Human existence is always inextricably interfused and laced with the sense of fear! None can deny this fact! Is there anything in the world that exists without the feeling of fear? The answer is no.The poet is sorry and says, “ bhoge rogabhayam, kule chuyti bhayam, vitte nrupalath bhayam, mane dainya bhayam, bale ripu bhayam, rupe jaraya bhayam, sasthre vada bhayam, gune khala bhayam, kaye Krutantat bhayam, sarvam vasthu bhayanvitam bhuvi nrunam Vairagya meva bhayam!” The fear of roga or disease haunts the man who indulges in enjoyment and luxury! The fear of alienation worries the high caste man. The super rich has to fear the king--the Income Tax Department. A man of dignity is afraid of undignified acts. The strong and sturdy has the fear of his enemy. If you are happy about your good looks and personality, the fear old age and senility threatens you! If you're a great scholar in sasthras, there is the fear of another who can beat you in argument! If you are a man of character, there is the fear of an evil fellow spoiling it! If you beat your breast about your robust body and constitution the fear of death threatens and disappoints you! Everything in the world is enveloped with fear! It is Vairagya-- non attachment that has no fear!
Adi Sankara, in his Bhaja Govindam pinpoints the futility of material pleasures and enjoyments! Man indulges in these silly pleasures thinking that it is real happiness! Under the delusion that the world, his wife and children and wealth and property are permanent, he attaches himself to them irretrievably! Sankara feels sorry for the state of man who is unable to discriminate what is real, eternal and unreal and transient. He puts it bluntly when he says, “ sukhatah kriyate rama bhogaha”-man is totally lost in the enjoyment of conjugal bliss with woman! He loses his discrimination in indulging in sexual pleasures! He does not think of the far reaching consequence of such over indulgence! For the sake of satisfying his senses he becomes the slave of momentary passion! He goes astray and that seals his fate! What is the result of satisfying his desire?
“ Paschath anta sareere rogaha”-- Sankara puts it crudely and says that this over indulgence is the root cause of many ailments in man! For the sake of a few momentary pleasures he has to suffer from various diseases! Is man not aware of this imminent danger? He knows it but the call of desire is so powerful that he cannot but satisfy it sooner or later! The temptation is too much for him to avoid! When Adam ate the forbidden fruit he did it knowingly that he has lost the paradise! When sages, saints, and great stalwarts had fallen to the wiles and charms of woman is it possible for ordinary mortals to resist the temptation of woman? From the great sage Viswamitra to the accomplished Siva devotee, Ravana, the king of Lanka, men were slaves of this sinister desire for conjugal pleasure!
Nothing is permanent in the world! “ Jatasya maranam dhruvam”! Death is inevitable! None can escape it! Every individual knows it! Willy nilly one has to submit himself to its sweep! But man’s nature is so obstinate that he doesn't shun committing sins! Sankara’s compassion for the erring humanity is strikingly brought out in this sloka of Bhajagovindam! Sankara tries to open the eyes of people to the dangers of attachment, of the bonds that tie up man to his wife and children! It is criminal to commit a sin knowing in full it's consequence! Man should not be swayed under the influence of certain desires especially regarding women. Committing a sin unknowingly is pardonable! Sankara’s intention is to divert the attention of man from woman who is responsible for his sins!! One must really be brave and great to resist the onslaught of desires and passions that mislead him!
Sankara, on the pretext of addressing the foolish old man reciting a sutra of grammar, offers humanity a solution for peace and real happiness. He codifies the essence of the Vedas, the Upanishads, and our scriptures to edify the mind of man! How can he get rid of the fears that are hidden in every thing in life? As long as you are with “mamakara'”--attachment, there is no salvation! Develop Vairagya--detachment from all mundane things and fear will vanish silently and quickly! But is Vairagya, such a simple thing to acquire? No! It has to be developed slowly and steadily through thoughts on God, meditation, Satsang and chanting the name of God! Why not we listen to the words of our great Guru, Sankara?
No comments:
Post a Comment