Name any religion! They all proclaim unanimously - ‘You want to seek God - then give up the samsara!’ Now let’s analyse this word ‘samsara’ again. Let us say, a man gives up his wife and children to give up samsara. If that is the case, whom should a wife give up? Her husband and children! Whom should the children give up? Their parents! If everybody starts giving up his kith and kin what will be the fate of the society or family norms in due course? Will there exist a family or a society? When it comes to that I feel no other religion gives so much importance to the family or society as much as Hinduism gives. No man is an Island.

When our religion lays utmost stress. On family / society does it convey the idea that you leave your family to its fate and run? That becomes escapism. You may give up objects, but you can’t give up the family. Where can you go leaving these ? So, give up samsara has a special connotation. Let me explain -
Giving up Samsara -

A man crossed forty but he was lucky enough tobe married. According to psychology whatever thought you are obsessed with, that appears as a dream in your sleep. As per the rule, our handsome gentleman dreamt that he was getting married to - guess who! No other than Aiswarya Roy herself. The marriage arrangements were going on well and on a large scale. Aiswarya Roy’s parents came and said, ‘Oh! Mr. Bridegroom! This hat has been handed down to us since generations. It is customary for us that the bridegroom should wear it. So please deck it on your head and come quickly to the mantap’. The hat looked really beautiful.

The bridegroom was elated at the gift. He put it on his head. God knows from where a scorpion settled in the hat. So, before our charming Bridegroom can gloat overhimself in the mirror, the scorpion just said hellow to him. Lo! The next minute, he shouted, ‘My God! a scorpion stung me,’ That brought him back to reality. You know what! It was not a dangerous scorpion, but a mosquito, not in dream but in reality! Whatever it is he was brought back from his Eastman colour dream!

Now tell me can this man go back to his dream again however much he tries? Giving up samsara is akin to this. ‘Jaagna, bhagna nahi’ Giving up samsara means to wake up from our dazed state! It doesn’t advocate an escapism from life or a repeated reminder to oneself ‘I gave up my family, I gave up my family.’ Giving up is giving up permanently not temporarily. You should not continue it again.

Look at this line. Seehow beautiful it is? ‘Iti paribhavitha nija samsaraha, sarvam tyaktva swapna vicharaha’ - samasara should be given up as a dream. When does a dream come to an end? When we wake up! Waking up from samsara means acquiring knowledge! That’s why the line - ‘Gnate tatve kaha samsaraha’ - where is the question of a samsara for a gnani?

One who gives up samsara only can acquire Paramathma. So we should wake up from the planes we are acting, from the levels, I am pullayya or Yellayya, we should rise over body, mind and soul.

‘Kshetram naham kshetragno ham’ - Learning this is waking up. This aspect is wonderfully portrayed by Sri Sankaracharya ‘Kastnam, koham. Kuta anyathaha - who are you, who am I.. if we continue in these lines, we get a realization of the self.

24. Twayi mayi cha anyatra eco Vishnu
Vyadham kupyasi mayya sahishnuhu
Bhava samachitthaha sarvatra tvam
vancha syachiradyadi visnutvam “Bhaja Govindam”

The all-pervading God is present in you and in me. He is one and the same. Unnecessarily you are losing temper and letting out your anger on me. If you wish to seek a union with Vishnu give up this feeling of difference, feel all are one and the same and pray to God.

If a pot seeks knowledge of the self and raises questions like, ‘who am I, What is my background? It arrives at a conclusion that it is made out of clay! If we analyse thus, we learn that the whole world is filled with chaitanya. You name it, anything, ‘Rama, Krishna, Siva anybody’ but the world is a visual manifestationof the all-pervading God.

To create anything, we require two aspects. For example let’s take the case of the pot again. The pot has two aspects. One is clay and the other is potter. The clay required to create the pot is called the raw material and the potter who creates it is called the creator. Whereas when it comes to the case of world, God is both the raw material and the creator.

Once a man challenged God, ‘Oh God I can recreate whatever you create. It’s a challenge’ God smiled to Himself and agreed. ‘OK let’s create a doll.’ ‘Fine’, said the man and held clay in his hand. God said, that clay is created by me. You create the clay first’. The man was at a loss. So, the world is not only created by God, it is also created from God. How do we say this? Vedanta says whatever is eternal, is Paramathma. When paramatha is eternal, where is the place for a second thing? So God is both the raw material and the creator.

Nimitha pradhanataya nimitha karanam bhavati, upadhi pradhanathaya upadhama karanam bhavati - Wherever - you keep your hand in the pot you touch its raw material the clay. The same way, you, me, all of us in this world are made out of the same raw material - God! So, the world is filled with Brahma’. So, twayi, mayi , sarvathra - i you, in me, in all - ‘eko vishnu - one vishnu is all pervading.
Differentiating Altitude

We should glorify one special feature about Sri Sankaracharya. Though he has his namam horizontally, he is advocating Vishnu very generously. In the present times we fight for the supremacy of our own favourite God. Some argue in favour of Siva, while some argue against him. These kutarkas won’t lead us anywhere.
However much we rock in a rocking chair, we don’t move an inch from the place where we are! There is movement in the chain but it is not moving forward. Similarly such differences of opinion don’t provide us any progress in our spiritual path. It may appear to be useful, but it leads us nowhere! We continue to remain in our ignorance. So we should not entertain the narrow walls of differences.

