मित्र (Friend)

आजचा विषय हृदया जवळचा आहे. म्हणून आज लेख (blog) मराठीत लिहावा अस वाटलं. कारण मराठी भाषा ही माझी मातृ भाष आहे. आणि हृदयातील काही ओठांवर आणायचं झालं तर मातृभाषेशीवाय पर्यायच नाही. मराठीत असोवा इंग्रजीत शेवटी आपल्याला त्यातला सार समजला म्हणजे झालं. अशाच प्रकारे मित्र हा शब्द आज आपल्याला खऱ्या अर्थाने समजायचा आहे. त्या शब्दातील अलौकिक(पण आपल्याला जाणून घ्यायचं आहे. खरच! आज आपणा सर्वांना याची गरज आहे, या स्वार्थाच्या युगात आपण शब्दांचे खरे अर्थ जगणंच विसरून गेलो आहोत. काही दिवसांपूर्वी मला असाच एक अनुभ आला आणि वाटलं आज सर्व संबंध स्वार्थी झाले आहेत. पण सर्वात जास्त दुःख तेव्हा झालं जेव्हा मला कळलं की या स्वार्थाच्या वेढ्यात मित्रत्व देखील आलं आहे. म्हणूनच आज या विषयावर लिहायचं ठरवलं.

चला तर मग बघुया आपले वेद-उपनिषद काय सांगतात आपल्याला मित्रा विषयी,

पापान्निवारयति योजयते हिताय

गुह्यं च गूहति गुणान् प्रकटीकरोति ।

आपद्गतं च न जहाति ददाति काले

सन्मित्रलक्षणमिदं प्रवदन्ति सन्तः ॥

अर्थात, खरा मित्र तोच की, जो पापातून आपल्याला सोडवतो आणि हितकारक कर्माला जोडतो. गुप्त गोष्टींना गुप्त ठेवतो आणि चांगल्या गुणांना प्रोत्साहन देतो. आणि जो सुख असो वा दुःख सोबत सोडत नाही. ही मित्राची लक्षणे आपल्या संतांनी, ऋषींनी सांगितली आहेत.

खऱ्या अर्थाने जर आपल्याला मित्राची व्याख्या समजायची असेल तर आपण अलौकिक-मित्र रामाचे जीवन समजायला हवे. आणि हे सौभाग्य आपल्याला या लॉक-डाउन च्या काळात दूरदर्शन वरील मालिकेव्दारे प्राप्त झाले आहे. आता फक्त गरज आहे ते आठवून जीवनात उतरवण्याची. चला तर मग आठवूया राम चरित्रातील काही प्रसंग.

रामाचे दोन खास मित्र होते एक गुह आणि दुसरा सुग्रीव. ज्यावेळी राम वनवास पुरा करून परत आला, त्यावेळी रामाने ताबडतोब हनुमाला सांगितले की, "गुहाला सांगून ये राम जिंकून आला आहे." तसेच गुहाचेही रामावर तितकेच प्रेम होते. भरत रामाला भेटायला वनात चालला होता त्यावेळी गुहाच्या मनात शंका आली आणि भरताला अडविण्यासाठी समोर सैन्य घेऊन लढायला उभा राहिला, कदाचित यात गुहाचा मृत्यु देखील झाला असता. पण रामाचे गुहावर इतके प्रेम होते, तसे गुहानेही त्याला तितकेच प्रेम दिले होते. म्हणून तर म्हणतात, प्रेम द्याल तर प्रेम मिळेल. 

Love is not getting but giving, it is the result of pure living.

