ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಮರೆಯಲಾಗದ (ಮರೆಯಬಾರದ) ಮುಖ್ಯಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿ

31.10.13

Article published in 'Sadguru's Blessings' Magazine

December 2013 issue

Telling lies, no papa!

-      Kavi Suresh

Telling lies is one of the very basic instincts of man. Every person, at one point of time or the other would have uttered a lie in life. Telling lies may be a habit in some; may be indispensable for some and may be forced by circumstances for some others. Whether lying is a sin or a virtue is a debatable issue, though the decision weighs more in favour of sin!

Human relationships are sustained through the bridge of mutual belief and understanding. Cordial relationships among individuals can be expected only when they act in good faith without sacrificing the interests and hurting the sentiments, feelings or the belief of others. A person who is very open in mind, thought and speech is revered by the society as a gentleman. Such a person will be a role-model to the rest of the society.

Lies, in most of the times, lead to undesirable results. It may result in breaking up of relationships, it may cause irreparable damage to one’s ego, it may create unnecessary enemity among individuals and groups and it may also lead to physical harm including death! Therefore, lying, especially in bad faith, is a great sin and has to be avoided at all costs. Therefore, sanctity in our thoughts, words and actions lead us to a righteous way of life. Read these words of Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam: “When you speak, speak the truth; perform when you promise; discharge your trust... Withhold your hands from striking, and from taking that which is unlawful and bad...”.  Inculcating this virtue of always telling the truth among the children right from early stages is one of the pre-requisites of a sane and civilized society. It is, therefore, very necessary that we observe our children right from their childhood closely from this angle. Children naturally tend to lie for various reasons. This tendency has to be watched very carefully and they need to be educated through anecdotes and stories about the ill-effects of telling lies (like King Harishchandra, ‘Punyakoti’ – story of a cow which dares to present itself before a tiger after feeding its calf in order to keep up its earlier word to the tiger, etc). Of course, it is incumbent that those who teach their children on this issue must, in the first instance, practice it themselves in letter and spirit, thus inspiring their off-springs. Children naturally and blindly follow their parents. They have an infallible faith that their parents can never commit a mistake. It is up to elders to live up to their untarnished faith and belief.

Being true to oneself is the first step towards avoiding telling lies. Because a man who lies to himself and believes it, will, in course of time, finds it hard to distinguish the truth inside him and around him. Such a person will soon lose all respect in the society. Many such people also think that frequently telling a lie will camouflage the truth and people will accept it as the truth. But this is not so; it will only be short-lived.  Truth is like a sun covered by clouds. The moment clouds wither away, the sun re-appears and glows more powerfully. Avoiding telling lies and adherence to truth is the surest means of removing fear or guilt conscience from one’s heart. This practice is an established and sure way of purification of the inner-self and a silent worship of the Lord Supreme inside. Therefore, telling a lie is, basically, deceiving one’s own self. It is like deceiving the Lord Supreme presiding in the lotus of our hearts. Telling lies to others also amounts to a similar act of deceiving the God. Our conscience will always be reminding us whenever we are telling a lie. It cautions us that it is not right to do so and also warn us about its ill-effects. But still, owing to some pressure or other, we proceed to tell lies over-looking the advice of our inner-self. We need to keep our conscience clear and pure in order to perpetually avoid telling lies. In this connection, the words of Swami Vivekananda are very relevant: “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul”. Telling a lie may, at some point of time, may be inevitable. But there is always scope and opportunity to reverse it or tell the truth at least later. Confession is a great virtue; it is not cowardice.  As Mahatma Gandhi has said: “Confession of errors is like a broom which sweeps away the dirt and leaves the surface brighter and clearer. I feel stronger for confession.” Confession of a guilt or a lie is not a matter of shame. In fact, it lightens one’s heart and enables to regain one’s lost respect in society very quickly.

xÉirÉqÉç oÉëÔrÉÉiÉç ÌmÉërÉÇ oÉëÔrÉÉiÉç lÉoÉëÔrÉÉixÉirÉqÉÌmÉërÉqÉç | ÌmÉërÉÇ cÉ lÉÉlÉ×iÉqÉç oÉëÔrÉÉSåwÉ kÉqÉï xÉlÉÉiÉlÉÈ ||

[qÉlÉÑxqÉ×ÌiÉ – 4 – 138]

This implies: Always tell the truth and always tell the truth which is dear to others. Do not tell a truth which, at a particular of time, may not be desirable. But never tell a lie simply because it is dear and pleasant to others. This is Sanaatana Dharma.

