Where There is Dharma, There is Prosperity
Sant Kabirji
has said: “Better an illiterate, free
from the worldly delusion.”
If someone is striving to be
more learned or erudite only to fulfil his desires,
it would be better for him to remain ignorant and illiterate. Irrespective of
how many educational certificates one obtains, or however great a post one
reaches, if that person isn’t interested in upholding dharma, even at the cost
of pains which may come on the way, then they haven’t attained true elevation
or aren’t yet fully evolved. Things like securing a big job,
or constructing a number of houses are not indicators of true elevation.
Regardless of whether these things are there or not, the ambrosial stream of
spiritual consciousness must continue to flow in your heart, and your intrinsic
nature of Truth-Consciousness and Bliss should keep radiating through every
pore of your being –this is the mark of true elevation. Then it hardly matters
whether you have got food or clothing for yourself or not, or whether you are
being showered with praises or insults from all corners. Mansoor
remained steadfast in his dharma by declaring, “I am God.”,
even though it meant his sure execution. Socrates and Janaka
had practised their dharma as well. Lord Rama and
Mother Sita were incarnations of dharma itself.
True elevation eludes us only
because we are careless about maintaining our dharma. You must observe dharma
for quick elevation. Install the Lord of the Universe in your heart and carry
out your duties even if you have to face a lot of troubles –this constitutes
real ‘dharma’. If selfish goals or worldly allurements lead you to obey your
parents, this is not true observance of dharma.
Generally, after reading about
dharma, people prefer to put the books aside; but a personality whose life
itself reflects a good exposition of dharma, is that of Lord Rama ‘Lord Rama is the very personification of
dharma.’ Kaikeyi used the boons she had attained
earlier in her life to get Lord Rama sent into exile to the forests barefooted.
Then Ramaji declared, “It is my resolve to carry out
the resolves of my parents.” Ramaji then engaged
Himself in His duty without paying even a passing thought to the difficulties
ahead.
Indeed, how supremely great is
the dharma of Lord Rama, Who didn’t ever look at a thing that should not be
seen; nor did he ever give a word which He couldn’t fulfil,
or for which He would be branded as a liar. He never spoke deceitfully, keeping
a difference in his thoughts and what he actually said. Sri Ramachandraji
did not eat food that would make His intellect dull, depraved, or give rise to
attachment and hatred. So ardent was His love for Lakshmana,
His younger brother, that He wouldn’t eat a delicious
food given to Him until and unless He had shared it with His beloved brother.
Nor did He ever go to bed before Lakshmana’s arrival.
While playing in Gurukul, when He saw that His
victory was but sure, which would leave His dear brothers Lakshmana,
Bharata, Shatrughna and
other co-disciples disheartened; Lord Ramachandraji
would let them win and accept defeat Himself as would behove
Him, a lover of the Transcendental Existence, established in His Real Self, Who
considered victory and defeat to be mere dreams and as events in the behavioural existence, while knowing the Witness
Consciousness to be actually His own. It was such actions of His meant to
foster enthusiasm, sensibility, bliss and Knowledge among others as led the
supremely righteous Rama to the high pedestal of being the very personification
of dharma.
While
preparing to go on His forest exile, Sri Ramachandraji
told Sitaji to stay back at home; to which Sitaji politely disagreed. She prayed to Ramaji, and cited such powerful scriptural reasons in favour of her plea that Ramaji
had to accept her request. Lakshmana offered a
similar loving prayer and Sri Rama accepted his request for accompanying Him as
well. So Sitaji, Ramaji and
Lakshmanaji all put on monastic dresses. Then Sitaji said, “Now, when we are moving about in the forest
as recluses, where is the need to carry bows and arrows any more? People will
take you for warmongers and Kshatriya by race. You
should leave your arms at some rishi’s ashram here,
and collect it again on the way back to Ayodhya. At
present we are living on roots and tubers, have dressed ourselves as recluses,
and are also carrying out spiritual practices; so it doesn’t conform to dharma
to keep with us the means of tormenting and killing others.”
How great a deference Sitaji has for dharma, and how keenly inclined she is to discern the practicality of dharma! But then, even
Ramaji didn’t miss a chance of knowing or expounding
dharma. He didn’t say, ‘I shall keep these arms with me, who are you to stop
me?” No. Ramaji rather says, “Dear Sita! See, I have taken an oath to serve the righteous
people. I shall destroy those demons and rascals who are spreading terror in
society, and on account of whose base nature the righteous people have to
suffer. I shall never go back on my oath. I may abandon you and brother Lakshmana, but I shall definitely abide by my dharma, my
oath.” This saw Sitaji bowing her head down in
deference.
