Lessons from the world

- Swamini Shraddhanandji

Avadhuta's First Guru: The Earth

                               In two verses the Avadhuta introduces his first Guru, viz. the earth. From the earth the Avadhuta learnt a very important discipline i.e. the virtue of the forbearance or forgiveness called Kshamaa(क्षमा). The earth as if has taken a vow to accommodate all types of living beings; even those who violate the laws of dharma(The ethical codes of conduct), those who exploit the earth and pollute the atmosphere. Kshamaa is a very important quality of inner toughness, the mental resistance to withstand all situations without losing one's temper or retaliating in vengeance. Such a vow of  forbearance or forgiveness is called kshamaavratam(क्षमाव्रतम). Whoever has taken such a vow is a man of fortitude and will not give up the path of dharma even if attacked by things and beings of the world. Even when jolted by situation the wise still continue their spiritual journey. Their mental toughness is born of an important understanding of the principles of the shastra. When they meet the problems in the life they do not resort to blaming the others, criticizing the stars or cursing the Lord. According to the teaching nothing can affect me either positively or negatively because all experiences in the life are governed by the individuals own past karmas. Every experience one undergoes, be it pleasent or painful is the result of the karma done by the person in the past. As a performer of the action  called a kartaa(कर्ता ) who has done an action in the past one pays the price as the enjoyer called bhoktaa(भोक्ता). In this process the world only serves as a medium which carries one's own karmaphalam. No object gives the person pleasure or pain of its own accord. it is only one's own karma that brings both joys and sorrows for which the members of the world serve only as a medium to carry the results of one's punyam and paapam. Hence, every object is called daivavashaanugaha (दैवावाशानुगः)- an object which is controlled by one's own past action. with this important understanding let us not blame any external factor for our problems. learn to withstand even the most unbearable situations in the spirit of titikshaa. 

सहनं सर्वदुःखानां अप्रतीकारपूर्वकम् 

चिन्ताविलापरहितं सा तितिक्षा निगध्यते 

            Titikshaa is a quality of being objective to all pains without any anxiety, complaint or any attempt of revenge. Duhkha is physical or emotional pain which may be caused by certain external situations. Sahana means being objective to the situations which generally cause pains and which you are unable to change, which you have got to put up with and for which you have  no choice. What cannot be cured must be endured cheerfully. Thus sahana is the capacity to put up with the unpleasant and the inevitable situations without chintaa and vilaapa. Chintaa means concern, anxiety and vilaapa means complaining about the difficult situations all the time. This does not mean that you should not talk to anybody about your difficulties. If it is going to help you without complicating the issue it is better to talk. But vilaapa is complaining about one thing or the other all the time. 

                        So daivam means one's own previous karma. One who has such an understanding that one's own previous karma gives sukham and duhkham will not blame any one. A blaming mind disturbs other's and one's own self and cannot do anything constructive. Thus the lesson to be learnt is 'put an end to complaining and start living cheerfully'.