कुल पेज दृश्य

शुक्रवार, 19 फ़रवरी 2021

SANATANA DHARMA - (25) - " Virtues and vices in relation to equals." [ Part (3:ETHICAL TEACHINGS.) --CHAPTER IX.- page - (203 to 235 )]

 CHAPTER IX.

Virtues and vices in relation to equals.

        WE have next to consider our relations with the equals that surround us on every side, and to know what virtues should be developed, what vices avoided, in order to make our home and our outer relations harmonious and happy.

        Let us first think of those of the home, for they are of primary importance ; pure and happy homes, in which family virtues are practised, make the foundation of prosperous States, of successful nations. We have seen the relations that should exist between parents and children, and we must now study those that should be found between husband and wife, between brothers and sisters

         The Hindu books are full of stories of the love that should bind a husband and wife together, or Conjugal Love. "Husband and wife are the same,"* {एतावानेव पुरुषो यत्जायाऽत्मा प्रजैति ह ।विप्राः प्राहुस्तथा चैतद्यो भर्ता सा स्मृताङ्गना ॥ मनु ९.४५॥ अन्योन्यस्याव्यभिचारो भवेदामरणान्तिकः ।एष धर्मः समासेन ज्ञेयः स्त्रीपुंसयोः परः ॥ मनु ९.१०१॥}says Manu ; they are one, not two ; love makes the two into one love protective, sheltering, tender, on the side of the husband ; love yielding, sweet, devoted, on the side of the wife. " Let mutual fidelity continue until death."* 

          Ramachandra and Sita form an ideal husband and wife ; they enjoy all life's happinesses together, and suffer together all life's sorrows ; they take counsel together in all perplexities, and share together all difficulties. We see them first in unclouded bliss, Prince and Princess, happy as the day is long ; when the coronation of Ramachandra approaches, we see them fasting and praying together ; when the shock of the sentence of exile comes, Sita" accepts it carelessly at first caring only for her husband's presence, and she would go with him, she " whose heart is wholly thine, knowing not another, ever clinging to thee resclute to die if left by thee. 

         "Thorns would touch her skin like soft linen, dust would be as sandal-powder, grass would serve as blanket, roots and leaves as pleasant food, so long as she was by her husband's side. " Rama, thy company is heaven, thy absence hell." Only when he pleads with her to remain behind, does her heart fail her. And when he bids her come she tosses gaily to her attendants all her costly robes and priceless jewels, stripping herself of all that women love, without a sigh, caring only for the joyous fact that exile could not separate husband and wife. 

        Happy as a girl, she is said to be playing in the forest glades unmindful of the lost royal splendour, since she is, night and day, at Rama's side. But though so blithe, she yet is wise, and we hear her counselling her husband with grave thoughtful words, as they wander on the outskirts of the forest of Dandaka. When she is carried away by Ravana, the mighty Rakshasa, how her husband's love breaks forth in protracted search, in wild outbursts of lament. "Sita ! Sita !" he cries in his anguish as he searches for her, "art thou hiding, art thou playing ? Oh come ! Such sport is my death." While laments and seeks, Sita is exposed to every temptation to be unfaithful, to every terror and cruel threat. " Devoted to one husband, I will never sin against him. With wealth and riches thou canst not tempt me. As the rays of the sun are his own, so am I Raghava's alone."*

            And hear the story of Savitri, who won her husband from the grasp of Yama, King of Death. King Ashvapati, of the Madra lands, obtained a daughter by long worship of the )evas. They called her Savitri. Fair was she as a figure of gold, and sweet as the jessamine flower, and the people worshipped her as a Devi, come to them for their good deeds. 

         When she came of age, her father said to her : "Choose thou a fitting husband for thyself." And she went forth asearchr with royal retinue. When she returned, after the lapse of many months, the Rishi Narada was staying with her father ; and in his presence she announced the choice that she had made. "King Dyumatsena of the Shalva country, old and blind and driven from his country by his enemies, lives in a forest, leading a hermit's life. His son, Satyavan, have I chosen for my spouse."

         Then Narada said : "Alas ! King ! innocent Savitri hath done ill." "Is he not fitting mate for Savitri ? "the King asked Narada. "Is he weak in mind or body, wanting in forgiveness or in courage ? " Narada said : "In nothing is he wanting of all this. Strong and radiant as the sun himself is Satyavan, generous like Rantideva, just like Shibi, magnificent like Yayati, and beautiful like the moon. But all this wealth of virtues must pass away from the earth within a year. His span of life is very short." 

             With sinking heart Savitri heard the Sage's words, yet said : "But once can a person say - " I give away."  And I have said it once : 'I give myself away to Satyavan.' I cannot choose again." Narada said : "Because thy daughter wavers not, King ! I give my blessing to the marriage ; " and went away.

        Swift messengers went to Dyumatsena, and he sent back word to Ashvapati : "I once myself desired alliance with thee, but saw not how to ask for it in my fallen state. Now that the blessed Savitri is coming to me of her own accord, I know for sure that Lakshmi's self is coming back unto our ancient house." So the marriage came to pass. 

          Joyously Savitri passed from her palaces to the hermit's cottage. Eagerly she attended to the least wants of her aged father-in-law and mother-in-law, rejoicing to perform the humblest duties of the household, and by her tender ways and loving words enslaved the heart of her husband.

       But ever underneath all this, the fire of secret agony lighted by the words of Narada burned within her soul ; and ever she counted the days of the prescribed year. At last the hour appointed for the death of Satvavan was only four days distant. Then she resolved to seek the help of the Devas by fast and prayer. And all the three days she fasted, taking not a drop of water. Early she rose on the morning of the fateful day, finished the morning rites, and touched the feet of her elders. All the ascetics dwelling in that forest blessed her on that day, saying that she should never know the pangs of widowhood. 

       And when the time came for Satyavn to go forth with his axe upon his shoulder into the wood for work, as usual, she made her heart strong and followed him. He asked in wonder why ; but she said she wished to go with him that day ; and so they went, beholding the beauties of the hills, the waters, the woods, and the birds and beasts. Then Satyavan began his daily labours, filled his wallet with fruit and felled dried branches for fuel. But suddenly a faintness came upon him and his head ached greatly, and he said this to Savitri and lay down.

          Then Savitri placed his head on her lap and sat, with breaking heart, awaiting she knew not what. All at once she beheld a majestic and awe-striking form, dark yet shining, clad in red attire, standing beside her, and gazing with fixed yet flashing eyes at Satyavan. Gently she placed her husband's head on the ground, stood up and made obeisance. And the form said : " The days of Satyavan are ended : I am Yama, Lord of Death ; and because he is so virtuous, I have come to take him away myself, rather than send my emissaries as usual."  And he drew the Sukshma Sharlra of Satyavan from his fleshy body, and departed with it toward*the south

          And Savitri also followed. Then Yama said : "Desist, Savitri ! go back and perform the funeral rites of thy lord. Thou hast discharged thy duty, and come as far behind thy husband as mortal may go." Savitri replied : " Whither my husband goeth, thither I go. This is the eternal law for man and wife. If I have loved my lord with undivided love, if I have served my elders reverently, if there be any power in penances, then be my path unchecked, out of thy favour, Yama !" 

       And innocently like a little child she repeated the lessons of dharma that her loving elders and her own gentle soul had taught her, " By faithful service, treading household ways, to wisdom have I won and to religious merit. Close not these ways, Death, depriving me of my gathered fruits." 

      "Wise and reasonable art thou, Savitri, and thy words are sweet. Save thy husband's life, I give thee any boon." " His father lives in darkness, gracious King ; by thy favour let his eyes once more behold the day."- Fairest of earth's daughters, I grant the boon thou seekest. And now return, weary earth-born feet, that may not tread the gloomy path of Death." 

       " Where he, my husband, goes, I still must follow. Fruitful is righteous company, King of Death, and sweet is it to dwell with one like thee. Not fruitless may such fair abiding prove." "Take then a second boon as fruit, peerless lady, but ask not for thy husband's soul," said Yama. " Give then, King of mortal worlds, his kingdom to my husband's father, his kingdom rent from him by evil men." " He shall regain his throne," said Yama," and reign thereon. And now go back,fair dame, nor follow further."

            But with sweet words and honeyed praises, Savitri still followed the Lord of Death, and won from him two other boons, one hundred sons for her father, and one hundred for herself.' When the fourth boon was granted, Savitri spoke in praise of righteous living and of high discharge of duty, till Yama, charmed by her eloquence and wisdom, granted her yet another boon, and Savitri quickly claimed her husband's life, since Yama had granted her a hundred sons, and righteousness would be infringed if other were their father save her husband.

       Thus did a faithful wife win back from Death her husband, and brought to his family prosperity, riches, and length of days, since even Yama, King of Death, is weaker than a pure wife's faithful love.*(Makabharatam, Vana Parva, ccxcii ccxcviii.)

         Nor can the Hindu boy forget the story of Damayantl, the wife of Nala. Nala, son of Virasena, and King of the Nishadhas, loved Damayantl, daughter of Bhima, the King of the Vidarbhas, and Damayantl loved Nala, though they had not met each other, but each had only heard the other's praises as being incomparable upon earth. Now the Svayamvara of the princess was proclaimed, and thereto went King Nala, and Damayantl chose him to be her husband, although the Devas, Indra, Agni, Varuna and Yama, were among the suitors for her hand ; and Nala and Damayantl lived to- gether in great love for eleven happy years, and two children were born to them. 

        In the twelfth year came Pushkara, and challanged King Nala to play him at dice, and Nala played, and lost again and again, till at length he had lost to Pushkara his kingdom and all his wealth, even his garments, and went forth an exile, with only one cloth, half covering his body. Then Damayantl, his wife having sent her children to her father's care when she saw how the games were going went forth after him, clad also in a single cloth, and in the outskrits of the city they wandered, hungry and athirst. To complete their misery, Nala lost his cloth in the attempt to catch therewith some birds for food, and hopeless and desperate, he wished Damayantl to be spared the suffering of hunger, and repeatedly pointed out to her the road to her former home. But Dainayanti, clung to him, weeping, sobbing that she would not leave him, that when he was weary she would soothe him, for in every sorrow there was no such medicine as a loving and faithful wife.

       Presently, wearied out, she lay sleeping on the bare ground, and Nala argued with himself that it would be kinder to leave her, so that she might seek her relatives, than to keep her wandering in misery with him. Thus thinking,he cut in half, with a sword that was lying near, the cloth she wore, leaving one half around her; and wrapping round himself the other half, he fled from her, mad with grief.

        The hopeless Damayantl awaking, found herself alone, and bitter was her grief, more for Nala's loneliness than for her own loss. She sought her husband eagerly, but found him not found instead a huge serpent, that wrapped her closely in his coils. How she escaped, and what fresh perils befell her ere she found at last shelter as companion to a princess of the Chedis, is told at length in the Nalopkhyana, Meanwhile Nala had rescued a snake ringed round with fire, and by the magic of the snake his form was changed and became unrecognisable, and he wandered till he reached the city of King Rituparna, whose charioteer he became. Thus were husband and wife severed, they who loved each other so dearly and so well. 

        Now King Bhima sent forth Brahmanas to search for his daughter and for Nala, and one of them, Sudeva by name, recognised the sad Queen as she sat in the King of Chedis' palace, and told her piteous story to the Queen-mother, who proved to be her mother's sister.Then Damayantl, in spite of warmest offers of hospitality, departed to her father's house, and King Bhima sent out again messengers to seek Nala, charged to bear a message to be uttered loudly in every gathering of men, which in veiled allusions, intelligible to Nala only, prayed him to return to his loving, sorrowing wife. 