Sitaji too
acquires such a high pedestal in terms of adherence to dharma,
that one can’t help being overwhelmed with reverence. When
Hanumanaji saw Mother Sita
being harassed and tormented at the hands of the demonesses,
and found her to be very lean and thin as if on the verge of death, He couldn’t
bear it and said, “Mother! Only God knows when we will be able to
complete the bridge and come for your rescue, but why should you bear this
torture till then? Please come with me. I am your son, a child. You just sit
upon my shoulder and don’t at all worry about being noticed by the demons. I
shall nullify all their attacks and take you to the holy feet of Ramaji.”
Sitaji knew
that her Pawanasuta (another name of Hanumanaji) was fully capable and a trusted servant of her
Lord; and also that it was he alone through whom He sent the identification
ring. But she doesn’t accompany Hanumanaji. What does
Sitaji say?
She says, “Ravana had
come in the guise of a recluse and I had transgressed the line marked by Lakshmana only for the sake of giving him the alms. O Hanumana! At that time neither Sri Rama nor Lakshmana was with me. I was alone and helpless, while Ravana kidnapped me by force, and it was only then that I
had to bear the touch of a man other than my Husband. Now I can’t willingly
touch you, for this would amount to violation of dharma for a chaste woman. I
am ready to bear the atrocities, but do not want to reach the holy feet of Lord
Rama through a means inimical to dharma.”
Indeed, Mother Sita is verily the living personification of dharma! And in
fact, each and every character of the ‘Valmiki
Ramayana’ is a living personification of dharma or righteousness. Why, he alone
who remains stuck to dharma despite facing adversities on the way, is a true man of dharma. If one observes dharma in favourable circumstances but relinquishes it in adversity,
such observance of dharma won’t bring the desired transformation in life. Sitaji then further says, “Hanumana!
Ravana had brought me here through an act of theft.
Now, if you too want to steal me away from here, would that be a righteous
action conforming to dharma? No. Shall we respond to the violation of dharma
with another violation of dharma? O my son! Your heart aches at the sight of my
sufferings, but these sufferings are only limited to my body and mind. I, on my
part, am engaged in constant japa of Lord
Rama’s name and am completely satiated therein. I have the satisfaction of
observing my duty. It is the duty of Sri Ramaji to
wage a war against Ravana. In this way His resolve to
destroy the demons will be fulfilled and I shall become a partner of His in
this pious act. With these facts in view, if I now flee away from here, I shall
be guilty of obstructing the mission of Sri Ramaji.”
Now Hanumana
was left speechless, what could he say after all? He bowed his head, and
installed the lotus feet of Mother Sita in his heart
while contemplating within, “Blessed I am to have got the privilege of serving
and having darshana of the dharma personified
Mother Sita and Lord Rama. Fortunate I am to have the
opportunity of participating in the pious act of spreading the light of the
Vedas, working for Lord Rama, the personification of Dharma, and assisting in
the all round development of society. O Mother! May You
and my Lord Rama live long.”
And is there any paucity of
victory on the part of Hanumana who wished (and
worked) for the victory of Lord Rama and Mother Sita?
The hailing slogan still goes:
‘Remember Lord Rama, Mother Sita
and Lakshmana, and wish for the victory of Hanumana.’
How greatly does dharma elevate everyone who abides
by it!
It uplifts each and everyone
of its followers.
‘Where there
is dharma there is victory, and where there is dharma, there is true
elevation.’
Just see the observance of dharma on the part of Hanumana! As Hanumanaji was
crossing over the sea, the
Hanumanaji says,
“How can I even think of taking rest without first completing the task assigned
to me by Lord Rama? Verily my Lord’s work itself is the true rest for me.”
We are indeed fortunate to have
been born in a tradition wherein dharma is reflected in practical life as well.
Sanatana culture is expounded as being predominated
by the pious spirit of benevolence. It allows one to take recourse to even
surgery if that be the only cure for a given disease. Somewhere non-violence is
dharma, while at another place violence itself becomes
dharma. Suppose there is a risk of attack on our womenfolk, or even our nation;
and by resorting to the principle -‘Non-violence is the highest dharma.’ we
prefer to sit idle instead of preparing ourselves for a counter attack, then
such non-violence would only give rise to a bigger violence and hence is
inimical to dharma.
Had Arjuna
not observed his dharma of waging the war, he wouldn’t have been able to curb
violence and establish non-violence. Which action constitutes violence, and
which non-violence –this has been well explained in Sanatana
culture. How subtlest of the subtle wisdom is available in this Vedic culture!
This is the culture of every human being. Irrespective of which class, society,
nation or occupation one is in, if he follows the tenets of this culture, his
desires are bound to be controlled. Vedic dharma controls desires and adds
great impetus to the pursuit of worship; and worship in turn reveals the
Supreme Truth lying within one’s very own self.