Choose The Best-Part II

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Kamah krodhas ca lobhas ca
dehe tisthanti taskarah
Jnana - ratnapaharaya
tasmaj jagarata jagrata'.

'There are in one's own within, three robbers viz. Desire, anger and greed, ever intending to steal the jewel of wisdom (discrimination). Therefore, be on the alert! Alert! Like the devil quoting the Bible, these robbers will have much 'wise-talk' to give to us. Within us there are thus two voices - one of Rama and the second of Kama! Decidedly, to listen to Rama is choosing the best.

In the mid of night, waking up suddenly at the noise of some footsteps outside his farm-house, a man may mistake the approaching figure as some robber and fire a shot at him with his revolver! In reality, it could be his own servant returning of course at an odd time, after a long leave. How valuable and necessary it is to examine or verify before acting! Look before you leap! There was a king who returned to his palace after a long gap of 15 years during which he was fighting wars with many enemies. He entered his own bed room in the midnight, unannounced and without intimation to even his queen. He was horrified to see a young man sleeping by his queen.

The king drew out his sword ,to kill them both, but at that moment itself his eyes fell on a line he had long back, got written on the wall in that very room. Sahasa vidadnita na kriyam...' (one should not act hastily). So he enquires shouting - only to find that the young man is his own son! Fifteen years back, when he left for war, the queen was pregnant. Vedanta's call to recheck one's own ideas or notions or Gita's message of exercising restraint of indriyas {organs of perception and action - dama) and of mind {sarna} can prove to be of invaluable help to us in many a situation.

Attached to toys as a child, drawn to young women as a youth, drowned in one's own worries as an old man, where has man time for God? - asks Sri Sankaracarya in Bhaja Govindam. Choosing the best is often strenuous like sailing against wind. Our svabhava or nature made of the vast collection of earlier impressions (Purvasamskaras), presses us on to move in old grooves. This is where self-effort comes into the picture. 'By practice and by dispassion, one can control the mind' (VI. 35). A mind strengthened by long practice, soars high to reach the 'effulgent being' (VIII.S). By satsanga and self-application supporting each other, a man can come to a state of mind where he uncompromisingly chooses the best.

"Varas tu me varaniyah sa eva!" (That is the only boon that I seek) - says the young boy Naciketas in Kathopanishad (1.i.27). This boy was rich in his samskaras (past impressions) and thus rejects all wealth and pleasure to seek the truth of Atman. And that very Upanisad declares - 'The self chooses him only who seeks but the self only'. (I.ii.23.) Thus we choose the best to get the best. May we make our choice most wisely!.

To Be Continued

About the author

Swami Chinmayananda

Swami Chinmayananda the great master's lectures were an outpour of wisdom. He introduced the Geetha Gnana Yagna. He wrote a lot of books on spirituality, commentaries to Vedantic texts, children books etc. He then started spreading His teachings globally.....