Kurnool: NOVEMBER 18-19, 2012

Avoid Kama and Krodha

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji arrived at Kurnool on the evening of November 18th to a warm welcome. In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru spoke about the greatness of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita has paramount importance to us as it has been instructed by Bhagavan Himself:

गीता सुगीता कर्तव्या किमन्यैः शास्त्रविस्तरैः ।
या स्वयं पद्मनाभस्य मुखपद्माद्विनिसृता ।।

While there are many teachings in the Gita, a question posed by Arjuna and the answer given by Bhagavan is of great significance to everyone. Arjuna questions Bhagavan on who or what makes man commit sins, even when he does not desire to do so, and there are no external factors to influence. The Lord replies that the cause are kama (desire) and krodha (anger) that are present in the minds of people.

काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः ।
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्धयेनमिह वैरिणम् ॥

The Jagadguru illustrated the effect of anger from the Sundara Kanda of Valmiki Ramayanam. After Hanuman had had Darshan of Mother Sita, he had been captured by Ravana and his tail had been set on fire. At that time, Mother Sita on hearing this wished for Hanuman’s well-being – मङ्गलाभिमुखी तस्य सा तदासीन् महाकपेः. She prayed for his well-being thus:

यद्यस्ति पतिशुश्रूषा यद्यस्ति चरितं तपः ।
यदि वाप्येकपत्नीत्वं शीतो भव हनूमतः ॥

If I have not thought of anyone else but my husband Sri Rama, and have served him well, let not Hanuman be harmed by fire. Meanwhile, Hanuman unaffected by his burning tail had set fire to Lanka. For an instant, Hanuman felt happy that he had burnt all of Lanka. However, he immediately felt that he had committed a blunder. He wondered if some harm would have befallen Mother Sita due to the fires he had set. He was crestfallen when this thought struck him and felt the purpose of his mission might have become a failure. He then reflects on the effects of anger that made him burn Lanka, expressing thus:

क्रुद्धः पापं न कुर्यात् कः क्रुद्धो हन्यात् गुरूनपि ।
क्रुद्धः परुषया वाचा नरः साधून् अधिक्षिपेत् ॥
नावाच्यमस्ति क्रुद्धस्य नाकार्यं विद्यते क्वचित् ॥

“What act would an angry man abstain from? What words would he not use? Seething with anger, He would not hesitate to insult even the noble. He is likely to commit any kind of sin and may even harm those worthy of worship.”

Hence even those wild actions that you would not dream of doing will get done under the influence of anger.

Similarly desire that is unrestrained will lead to downfall. Even the wise sometime may fall prey to it because under the influence of desire and anger, their wisdom gets veiled. Sri Adi Shankaracharya advises in relation to kama (in the form of lust) – “Do not be deluded and allow yourself to be carried away by passion at the sight of women. Repeatedly reflect that the body is only a modification of flesh”.

नारीस्तनभरनाभीदेशं
दृष्ट्वा मा गा मोहावेशम् ।
एतन्मांसवसादिविकारं
मनसि विचिन्तय वारं वारम् ॥

The Madhaviya Shankara Digvijaya describes how Sri Adi Shankaracharya Himself overcame Kama when still a young boy – कामं वस्तुविचारतोऽच्छिनदयम्. – by Vastu Vichara – by analyzing the object of the desire and by realizing the essential utility of the object in question. The Jagadguru explained that one must reflect over whether the object of desire is indeed going to benefit or whether it is going to ultimately harm you or lead to your downfall. When such reflection is not done, people tend to go the wrong way, go after satisfying limitless desires and ultimately perish.

The Jagadguru emphasized that everyone must understand that controlling Kama and Krodha will ensure that you will not err in any way. Life will be pure then and will lead you to the highest good.

The Jagadguru summarized the Anugraha Bhashanam by highlighting that Srimad Bhagavad Gita and the works of Sri Adi Shankaracharya contain numerous teachings that we are beneficial to follow. The Jagadguru ended the Anugraha Bhashnam conveying His benign blessings to the people of Kurnool.

On the morning of November 19th, the Jagadguru gave Darshan to devotees from around 10 am. Devotees offered Pada Puja and Bhiksha Vandanam. Subsequently, the Jagadguru performed the Karthika Somavara Puja, worshipping the sacred Chandramoulishwara Sphatika Linga by offering of Panchamrita Abhisheka, Abhisheka to the chants of Sri Rudram and sections of Sri Mahanarayana Upanishad. Devotees felt blessed by the divine sight of the Jagadguru offering such elaborate worship.

Starting early in the evening, the Jagadguru inaugurated the Vasavi Kalyana Mandapam en route from Kurnool to Mahbubnagar.