        Long they sought, and at last found one who, after hearing the outcried message, spoke sadly of wives whom their husbands had deserted, and he was called Bahuka, charioteer of Rituparna, King in Ayodhya  Returning to Pamayanti Paruada, the messenger, told what had been said, and her quick woman's wit devised a way by which to bring Nala to her side. " Go to King Rituparna," she said, " and tell him that Damyanti holds another Swayamvara on the morrow after thy arrival in Ayodhya."

          For she knew that none save Nala could so drive as to reach her father's palace from Ayodhya within so brief a space. As she planned, so it happened, Rituparna bade Bahuka drive him swiftly to the city of the Vidarbhas, and Bahuka, sore at heart, chose swift steeds and drove them, as only he could drive, reaching the city of the Vidarbhas by that same evening, and there, by Damayantl's tender wiles, he was led to give signs that he was indeed Nala, as she suspected, for he wept over his children when he saw them, and he cooked as only Nala could cook ; then she bade them bring Bahuka into her presence, and husband and true wife recognised each other, and long thereafter lived they in wedded bliss, their kingdom regained, and their children around them.*

       Moreover, a wife who truly loves and serves her husband gains more of inner development and knowledge than she can gain by long austerities and painful penances. For thus we read in the story of the Brahmana's wife who angered Kaushika. Now the Brahmana Kaushika made great tapas. One day he sat in meditation under a tree, when a crane sitting on a branch befouled his person.He opened his eyes and looked up angrily at the crane ; and, such was the psychic power stored in Kaushika by his tapas, that the crane was killed by that angry glance as if struck by lightning. Kaushika was sad at the death of the crane, and glad also with the pride of tested power. 

           He went into the neighbouring town to beg as usual for his daily meal, and asked the first good housewife that he came across for it. As she was fetching him some food her husband came in, tired with his daily work, covered with dust. Asking Kaushika to stay a while, she began to attend to her husband. Some time elapsed and Kaushika's impatience grew. 

         When she came back to him at last with the food he needed, he looked at her with angrier eyes than he had looked with at the crane, and asked her how she had neglected the Brahmana for so long. She answered gently : " My duty to my husband is more urgent than to thee. Restrain thy wrath and learn forgiveness, Brahmana ! Look not at me with anger ; that will injure thee. I am no crane !" 

            Kaushika was thunderstruck and questioned her and she replied : " No penances have I performed to gather psychic powers; only served my husband single-mindedly. If thou wouldst learn yet more about the virtues of our simple household duties, go to the fowler of distant Mithila." 

           Kaushika went, with a humbled mind, to Mithila, and stood at the fringe of the great crowd of customers around the fowler's shop. The fowler saw Kaushika, went up to him, and, bowing low to the Brahbmana, said : " I know why the faithful housewife sent thee to me, and shall resolve thy doubts and show thee why I can do so." Then the fowler took Kaushika to his home, and showed him his aged parents, as we have already seen.*

            How brothers should show Brotherly Love we read in the whole story of the Ramayana, and it is said that Lakshmana was like Rama's life, so dear and close the bond, nor would they sleep apart, nor apart engage in sport ; we see him follow Ramachandra into the forest, and stand waking on watch while Rama slept ; we see him sharing in the search for Slta, ever wise in counsel and loving in sympathy ; and when Lakshmana lies senseless, arrow-pierced, before Lanka, hear Rama's piteous cry : " What have I to do with life and what with war, now Lakshmana lies wounded on the field of battle ? Why, forsaking me dost thou wander in other worlds ? Without thee, life and victory, nay, Sita's self, are worthless."

            The whole story of the Mahdbhdratam shows how brotherly love and union lead to prosperity and fame ; for never do we find the Pandavas with warring interests, or leading separated lives. Yudhishthira represents the family, and all the efforts of the younger are directed to his enrichment and his prosperity. For him they fight, and all the wealth they gain is gained for him ; for him Arjuna seeks and wins the divine weapons, by sharp tapas and fierce struggles and long and weary wanderings.

            And equally does Yudhishthira cherish them, regarding their joys and sorrows as his own. Yudhishthira has risen into Svarga, and looks round on every side to find his brothers and his wife. " I desire to go whither my brothers are gone," he cries again and again, and nowhere, among radiant Devas and triumphant Rajas, can he see the faces he so dearly loves. "Ye mighty ones !" at last he cries,  what is your heaven to me apart from them ? That is heaven where my brothers are. This is not heaven for me." 

          Then the Devas bade a heavenly messenger lead forth the King, and take him to the land where now his loved ones lived ; and turning their backs on Svarga they went out, and began to tread a path that led into ever-deepening gloom. Darker and darker grew the air, gloomier and gloomier yet the shadowy way. Foul things of nauseous smell and horrid shape crowded round them as they went, and beneath their feet the ground was slippery with blood, and was strewn with fragments of the corpses of the slain. Sharp thorns and piercing leaves obstructed it, and burning sand, and iron stones white-hot. Astounded, the King questioned his celestial guide, who told him that he had been bidden to lead him thither, but if he were weary, he could return. 

               Slowly, doubtfully, Yudhishthira turned, sure that his brothers could not dwell in region so foul and evil ; but as he turned sad cries arose on every hand, and piteous prayers that he would stay a while. "Who are you ?" asked the wondering King, and answers sobbed from every side. "I am Karna." "I am Bhlshma." "I am Arjuna." "I am Nakula." "I am Sahadeva." "I am Draupadi." And so with others, dearly loved on earth. 

            " Go back, go back to Svarga," cried the King, wrought to anger by his brothers' wrongs ; " go back to those who sent you here as guide. Not with them my place, but here, here, where my loved ones dwell. Go thou back to Svarga's barren joys ; better with these in pain than there in lonely bliss." And as he spake heaven's fragrance breathed around, and all was balmy air and shining light and thronging Devas, For stronger than hell is love, and fidelity than pain.*(* Mahabharatam, Mahaprasthanika Parva, iii, and Svargarohana Parv. )

           Among the virtues to be shown outside the family, Hospitality stands in the first rank, and how highly it is to be valued may be seen in the story of: the half-golden mongoose that attended the great sacrifice of King Yudhishthira, where all the arches and the stakes and sacrificial vessels were of gold, and whereat all men took as they would of gems and money, none forbidding them. Yet cried the mongoose, that the sacrifice of: the wealth there gathered was of less worth than a small measure of powdered barley, given by a poor Brahmana to his guest.

            And thus he told the tale. There was a Brahamana who kept the unchha vow, and daily lived on the grains of corn he gathered, making one frugal meal a day, he and his wife, with son and daughter-in-law. And a terrible famine laid waste the land and few were the grains left upon the husking-ground by threshers, and ever thinner and thinner grew he and his faimly, till they were but as living skeletons. One day it happened that he had gathered a little barley, and, having powdered it, the wife divided it into four, that each might have a scanty meal and joyfully they sat down to eat. But ere yet they had touched the little heaps of grain, a guest stood in the doorway, and quickly rising, the Brahmana brought him in, and gave him water and a seat, and then set before him his own share of the scanty food.

         The guest ate, but still was hungry, and the wife brought her share and placed it in her husband's hands that he might put it before the guest. " Shaking art thou with weakness, mother of my son," he said : "keep thou the food and eat, lest my home lose its sunshine." 

         But she pressed on him the food, that the Dharma of Hospitality might not be broken, and, with a sigh, he took and gave. Yet still the guest was fain for more, and the son brought his meagre share, and the brahmana, aching for his son's hunger and the emaciation of his youthfull body, laid that third portion before the guest. But, alas ! even then the guest was still hungry, for each little share was as nothing for a hungry man, and the young wife's share was now held out to the host's shaking hands, but he drew them back with anguish at his heart. Not yours, my little one, not yours, not yours." "Father of my son's father, " she said, with sweet humility of voice and gesture, "shut me not out from sharing your good deeds."

             As a Deva is a guest. Feed him, then, from this my food, which is as thine own flesh. " Weeping he took, and then with gentle smile laid it before his guest, who took and ate. Then, as the guest rose up, bright light shone out, and in the midst he stood, radiant and splendid ; for truly was the guest a Deva, the Lord of Righteousness, Dharma, the strong and pure. And in a few grains that he had left uneaten, the mongoose rolled, and half his body turned to gold by the magic of that sacrifice, so priceless is the gracious Virtue of Hospitality, so transforming is its power.*(* Mahabhamtam, Vana Parva, iv vi.)

            A wicked fowler, black in skin like his own deeds of daily murder of innocent brids and beasts, and red in the eyes like his burning malice against his victims, was once overtaken by a terrible thunderstorm in the middle of a forest. The open glades were converted into lakes and the pathways into running streams in a moment. The higher lands to which he tried to find a way were invaded by bears and lions and other fierce denizens of the jungle. Shivering with cold, shaking with fear, he yet refrained not from his cruel habits.

             Espying a poor she-pigeon lying on the ground, beaten down by the torrents of the rains and frozen with the cold he picked her up and mercilessly thrust her into the cage he carried. Wandering on he shortly came to a lordly tree that stood in the midst of the forest, and extended a benevolent shade and shelter to' myriads of the feathered tribe. It seemed to have been placed there on purpose by the Creator for the good of all creatures, like a good man for the benefit of the world. The fowler took refuge beneath the spreading boughs of the tree. By and by, the clouds dispersed, and the stars shone out. But the fowler was too far away from his home and resolved to pass the night under the tree.

             As he lay under the tree he heard the he-pigeon lamenting : " Alas! thou hast not yet returned, dear wife ! What can have happened to thee ? If that dear wife of mine, with her bright rose-eyes, sweet coo, and softest plumes, cometh not back to my nest, my life shall no longer be worth living. The house is not the home, in truth ; the wife is the home. She eats when I eat, she bathes when I bathe ; she rejoices when I rejoice, and sorrows when I sorrow. Yet if I am angry, she always speaks with sweetness only. Life is empty without such a spouse. Without such, a palace is an empty wilderness. Such a one is a trusted companion and beloved associate in all one's acts of virtue, profit and pleasure. The wife is the richest possession of her lord. She is his one unfailing associate in all the concerns of life. She is the best of medicines for all the diseases of the mind. There is no friend like unto the wife, no refuge better than she. "

        Hearing the lament of her husband, the she-pigeon caged by the cruel fowler said to herself : "Unlimited is my happiness even in the midst of agony that my husband thinketh thus of me. She is no wife with whom her lord is not content. But we must also think of this poor fowler, over- taken by the cruel storm and kept away from home. He is now our guest, having taken shelter underneath our abode. " And she cried aloud to her husband, explaining the plight of the fowler.

            The pigeon too, with instant sympathy, forgetting his own sorrows, addressed the fowler: "Welcome to my house as honoured guest, and tell me what to do. " The fowler said : "I am stiff with cold ; warm me if thou canst. " The bird gathered togather a heap of dead and fallen leaves ; picked up one in his beak, flew and very soon returned with a tiny ember on it from some neighbouring village. 

           In a moment the fowler found himself warmed by a grateful fire, and the bird asked him again for service to be done. The fowler asked for food this time. The bird thought : "I have no stores wherewith to feed him ; and yet a hungry guest may not be left unfed. " As he reflected deeply, a new light arose within his mind and he cried to his guest : " I shall gratify thee ! I have heard in former days from high-souled Rishis , and the Devas and Pitris also that there is great merit in honoring a guest. friend ! do thou be kind to me and accept my humble service !"  With this he flew around the fire three times and then entered the flames, offereing his body to his guest for food.

