ON SACRIFICE

 “ Take to the path of Sacrifice… Sacrifice is verily God.” declares Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai baba. Human existence is wound inextricably with sacrifice. It is impossible to live without sacrificing something for the other. The quality of Sacrifice is innate in every human being and even in animals. But many are not aware of this rare and precious quality. It is almost forgotten. Chances and opportunities for sacrifice do not present themselves in the lives of many individuals. As such the quality of sacrifice lies dormant and is totally neglected! Mother is the very embodiment of sacrifice. From the time of conceiving the child she sacrifices many things for the sake of her future baby! She bears the fetus in her womb for full nine months till it is delivered! She totally devotes her time, body, mind and everything for the wellbeing of the child growing in her womb! It is not an easy thing to conceive and bear a child! Sometimes it is a

 question of life and death for the mother! Her body, and mind changes and suffers to the maximum during the period of bearing the child! All these changes are borne by her in the hope that she would be bringing into the world a new, vibrant life, a son, a daughter, or a heir to her family! Though she blames her husband for making her life so painful, she is very happy at the sight of the new born and forgets all the misery and pain she has endured! She has taken the role of the Creator and brought forth  a new human being! Her happiness at this task of creation is more than a match for her patience, labor  and all other sufferings she has undergone! The statement of the Taittiriya Upanishad thus gains very great significance: “ Mathru Devo Bhava.” One who sacrifices everything for the sake of her child, no doubt, is equal to God the Creator! “ Like trailing clouds of glory do we come to God who is our home” says William Wordsworth!

We call Sacrifice “Thyaga” in Sanskrit language. Thyaga has to be done for a noble and lofty cause. Giving up certain common, ordinary things for other things cannot be called Thyaga. Preferring coffee to tea is never a sacrifice! Dedicating your heart and soul, energy and thought for an impersonal, universal benefit can be called real Thyaga or Sacrifice. How to attain immorttality being mortals that we are? The Upanishad declares very emphatically. Is it your deeds that can make you immortal?  Is it your people who can help you in making you immortal? Is it your riches and wealth that brings you immortality? All these thing can never turn a mortal into an immortal The Upanishad proclaims “ Na karmana na prajaya na dhanena thyage naikena amrutatwa masnusaha.” It is by sheer Tyaga that one attains immortality, not by one's deeds, people or riches! Civilizations have come and gone. Generations of people have dis appeared. We do not remember them all.They have died unhonoured, unwept and un sung! But in between we come across a being who makes a difference by his new flash of thought, and is ready to  die for the sake of his country and the wellbeing of humanity!! Actually he dies for others!  

 As Swami Vivekananda observes “He lives who lives for others!” That is called immortality. It is not necessary to live for a hundred or more years. It is impossible to live for long on this earth. Life is short. But within the short span of our life, we should conduct ourselves in such a way that we are remembered for ever and not eternally forgotten! In short, we should not be living dead but dead and living! That is immortality due to Tyaga or Sacrifice!

Indian History is full of persons who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the country from the clutches of British imperialism. The name of Mohandas Karam chand Gandhi should be inscribed in Golden letters. But for him India wouldn’t have secured freedom easily! He was a votary of truth. He had an iron will determination to free the country and worked day and night for the purpose! He sacrificed his barrister profession and plunged into politics! He led the freedom fighters from the front. He was jailed many a time and beaten and manhandled! But his imperturbability and perseverance as well as his indomitable will brought a bloodless revolution and made India free! His Satyagraha became the watchword for the liberation of India! Let us sacrifice our lives for the sake of the country or for any Nobel cause that may benefit the entire universe! Hi honey bunny