सुग्रीवावर सुद्धा रामाचे किती प्रेम होते! सुग्रीवाला जरा देखील दुःख झाले, तर रामाच्या डोळ्यातून पाणी येई. आता हेच बघा, सुग्रीव ज्यावेळी रावणाच्या अंगावर धावून गेला, त्यावेळी त्याची रामाला किती काळजी वाटली होती! रामाने सुग्रीव आणि स्वतःत बिलकुल भेदभाव केला नाही. त्यामुळेच रामाने ज्यावेळी शरयूमध्ये प्रवेश केला त्या वेळी किष्किंधेहून सुग्रीव धावत धावत आला आणि त्यानेही शरयूमध्ये प्रवेश केला. खरोखर! ही आश्चर्याची गोष्ट आहे की, एका मित्राच्या मृत्यूनंतर दुसरा मित्र मृत्यूच्या मुखात उडी मारतो. रामाने केवढे अलौकिक प्रेम सुग्रीवाला दिले असेल!

I never have to live without you.

खरोखर आपण भाग्यशाली आहोत. आपला जन्म या भारत भूमीवर झाला आहे, ज्या भूमीवर संत, ऋषी आणि देवानेही जन्म घेतला. म्हणून तर म्हणतात "दुर्लभम् भारतस्य जन्म:।" आशा प्रकारे आपण राम चरित्रातील अलौकिक मित्रता बघितली. पण जेंव्हा आपण मित्र हा विषय बघत आहोत त्या वेळी लोकोत्तर मित्र श्रीकृष्णाला विसरून कसे चालेल. आपण लहानपणी आई कडून सुदामा आणि कृष्णाच्या मैत्रीच्या गोष्टी ऐकल्याच आहेत. चला तर मग आठवूया त्या गोष्टी.

A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.

कृष्ण-सुदामा मैत्रीचे हे काव्य वर्णन अलौकिक आहे. कोठे विश्ववंद्य श्रीकृष्ण व कोठे गरीब ब्राम्हण सुदामा! पण श्रीकृष्णाने त्याचा सन्मान केला व आलिंगन दिले. श्रीकृष्ण बालपणीच्या या मित्राला विसरत नाही. त्याला छातीशी कवटाळून त्याचे दारिद्रय दूर करतो. हे चित्र पाहाल तर आदर्श मैत्रीची कल्पना येईल. एवढेच नाही तर अर्जुनाबरोबरची त्याची मैत्रीही अलौकिक होती. खरंच, केवढी अदभूत मैत्री! श्रीकृष्ण म्हणतो, "अर्जुन तोच मी व अर्जुनाचा शत्रू माझा शत्रू." आणि जर असे नसते तर श्रीकृष्ण अर्जुनाचा सारथी बनला असता? एवढेच नाही तर करुक्षेत्राच्या रणमैदानात त्याने अनेक वेळा अर्जुनाचे रक्षण केले. असे हे श्रीकृष्णाचे जीवन आदर्श मित्राचे दृष्टान्त पूर्णपणे समजावते.

योहं तमर्जुनं विद्धि योर्जुन: सोहमेव तु।

यद् ब्रूयात्तत्तथा कार्यमिति बुध्यस्व भारत।।

राम आणि श्रीकृष्ण यांच्या ठाई असलेल्या मित्र प्रेमाची आजच्या मित्रते बरोबर आपण तुलना करूच शकत नाही. पण आपण करू शकतो या चरित्रांच्या जीवनाचा अभ्यास आणि प्रयत्न यांसारखी मित्रता स्वतःच्या जीवनात आणण्याचे. कारण बदल हा स्वत:पासूनच घडवायचा असतो.

What is Religion?

It is said that man is a social animal. He cannot live in isolation or cut off from social contacts or group life. He is perpetually in search of individual happiness. He has to reconcile his individual claims with those of the society in which he lives. The problem of reconciliation between the two conflicting claims puzzles him. What is more, he is not exclusively devoted to pursuits of sensual pleasure and worldly creature comforts, but he has spiritual yearnings, pious feelings and divine emotions. How to refine and strengthen these feelings is one of the problems that demand his attention and serious thought. Religion provides a comprehensive and effective answer to all his queries. Religion, thus, tries to guide him when he is helplessly groping in the dark and wandering about the various problems he has to face and solve. Therefore we shall try and define what Religion is and bow in various ways Religion helps and guides man.