         At that awful act of uttermost guest-honouring, an unknown horror of his own past life on sin seized on the mind of the fowler, tearing up his evil nature by its deepest roots, and leaving him all shattered. " Thou art my highest teacher, high-souled bird ! Thou showest me my duty ! From this day I expiate my sins, denying rosy comfort to this sin-fed body, evaporating it with all its crimes by daily fast and tapas, as the strong rays of the summer sun dry up a small and dirty pool. Taught by this example I shall practise righteousness alone henceforth."  He threw away his club, his nets and traps and iron cage, and set at liberty the widowed mate of the deceased bird.

           The she-pigeon thus released, circled round the funeral pyre of her husband, weeping : "Limited are the gifts that the woman receiveth from her father or her mother or her son. But the gifts that the husband giveth to her are limitless ! He giveth her his all and all himself ! After all these years of happiness with thee, I cannot live alone !" and she threw herself also into the fire. With a new-born vision the fowler beheld the two ascending to heaven in glorious forms ; and the more confirmed in his resolve thereby, he took up his abode in the forest, living a blameless life thenceforward, till the forest-fires, kindled by dried branches rubbing against each other in a summer-storm, consumed his body, as the penance had consumed his sins.*(* Mahdbkaratam, Shanti Parra cxliii cxlix.)

           Readiness to forgive wrongs is a sign of a truly noble nature. It is said of Ramachandra that a hundred injuries left no trace upon his memory, while one benefit was graven there. And listen how Vidura forgot insult and forgave. Kind Dhritarshtra craved Vidura's help touching the evil conduct of Duryodhana, and Vidura counselled his brother wisely but firmly, praying him to enforce on Duryodhana his duty of peace with his Pandava cousins, and to make his supporters win forgiveness from the wronged and exiled princes.

           At this, Dhritarshtra became much incensed, and hotly blamed his righteous brother, accusing him of partiality, and finally of foul disloyalty, adding gross insult to the charge and going from his brother's side in wrath. Then Vidura sadly sought the Pandavas, and told how he was sent away with angry words, and counselled them with wisdom, urging urbanity and gentle ways. And after Vidura had gone, King Dhritarshtra repented him of his harshness and injustice, and sent after him to beg him to return, exclaiming : " Go, Sanjaya, and see if my brother lives, he whom I have driven away in angry madness.Never has he wronged me, nor committed any fault, while I have grievously wronged him. Seek him and bring him hither, Sanjaya, the wise." 

            So Sanjaya went, wondering whether Vidura, the calm and strong, would pardon his weaker brother's changing moods, and become again the pillar of his throne. And going to the forest, he found Vidura,highly honoured by the princes and by all, and approaching him, prayed him to return. Then Vidura, without hesitating even for a moment, rose and took leave of his royal nephews, and hastened to his elder brother's presence, who prayed forgiveness for the wrong committed.

                       Gently Vidura spoke : " O King, I have forgiven. Worthy of highest reverence art thou, my elder, my superior. Eagerly have I come, longing to see thy face. And if I seemed to favour the sons of Pandu, it was because a man's heart yearneth over those who are distressed, more from emotion than from reason. Dear are thy sons to me as they, King, but the sorrows of the latter moved my heart."  Thus gently and magnanimously spoke the younger brother, forgetting, as unimportant, the insults he had received.*(* Mahabharatam, Ashvamedha Parva, xcii.)
          Urbanity is a virtue very characteristic of the old Hindu life. We see the most exquisite Politeness in language and in action, as we read how the great ones of the epic poems, good and bad alike, behaved towards guests and friends and foes. Ramachandra is gentle in speech, and prefaces his speeches with a kindly smile, (Ramayna Ayodhya kand ) Lakshmi the Devi of Prosperity, speaking of the Danavas endued with sweet speech, with friendliness and with forgiveness, declares that She dwelt with them because of their virtues. When they gave way to wrath, and harshness, and unfair dealings. She left them, attended by the Devis who abide with Her Hope, Faith, Intelligence, Contentment, Victory, Advancement and Forgiveness.*(Mahabhdratam, Shanti Parva, ccxxviii.)
So Narada is said to be sweet-speeched, large-hearted, straightforward, free from wrath and greed, and therefore everywhere regarded with respect and love. Again, Bhishma teaches that we should not disparage others by look, word or thought nor speak evil of any ; that we should never injure any, nor behave with unfriendliness ; that we should pass with indifference opprobrious speeches, and, even when another seeks to anger us, should still speak agreeably, and when slandered, we should not slander in return. 
           So again Natrada described a Naga, named Padma, who was walking on the threefold path of acts, knowledge and devotion, and spoke of him as ever hospitable, practising forgiveness, and abstaining from inflicting injuries. He was truthful in word and free from malice, kind of speech and seeking the benefit of all. A Brahmana went to see him, and to learn from him, but on arriving at his house found him absent. His wife hospitably welcomed the stranger, and after exchanging courteous speech with her, he left her and waited patiently on the banks of the river the return of her husband. While waiting there, he did not eat, and the relatives of the absent Naga, approaching him in great trouble of mind, urged that they were bound to show him hospitality. " The whole community, young and old, is being afflicted, since this thy fast implies that we are negligently leaving unperformed the duties of hospitality." 
           Gently replied the Brahmana that by their kindly wishes they had fed him, but he could not eat until the Naga chief returned. Presently he arrived and in his conversation with his wife, we see the duties of the householder ; his religion is in doing good to all ; all who come as guests must be hospitably entertained ; the householder must be gentle, free from wrath and arrogance, must be generous and truthful.* (* Mahabharatam, Shanti Parva, ccclvi cc clxi.) Thus of old was taught the duty of the citizen to those around him.
पितृभिर्भ्रातृभिश्चैताः पतिभिर्देवरैस्तथा ।
पूज्या भूषयितव्याश्च बहुकल्याणमीप्सुभिः ॥ ३.५५॥
यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः ।
यत्रैतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफलाः क्रियाः ॥ ३.५६॥
शोचन्ति जामयो यत्र विनश्यत्याशु तत्कुलम् ।
न शोचन्ति तु यत्रैता वर्धते तधि सर्वदा ॥ ३.५७॥
जामयो यानि गेहानि शपन्त्यप्रतिपूजिताः ॥
तानि कृत्याहतानीव विनश्यन्ति समन्ततः ॥ ३.५८॥
" Women must be honoured and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands and brothers-in-law, who desire welfare.
"Where women are honoured, there the Devas are pleased ; but where they are not honoured, no sacred rite is fruitful.
 " Where the female relatives live in grief, the family soon perishes utterly ; but that family in which they are not unhappy prospers ever. " The houses in which female relatives, not being duly honoured, pronounce a curse, perish completely, as if destroyed by magic."
एतावानेव पुरुषो यत्जायाऽत्मा प्रजैति ह ।
विप्राः प्राहुस्तथा चैतद्यो भर्ता सा स्मृताङ्गना ॥ ९.४५॥
" This is the extent of the man : his wife, himself and his children ; Brahananas thus declare that the husband and wife are known as the same."
अन्योन्यस्याव्यभिचारो भवेदामरणान्तिकः ।
एष धर्मः समासेन ज्ञेयः स्त्रीपुंसयोः परः ॥ ९.१०१॥
तथा नित्यं यतेयातां स्त्रीपुंसौ तु कृतक्रियौ ।
यथा नाभिचरेतां तौ वियुक्तावितरेतरम् ॥ ९.१०२॥
" Let mutual fidelity continue until death ; this may be considered as the summary of the highest law for husband and wife.
 " Let man and woman, united in marriage, constantly exert themselves, that they be not disunited nor violate their mutual fidelity.'
तृणानि भूमिरुदकं वाक्चतुर्थी च सूनृता ।
एतान्यपि सतां गेहे नोच्छिद्यन्ते कदा चन ॥ ३.१०१॥
अप्रणोद्योऽतिथिः सायं सूर्यौढो गृहमेधिना ।
काले प्राप्तस्त्वकाले वा नास्यानश्नन् गृहे वसेत् ॥ ३.१०५॥
न वै स्वयं तदश्नीयादतिथिं यन्न भोजयेत् ।
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं स्वर्ग्यं वाऽतिथिपूजनम् ॥ ३.१०६॥
"Grass, room, water and fourthly, a kind word; these are never wanting in the households of the good.
" A guest who is sent by the sun in the evening must not be driven away by a householder ;whether he have come at a convenient or inconvenient time, he must not stay in the house without entertainment.
" Let him (the householder) not cat any food which he does not offer to his guest ; the hospitable reception of guests procures wealth, fame, long life, and heavenly bliss."
सत्यं ब्रूयात्प्रियं ब्रूयान्न ब्रूयात्सत्यमप्रियम् ।
प्रियं च नानृतं ब्रूयादेष धर्मः सनातनः ॥ ४.१३८॥
" Let him speak the true, let him speak the pleasing, let him not speak an unpleasing truth, nor speak a pleasing falsehood ;. this is the ancient law." 
यस्य वाङ्मनसी शुद्धे सम्यग्गुप्ते च सर्वदा ।
स वै सर्वमवाप्नोति वेदान्तोपगतं फलम् ॥ २.१६०॥
नारुंतुदः स्यादार्तोऽपि न परद्रोहकर्मधीः ।
ययाऽस्योद्विजते वाचा नालोक्यां तामुदीरयेत् ॥ २.१६१॥
"He whose speech and mind are pure and ever carefully guarded, he obtains all the fruit that is obtained by means of the Vedanta.
"Let him not, even though distressed, cut another to the quick (by his speech) ; nor meditate acts of hostility to others ; let him never utter the malignant word that disturbs ( the mind of the hearer )."
नास्तिक्यं वेदनिन्दां च देवतानां च कुत्सनम् ।
द्वेषं दम्भं च मानं च क्रोधं तैक्ष्ह्ण्यं च वर्जयेत् ॥ मनु ४.१६३॥
"Let him avoid unbelief, censure of the Vedas and slighting of the Devas, hatred, obstinacy, pride, anger and harshness."
नारुन्तुदः स्यान्न नृशंसवादी न हीनतः परमभ्याददीत ।
ययास्य वाचा पर उद्विजेत न तां वदेदुषतीं पापलोक्याम् ॥
(महाभारत, आदिपर्व, अध्याय , श्लोक ८)

 "Let no one utter cruel words, or wound (with them) the vitals (of another) ; let none seek to subdue his enemy by unfair means. Let him not utter that inauspicious speech, belonging to the evil worlds, whereby another is agitated.

अर्थ – दूसरे के मर्म को चोट न पहुंचाए, चुभने वाली बातें न बोले, घटिया तरीके से दूसरे को वश में न करे, दूसरे को उद्विग्न करने एवं ताप पहुंचाने वाली, पापी जनों के आचरण वाली बोली न बोले ।
अरुन्तुदं परुषं तीष्णवाचं वाक्कण्टकैर्वितुदन्तं मनुष्यान् ।
विद्यादलक्ष्मीकतमं जनानां मुखे निबद्धां निर्ऋतिं वहन्तम् ॥
(पूर्वोक्त, श्लोक ९)
"The man that ever wounds the vitals of others, harsh, and sharp of speech, ever piercing other men with the thorns of evil words, he is the man most abandoned of (Lakshmi) fortune, and ever beareth, bound to his mouth, an evil demon.

