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RE: caring for body: sAttvic?

From the Bhakti List Archives

Krishna Kalale • November 25, 1999 


[Krishna Kalale] Chandra sekharan has written a very good article regarding 
the stark truth of life regarding : ma kuru yauvana dhana jana garvam - 
harati nimeshath kalah sarvam.

If there are so many (including me) who have so much ajnana regarding 
yauvana, dhana etc., it is fairly obvious that the problem of rebirth does 
not bother many folks.  Most people, I guess are busy solving their day to 
day needs of body, mind and intellect which keeps them busy with work, 
family, entertainment etc.  After taking care of all these, what time is 
left for the thought of re-birth and related agony? Not only those who read 
the shastras but even those who teach shastras sometimes will not be able 
to grasp the very deep truths what they try to teach. What I mean here is 
that while teaching they may remember, but in practice of life they forget 
what they have taught.  (I mean people of lower capacity like me).  No 
wonder it said "shastra jnanam bahu klishtam buddheh chalana karanam" - ie. 
(shastraic knowledge is very difficult and it many times causes confusion 
even among pundits).  This being the case it is tough to blame anyone in 
particular, the shastra educated or the shastra uneducated ;  It is just 
the power of avidya which cannot be taken for granted by anyone.  Hence, 
one should meditate constantly on the meanings of the upanisads and trust 
God.  In this regard one needs to meditate on the meaning of this verse : 
 Please remember that I did mention the term meditate.  That means that one 
has to note that there are deeper meanings of this verse than what is given 
below :

indriyani parani ahuh indriyebhyah  parahyarthah artheybyascha param manah
manasastu para buddhih buddheratma mahan parah
mahatah param avyaktam avyaktat purushah parah
purushanna param kinchit sa kasta sa para gatih

In regards to difficulty in controlling,  objects of senses are more 
difficult to control than senses themselves.  ie. if the objects of senses 
are available to the senses sense control becomes difficult. Hence one 
should first remove the objects of senses from the senses so as to control 
senses.  mind control is even harder.  harder than mind is the control of 
intellect.  If intellect itself misguides a person, what can mind do?. 
  more important than intellect is the jiva itself who is the "doer".  More 
important than the jiva is the body, since if body fails to do, even a 
willing jiva cannot do anything.  More important than the body is purusa or 
the universal Lord.  Only controlling Lord can help us.  Control of lord, 
according to sri Ramanuja is only possible by surrender to Him.

When people's attention is captured by the external world, how can one 
think on higher truths such as rebirth, or avoidance thereof?  Most people 
lose their battle of control in the very initial rounds.  No wonder 
re-birth issue does not surface to most.

adiyen Krishna Kalale