We start from critical evaluation of religion; Religion seems to have caught the fancy of the people of the twentieth century. People discuss the subject of religion in a learned and scholarly manner. But whether can religion, after all, really be a subject matter of discussion and learned treatises? No, Religion is not a subject matter of debates, discussions and discourses.

Let see western approach to religion, it was Lessing Ferder who was the pioneer of such anthropological literature. In his "Education of Human Race" he discussed Christianity and Judaism, their growth and development. Sir William Johns made the beginning of studying Indian Religion and Culture. In the ancient time Charvak had attempted to make a study of religion but it cannot be called a systematic and proper study. Considering all these treatises and scholarly works on religion, we feel that western approach to religion is narrow and one-sided. It is my humble opinion that they have not been able to grasp the real and deeper significance of religion. Religion is a mighty and potent force which has sustained human race. Besides, religion is an essential aspect of our day to day life in the material world. What is more they have failed to appreciate that religion is a social force to be reckoned with. This particular aspect of religion has been ignored by them. Instead they have ruthlessly exposed savagery, illusions, superstitions, deceits and deception prevailing in the name of religion. No doubt that is indeed a good thing they have done. But their approach to the subject remains narrow, myopic and absolutely one-sided.

Religion, no doubt, consists of faith, devotion, love, spiritual yearnings, intensive divine feelings and all that is associated with heart, but then we must not forget that its rationalism, either in an organized or unorganized form is at the basis of religion. Religion thus is a happy combination of qualities of heart and head.

The universally accepted maxim - "man does not live by bread alone" - seems to have been accepted by Karl Marx - the Father of Socialism - too, is not very clear on the subject of religion. In his 'An Introduction to Critique of Political Economy' he divides the structure of society into its two constituents - (1) Material structure, (2) Super structure (Spiritual structure). Marx maintains that, besides material basic necessities of life, man requires something more. We may call this extra requirement as urge or hunger for spiritual yearning. But the followers of Marx in their anxiety to achieve material equality of man have very conveniently forgotten all about what Marx called Super structure (spiritual requirements of man) and they no longer speak about it. But the fact remains that Karl Marx, an apostle of communism, too, acknowledged and admitted that besides material needs, man does need something more. 

Having considered the great and learned treatises and analysis of religion presented by the western thinkers, we still continue to be assailed by the paramount question - What, then, is religion? Does it consist of thoughts of the material world and all that is worldly? Or is it concerned with all about the other world or is it purely spiritual?

A true religion seeks to satisfy material as well as spiritual needs of human beings. We cannot have two water-tight compartments of the two constituents of life - material needs and spiritual requirements. A true religion, then, seeks to promote material and spiritual welfare of man. Both together constitute life, both of them are essential and necessary for all-round progress and for fuller and richer life. Both of them are concerned and connected with each other. That is the reason why Indian culture does not consider them separate from and independent of each other. That is why our fore-fathers defined religion as a happy reconciliation of two conflicting claims - material and spiritual.

We all read in our science text book, "Maharshi Kanada was ancient Indian scientist, sage and philosopher who founded the philosophical school of Vaisesika and authored the text Vaisesika Sutras or Aphorisms. He pioneered atomic theory, described dimension, motion, chemical reactions of atoms. He called that indivisible matter anu, i.e. atom." Along with all of this, he gave us definition of religion.

"यतो अभ्युदय: नि: श्रेयस सिद्धि: स धर्म:।"

Maharshi Kanada

Religion, thus, promotes our welfare in the material world and at the same time it secures for us 'the glorious hereafter' the blissful life that is to follow the present one. Only vedic religion has reconciled the two and has given us the best of both the worlds. Let us examine what vedic religion has to say about the worldly things such as money, material pleasures and the pursuit of pleasures and let us also see what the vedic religion has to offer us on the matters spiritual and philosophy of life.