There is an incident in Ramayana where Lakshmana speaks about the ill-effects of telling a lie to Sugriva.  With the ambassadorship of Hanumantha, both Lord Rama and Sugriva agree to join hands in the pursuit of Seetha. Rama agrees to kill Vali, the elder brother of Sugriva and Sugriva in turn agrees to help the latter to find Seetha. After the killing of Vali by Lord Rama, Sugriva was anointed as the King. Sugriva, forgetting his word to Rama, indulges himself in the company of beautiful women in the palace. Raged by this breach of word, Lakshamana angrily rushes to the palace of Sugriva and admonishes him. During that conversation, he mentions that: “Telling a lie on account of a horse amounts to killing hundred horses. Telling a lie in respect of a cow amounts to killing thousand cows. But a person who tells a lie to another person will be killing his own kith and kin, besides himself”. No need to elaborate or reiterate that telling a lie is one of the greatest sins.

Sometimes telling a lie may prove to be beneficial and profitable, in the short run. But it will be short-lived and will bounce back causing much more damage and loss. Truth remains truth for ever. This is the hard truth we must all remember always! Truth and righteousness is the root of human life. However, the path of truth, most of the times, appear to be very hard to tread. Many obstacles and problems bother us in the way. But an enlightened person knows that these obstacles are merely a test of our commitment to truth. Once we move firmly in the set direction, especially under the guidance of a benevolent preceptor (Guru), the obstacles wane away. Therefore, avoiding telling lies and unstinted commitment of being true to oneself and to society at large is a virtue which all of us should foster, pursue and cherish at all times.

|| xÉirÉ qÉåuÉ eÉrÉiÉå ||

Article published in 'Sadguru's Blessings' magazine - November,2013 issue.

Journey of Life

Life is a perennial journey of discovery. But that discovery, in most of the times, is aimless or purposeless. That is majority of us have no defined or fixed thing to be pursued or attained in life. To that extent, our journey has no definite destination!

Most of our time and energy in life is spent on fulfillment of our material and physical needs. But man is really an extra-ordinary animal. His material, physical and also intellectual desires are such that they have no limitations. They are, in a way, insatiable. They raise their heads in one form or the other again and again making it extremely difficult to get out of its fetters. The result is that man gets entangled in this vicious cycle of ‘Maya’ (illusion) which blinds him in seeking the right thing in life. The different circumstances, experiences, happiness, sorrow, dejection, separation etc., makes a man, at least at some point of time in life, to ponder over the exact purpose and meaning of life. Only such a triggering of positive and benign thoughts can lead a man towards the right path of understanding the true value and aim of life. In fact, the emergence of such thoughts, in the first instance, is the first step towards attainment of emancipation in life.

Of course, the path of seeking ‘truth’ in life is not an easy one. It demands lot of commitment, perseverance, patience and above-all a perennial pursuit. The reading of great Indian epics Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Bhagavadgeeta, Upanishads and life-stories of great saints and scholars will ignite in us divine thoughts and hold a torch to lead us in the dark path of our lives. But they can only act as a hand-post. Having grasped the essence of such great works and lives of great people and having regard to the exact nature of pursuit which is hidden in one-self, it is up to each individual to pick the right path and move firmly.

Basically, birth, living and death, are the real truths of life. The various issues and factors that revolve around these three are really interesting, complicated and very difficult to understand. An honest attempt to understand these concepts will widen our extent of knowledge and help us to come out of many dualities in life. But the thing remains that what exactly is the real “truth” is still elusive to many because the concept and understanding of “truth” varies from individual to individual. The “truth” resembles a vast ocean. An individual can only pick up that much of water as his both palms permit; but that itself is not the whole “truth”! In other words, depending upon one’s ability, knowledge and pursuit, one can get a glimpse of the real “truth”. It, therefore, becomes essential for one to have an open mind on every aspect of life. Deciding things on merits, having no pre-conceived beliefs, avoiding taking decisions in times of high emotions, strict adherence to righteousness in life etc., lead us in the path of pursuit of truth. Ultimately, what appeals to our internal soul and what we genuinely think as the right thing is the real and ultimate truth.

