PEACE OF MIND OR SHANTHI

   Man has attained every possible thing on earth except the most important thing!  Modern technology and scientific advancement has made his life easy and comfortable.  He can roam over the globe in a trice,enter space,  through satellites! It is now possible to settle in Mars and many have opted for it! What is it that most important thing that man has lost?  It is Peace of Mind or Shanti! For the sake of momentary pleasures and comforts he has sacrificed the most  essential  component of happiness. Man’s desires have multiplied and while he fulfills a few, he is disappointed in many.  Anger, defeat, humiliation,  ambition , ego torment him and he loses peace of mind! It vacillates and does not know what way it should take! He is thus agitated but does not try to seek the permanent remedy! “ Man is perpetually in search of Peace, which is to be established with one self, then it is extended to the family, society and the country.  Shanthi  comes from within; contentment is a mental condition” declares Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba.

What is the reason for the lack of peace or Shanthi in Man? It is because of his excessive attachment to worldly comforts.  His attachment is more than absolutely necessary. These desires and attachments  bring  anxiety and fear rather than  satisfaction. His inner craving is unquenched! Science can never  bring  in peace or Shanthi! It eggs on the person to explore more and more!  The primary reason for the absence of Shanthi  is Man’s conduct and thoughts that have gone astray! As a first step towards peace or Shanthi, one must keep his thoughts pure. In the Upanishads, before the teacher and the student sit for study, the Shanti Mantra is repeated thrice significantly! Gods Mithra, Varuna, Aryama, Indra, Brihaspathi, and Vishnu who represent the spirit and the organs of the body are propitiated. “ OM Shanthi”  is repeated thrice  in order to protect the student and the teacher from "Adhyatmika, Adi bhoutika and Adi daivika” types of troubles!  It is in the absence of these troubles that Shanthi can be established and concentration maintained! “ It is to encourage Peace in the human, godly and natural milieu in which you have to live, also to develop peace, to the body, mind and intellect.” remarks Swami in one of his Divine discourses. (SSS Vol 2)

" Mana eva  manushyanam karanam bandha mokshayoh”—it is the mind that is the cause for either attachment or detachment or liberation! It can lead man from the personal to the impersonal, the tangible to the intangible. It is the quality of the mind to be restless and hence the stress and strain!  This restless mind has to be calmed. One such method to calm the mind is yoga. What is yoga? It is defined as a tool to control the vacillating and restless mind or ‘Chitta’ Patanjali defines it “ Yogah chitta vrutti nirodhaha”. So control of breathing through Pranayama  or controlled inhaling and exhaling becomes necessary. The next step for Shanthi is to serve mankind through social work—helping the diseased, sick and the distressed. “ Service to man is service to God” as God manifests in every creature in the universe. Care should be taken to serve the needy  sincerely and selflessly! There should be no expectation for any reward.

The third step to Shanthi or peace of mind is to undertake  spiritual exercise or Sadhana. What is Sadhana? It is to undertake something earnestly with regularity. It can be the chanting of the sacred name of the Lord,in any form, or recitation of  mantras like the Gayatri mantra, hymns or other stotras. Shanthi  offers the capacity to brave all the storms, vicissitudes in our worldly life. The gift offered by Shanti to man is equanimity in sunshine and storm! To lead a happy life man requires peace of mind. Swami says: “ The mind of man is like a turbulent Ganga. It has to be restrained by applying brakes such as dhyana ( meditation).Dhyana means one pointed concentration. Agitations in the mind are the cause of all the misery of mankind. To lead a calm healthy life man has to cultivate mental peace”.

Comfort is mistaken for Peace or Shanthi in the present world! Peace is totally absent among the super rich, the rich and the prosperous and the powerful! Bank pass books, bungalows with innumerable rooms, iron safe and godown are all devoid of peace! It is meaningless like putting the cart before the horse!  Swami says, “The physical is subordinate to the spiritual. The mind is the horse and that is neglected. not groomed for the journey.” All agitations, noise and confusions are on the surface. When we reach the depth there is calmness. Similarly in the innermost recess of our heart there is peace. It is there one must take shelter! That is real peace or Shanthi.  One who is at peace with himself will see peace all around him! As Swami says, “Shanthi is a Divine attribute. It can be attained only by those who, with patience, perseverance, and forbearance, follow the sound path of spirituality.” (SSS Vol 7a)