While considering religion, we often wonder whether religion should be concerned with this materialistic world or it should be entirely spiritual in its thought and contents, or it should be concerned with both the aspects. Vedic Religion is a happy combination of both for it treats rationally both these aspects of the world we live in and the glorious hereafter. It thus is the best synthesis harmoniously achieved of conflicting material and spiritual claims. But some western scholars maintain that religion has no rational basis and that it is not at all concerned with the work-a-day world. They further argue that religion is merely confined to worshipping of Gods and Goddesses and various rites and rituals. Some go to the extent of presuming that values deal only about the world we live in. But such a belief is erroneous and unfair. Religion consists of and is concerned with the material and spiritual welfare of the people. Hence

religion is rightly defined as a happy synthesis and harmonious reconciliation of both the aspects of human life - material and spiritual.

Some western thinkers often speak of two aspects of life - material and spiritual. However, Vedic culture and religion taking a comprehensive view of life, does not accept such an artificial division.

Various social sciences taught under the modern scheme of progressive education seem to be at loggerheads. Economics, Political Science, Ethics - seem to be unrelated with one another. The very idea that economics has nothing to do with ethics seems ridiculous. On the same token what a grossly mistaken belief it is to maintain that sociology has nothing to do with politics? Can we divide human life into separate independent water-tight compartments? No, never.

Similarly, when we consider religion and religious texts (scriptures) we must adopt synthetic rather than analytical approach. The approach adopted by the western thinkers is largely analytical. The same is true about their eating habits. All their dishes are not served at the same time, but strictly according to their menu one dish follows the other separately and independently. Whereas Indian eating habits like our approach to religion are highly synthetic and comprehensive and that is why all our dishes are served simultaneously. After making offerings to Gods we take our food. Modern education, too, is highly analytical and therefore one can hardly expect to cultivate all-comprehensive synthetic approach to life and religion. As a matter of fact the very basis of Vedic religion is such synthesis and that is why vedic religion seeks to reconcile harmoniously material and spiritual claims or in other words it seeks to achieve the best of both the worlds.

Since religion embraces all aspects of life both material and spiritual the definition must be broad based. Religion must focus its attention to material and spiritual advancement of man. Vedic religion is such an all-embracing and comprehensive religion, touching and treating all aspects of life. That is why it has proved a perennial fountain of inspiration and well-being for the entire human race.

Characteristics of Student

    One day, when I asked to my roommates, "what are the characteristics of good student?" One of them suddenly replied, ‘One who is topper of the class’. After some time another roommate replied, ‘One who is famous among all teachers’ and after thinking a lot my third roommate replied, ‘One who complete assignments before date of submission’.

    

    What do you think my roommates are right or wrong? What are the real characteristics of student? I know that you got confused, because we never read such question in our college syllabus. This is something out of course. What do you say; really this question is out of course. Then why we called our self as student if we don't no it's characteristics. Let it be, from today onwards we know that what the characteristics of student are. Because somebody already written these characteristics for us. And this somebody is nothing but the sage (ऋषी). They live their life for us, they set examples for us. Therefore they should define as, "ऋषति-गच्छति संसारात पारं दर्शयति इति ऋषि:।" 

(पारं = limit, ऋषति = activeness)

    The characteristics of student were written in our ancient scriptures are as follows, let’s try to understand it.

काक चेष्टा बको ध्यानं, श्वान निद्रा तथैव च ।

अल्पहारी गृह त्यागी, विद्यार्थी पंच लक्षणं ॥

    Oh No! Again Sanskrit, Yes dear brother/sister, because "Sanskrit is not merely alive, it is also a medicine to make the dead alive."

    Let's come to our topic, there are total five essential characteristics of student told in this verse. Now we will see one by one,

1. काक चेष्टा: The efforts (repetitive) of the student should be similar like a crow. Remember story of crow trying to drink water from a pot, to raise the water level, repetitively placing pieces of stone into the pot.
2. बको ध्यानं: The attention of the student should be like a crane (बगळा), which stands for long period of time on one leg, waiting for that fish, and till the end, he keeps his whole focus focused on his goal.
3. श्वान निद्रा: The alertness of the student should be like a dog, who wake up immediately with slight stir, and he is completely alert. Similar the student should be completely alert to grab the opportunities.
4. अल्पहारी: The student should always say as per their requirement, should never say more than necessary. Do not excess anything, because excessive feeding leads to obesity, disease, nuisance and insanity.
5. गृह त्यागी: The student should always go away from comfort zone. If he goes away from pleasant and comfortable place, then his chances of success are greater (तपोवन शिक्षण पद्धती, today's so called hostel life).