The attractions of this material world, though appear permanent, are really temporary. They can only provide happiness or comfort for a limited period of time. They are not the end in themselves. On the contrary, getting lost in these material comforts results in a life which is no different from animals. Real happiness or bliss is something which is above all these worldly things. This is the ‘hard truth’ that everyone must understand first before getting over it.

Our Sanatana Dharma has taught us to visualize the presence of God (Brahma) in all living and non-living entities on earth. Such a feeling should be present within us at all times. This will help us to view our surroundings in a dispassionate and loving mind. This, in the process, will also cleanse our hearts and minds. We have, therefore, to first prepare our mind to this basic reality and train it to prepare for a journey – which is long-lasting, pleasant and full of elixir!

-         Kavi Suresh

Article published in the Special Issue of "Sadguru's Blessings" - a spiritual magazine published from Hariharapura - October, 2013.

Simple living and high thinking       :       

KAVI SURESH, Shimoga

===========================================

No other animal in this earth is more cruel, greedy and selfish than man! Man is perhaps the only specie who store or preserve things for tomorrow. With rapid advancements in all spheres coupled with weakening of the family system, this tendency has become more pervasive today. Concern for the elderly, concern for the helpless and the needy in society, concern for upholding moral values etc., have all taken the back seat. The deteriorating ethical standards of life in all walks of life, without exception, are indeed a matter of concern to all right thinking people.

The causes for this sorry state of affairs are many. Today, the focus of all our efforts and activities is towards earning money and amassing wealth at all costs. Mahatma Gandhi had once said: Our goal should not only be good, but the means to achieve that goal should also be good. But today, people do not hesitate to adopt any means to achieve the above objective. Our educational system, mind-set of our parents, the demands of our present day life-style, increasing influence of urbanization, influence of western life styles, wide-spread consumerism, least concern for ethical values etc., all make man a ‘money-making machine’! Yes, money is an inevitable and indispensable tool to eke out a reasonably good living. But, certainly it is not the end in itself. Many of us are under the illusion that money can provide anything and everything. It may bestow a special status in society also, though temporarily. We believe that what we possess in terms of material things will provide us with all comforts and happiness. But the real question is: What is happiness and comfort?

This, indeed, is a very difficult question. The concept of happiness and comfort varies from man to man. “One man’s food is another man’s poison”!  A Writer may find pleasure in writing poems, stories, novels etc.,; a Painter may find happiness by painting beautiful paintings; another man may feel comfortable and happy by daily performing his religious duties; someone may find bliss in daily meditation and so on. No doubt, there are some people who take pleasure in troubling and teasing others also! In fact, man has been in the pursuit of happiness and bliss since eternity. All preaching of our Sanatana Dharma and great saints over the years and our holy epics Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Bhagavadgeeta – are an invaluable guide to everyone in this direction.

The problem with all of us today is that we do not know what we exactly want? Our mind aspires for everything that comes to its notice. But we do not think even once whether we really need it or whether we can do without it. The result is accumulation of several unnecessary things which we hardly use one or two times. Next, most of the time, energy and also additional money are spent in maintaining or safeguarding the same. With the slightest of problems in the process, like theft, fire etc., man loses his cool. Worry and anxiety overcomes him. Hence, the vicious circle continues to revolve around him incessantly.

It is high time that we realise that material and worldly comforts are all illusory and temporary. They may wane or vanish anytime causing unbearable heart-burn. Ensuring one’s and his dependent’s comfortable and decent living is everybody’s basic duty. But when once that is ensured, it is time to seek happiness and bliss within ourselves. Bliss or total happiness is there well-settled and firmly seated in everybody’s hearts. It is up to us to identify it first, find ways to activate it and permanently pursue it. Leading a simple, straight-forward and righteous life, without in any way, harming others, is the first step in this direction. Living in total harmony with nature, without exploiting it aimlessly, will improve individual health besides igniting positive energy from within leading to bliss.