अर्थ – मर्म को चोट पहुंचाने वाली, कठोर, तीखी, कांटों के समान लोगों को चुभने वाली बोली बोलने वाले व्यक्ति को लोगों के बीच विद्यमान सर्वाधिक श्रीविहीन और मुख में पिशाचिनी का वहन करने वाले मनुष्य के तौर पर देखा जाना चाहिए ।
वाक्सायका वदनान्निष्पतन्ति यैराहतः शोचति रात्र्यहानि।
शनैर्दुःखं शस्त्र विषाग्नि जातं तान् पण्डितो नावसृजेत् परेषु॥ महाभारत आदि.७९॥
"They are verily arrows, these evil words that issue from the mouth ; he who is wounded by them sorroweth night and day, for they wound the vitals. The wise man unlooseth not such (shafts) at others.
न हीदृशं संवननं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते । 
दया मैत्री च भूतेषु दानं च मधुरा च वाक् ॥ - महाभारत – आदि
"There are no riches in the three worlds like unto these compassion, friendliness to all beings,charity and sweet speech.
तस्मात्सान्त्वं सदा वाच्यं न वाच्यं परुषं क्वचित् ।
 पूज्यान् सम्पूजयेद्दद्यान्न च याचेत् कदाचन ॥महाभारत.
"Therefore ever speak gently and never harshly ; honour the worthy ; give, but ask not."
क्रुद्धः पापं न कुर्यात् कः क्रृद्धो हन्यात् गुरूनपि । 
क्रुद्धः परुषया वाचा नरः साधूनधिक्षिपेत्॥
 "The man that  has given way to anger may commit any sin, he may slay even his elders, or insult those worthy of his reverence with harsh speech. 
भावार्थ :क्रोध से भरा हुआ कौन व्यक्ति पापकर्म नहीं कर बैठता है ? कुद्ध मनुष्य बड़े एवं पूज्य जनों को तक मार डालता है । ऐसा व्यक्ति कटु वचनों से साधुजनों पर भी निराधार आक्षेप लगाता है ।
आत्मानमपि च क्रुद्धः प्रेषयेद्यमसादनम् ।।६।।
एतान्दोषान्प्रपश्यद्भिर्जितः क्रोधो मनीषिभिः ।
"He may send himself to the abode of Death. Beholding these great faults in anger, have the wise ones conquered it."
किंस्विदेकपदं ब्रह्मन्पुरुषः सम्यगाचरन् | 
प्रमाणं सर्वभूतानां यशश्चैवाप्नुयान्महत् ||2||. 
 सान्त्वमेकपदं शक्र पुरुषः सम्यगाचरन्।
प्रमाणं सर्वभूतानां यशश्चैवाप्नुयान्महत्।।3
एतदेकपदं शक्र सर्वलोकसुखावहम्।
आचरन्सर्वभूतेषु प्रियो भवति सर्वदा।।4 
(महाभारतम्-12-शांतिपर्व-084)
"What one thing, Brahmana (Indra asks of his Preceptor Brihaspati), if a man shall practise well, shall he become a standard for all beings, and attain to fame widespread ? 
"Gentleness is the one thing, Shakra, which if a man will practise unremittingly, he shall become a standard for all beings and attain to fame widespread.
"This one thing bringeth joy to all the worlds ; practising it towards all beings, the man becometh dear unto all and always."
यस्तु क्रोधं समुत्पन्नं प्रज्ञया प्रतिबाधते॥
तेजस्विनं तं विद्वांसो मन्यन्ते तत्त्वदर्शिनः॥ वन.पर्व २९/१८॥
"He that with wisdom suppresseth the anger that hath risen within him, him the learned knowers of truth declare to be the true Tejasvl.

------------

{किंस्विद्गुरुतरं भूमेः किंस्विदुच्चतरं च स्वात्।
किंस्विच्छीघ्रतरं वायोः किंस्विद्बहुतरं तृणात् ।। 3-314-61a
युधिष्ठिर उवाच।
माता गुरुतरा भूमेः खात्पितोच्चतरस्तथा।
मनः शीघ्रतरं वाताच्चिन्ता बहुतरी तृणात् ।। 3-314-62aकिंस्विदेकपदं धर्म्यं किंस्विदेकपदं यशः।
किंस्विदेकपदं स्वर्ग्यं किंस्विदेकपदं सुखम् ।। 3-314-71a
युधिष्ठिर उवाच।
दाक्ष्यमेकपदं धर्म्यं दानमेकपदं यशः।
सत्यमेकपदं स्वर्ग्यं शीलमेकपदंसुखम् ।। 3-314-72aधर्मश्चार्थश्च कामश्च परस्परविरोधिनः।
एषां नित्यविरुद्धानां कथमेकत्र संगमः ।। 3-314-103a
वृत्तं यत्नेन संरक्ष्यं ब्राह्मणेन विशेषतः।
अक्षीणवृत्तो न क्षीणो वृत्ततस्तु हतो हतः ।। 3-314-111a
धर्म एव हतो हन्ति ध्रमो रक्षति रक्षितः।
तस्माद्धऱ्मं न त्यजामि मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत् ।। 3-314-131a
अहन्यहनि भूतानि गच्छन्तीह यमालयम्।
शेषाः स्थावरमिच्छन्ति किमाश्चर्यमतः परम् ।। 3-314-118a
 तर्कोऽप्रतिष्ठः श्रुतयो विभिन्ना
नैको मुनिर्यस्य मतं प्रमाणम्।
धर्मस्य तत्त्वं निहितं गुहायां
महाजनो येन गतःस पन्था ।। 3-314-119a
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SANATANA DHARMA - (24) - " Virtues and Vices in Relation to Superiors." [ Part (3:ETHICAL TEACHINGS.) --CHAPTER VIII. - page - (182 to 202 )]

 CHAPTER VIII.

Virtues and Vices in Relation to Superiors.

            LOVE which is unselfishness prompts us to make sacrifices for others, and to restrain ourselves for the common good ; therefore such love is the root of virtues, of the qualities that promote union. 

          So also HATE prompts us to take from others, to grasp at all desirable things for our own separate enjoyment to the injury of others ; therefore hate is the root of vices, of the qualities that promote separateness.

             Moreover, when we make a sacrifice for one we love, we feel happiness in making it, and we thus learn that the deepest happiness, real BLISS , lies in giving, which is the joy of the Jivatma [LEADER/ CINC/ जीवनमुक्त शिक्षक ] , and not in taking, which is the joy of the BODIES (ठग, गुरुगिरि करनेवाले बाबा लोग। ).

              Let us see how love impels a man to act in relation to his superiors, to those to whom he looks up. A man's superiors are : God, Sovereign, Parents, Teachers, and the Aged. Love to God shows itself as Reverence, Devotion, Worship and Submission to His Will. We find all lovers of God show these virtues. See how Bhishma reverences and worships Shri Krishna, the Avatara of Vishnu : at the Rajasuya sacrifice of Yudhishthira Bhishma bids thein offer the first arghya to Him, and Narada declares that " He who approveth not the worship offered unto Krishna, the oldest One in the universe, deserveth neither soft words nor consideration. Those men that will not worship Krishna, with eyes like lotus -petals, should be regarded as dead though moving. " *(* Mahdbharatam, Sabha Parva, xxxviii/ महाभारत सभापर्व )  And so also, when Bhishma lay dying, he was thinking "of Krishna in mind, word and act, " and his one thought was to receive His blessing ; he closed the great exhortation with the recital of " the thousand names of Vasudeva," and his last words, ere bidding all farewell, asked Shri Krishna's permission to depart.*(Shanti Parva) 

             In Parhlada, the son of the Daitya King Hiranyakashipu, we have one of the most famous examples of devotion. Despite all his teachers could say, he steadily prayed to and praised Hari. In vain did his father threaten him and seek to kill him ; the wild elephant who should have trampled on him failed to injure ; the rocks that should have crushed him lay light as down on his bosom ; the sword that should have struck off his head fell blunted from his neck; the poison that should have carried death along his veins proved harmless as water ; and at last Narasimha, the Avatara, burst from the granite pillar, and delivered Hari's servant from the tyrant who sought to slay. * (bhagvat )

           Dhruva, leaving his father's palace to flee from the unkindness of his step-mother, shows such fervour of devotion and such courage and steadfastness in worship, that Hari appears to him, and gives him as throne the pole-star, on the boundary of the Triloki, whereon he lives and reigns. 

         Nothing, perhaps, is more marked in the perfect human character of Ramchandra, than His unwavering submission to the Divine Will. Over and over again during the whirl that followed His sudden exclusion from the throne, He calms those around Him by reminding them that all that happens is by the good law, and He Himself is utterly unshaken by the storm, knowing the Real amid all changing unrealities.

            On the other hand, we read constantly of the overthrow of those who do not honour the Supreme Lord. Mighty rulers like Ravana, who was monarch in Lanka, fell because they thought themselves rivals of Ishvara, and set themselves against His loving will for the worlds.* Jarasandha, the King of Magadha, refusing, though bidden by Shri Krishna, to set free the Kings he had captured was slain by Bhima ; **Shishupala fell before the discus of the Lord he denied ; f .Duryodhana perished, with his friends and followers, for his persistent rejection of Shri Krishna's counsels ;  the list might be extended for many pages. Out of all these shines out the warning that those who show hate to Ishvara must perish.

                Loyalty to the Head of the State is equally insisted on in the Shastras, not only by direct command but by example. When Yudhishthira is King in Indraprastha, and his four brothers go out to war, they bring to his feet all the wealth they gained ; they fought for their King, not for themselves. So when Yudhishthira was exiled after the gambling-match, and the people came out to follow him, leaving their allegiance to Dhritarashtra, the loyal prince bade them return to Hastinapura and obey their proper ruler, since only thus could they secure the general prosperity. 

                This loyalty was fostered in the people by the devotion to duty imposed on the King, and by the high ideal of kingship insisted on. Utatthya, of the race of Angira, instructing the King Mandhta, son of Yuvanashva, said: " One becometh a King in order that he may uphold righteousness,and not that he may conduct himself capriciously. The King is the protector of the world, Mandhata ! If he act righteously, he attaineth to the honours of a veritable God upon earth. But if he act unrighteously he sinketh into hell. All crea- tures rest upon righteousness ; and righteousness, in turn, resteth upon the King. That King alone is a true King who upholdeth righteousness. If he fail to chastise unrighteousness, the Deva* desert his mansions, and he incurreth obloquy among men." *

                  Patriotism, the love of one's country, and Public Spirit, caring for the nation more than for oneself, are virtues that are so closely akin to loyalty that they should never be separated from it. " King and Country" are the object of true loyalty. No man should be without this love of country and the  readiness to sacrifice himself for his native land ; for national greatness cannot exist without patriotism and public spirit, and national greatness means, in the long run, family and individual prosperity : the whole and the part cannot be separated. Public spirit makes a man feel the successes and the sufferings of his country as though they were his own as indeed they are. It makes him try to protect the weak from injustice, to resist wrong, to uphold the law, to stand for justice, to refuse to make unfair profit at the cost of the community or to cheat it by evading what is due to it from himself. The heroes of ancient India are constantly described as "intent on the welfare of others ;Shri Krishna bids Arjuna see " to the protection of the masses, " to "the maintenance of mankind." *The man who thinks only of himself and of his family is short-sighted, and is really undermining his and their future happiness.

                 To Parents is due ever the most complete Obedience, and this is one of the most often-repeated injunctions of the Sanatana Dharma. See how Ramachandra, the Great Example, obeys his father. When Dasharatha is inveigled into granting Rama's exile and the son is told by Kaikeyi that His father fears to speak his will : " Speak, honoured lady, the desire of the King," is His quick reply, "and 1 will carry it out. There is no service greater than service of the father, than carrying out his words." And to all arguments counselling resistance, He gives the steadfast answer : " There is no power in me to transgress my father's order I shall abide by my father's orders."* And later, when His father was dead, and Bharata, most unwilling regent, held His crown in trust, all His answer to Bharata's passionate pleadings that He should ascend the throne was that His father had sent Him to the forest, and had placed Bharata on the throne ; each must do his own task, according to the father's word : " What My father hath commanded must not be made untrue."