    So, these are five characteristics of student given in our ancient scripture from a long time ago. And we know that very well, still we don't follow these characteristics in our life. Why? Had you think about it ever? Answer must be No. Because we are so busy in experiencing pleasure. But when we understand it, we found that we already wasted lots of time and at this moment without sorrow we had nothing left.

    Adi Shankaracharya wrote about human behavior in Charapatpanjarika Stotram. This proves that the psychology of man (student) in 8th century is similar to the man in 21st century. Let's see what he wrote in 8th century, 

बालस्तावत्क्रीडासक्तरुणस्तावत्तरुणीरक्त:।

वृद्धस्तावच्चिंतामग्न: परे ब्रह्मणि कोSपि न लग्न:।।

चर्पटपजरिकास्तोत्रम् ।।७।।

Translation: Childhood is involved in play, youth is addicted to women, old age is spent in worrying but no one thinks of good deeds.

    If we compare this with today's situation then in most of the cases we shall find same. Why we are repeating same mistakes. If we believe in quote "Experience is the best teacher". Then why we are not learning from their experiences. Because every time it is not necessary to learn from self experience. Let's take an example of our academics, while solving problems we write 'by Newton's law, by Bernoulli's theorem, etc" and write their already derived formulas, we never derive the same formula to solve the problems because we know that someone already derived it for us to save our time. Similarly, these ancient scriptures, Upanishad, Vedas and Geeta are already derived formulas to simplify our life.

    It's ok, let's see what Adi Shankaracharya told in next verse of Charpatpanjarika Stotram,

नारीस्तनभरनाभिनिवेशं मिथ्यामायामोहावेशम्।

एतन्मांसवसादिविकारं मनसि विचारय वारम्वारम्।।

चर्पटपजरिकास्तोत्रम् ।।११।।

Translation: Do not be seduced by observing a woman's body. Because that body is not different than disorders like blood, flesh, bones, fat, etc. Think about it often and practice good things.

    Oh, these words are so harsh but true. The above two verses from Charpatpanjarika Stotram show our reality. As a student we should understand what good for us. We don't want to become famous and not want to become celebrity, but we just want that our parents should feel proud when they say, 'he is my son' or 'she is my daughter'. And this all happen when we follow good characteristics in our life.

Who is Young? (तरुण कोण?)

What is real definition of young person (तरुण)? It's very simple question but no one properly gave me answer, why this happened? Why today's youth is unable to define their life? And funny thing is that, when someone trying to define तरुण (youth) then their answers are so funny. One of my friend said, तरुण means teenagers and a person whose body started to grow beard. And another friend said, young person means one who enjoys his life without any responsibility.

So what you think they all are right or wrong. However but Vedas say they are totally immature answers.

Now see the conditions of today's youth, they become sickly, helpless, addicted and hedonistic. He attracted towards inducement. The life of today's youth become same like poem of 'Solomon Grundy'.

Solomon Grundy, 

Born on a Monday, 

Christened on Tuesday, 

Married on Wednesday, 

Took ill on Thursday, 

Grew worse on Friday, 

Died on Saturday, 

Buried on Sunday.

That was the end, 

Of Solomon Grundy.

Then who is real young person (तरुण)?

The Philosophy of Vedas (उपनिषद उवाच) explains the real meaning of Youth (तरुण). Definition as per words of  उपनिषद् (Philosophy of Vedas);

                                                 सैषानन्दस्य मीमांसा भवति।

                                                   युवा स्यात्साधुयुवाध्यायक:

                                                    आशिष्ठो द्रढिष्ठो बलिष्ठ:।

                                                   तस्येयं पृथिवी सर्वा वित्तस्य पूर्णा स्यात् ।

                                                      स एको मानुष आनंद:।।

                                                                       तैत्तिरीयोपनिषत् ब्रम्हवल्ली २/८

The above verse tells characteristics of ideal young person. But it is in Sanskrit language, means a very big question mark in front of us! Really we all are very hapless we are unable to understand language of our divine father (God).

