Sivagangai: MAY 19-20, 2012

Let Your Life Be God-centric

Travelling from Rameswaram and gracing Manamadurai en route, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji arrived at Sivagangai on the evening of May 19. The Jagadguru had Darshan at the temple of Sri Sundararaja Perumal and was taken in a procession to the Shiva temple where the Rani of the Sivagangai Samsthanam offered a traditional welcome with Poornakumbham.

In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru said that it is natural for everyone to wish that he or she must remain happy and free from suffering not only in this lifetime, but also in the births to come. How can such a desire fructify? It is true that there will be a number of desires in the mind and they can be fulfilled only by exerting oneself accordingly.

How can a student who desires to pass an exam with first class but seldom studies, achieve his goal? How can an employee who desires promotion, but does not do his work properly, get promoted? The student must study day and night while the employee has to work hard and please his superiors to secure a promotion.

In a similar sense, if one desires happiness, one has to adhere to Dharma and shun Adharma. However people move away from Dharma, perform Adharmic actions and yet continue have a desire for happiness. Importance is given to useless activities while those actions that have to be performed are shunned. Such being the case, people continue to complain, “What we desire does not come to pass”.

Dharma is to be understood as duty. If you have been initiated with Upanayanam, performing Sandhya Vandanam is your duty. If you are a householder, being hospitable to a guest is your duty. Instead you cannot keep your doors closed when a guest arrives. For a Tapasvi, engaging in penance is his duty. He should not get into any other affairs. The Mahabharata says –

धनवन्तमदातारं दरिद्रं चातपस्विनम् ।
द्वावम्भसि निवेष्टव्यौ गले बद्ध्वा दृढां शिलाम् ॥

A rich man has to engage in charity while a poor man who accepts charity has to engage in tapas and pray for the welfare of the rich man who has helped him. The Shloka states that a rich man who does not engage in charity and a poor man who does not engage in Tapas and prayer must be tied with a stone to their necks and dropped into the ocean. What is the meaning of this statement? It only means that such a rich man and a poor man are committing a blunder. A rich man must feel that, “The Lord has given me this wealth so I can help others. What is it that I had brought with me when I took birth? I came into this world alone and shall leave this world alone. If I engage in charity, I shall get Punyam and be benefitted. If I do not engage in charity and not help others even a little, what is the use of all this wealth?” Such must be the attitude of a rich man.

A poor man once came to a rich man and said – “I have come here to give to wish you well.” – On being questioned, replied – “I had not performed any charity in my previous lifetime. Hence I have become a beggar in this lifetime. You on the other hand have done a lot of Dharmic activities in your previous lifetime and have been born rich. If you continue to engage in charity towards people like me, you will remain rich in your next lifetime also. Otherwise, in your next life, you will become as I am!” –

द्वारं द्वारमटन् भिक्षुः शिक्षत्येवं न याचते ।
अदत्वा मादृशो मा भूः दत्वा त्वं त्वादृशो भव ॥

A rich man must spend his money towards helping the poor and in the service of the Lord. The Vedas themselves say – मोघमन्नं विन्दते अप्रचेताः । सत्यं ब्रवीमि वध यित्स तस्य । नार्यमणं पुष्यति नो सखायम् । केवलाघो भवति केवलादी । – If one does not use his wealth in the service of man or God, he incurs sin. A poor man benefitted by a rich man must pray for the latter’s welfare.

Hence one must perform one’s duty and revolve his life around God. People must remember that the Lord is ever present as the witness of all actions and hence regulate their life along their Dharmic path.

The Jagadguru remembered His visit to Sivagangai 25 years back and ended the Bhashanam blessing the devotees. Devotees then had the joy of watching the Jagadguru perform Sharada Chandramoulishwara Puja in the temple premises.

On the morning of 20th May, the Jagadguru graced the Sivagangai Samsthanam where the Rani and her family accorded a warm welcome. The Jagadguru had Darshan of the Goddess at the Rajarajeshwari temple inside the Samsthanam and blessed the royal family. The Jagadguru then moved to the Sringeri Shankara Math at Sivagangai and had Darshan of Sri Ratna Garbha Ganapati, Adi Shankaracharya and Goddess Sharada.

In the evening, en route to Kodimangalam, the Jagadguru graced the TVS Lakshmi School and blessed the educational activities being undertaken.