            Again we read in the Mahdbharatam the story of the knower of Brahman, shrouded in the impure body of a fowler (बहेलिया, व्याध ), who led to his parents the Brahmana Kaushika, who came to learn wisdom at his feet. The fowler took the Brahma na to the beautiful rooms in which he had housed his aged parents, saying that his own happy state of knowledge and peace was due to his filial piety ; having bowed low at their feet he introduced his guest and then told him : " These my parents are the idols that I worship ; whatever is due to the Devas I do to them... To me they are like the three sacred fires mentioned by the learned ; and, Brahmana, they seem to me to be as good as sacrifices, or the four Veclas ..The two parents, the sacred fire, the soul, and the guru, these five, good Brahmana,are worthy of the highest reverence." He then told Kaushika that he had acted wrongly in leaving his parents in his anxiety to learn the Vedas, and that he should go back to them and console them : " Return to the side of thy father and mother, and be diligent in honouring thy parents, for I do not know if there be any virtue higher than this." 

              * Who does not know how Bhlshma won the boon, that Death should not touch him until he himself permitted it, by resigning throne and marriage to win for his father the bride for whom, in silence, the father's heart was yearning ? King Shantanu, of the lunar race of Kings, wished to marry the beautiful Satyavati, but struggled against himself for the sake of his son Bhlshma. A step-mother, he thought, might not be kind to his beloved son. The care born of the struggle showed on King Shantanu's face, and Bhishma made enquiry of the ministers and learned the cause. He went to the father of Satyavati and asked that she be married to the King. The father said : " The King is aged ; thou shalt shortly reign in his stead. I would rather marry my daughter to thee. " But Bhishma replied: " Say not such a thing. When my father has wished to marry her, she is my mother already ; give her to the King."

            Then Satyavati's father said : " But I shall do so only if her son succeeds the King in sovereignty." Bhishma said at once : "I promise to forego my birth-right. I shall place that younger brother of mine upon the throne." But Satyavati's father said again : "We know thy word once given may not be broken. But what shall bind thy sons from disputing their uncle's right ?" Then Bhishma said : "I promise never to marry at all ; so there shall be no sons to me who may dispute their uncle's right.Now do thou let my father have his wish."

              And because of his fearful promises the Devas cried out with a bodiless voice : "He has been known as Devavrata so long ; he shall now be known as Bhishma the Terrible" terrible surely to himself but most loved and most dear to all true Hindu hearts. King Shantanu too, when he heard that the vows had been already made and could not now be helped, took Satyavati to wife ; but in the fulness of his father's love bestowed on Bhishma the gift of death at his own will alone. Men that prevail over their passions thus, and can conserve their manhood perfectly, may well prevail against the might of death itself, long as they like.*

          On the other hand, it was Duryodhana's stubborn insolence and disobedience to his parents that precipitated the war which destroyed his house. Over and over again his father pleaded with him to yield to the just demands of the Pandavas, and give them a share in their ancestral property, but Duryodhana scorned his prayers and persisted in his own way. Even when his mother, Gandhari, begged him in open sabha to obey his father and to regard his duty, he treated her harshly and disrespectfully, and so brought on his head the doom of failure. No son can succeed who grieves his father or mother by disobedience or by disrespect.

              The Teacher is added to the Father and Mother by the Sanatana Dharma, as the third great object of reverence and service, and we see this virtue also in the ancient heroes who should serve as examples to all Hindu boys. How deep is the love, how unfailing the reverence, shown by the Pandavas to Bhishma, to Drona, even when compelled to fight against them ; see them bowing at their teacher's feet ere the battle joins on Kurukshetra ;* and when Dhristadyumna seized the white locks of Drona, hear the agonised cry of Arjuna : " Bring the teacher alive ! do not slay him ! he should not be slain ! " and his heart-broken sob when the crime is complete : " I have sunk into hell, overcome with shame."

                 The only valid reason for disobedience to the Guru is held to lie, in the Sanatana Dharma, in previous promise or clear duty. Bhishma, the ex- ample of dharma, gives a striking illustration of this in his career. After the death of his father Shantanu, Bhishma, in accordance with his vow, placed his younger brother Chitrangada on the throne, and when Chitrangada was slain in battle, then he placed the second brother Vichitravirya on the throne of Hastinapura. Looking for suitable wives for Vichitravirya, Bhishma heard that the three daughters of the King of Kashi were about to hold a Svayamvara, and were in all respects worthy of marriage with his brother. He went to Kashi, and by his sole might in battle carried them off from the midst of the assembled candidates for their hands. When he brought them to Hastinapura the younger two, Ambika and Ambalika, willingly consented to marry Vichitravirya ; but the eldest, Amba, said she wished to marry Shalva, King of another country, having chosen him for husband long before.* Bhishma sent her with all honour to King Shalva ; but he sent her back saying she had been won in battle from him and he could not take her back as a gift. Then Amba said to Bhishma : "If Shalva will not marry me, because you won me from him in battle, then you must marry me yourself." 

        Bhishma was greatly distressed for her sake, but in view of his vow of lifelong celibacy could not consent. Then Amba  was very angry and went to Bhishma's Guru Parashurama ; and Parahurama sided with her and ordered Bhishma to marry Amba . But he declined, deeming the keeping of his vow a higher duty than obedience to his teacher in a wrongful order. And ultimately there was a great battle between Parashurama and Bhishma. For many days the single combat lasted, and many wounds were received by both ; and more than once they fainted with fatigue and loss of blood and shock of serious wound : but reviving again, they renewed the fight, till on the twentyeighth day, the aged Parashurama acknowledged that he could do no more ; and Bhishma won his cause. Yet because however unwillingly, he had brought much sorrow upon Amba, karma decreed that she should prove the means of his death

      Reverence to the Aged fitly closes the list of virtues which should flower when we come into relation wdth our superiors, and it was one of the marked characteristics of the ancient Hindu character. The wisdom which is the fruit of long experience is the precious treasure in possession of the aged, and they willingly pour this forth for the benefit of the teachable, courteous, respectful youth. In the hurry of modern life, this respect for the aged is apt to be trampled under foot, and it is the more necessary that care should be taken to cultivate it.

न युज्यमानया भक्त्या भगवति अखिलात्मनि ।

सदृशोऽस्ति शिवः पन्था योगिनां ब्रह्मसिद्धये ॥ १९ ॥

ज्ञानवैराग्ययुक्तेन भक्तियुक्तेन चात्मना ।

परिपश्यति उदासीनं प्रकृतिं च हतौजसम् ॥ १८ ॥

सतां प्रसङ्गान् मम वीर्यसंविदो

     भवन्ति हृत्कर्णरसायनाः कथाः ।

तज्जोषणादाश्वपवर्गवर्त्मनि

     श्रद्धा रतिर्भक्तिरनुक्रमिष्यति ॥ २५ ॥

भक्त्या पुमान्जातविराग ऐन्द्रियाद्

     दृष्टश्रुतान् मद्रचनानुचिन्तया ।

चित्तस्य यत्तो ग्रहणे योगयुक्तो

     यतिष्यते ऋजुभिर्योगमार्गैः ॥ २६ ॥

असेवयायं प्रकृतेर्गुणानां

     ज्ञानेन वैराग्यविजृम्भितेन ।

योगेन मय्यर्पितया च भक्त्या

     मां प्रत्यगात्मानमिहावरुन्धे ॥ २७ ॥ ***(श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणम्/स्कन्धः ३/अध्यायः २५) 

" There is no other path to the attainment of Brahman, so auspicious for yogis, as devotion to- wards the Lord who is the Atma of all.

 " With his mind full of wisdom, dispassion and devotion, he seeth Prakriti losing its power and Purusha as stainless.

 " Where the good gather, there are heard the stories that give knowledge of My Power, and are as nectar to the ear and heart. Listening to them, he turneth rapidly to the path of Moksha with faith and joy and devotion. 

" Turning away with dispassion from sensuous sights and sounds because of devotion to Me, he dwelleth ever in thought on (the mysteries of)  My creation, and thus, restraining his mind, essayeth the straight paths of yoga and attaineth union.

" Giving up the service of the attributes of Prakriti, his knowledge and yoga (realisation of Unity) blossoming with (the help of) vairagya, and his devotion offered unto Me, he realiseth Me as the Pratyagatma (the Inmost Self). "

स्वभावमेके कवयो वदन्ति कालं तथान्ये परिमुह्यमानाः।

देवस्यैष महिमा तु लोके येनेदं भ्राम्यते ब्रह्मचक्रम्‌॥ (श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद् ६/१)  

तमीश्वराणां परमं महेश्वरं तं देवतानां परमं च दैवतम्‌।

पतिं पतीनां परमं परस्ताद्‌विदाम देवं भुवनेशमीड्यम्‌॥ ("६/७ ) 

न तस्य कार्यं करणं च विद्यते न तत्समश्चाभ्यधिकश्च दृश्यते।

परास्य शक्तिर्विविधैव श्रूयते स्वाभाविकी ज्ञानबलक्रिया (६/८ ) 

न तस्य कश्चित्‌पतिरस्ति लोके न चेशिता नैव च तस्य लिङ्गम्‌।

स कारणं करणाधिपाधिपो न चास्य कश्चिज्जनिता न चाधिपः॥(६/ ९) 

एको वशी निष्क्रियाणां बहूनामेकं बीजं बहुधा यः करोति।

तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीरास्तेषां सुखं शाश्वतं नेतरेषाम्‌॥ (६/१२ )

नित्यो नित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनानामेको बहूनां यो विदधाति कामान्‌।

तत्कारणं सांख्ययोगाधिगम्यं ज्ञात्वा देवं मुच्यते सर्वपाशैः॥ (६/१३ )

" From its own nature, some Sages say, others from time arising (came the universe) ; verily from the majesty of God revolves in this world the Brahma-wheel.

" Him of Ishvaras the supreme and great ishvara, Him of Devas the supreme Divinity, of Lords the Lord, the greatest of the great, God, the adorable Ruler of the worlds, (Him) we know.

" He needeth no instrument nor hath aught to do, nor is there any found who is equal or superior to Him ; His supreme energy is self-dependent and manifold, Wisdom, Power and Activity. None in the world is His lord, nor his ruler, nor His cause ; He is the Cause, the Ruler of the rulers of the senses, of Him there is no source, no sovereign. 

" The one Ruler of the many actionless, He maketh manifold the seed ; therefore the wise who perceive Him within themselves, for them is eternal joy, for more others.

"Eternal of Eternals, Intelligence of Intelli- gences, One among many, who f ulfilleth the wishes of all having known that Cause, attained by the Sankhya and the Yoga, (man) is freed from all bonds. 

