NITYA AND ANITYA ( pranayamam prtyaharam)

How should man live and regulate his life on earth? Is he aware of what he should do to be happy and contented? Does he ever think about what is permanent, everlasting and what is impermanent and transitory? Unfortunately man is always interested in silly pleasures and enjoys as if they are the real things to be Interested in! The world, and this body are temporary entities and to believe in them is foolish! When Arjuna throws down his Gandiva and refuses to kill his kith and kin in the Kurukshetra war, Lord Krishna asks if he does not know what is ‘ nitya’ and ‘ anitya'! He should not feel sorry for the body as it is destroyed one day or the other. He should not worry about the soul as it is indestructible and eternal. It is the duty of man to

contemplate on these aspects at least a few times in his lifetime!

Being the philosopher par excellence, Sankara prescribes different ways for a happy,  contented spiritual life.The first and foremost method is Pranayama or control of breath! Man can improve his longevity by controlling his breath!  Our ancients sages and saints could live long for years together by practising Pranayama! It contributes to the health and wellbeing of the Individual concerned. Proper initiation through a well versed Guru will be a contributing factor for the all round development of the person! But is this enough? The next requisite is what is called  ‘Pratyahara’, abstaining from food or fasting. It I through fasting one can control his senses. The Upanishads declare that the senses are the horses that gallop and if not controlled they would throw the rider down! It is through the reins of ‘ buddhi’ or mind that one can control the senses!

The third requirement, according to Sankara, is the discrimination between the eternal and the ephemeral! Engulfed in the shoreless sea of Samsara, surrounded by wife, children, kith and kin,we are deluded and believe that they are real and the world is permanent! We forget that the Soul is eternal and believe that the body is permanent! There is a confusion in Man’s mind and he refuses to consider the world as temporary! So, leaving aside mundane affairs, man should contemplate on higher things and the soul. The very purpose of man on earth is torealize himself! In his ignorance he confuses the body with the Soul! The realization should dawn on him that the body is separate and the soul too is separate! The body is the shrine where the Divine soul is established! The moment he recognizes that he is not the body but the eternal, indestructible Soul, he is free from all earthly bondage and elevated to ethereal region of heavenly and Divine bliss!

The next means for spiritual bliss is Japa which is chanting the sacred name of the Lord! This can be purely personal or done together with the other members of community. In Kaliyuga, no other means to reach God is as easy as chanting the name of the Lord! The great Sage Narada points out that for all people in Kali Yuga, affected with all evils like corruption, fraud, and

dishonesty, the only remedy is ‘ Nama Sankeertanam ‘- singing the glory of the name of the Lord! In fact God will be present wherever his devotees sing his glory! By constant and continuous chanting of the name of the Lord, he lives in God, forgets himself, and the entire world surrounding him! In other words, he experiences ‘Samadhi’ in which he is in union with the Supreme Self or the Absolute Brahman! That is the ultimate state which man should reach to realize himself!

Thus, by breath control, sense control, reflection on the distinction between the eternal and the ephemeral, practice of Japa or chanting the Divine name that leads to Samadhi  man can find his fulfilment on earth! His materialism apart, he has to rise above trifles and the delusion that life offers! If he is the slave of the senses and is drowned in the fascinating attractions of illusory world none can save him! He will be one among the billions caught in the cycle of birth and death! That is not the destiny of man, who is on the highest ladder of creation! Sankara advises man to practice these with devotion very carefully! Why not we give a try at least now to whatever extent possible?