Life is a journey in
which every traveler needs to enjoy the voyage. This is exactly what almost all
philosophers and saints have told in their thesis. Sri Vijayadasaru of the Dasa
Sahitya tradition writes in one of his couplets, “saDagaradallippudE
shreeshanAj~je” (To be cheerful is the order from
Absolute). Vedas too emphasize that an individual has to
progress and prosperity. Vedas provide the ways and means to achieve them through the path of spirituality. There are a few who believe that spirituality is to abandon everything and stay aloof. In reality Vedas furnishes a practical methodology to awaken the
immense, innate, divine and dormant potential in every individual to progress and prosper.
Progress and Prosper is not just about acquiring
wealth to garner comforts, but to grow intellectually too. Apart from focusing on our well-being we need to think of others welfare too. Then we need to have foresight to mold the future life, flow of
thought that is unique in all respects, a good oratory power and the ability to
express the knowledge we have assimilated.
Our Acharyas were the
role models of practical living and they never recommended to renounce the
materialistic world. Their view on this world was of positivity, filled with
factual optimism. They were capable of guiding their disciples to build a new
world. Samartha Ramadas took Chatrapati Shivaji to the helm of the mighty
Maratha Empire. Acharya Chanakya exalted Chandragupta to be the greatest emperor.
Vidyaranya inspired two ordinary boys Hakka and Bukka to build Vijayanagar
Empire. This is the spirituality of the Hinduism, a mixture of both philosophy
and materialism.
There is a hymn in Rig
Veda called “Bhagya Sukta” (Good words on Fortune) “Su” is good “ukta” is told
and we all know “Bhagya” is fortune. It is meant to achieve progress,
prosperity and good luck. This Sukta, addressing to Providence requesting for the
end of miseries and prosperity to prevail, all pleasures to unfurl, comforts and
riches to follow, make our faces beam with radiance, our brains to be filled
with intellect etc.
Thus Vedas and its
essence have been advising us to lead a life of prosperity to the fullest. It is
so shocking to find that an opposite view of this is spread among
seekers. A section of people have conveniently used the words of Sri Sri Sankara to quote that this entire world is Mithya (Illusion)
and material progress is unnecessary. This kind of ideology has force poverty
upon us in the name of “Vedanta.” Sri Sri Sankara never ridiculed the purpose
of living. He just warned us of over indulgence. He felt that “Possession is
not an issue, but possessiveness is.” If not, he would not have rendered
“Kanakadhara Stotram” to produce the shower of Golden Gooseberries for the old
lady. Unfortunately a few of his followers interpreted that we need nothing in
life.
We living in Bharathavarsha had all the pleasures and comforts and
enjoyed everything in life. Our scriptural dictum proclaims “Paripoornatayaa
Jivet” (Live Life to the Fullest). None of our scriptures have ever discouraged the
seeker from enjoying any pleasures of life. It was a few perverted minds which
misinterpreted Acharya Sri Sri Sankara by saying Vedas recommend renouncing all
pleasure experiences in life to attain liberation.
If we observe it is the experience of pleasure which makes path to progress for the seeker. Some may disagree with
what I have understood but I strongly feel that this wrong notion of Vedanta
has forced us to close our eyes to progress and well-being.
The ideology of Sanatana Dharma
since ages has been life affirmative, never negative......What say???
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