अराजके हि लोकेऽस्मिन् सर्वतो विद्रुतो भयात् ।

रक्षार्थमस्य सर्वस्य राजानमसृजत्प्रभुः ॥ मनुस्मृति  ७.३॥

इन्द्रानिलयमार्काणामग्नेश्च वरुणस्य च ।

चन्द्रवित्तेशयोश्चैव मात्रा निर्हृत्य शाश्वतीः ॥ ७.४॥

तस्यार्थे सर्वभूतानां गोप्तारं धर्ममात्मजम् । तदर्थं

ब्रह्मतेजोमयं दण्डमसृजत्पूर्वमीश्वरः ॥ ७.१४॥

दण्डः शास्ति प्रजाः सर्वा दण्ड एवाभिरक्षति ।

दण्डः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति दण्डं धर्मं विदुर्बुधाः ॥ ७.१८॥

तस्याहुः सम्प्रणेतारं राजानं सत्यवादिनम् ।

समीक्ष्यकारिणं प्राज्ञं धर्मकामार्थकोविदम् ॥ ७.२६॥

दण्डो हि सुमहत्तेजो दुर्धरश्चाकृतात्मभिः ।

धर्माद्विचलितं हन्ति नृपमेव सबान्धवम् ॥ ७.२८॥

" For the protection of the whole world God created the King, when the Kingless people were scattered through fear. "(He created the King) out of immortal portions ktaen from Indra, Vayu, Yama, the San, the Fire, Varuna, the Moon and the Lord of wealth.

"For him the Lord created His own son Dharma, the Protector of all beings, as the Danda (Sceptre, or Rod of power) clothed with the Brahma-radiance.

"The Dinda governeth all the people, the Panda alone protecteth ; the Danda waketh while others sleep, the wise know the Danda as Dharma.

"They declare the wielder of Danda to be the King, that speaketh the truth, acteth after deliberation, is wise, and versed in Dharma, Kama and Artha.

"Wielding it righteously, the King increaseth in all three ; but if he be given up to Kama, unjust and mean, then he himself is slain by the Danda.

"A great fire is the Danda, difficult to be borne by those who have not achieved the Self ; it slayeth, together with his family, the King that strayeth from Dharma."

राजा का जन्म

सुकृतस्य क्षयाच्चैव स्वर्लोकादेत्य मेदिनीम् ।

पार्थिवो जायते तात दण्डनीतिविशारदः ॥१३३॥

तात ! पुण्य का क्षय होने पर मनुष्य स्वर्गलोक से पृथ्वी पर आता और दण्डनीति विशारद राजा के रूप में जन्म लेता है ।

देवताओं के द्वारा राजा के पद पर पृथु की स्थापना की गई, तथा दैवी गुणों से वह सम्पन्न था, उसकी आज्ञा का कोई उल्लंघन नहीं करता था । यह सारा जगत् उस एक व्यक्ति राजा के वश में रहता था।

राजा का यथार्थ स्वरूप: 

तेन धर्मोत्तरश्‍चायं कृतो लोको महात्मना ।

रंजिताश्‍च प्रजाः सर्वास्तेन राजेति शब्दयते ॥

(महाभारत अनुशासन पर्व ५९-१२५)

"By the great- souled King was this world made full of Dharma and all the people were gladdened ; hence is he called the King."

उस महात्मा ने सम्पूर्ण जगत् में धर्म की प्रधानता स्थापित कर दी थी । उन्होंने समस्त प्रजाओं को प्रसन्न (रंजित) किया था, इसलिए वे राजा कहलाये, उनका राजा नाम सार्थक था ।

सच्चे क्षत्रिय

ब्राह्मणानां क्षतत्राणात् ततः क्षत्रिय उच्यते ।

प्रथिता धर्मतश्‍चेयं पृथिवी बहुभिः स्मृता ॥१२६॥

ब्राह्मणादि को क्षति से बचाने के कारण वे क्षत्रिय कहे जाने लगे । उन्होंने धर्म के द्वारा इस भूमि को प्रथित (विस्तृत) किया और इसकी ख्याति बढ़ाई, इसलिए बहुसंख्य्क मनुष्यों द्वारा पृथ्वी कहलाई ।

राजा प्रजानां हृदयं गरीयो

गतिः प्रतिष्ठा सुखमुत्तमं च।

समाश्रिता लोकमिमं परं च

जयन्ति सम्यक्पुरुषा नरेन्द्र।।

नराधिपश्चाप्यनुशिष्य मेदिनीं

दमेन सत्येन च सौहृदेन।

महद्भिरिष्ट्वा क्रतुभिर्महायशा

स्त्रिविष्टपे स्थानमुपैति शाश्वतम्।।

(महाभारतम्-12-शांतिपर्व-067) 

"The King is the inmost heart of his people, lie is their refuge, their honour, and their highest happiness ; relying on him, they conquer righteously this world and the next.

"The King also, having governed the earth with selfcontrol, with truth, and with the heart of compassion, having sacrificed with many sacrifices, attaineth to fair fame and everlasting seat in Svarga."

उपाध्यायान् दशाचार्य आचार्याणां शतं पिता ।

सहस्रं तु पितॄन् माता गौरवेणातिरिच्यते ॥ मनु २.१४५॥

"Ten Upadhyayas doth the Acharya exceed A and a hundred Acharyas the Father ; but the Mother exceedeth even a thousand Fathers in the right to be honored."

(पिता -माता -गुरु -अतितिथियो जिनि माथार मणि !)

आचार्यश्च पिता चैव माता भ्राता च पूर्वजः ।

नार्तेनाप्यवमन्तव्या ब्राह्मणेन विशेषतः ॥ मनु  २.२२५॥

तेषां त्रयाणां शुश्रूषा परमं तप उच्यते ।

न तैरनभ्यनुज्ञातो धर्ममन्यं समाचरेत् ॥ २.२२९॥

त एव हि त्रयो लोकास्त एव त्रय आश्रमाः ।

त एव हि त्रयो वेदास्त एवौक्तास्त्रयोऽग्नयः ॥ २.२३०॥

सर्वे तस्यादृता धर्मा यस्यैते त्रय आदृताः ।

अनादृतास्तु यस्यैते सर्वास्तस्याफलाः क्रियाः ॥ मनु २.२३४॥

"The Teacher, the Father, the Mother, and "an elder Brother" [C-IN-C' Navani Da ]  must not be treated with disrespect, especially by a Brahmana, though one be grievously offended (by them).

"The service of these three is declared to bethe best austerity.

"For they are declared to be the three worlds, the three orders, the three Vedas, they the three sacred fires

"All duties have been fulfilled by him who honours these three ; but to him who honours them not, all rites remain fruitless."

ऊर्ध्वं प्राणा ह्युत्क्रमन्ति यूनः स्थविर आयति ।

प्रत्युत्थानाभिवादाभ्यां पुनस्तान् प्रतिपद्यते ॥ मनु २.१२०॥

अभिवादनशीलस्य नित्यं वृद्धोपसेविनः ।

चत्वारि तस्य वर्धन्ते  आयुर्धर्मो यशो बलम् ॥ मनु २.१२१॥

"The vital airs of a young man mount upwards to leave his body when an elder approaches ; but by rising to meet him and saluting, he recovers them.

"He, who habitually salutes and constantly pays reverence to the aged, obtains an increase of four things : length of life, knowledge, fame and strength.

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गुरुवार, 18 फ़रवरी 2021

SANATANA DHARMA - (24) - " Self-regarding Virtues" [ Part (3:ETHICAL TEACHINGS.) --CHAPTER VII - page - (165 to 181 )]

 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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SANATANA DHARMA - (23) - " Bliss and Emotions " [ Part (3:ETHICAL TEACHINGS.) --CHAPTER VI. :- page - (159 to 164 )]

 CHAPTER VI.

Bliss and Emotions.

          WE have seen that Ishvara is Thought, Power and Bliss, and man, as His child, has also these characteristics. When the Jivatma becomes wrapped in dense matter, the aspect of his nature which is Bliss, is ever going outwards in search of satisfaction, trying to realise itself by uniting itself with the outer world. 

      The impulses outwards are called desires, and when they unite the Jivatma to an object that gives him pleasure, so that he desires to be again united to such an object, the resulting emotion is called love, or liking. When, on the contrary, they unite the Jivatma to an object that gives him pain, so that he desires to avoid union with such an object again, the resulting emotion is called hate, or dislike.

         The first makes an attraction between the Jivatma and the object ; the second makes a repulsion. The Jivatma thinks over these likes and dislikes, and gradually trains himself to direct his emotions rightly ; emotions thus guided by reason in accordance with the will of tshvara develop into Virtues, and thus the culture of the emotions forms the ethical development of man. As he cultivates the emotion called love he unites himself to an ever-widening circle of beings, the family, the community, the nation, the race, loving them as himself and this love becomes a continually increasing expression of the Bliss aspect of his nature, which finds satisfaction in union.

       We have seen that evolution is now leading us towards union, or, in other words, that the will of Ishvara is guiding the separated selves towards union with each other and with Himself. In this union is Bliss ; therefore the Right and the Happy are inseparable. Over and over again the Sanatana Dharma leads us to this one conclusion-"Brahman is bliss !" therefore the Jivatma, being of the nature of Brahman, is also bliss, and unhappiness only arises when he goes against evolution, against the great Will, goes, in a word, wrong.

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ब्रह्मवेदं सर्वं सच्चिदानन्दरूपं, सच्चिदानन्दरूपमिदं सर्वं।  

" All this is Brahman Sachchiddnanda ; Sachchidananda is this all."

पराञ्चिखानि व्यतृणत्स्वयंभूस्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नान्तरात्मन्‌। (कठोपनिषद् २/१/१)

" The Self-born pierced the senses outwards ; therefore (the Jiva) looketh outwards and not (towards) the inner Self." 

यदा वै सुखं लभतेऽथ करोति नासुखं लब्ध्वा करोति सुखमेव लब्ध्वा करोति सुखं त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्यमिति सुखं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति॥ छान्दोग्योपनिषद्‌ ७/ १२/ १ 

यो वै भूमा तत्सुखं नाल्पे सुखमस्ति भूमैव सुखं भूमा त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्य इति भूमानं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति॥छान्दोग्योपनिषद् ७/ २३/१ ‌

यत्र नान्यत्पश्यति नान्यच्छृणोति नान्यद्विजानाति स भूमाथ यत्रान्यत्पश्यत्यन्यच्छृणोत्यन्यद्विजानाति तदल्पं यो वै भूमा तदमृतमथ यदल्पं तन्मर्त्य स भगवः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति स्वे महिम्नि यदि वा न महिम्नीति॥ (यत्र नान्यत्पश्यति नान्यच्छृणोति नान्यद्विजानाति स भूमाथ यत्रान्यत्पश्यत्यन्यच्छृणोत्यन्यद्विजानाति तदल्पं यो वै भूमा तदमृतमथ यदल्पं तन्मर्त्य स भगवः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति स्वे महिम्नि यदि वा न महिम्नीति॥

(छान्दोग्योपनिषद्‌सप्तमोऽध्यायःचतुर्विंशः खण्डःVerse १)

" When (the Jiva) obtaineth pleasure, then he engageth in action ; never doth he enter on action without having obtained pleasure ; only when he hath obtained pleasure doth he engage in action. 

" That which is infinite, that is (the true pleasure) happiness ; there is no happiness in the) finite. This infinite alone is happiness.

" Where (the Self seeth not another, heareth not another, knoweth not another (than the Self) that is the Infinite. Where (the Self) seeth, heareth, knoweth another (than the Self), that is the finite. That which is infinite is immortal ; that which is finite is mortal .