Hence, the need of the hour is to put a ‘full-stop’ to our wants (of course, relating to material things)! Our *Sanatana Dharma, great Maharshis, the divine knowledge (Bhagavadgeeta), life-stories of many exalted persons, holy scriptures etc., have left behind us innumerable proven and definite paths to accomplish the ultimate aim of life i.e., bliss and salvation. Most of the so called elite people today spend (waste) most of their time and intelligence in debating or criticizing the preaching of our ancestors or our time-tested traditions. However, the paths left behind by our ancestors are wide, clear and proven. When we are unable to find for ourselves a suitable path, a wise and prudent person should straight-way follow one of these paths shown by our ancestors. To that extent, he is safe, secure and certain! The need of the hour for everyone is to tread a similar path and attain internal bliss and total emancipation in life. “Simple living, high thinking” – sums up this discussion.

*Sanatana Dharma means: Eternal Path, Never beginning nor Ending Way, Perennial Philosophy, Universal Tradition, All-Pervading Truth, Natural Flow

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Article published in "Swayamprakasha" - a spiritual magazine published from Hariharapura - May-2013

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Article published in "Sadguru's Blessings" - a spiritual magazine from Hariharapura - November,2013 issue.

Journey of Life

Life is a perennial journey of discovery. But that discovery, in most of the times, is aimless or purposeless. That is majority of us have no defined or fixed thing to be pursued or attained in life. To that extent, our journey has no definite destination!

Most of our time and energy in life is spent on fulfillment of our material and physical needs. But man is really an extra-ordinary animal. His material, physical and also intellectual desires are such that they have no limitations. They are, in a way, insatiable. They raise their heads in one form or the other again and again making it extremely difficult to get out of its fetters. The result is that man gets entangled in this vicious cycle of ‘Maya’ (illusion) which blinds him in seeking the right thing in life. The different circumstances, experiences, happiness, sorrow, dejection, separation etc., makes a man, at least at some point of time in life, to ponder over the exact purpose and meaning of life. Only such a triggering of positive and benign thoughts can lead a man towards the right path of understanding the true value and aim of life. In fact, the emergence of such thoughts, in the first instance, is the first step towards attainment of emancipation in life.

Of course, the path of seeking ‘truth’ in life is not an easy one. It demands lot of commitment, perseverance, patience and above-all a perennial pursuit. The reading of great Indian epics Ramayana, Mahabharatha, Bhagavadgeeta, Upanishads and life-stories of great saints and scholars will ignite in us divine thoughts and hold a torch to lead us in the dark path of our lives. But they can only act as a hand-post. Having grasped the essence of such great works and lives of great people and having regard to the exact nature of pursuit which is hidden in one-self, it is up to each individual to pick the right path and move firmly.

Basically, birth, living and death, are the real truths of life. The various issues and factors that revolve around these three are really interesting, complicated and very difficult to understand. An honest attempt to understand these concepts will widen our extent of knowledge and help us to come out of many dualities in life. But the thing remains that what exactly is the real “truth” is still elusive to many because the concept and understanding of “truth” varies from individual to individual. The “truth” resembles a vast ocean. An individual can only pick up that much of water as his both palms permit; but that itself is not the whole “truth”! In other words, depending upon one’s ability, knowledge and pursuit, one can get a glimpse of the real “truth”. It, therefore, becomes essential for one to have an open mind on every aspect of life. Deciding things on merits, having no pre-conceived beliefs, avoiding taking decisions in times of high emotions, strict adherence to righteousness in life etc., lead us in the path of pursuit of truth. Ultimately, what appeals to our internal soul and what we genuinely think as the right thing is the real and ultimate truth.

The attractions of this material world, though appear permanent, are really temporary. They can only provide happiness or comfort for a limited period of time. They are not the end in themselves. On the contrary, getting lost in these material comforts results in a life which is no different from animals. Real happiness or bliss is something which is above all these worldly things. This is the ‘hard truth’ that everyone must understand first before getting over it.

Our Sanatana Dharma has taught us to visualize the presence of God (Brahma) in all living and non-living entities on earth. Such a feeling should be present within us at all times. This will help us to view our surroundings in a dispassionate and loving mind. This, in the process, will also cleanse our hearts and minds. We have, therefore, to first prepare our mind to this basic reality and train it to prepare for a journey – which is long-lasting, pleasant and full of elixir!

-         Kavi Suresh

Devi Seethe in the form of Maha Kali [Adbhuta Ramayana]

Devi Seethe in the form of Maha Kali [Adbhuta Ramayana]
[Find this in the cover page of the Kannada Book: "Adbhut Ramayan" by Kavi Suresh