It's ok, now we continue our topic. So whom we call as young person? As per perspectives of श्रुति(Essence of Vedas) let's try to understand meaning of  young person (Youth, तरूण). Being a young human is more important, it gives pleasure. Therefore youth is classic time of life. If you had ever gone through the story of king Yayati, then you know that when he got chance to asked for something, then he asked for his child's youngness. This shows the importance of young personality.

There is no relation between youth (तारुण्य) and age. Who have developed certain traits in their life they are young people. Youth is an attitude. One hundred and eighty years old Bhishmapitamah is real young person, because he had played the conch before the battle. He lives such a life so that, until the last breath he was young. Now the question is that how to create such attitude? This attitude never gets just by applying fragrant talc powder. But when we try to read, learn and implement live and luminous juice of Upanishads in day today life then we feel that power (not powder) of youth and create such a luminous attitude. To fix this there is only one way that is self-cultivation. Therefore our sage always pronounced स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमद:।

As Passionateness (उत्कटता) should be in youth also Luminosity (तेजस्विता), asceticism (तपस्वीता) and Aptness (तत्परता) these four qualities be there. Luminosity means braveness. When there is injustice, Ignominy or there is false, at all these places I resist, this attitude is known as luminosity. Young people should be as luminous as Lav and Kush (Children of Ramachandra). The nation which have small, timid, selfish and nomadic youth, how someone call it as nation?  How will it improve? The one who has ambition to grab the sky and powdered the Himalaya he is real young person.

Youth should have asceticism. A sincere person can do penance.  A young person can endure happiness and sorrow, by setting goals in life. Happiness is harder to bear than real hurt. Let's understand the example, there is a boy. He had a heart attack (admitted in hospital).  Luckily he got a million bucks in the lottery but everyone wondered how to tell him this story.  The doctor said, "I will tell the patient slowly. You do not say anything." The doctor spoke to the boy, "Understand, what you will do if you get ten thousand?"  The patient said, "Very good thing will happen."  "What if it was twenty-five thousand?"  "Then I will donate five-seven thousand."  "But imagine what would happen if you got a million bucks?"  The patient said, "Doctor! Fifty thousand of you."  Hearing these words, the doctor's heart was shut.  The doctor knew that the patient had received million bucks in lottery. This is how, doctor unable to endure happiness. Therefore, asceticism is the only name for enduring happiness and suffering. The one whose loyalty lies in happiness or misery is young and the same name is Tapaswita (asceticism). 

In Indian culture we find the great Vibhuti sacrificed for every virtue, for every single goal. Ram went to the forest for the truth.  For fourteen years, Ram gladly went to the forest so that his father's words would not be falsified. Vibhuti like Ram, Laxman, Bharat and Sita have created an Indian culture. In Indian culture, there is no lack of ideals at all. See Hanuman worshiping Bramhachari, Definitely an idol ध्रुव (Dhruv), Child devotee Pralhad, Satyamurthy King Harishchandra, Mahasati Savitri, The gandhari she blindfolds for lifetime. All Indian women which are struggling for equal rights! Please see these sati Gandhari’s equal rights! Really Indian Pantagamy (पतिव्रता) has endless blessings.

Aptness is third important thing should be in life of young people. So, Passionateness (उत्कटता), Luminosity (तेजस्विता), asceticism (तपस्वीता), Aptness (तत्परता) if there four things are there in any person then only he/she called as young. The human happiness is in being young (युवा स्यात्). Therefore a man should always be Young. 

By all these things a man will be young. After becoming young, one can able to enjoy the happiness of human life. All the treasure in this world is belongs to young people only. So try to impliment these things in your life for enjoying the treasure that belongs to you.