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आनन्दं नाम सुखचैतन्यस्वरूपो अपरिमितानन्द समुद्रो अवशिष्टसुखस्वरूपश्च आनन्द इत्युच्यते ॥सर्वसारोपनिषत् /१२॥ 
 '' आनंद और चेतना (शाश्वत चैतन्य ), आनंद का असीम सागर है, इससे बड़ा कोई आनंद नहीं है।
 " Joy and consciousness, a limitless ocean of joy, than which there is no greater happiness such is Ananda .
सुखदुःखबुद्ध्या श्रेयोऽन्तः कर्ता यदा तदा इष्टविषये बुद्धिः सुखबुद्धिः अनिष्टविषये बुद्धिर्दुःखबुद्धिः । शब्द स्पर्श रूप रस गन्धाः सुखदुःखहेतवः । पुण्यपाप कर्मानुसारी भूत्वा प्राप्त शरीरसंयोगम् अप्राप्तशरीरसंयोगम् इव कुर्वाणो यदा दृश्यते तदोपहितजीव इत्युच्यते ॥ ६ ॥
" The consciousness of pleasure is the consciousness of an object desired ; the consciousness of pain is the consciousness of an object undesired."
"सुख की चेतना वांछित वस्तु (सर्वोच्च व्यक्तित्व - ठाकुर , माँ , स्वामीजी सर्वव्यापी विराट 'मैं ' बोध ) की चेतना है; दर्द की चेतना अवांछनीय वस्तु की चेतना है।"
सर्वाणि भूतानि सुखे रमन्ते; 
सर्वाणि दुःखस्य भृशं तरसन्ति।। (महाभारत -१२/२५ )
"All beings revel in pleasure ; all shrink greatly from pain."
इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत।
सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप।।7.27।
हे परन्तप भारत ! इच्छा और द्वेष से उत्पन्न द्वन्द्वमोह से भूतमात्र उत्पत्ति काल में ही सम्मोहन (अविवेक/Hypnotized) को प्राप्त होते हैं।।
" By the delusion of the pairs of opposites, O Bharata, sprung from attraction and repulsion, slayer of foes, all beings walk this world, wholly deluded."
इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतनाधृतिः।
एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम्।।13.7।।
"इच्छा, द्वेष, सुख, दुख, संघात (स्थूलदेह), चेतना (अन्त:करण की चेतन वृत्ति) तथा धृति -  इस प्रकार यह क्षेत्र विकारों के सहित संक्षेप में कहा गया है।। " उठो , जागो अपने आप को पहचानो ! 
"Desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, the compound (organism), intelligence, firmness, these, briefly described, constitute the Field and its changes."
श्री भगवानुवाच: 
काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः।
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्।।3.37।।
" It is Kama (desire) and it is Krodha (anger),arising out of Rajas. "
श्रीभगवान् ने कहा -- रजोगुण में उत्पन्न हुई यह 'कामना' है,  यही क्रोध है; यह महाशना (जिसकी भूख बड़ी हो) और महापापी है, इसे ही तुम यहाँ (इस जगत् में) शत्रु जानो।।
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ।
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ।।3.34।।
" इन्द्रियइन्द्रिय (अर्थात् प्रत्येक इन्द्रिय) के विषय के प्रति (मन में) रागद्वेष रहते हैं;  मनुष्य को चाहिये कि वह उन दोनों के वश में न हो;  क्योंकि वे इसके (मनुष्य के) शत्रु हैं।।
"Affection and aversion for the objects of sense abide in the senses ; let none come under the dominion of these two ; they are obstructors of the path. "
रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन्।
आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति।।2.64।
" But the disciplined self, moving among sense objects with senses free from attraction and repulsion, mastered by the self, goeth to peace. "आत्मसंयमी (विधेयात्मा) पुरुष रागद्वेष से रहित अपने वश में की हुई (आत्मवश्यै) इन्द्रियों द्वारा विषयों को भोगता हुआ प्रसन्नता () प्राप्त करता है।।
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः।
न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्।।16.23।।
जो पुरुष शास्त्रविधि को त्यागकर अपनी कामना से प्रेरित होकर ही कार्य करता है, वह न पूर्णत्व की सिद्धि प्राप्त करता है, न सुख और न परा गति।।
He who, having cast aside the ordinances of the Shastras, followeth the promptings of desire, attaineth not to perfection, nor happiness, nor the highest goal. "
एको वशी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा एकं रूपं बहुधा यः करोति।
तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीरास्तेषां सुखं शाश्वतं नेतरेषाम्‌ ॥
कठोपनिषद् २/२/१२  
" The One Who controlleth all, the inmost Self of all beings, Who maketh many forms of one form they who see That One in the Self, only to those rulers of intelligence belongeth the Eternal Happiness,  none else. "
''समस्त प्राणियों के अन्तर् में स्थित, शान्त एवं सबको वश में रखने वाला एकमेव 'आत्मा' एक ही रूप को बहुविध रचता है; जो धीर पुरुष 'उस' का आत्मा में दर्पणवत् अनुदर्शन करते हैं उन्हें शाश्वत सुख प्राप्त होता है, इससे इतर अन्य लोगों को नहीं ।
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॥ सर्वसारोपनिषत् ॥ 
समस्तवेदान्तसारसिद्धान्तार्थकलेवरम् । विकलेवरकैवल्यं रामचन्द्रपदं भजे ॥
सर्वसारं निरालम्बं रहस्यं वज्रसूचिकम् । तेजोनादध्यानविद्यायोगतत्त्वात्मबोधकम् ॥
ॐ सह नाववतु ॥ सह नौ भुनक्तु ॥ सह वीर्यं करवावहै ॥ तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
कथं बन्धः कथं मोक्षः का विद्या काऽविद्येति । जाग्रत् स्वप्नसुषुप्ति तुरीयं च कथम् ।अन्नमय प्राणमय मनोमय विज्ञानमय् आनन्दमयकोशाः कथम् ।प्रत्यगात्मा परात्मा माया चेति कथम् ? ॥१॥आत्मा ईश्वर जीवः अनात्मनां देहादीनाम् आत्मत्वेन अभिमन्यते सोऽभिमान आत्मनो बन्धः । तन्निवृत्तिर्मोक्षः ॥२॥या तद् अभिमानं कारयति सा अविद्या । सोऽभिमानो यया निवर्तते सा विद्या ॥३॥अवस्थात्रय भावाभावसाक्षी स्वयंभावरहितं नैरन्तर्यं चैतन्यं यदा तदा तुरीयं चैतन्यमित्युच्यते ॥४॥एतत् कोशचतुष्टयं संसक्तं स्वकारणाज्ञाने वटकणिकायाम् इव वृक्षो यदा वर्तते तद् आनन्दमयः कोश इत्युच्यते ॥५॥ सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म । सत्यमविनाशि । अविनाशि नाम देशकालवस्तु निमित्तेषु विनश्यत्सु यन्न विनश्यति तदविनाशि ।ज्ञानं नाम उत्पत्ति विनाशरहितं नैरन्तर्यं चैतन्यं ज्ञानमित्युच्यते । अनन्तं नाम मृद्विकारेषु मृदिव स्वर्णविकारेषु स्वर्णमिव तन्तुविकारेषु तन्तुरिव अव्यक्तादि सृष्टिप्रपञ्चेषु पूर्णं व्यापकं चैतन्यम् अनन्तमित्युच्यते ।.११। आनन्दं नाम सुखचैतन्यस्वरूपो अपरिमितानन्द समुद्रो अवशिष्टसुखस्वरूपश्च आनन्द इत्युच्यते ॥१२॥ एतद्वस्तुचतुष्टयं यस्य लक्षणं देशकाल वस्तु निमित्तेषु आव्यभिचारी तत्पदार्थः परमात्मेत्युच्यते ॥ १३॥ त्वं पदार्थाद् औपाधिकात् तत् पदार्थाद् औपाधिक भेदाद् विलक्षणम् आकाशवत् सूक्ष्मं केवलं सत्तामात्र स्वभावं परं ब्रह्म इति उच्यते ॥१४॥माया नाम अनादिः अन्तवती प्रमाणाप्रमाणसाधारणा न सती नासती न सदसती स्वयमधिका विकाररहिता निरूप्यमाणा सतीतरलक्षणशून्या सा माया इति उच्यते ।अज्ञानं तुच्छाप्यसती कालत्रयेऽपि पामराणां वास्तवी च सत्त्वबुद्धिः लौकिकानाम् इदम् इत्थम् इति अनिर्वचनीया वक्तुं न शक्यते ॥१५॥  ..... आत्माहं सर्वभूतानां विभुः साक्षी न संशयः ॥१९॥ब्रह्मैवाहं सर्ववेदान्तवेद्यं नाहं वेद्यं व्योमवातादिरूपम् । रूपं नाहं नाम नाहं न कर्म ब्रह्मैवाहं सच्चिदानन्दरूपम् ॥२०॥नाहं देहो जन्ममृत्यु कुतो मे नाहं प्राणः क्षुत्पिपासे कुतो मे । नाहं चेतः शोकमोहौ कुतो मे नाहं कर्ता बन्धमोक्षौ कुतो मे  इत्युपनिषत् ॥२१॥ॐ सह नाववतु ॥ सह नौ भुनक्तु ॥ सह वीर्यं करवावहै ॥ तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
{ क्या  तुम अंगूठे के निशान और हस्ताक्षर में अन्तर को जानते हो ?  यदि तुम्हारा उत्तर है - हाँ ! तब तुम किसी (गुरु/नेता /जीवनमुक्त शिक्षक / CINC- नवनीदा ) के चरणों में सिर झुकाने के लिये मजबूर (obliged *) हो ! शिक्षक दिवस की शुभकामनायें  ! 
[ * वैसे ही जैसे 'और जादूगर सब मूसा के सामने सजदे में गिर पड़े' थे ! 'And the magicians were obliged to fall prostrate before' Musa. If you can even read this, you are in debt to someone. Someone who taught you basics to survive in this world. Today (5th. Sept) is not Guru Pournima, it is Teachers Day. गुरू is translated as Guru in English, शिक्षक/अध्यापक is a teacher. It is sad that even after 60+ years of Indian independence, Teacher has not yet became Guru. (You all should know we are not talking about "Spiritual" Gurus who are looting naives=भोला -भाला ) ] 
Do you know the difference between ; 
thumb impression and signature? 
If your answer is yes! 
Then you are obliged to someone . 
Happy Teachers Day !  } 


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SANATANA DHARMA - (22) - " Virtues and their foundation " [ Part (3:ETHICAL TEACHINGS.) --CHAPTER V. :- page - (147 to 158 )]

 CHAPTER V.

Virtues and their foundation.

            WE have already seen that mutual sacrifice, another narre for mutual service, is enjoined by the Sanatana Dharma, and it is easy to see that this is Right, since it promotes union. Thus the five daily sacrifices promote union between the sacrificer and Rishis, Devas, Pitris, Men and Animals. Another way in which the Sanatana Dharma teaches us to do right is by explaining to us the three debts that we owe ; the debt to the A. Rishis, paid chiefly in the Brahmacharya Ashrama, by study and by service of the teacher ; the debt to the Pit lis, the Ancestors, paid chiefly in the Garhasthya Ashrama, by rearing a family and by charity ; the debt to the Devas, paid chiefly in the Vanaprastha Ashrama, by sacrifice and meditation.

          A debt is something we owe ; we have received and should repay. This payment of debt, of what is due, is called the discharge of duty, that which we owe to others, which we ought to do. The discharge of a duty is called a virtue ; the nondischarge of a duty is called a vice. A virtuous man recognises his duties, his obligations, and fulfils them; a vicious man dose not recognise nor fulfil them. 

