Our human body is the greatest gift of god! Man cannot exist without the Body! Then he will become a disembodied Spirit! Without the body no action can be done! Body has been granted to us mainly to experience the results of our karma during our previous existence. By these experiences, the soul has to evolve itself finally and get emancipation or mukti! Our Body is not merely the mixture of flesh and blood, bones and nerves, skin and other parts! It is the shrine wherein the divine spark, the 'atma' is embedded! "Deham devalayo proktwa jivo Devah sanatanaha" It is the Temple for the Atma! The value and the purpose of the body is not properly understood and appreciated by man. In his ignorance he misuses and abuses the sacred body that god has given in various ways. There is an urgent need for man to know what his body is and for what great purpose it is granted to man.
What is this body? Swami says, "This body is known as 'déha' that which is consumed by fire. It is burnt on the pyre when life departs and consumed by the flames of desire when life persists. It burns on the pyre of anxiety and fear even when alive. There is another word "sareera" meaning that which wastes away. Starting its career as a ball of flesh, it soon appears as a tender charming baby and an attractive child, it transforms itself into a straight, strong, attractive youth and is reduced later to a pathetic shape of old age. Hence it is named "Sareera" and man who lives in it is known as "sareeri" (Satya Sai Speaks Vol. X). The human body is a reward to the Atma after many lives of meritorious activity and is considered to be a boat with which we can cross the ocean of samsara! (SSS. Vol. X) The Body is the temple of God as the Atma resides in it. Hence it is the duty of man to keep it clean and in good condition (SSS. Vol. XI).
How should we utilize our body knowing fully well that the divine spark is in it? Satya Sai says "An iron box is essential to keep safe precious stones. So too the body is essential to keep safe the precious gifts of virtue, faith, love, and discrimination. The parents gave it, so they have to be respected by speech, action and behavior (SSS. Vol. V). God is the owner of the body and man has to pay rent of the body to God by good deeds and good thoughts. What sort of attention should be accorded to the body? Swamy says that three quarters of man's attention should be bestowed on the 'atma' (Dehi) the occupant of the body who always speaks of the body and it's limbs as "mine." The body and the experiences that man gains is through the awareness of the 'atma' or 'chaitanya'! Any misuse of the body entails persecution by the owner viz God. If the rent is not paid, or delayed or the house is not maintained properly or damaged through negligence man is subjected to the wrath of God! Man, the tenant can win the owner's love and respect by means of his goodness!
Swami calls the Body as the temple chariot! The Atma is installed in it. It is dragged by emotional impulses, passions, and urges. Desires are the streets through which the chariot is drawn. Success, failures, joy and grief, gain or loss are the dancers who follow this procession of life! Even here, man pays attention to the chariot's height, decorations and not to the Atma installed in the chariot! By proper exercise the body has to be kept trim as an instrument for the service of humanity. The real purpose of the body is to practice Dharma and achieve it! " Sareera madyam khalu dharma sadhanam" say the sastras! This body is given to help others in need. "Paropakarartha midam Sareeram".
Our body is said to be the combination of the five Elements i.e earth, water, fire, air and sky. It is thus said to be "pancha bhouthika" sareera. Bone, skin, flesh, veins, hair form the aspect of earth. Blood, urine, saliva belong to the water element. Hunger, thirst, sleep, sloth refer to the Fire aspect. Activity, movement, speed, fear represent the vayu or air. Akasa is represented by lust, anger, greed, pride and envy. Sastras speak of three kinds of bodies viz STHULA SAREEA, SUKSHMA SAREERA and KARANA SAREERA!
Physical Body or STHULA SAREERA contains 24 tatwas. Manas, buddhi, chitta and ahankara. These are called "antahkaranas" (4). Five Pranas: Prana, apana, samana, udana, vyana (5). Jnanendriyas: skin, nose, eyes, ears, tongue (5). Karmendriyas: mouth, hands, feet, groin (5). Pancha vishayas, senses of sound, touch, sight, taste, smell (5). The Atma in association with these qualities is called JIVATMA. SUKSMA SAREERA is called the subtle body and has 17 tatwas only! It has jnanendriyas, karmendriyas, the five pranas, manas, and buddhi. The third body is called KARANA SAREERA or causal body. It is therefore the duty of every human being to utilize the God given body to realize one self and be of use to the service of humanity at large! It will be to his own peril if the body is misused or abused!
No comments:
Post a Comment