else."
गोत्रजः सहजशत्रुरित्यसौ नीतिरस्तु
" The kinsman is the congenital foe such is the view of those whose minds are blinded by the greed of wealth. To him whose wealth is wisdom, the world, that is filled with his elders, equals and youngers, is (as a world of) parents, friends and children."
मनःसंयोग
अविजित्य य आत्मानम् अमात्यान् विजिगीषते ।
अमित्रान् वाजितामात्यः सोऽवशः परिहीयते ॥
आत्मानमेव प्रथमं द्वष्यरूपेण यो जयेत् ।
ततोऽमात्यानमित्राश्च न मोघं विजिगीषते ॥ ६ ॥
" He that, without having conquered himself, wisheth to conquer his ministers, or that, without having conquered his ministers, wisheth to conquer his foes, he faileth helplessly.
" But he that conquereth himself first, as his own foe, and thereafter conquers his ministers and his foes, (his work) is not vain."
धर्मस्य विधयो नैके।
धर्मस्य विधयो नैके ये वै प्रोक्ता महर्षिभिः।
स्वं स्वं विज्ञानमाश्रित्य दमस्तेषां परायणम्॥ महाभारत :शान्ति पर्व .१६०/६॥
इह निःश्रेयसं प्राहुर्वृद्धा निश्चितदर्शिनः ।
ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषेण दमो धर्मः सनातनः ।।
आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वाहुर्दममेवोत्तमं व्रतम्।
तस्य लिङ्गं प्रवक्ष्यामि येषां समुदयो दमः ।।
क्षमा धृतिरहिंसा च समता सत्यमार्जवम् ।
इन्द्रियाभिजयो धैर्यं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ।।
अकार्पण्यमसंरम्भः संतोषः प्रियवादिता।
अविहिंसानसूया चाप्येषां समुदयो दमः॥ शान्ति.१६०/१६॥
"Not one ( but many are ) the branches of dharma that have been declared by the wise, each resting upon his own knowledge. But Dama (self-control) is the basis of them all.
"The elders, the seers of the sure, have declared that Dama leadeth to the Highest; especially for the Brahmana is Dama the ( whole of ) Sanatana Dharma.
"The man that is not self-controlled meeteth suffering everywhere ; and many troubles he causeth, all arising out of his own defects.
"For all the four Ashramas, Dama is the highest vow. I shall declare to thee the marks thereof,the characteristics of which Dama is the source :
"Forgiveness, self-possession, harmlessness,equability, truthfulness, straightforwardness, the conquest of the senses, skill, gentleness, modesty, restfulness, absence of scorn, absence of excitement, sweet speech, harmlessness, and absence of jealousy of all these is self-control the source."
धृतिः क्षमा दमोऽस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः ।
धीर्विद्या सत्यमक्रोधो दशकं धर्मलक्षणम् ॥ मनु ६.९२॥
"Self-possession, patience, self-control, integrity, purity, restraint, intelligence, learning, truthfulness, absence of anger these ten are the marks of dharma."
हिन्दू धर्म में चार जातियाँ हैं , किन्तु चारो का धर्म एक है !
अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः ।
एतं सामासिकं धर्मं चातुर्वर्ण्येऽब्रवीन् मनुः ॥ मनुस्मृति १०.६३॥
"Harmlessness, truth-speaking, refraining from theft, control of the senses such is the essence of the dharma that Manu declared for all the four castes."
सत्यं अस्तेयं अक्रोधो ह्रीः शौचं धीर्धृतिर्दमः ।
संयतेन्द्रियता विद्या धर्मः सर्व उदाहृतः ।। याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृतिः ३.६६ । ।
"Truthfulness, absence of theft, absence of anger, modesty, purity, intelligence, self-possession, self-control, restraint of the senses, learning this is declared to be the whole of dharma."
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