       Virtues' have also been called by Bhishma " forms of Truth, "* because Truth is that which is Real, is indeed, as Bhishma says, " the eternal Brahman. "  Truth is the Divine Nature, and we see this in the reflection of Brahman that we call external Nature. Eor all the laws of Nature are expressions of Truth, and work with perfect accuracy and changelessness. ([Mahabharatavi , Bhishma Parva lix. flbid,Xlbid]  

         Now the greatest Truth of all is, as said before, the unity of the Self amidst the diversity of the Not- Self. All other truths and laws are such only because they are reflections, copies, of this great unity in diversity. And the form which this great Truth takes in Ethical Science is that each one of us should feel for other selves as for himself, should feel himself to be the same as, or at least similar to, other selves  and, so feeling, we must always tell the truth, be- cause to tell a falsehood to another is to regard him with distrust, to regard him as separate from, or even opposed to oneself, to prevent him from sharing with oneself in a common knowledge, which should be the same for all when all are as one. From the setting up of this separation by untruthfulness, consciously or unconsciously, endless harm results and vices arise. This description of the nature of virtues as forms of Truth corresponds again with our standard of Ethics, for truthfulness promotes union, while untruthfulness increases separateness.

       Truthfulness has always been a marked characteristic of the noble characters described in Hindu literature. "My lips have never uttered an untruth," is a favourite phrase of the Heroes. Shri Krishna promised not to carry arms on Kurukshetra, and when He ran towards Bhishma with uplifted whip to help Arjuna, Arjuna refused His help because of His promise.* (Mahabharata) So also Yudhishthira, though almost despairing of victory, would not take His help, because of that same promise.

          On the other hand, we read that when Yudhishthira for a moment in his utmost need forgot his truthfulness, and told a lie to the undoing of Drona, his war -chariot lost the power that upraised it from the earth and it sank to the ground.J When the Pandavas were yet in the forest, and Shri Krishna suggested that Yudhishthira might send an army against the Kurus, thus breaking the spirit of the promise that they would remain thirteen years in exile, Yudhishthira's answer was : "The sons of Pandu swerve not from the path of truth."* (Mahabharata -Drona Parva cciii.)Even when loss follows, the pledged word must be kept.

        When Prahlada took the sovereignty of the three worlds from Indra, Indra disguised himself as a Brahmana and served him as his disciple. At last Prahlada was so pleased with him, that he offered to give him anything he asked for. Indra asked for Prahlada's "Shila," character, manner, behaviour, and Prahlada gave it, though he feared it meant his own ruin as indeed it did because he had pledged his word.f

       And who can forget Bhishma's splendid answer, when his step-mother Satyavati prayed him to take the throne and marry, against his promise :*(Ibid, Vana Parva clxxxi. Mahabharatam, Shanti Parva cxxiv.)  I would renounce the three worlds, the empire of heaven or anything that may be still greater, but truth never will I renounce. Earth may renounce its scent, water may renounce its moisture, light may renounce its power of showing forms, the air may renounce its susceptibility to touch , the Sun may renounce his glory , fire his heat, the moon his cool rays, space its capacity to generate sounds, the slayer of Vrittra his prowess, the God of justice his impartiality, but I renounce not truth."*(Mahabharatam, Adi Parva ciii. cxxiv.)

        Karna, the man of fire, the man of pride, the man of headlong straightforwardness, was born, the ancient story says, with a natural armour that no weapons could pierce through. The Devas, ever working that the cause of the Pandavas might prevail, were sorely anxious lest in the predestined combat between Karna and Arjuna, the latter should fail because of that strong armour. It was Karna's rule that he sat facing the east every day, studying the Vedas, till the sun turned the zenith, and he had vowed that during that period of his Veda-study every day, whatsoever a Brahmana asked of him that he had to give, he would give to him unfailingly ; and one day Indra, the King of the Devas, seeing no other way, took on the semblance of an aged Brahmana and appeared before Karna and said he had a boon to ask. And Karna said that he would surely give it, if it were at all within his power. Then Indra said : "Give me this armour that you wear by nature on your body." Karna replied : "I know thee now to be no artless Brahmana, but the King of the Devas himself, disguised to help the cause of the Pandavas. But even the letter of my given word must be respected. Take what thou askest, though in giving thee thy wish I know I give my life, and what is even more than life to me, the only chance of conquering my soldier-rival, Arjuna, in battle ! , And Karna hewed off that living armour piece by piece with his own hand and sword, and gave it all to Indra, winning thereby a longer life and a far nobler name than if he had defeated Arjuna.*(*Mahabharatam, Vana Parva, ccciii cccix.) 

          King Dasharatha, of the Solar Race of Kings, asked by the Devas for help against the Asuras, battled against the latter as a Kshattriya should. His youngest wife, Kaikeyi, drove his war-chariot, and when the king sank into a swoon under his wounds, she skilfully bore him away on the chariot to a place of safety and preserved his life. For that deed the grateful King promised her two boons, which she put by for future need. Long afterwards, when the King was in his old age and wished to instal his eldest son, Rama, as the heir-apparent, she claimed the boons, and claimed them fearfully : Rama, eldest born and best beloved of the aged King, noblest of men, should wander forth into the forests as an exile, and the crown be placed on the head of Kaikeyi's son, Bharata. Dasharatha, knowing well that it was death to him to grant the boons, yet granted them and died.Better far that he should die, than that the King's word be broken, and truth slain.* (* Ramayna, Ayodhy Kanda ) 

         Bali, the Daitya king, had conquered Svarga nd become unchallenged ruler of the three worlds. The rites of a great sacrifice, the sacred Ashva-medha, were spread out at his command. Vamana,Vishnu disguised as a dwarf, came to the sacrifice and begged as boon as much land as He could cover in three paces. Shukra, the preceptor of Bali, bade him refuse to carry out his gift, since Vamana was Vishnu. Bali answered : " The grandson of Prahlada shall never speak untruth. I will give to this Brahmana boy what I promised, even if he be Vishnu and my enemy." And when Vamana had covered the Triloki with two paces and demanded a third foothold, Bali offered his own head, and took as favour the loss of all his kingdom. And for this Vishnu blessed him, declaring : " His wealth gone, his position lost, himself overpowered and chained by enemies, forsaken by friends, reviled and cursed by his own preceptor Bali forsook not..truth. "f (Vishnu-Bhagawata , VIII. xv xiii.)

         The puranas say that for such acts of truth, by the blessing of Vishnu, Bali will be the next Indra, when the present Deva, whose proper name is Purandara, vacates that office (for Indra is the title of the great office of the sovereign of the divine kingdom, not a personal name).As truth is Brahman, those who seek Brahman must be truthful. Above and beyond all else, therefore, a boy should strive for truthfulness.

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जायमानो ब्राह्मणस्त्रिभिऋणैऋणवाञ्जायते यज्ञेन देवेभ्यः प्रजया पितृभ्यः स्वाध्यायेन ऋषिभ्यः।

" The Brahmana, being born, is born a debtor with three debts ; to the Devas by sacrifice, to the Ancestors by progeny, to the Rishis by study."

ऋणानि त्रीण्यपाकृत्य मनो मोक्षे निवेशयेत् । 

अनपाकृत्य मोक्षं तु सेवमानो व्रजत्यधः।

अधीत्य विधिवद्वेदान्पुत्रांश्चोत्पाद्य धर्मतः ।
 इष्ट्वा च शक्तितो यज्ञैर्मनो मोक्षे निवेशयेत्।
" After having discharged the three debts let  him turn his mind to Moksha. He who desireth Moksha, without having discharged them falleth downwards.
" Having studied the Vedas duly, having produced offspring lawfully, having offered sacrifices to the best of his power, let him turn to Moksha."
परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ।। गीता 3.11।।
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः।
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति।।3.16।।
"Nourishing one another ye shall reap the. supremest good. 
" He who on earth doth not follow the wheel thus revolving, sinful of life and rejoicing in the senses, he, Partha, liveth in vain."
सत्यं सत्सु सदा धर्मः सत्यं धर्मः सनातनः ।
सत्यमेव नमस्येत सत्यं हि परमा गतिः ॥ शन्ति १६२/४
सत्यं धर्मस्तपो योगः सत्यं ब्र्ह्म सनातनम् ।
सत्यम् यज्ञः परः प्रोक्तः सर्वं सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ शान्ति १६२/५
सत्यं नामाव्ययं नित्यमविकारि तथैव च।
 सर्वधर्माविरुद्धं च योगेनैतदवाप्यते।। 
सत्यं च समता चैव दमश्चैव न संशयः। 
अमात्सर्यं क्षमा चैव ह्रीस्तितिक्षाऽनसूयता।। 
त्यागो ध्यानं थार्यत्वं धृतिश्च सततं स्तिरा | 
अहिंसा चैव राजेन्द्र !सत्याकारस्त्रयोदशः।।
" Truth is ever the (one) dharma of the good.Truth is the Sanatana Dharma. Bow only to the Truth. Truth is the final way. Truth is dharma,
Truth is tapas. Truth is the eternal Brahman.Truth is the highest sacrifice, for all is founded on and upheld by Truth.
 " Truth is the name of That which is Unperishing, Unchanging, Eternal. It is attained by the Yoga-meditation that opposeth not any dharma.
"Truthfulness, equality (impartiality ) self-control, absence of envious emulation, forgiveness, modesty, endurance, absence of jealousy, charity,thoughtfulness, disinterested philanthropy, self- possession, and unceasing and compassionate harmlessness these are the thirteen forms of Truth."
चत्वार एकतो वेदाः साङ्गोपाङ्गाः सविस्तराः । 
स्वधीता मनुजव्याघ्र सत्यमेकं किलैकतः ।
" The four Vedas on the one side, well studied together with all their angas and upangas (are far out- weighed by) Truth alone on the other."
आत्मन्यपि न विश्वासस् तावान् भवति सत्सु यः । 
तस्मात् सत्सु विशेषेण सर्वः प्रणयमिच्छति ॥
 " Men place less trust in themselves than in the true. Hence all wish to secure the friendship of the true."
सतां सदा शाश्वतधर्मवृत्तिः ,
सन्तो न सीदन्ति न च व्यथन्ति।
 सतां सद्भिर्नाफलः संगमोस्ति,
 सद्भ्यो भयंनानुवर्तन्ति सन्तः ॥
सन्तो हि सत्येन नयन्ति सूर्यं
सन्तो भूमिं तपसा धारयन्ति |
सन्तो गतिर्भूतभव्यस्य राजन्
सतां मध्ये नावसीदन्ति सन्तः ||
" The true and the good act ever according to the Eternal Dharma. The true fail not, nor are cast down ; never fruitless is contact with the true; the true feel no fear from the true. The true guide  the Sun by the power of Truth ; .the true uphold the Earth by the power of self-denial. The true are the guides of the past and the future. King, the true never suffer in the midst of the true. "
यतः प्रभवति क्रोधः कामो वा भरतर्षभ।
 शोकमोहौ विधित्सा च परासुत्वं तथा मदः।। (Mahabharatam, Shanti Parva, xxsiii.)
"Anger, lust, dejection, delusion, cynicism, wrongful activity, greed, envy, jealousy, irritated worry, sullen hnte or malice, scorn and fear these thirteen (vices and forms of untruth) king, are the powerful enemies of living creatures. "
यस्य विद्वान्हि वदतः क्षेत्रज्ञो नाभिशङ्कते । 
तस्मान्न देवाः श्रेयांसं लोकेऽन्यं पुरुषं विदुः। 
" The Devas know not a better being in the universe, than him of whom the all- knowing Witness feeleth no doubt when he speaketh. "
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि।।2.47।।
" Thy business is with the action only, never with its fruits ; so let not the fruit of action be thy motive, nor be thou to inaction attached.
“ऋतं सत्यं परं ब्रह्म।”
"The Supreme Brahman is the Right, is the Truth."
[“सत्यानृते मिथुनीकृत्य”?????]
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