I feel sorry for those who teach the difference between Siva and Vishnu. I feel, what a great culture ours is? How ancient it is! What a sorrowful state of affairs it is brought down to, now a days. Are we not poking our own eyes with our own hands?

Sastras never proclaim this difference of opinion. These arise out of selfish people nurtured for their personal benefits.

Please, listen to this story -
Once upon a time, there lived a demon called ‘Ghanta Karnudu’. You know why he was called so? His original name was something else but this has come into vogue for some peculiar behaviour of his. He was a staunch devotee of Lord Siva! He was so staunch that he never liked to hear the name Narayana’. How could he control others regarding this? Some people chant ‘Narayana’ but he thought it was a great sin to hear that name. He wanted to avoid it and so hit upon a plan.

How many people could he control? So he tied to bells to his ears. (Ghanta Karnudu - bells to the ears). The minute he heard the first letter ‘Na’ of Narayana, he shook his head. The bells rang loudly subsiding the name of Narayana in their sound.

Shunning the name of Lord Vishnu thus, he did penance unto Lord Siva. Finally Siva appeared before him and asked, ‘what do you want? ‘He pleaded’ Swami! I need liberation’ Siva immediately answered, ‘ I can’t provide you liberation. OnlyNarayana can do that for you. Narayana is an authentic person for liberation. If you pray to Him as sincerely as you prayed to me, God will fulfil your desire’.

Ghanta Karnudu went to Badari in Himalayas stood in the river Alakananda and prayed very sincerely. Finally Narayanan appeared before him. He repeated his request ‘Oh God! I need liberation.’

Narayan was pleased at his prayer and said ‘Tadhaastu’ Granted. He granted an extra boon too. He said, ‘I am making you the local deity of the holy place Badari. The pilgrims will get the fruits of their pilgrimmarge only after they have your Darshan. All the pilgrims will be blessed by your Darshan and mine.

There are some people who make Kutarka at every step. Such people immediately evolve a moral of their own from this story. They attack the saivaites, ‘See, your God couldn’t do anything in spite of his great penance. Finally he had to seek the blessings of our Lord. Isn’t it proof positive of our God’s greatness?’ Actually it is proof positive of their ignorance! The moral of the story is - whoever entertains a notion of difference, cannot hope to attain liberation.

Liberation itself means a feeling of equality. That’s why Lord Siva made the demon yield to the God he hated whole - heartedly. That made him lose his hatred for Vishnu. Ghanta Karna has learnt that there is no difference between Siva or Vishnu! The irony is a story, which conveys the oneness of ‘Siva Kesava’ is distorted totally by fanatics. They have propounded a theory - Lord Siva is not very powerful. Whereas Lord Vishnu is Omnipotent. So you seek the blessings of Vishnu instead of Siva.

The shape and names of Siva, Vishnu are given for us to enable us to pray easily for them and to help ourselves through it, but unfortunately we are fighting among ourselves over these petty issues.

If Sri Sankaracharya has used the words ‘Tudai, mayi, sarvatra eko Vishnuhu ‘ - they have a deeper meaning. The word Vishnu conveys the feeling of all pervading. It doesn’t mean pray to only this God - Vishnu or Siva or Brahma.

Vyapaka Seelatwaat Visnuhu - Vishnu means an all-pervading power. That power is conveyed by these words. Twayi - in you, mayi - in me, Sarvathra’ - everywhere eko Vishnu - who is everywhere - only the all-pervading Vishnu! We should realize this oneness but we should fight over the supremacy of our favourite god.

If our dharma has become a laughing stock, we are to be blamed. Our dharma is facing an upheaval due to our internal difference! You are inspired by Lord Vishnu and pray to Him to seek his blessings. Fine! Carry on, but don’t find fault with another man who has the same undaunted faith in Lord Siva. Krishna himself proclaimed in the Bhagavad Gita, ‘Ye yadamam prapadyante whoever comes to me in whatsoever form. I reach him. Call Him by any name, God is willing and is ready to help you. So why bother about others who are not willing to follow you!

The Rishis handed down these deities to us to enable us follow yoga for our liberation. Instead of seeing their oneness we are driving them poles apart. Isn’t it our ignorance and foolishness? Whoever displays this feeling of difference - a grihastu, sanyasi or a religious head - is a fool. We should not fall a prey to this foolishness.

Brahma who is all pervading is referred to as Vishnu here. In you - in me is Vishnu! ‘Who am I - the body, the mind or the soul - what is my nature? - The answer to this question is - sarvam Brahma mayam Brahma is everywhere.

‘Vyardham Kupyasi mayya sahishnuhi’ ‘why are you getting irritated unnecessarily without having a proper understanding of Vishnu?’ is Sri Acharya’s question. Anger here has a superficial meaning. It refers to the Dwaita philosophy. You get angry on something, which is other than you. So Sri Sankaracharya is using the word unnecessarily. (Vyardhan) to convey that you are thinking it is different unnecessarily.
Outwardly there appears to be Dwaita philosophy, but hidden deep is the Adwaita philosophy! Looking at external objects and taking them for granted is ignorance! To think Adwaita is something different from Dwaita is a mistake.

Adwaita is a higher level of Dwaita. Does the pot change its external appearance even after it knows it is nothing but clay? No! It still remains as a pot. The pot acquires the knowledge. I am a pot in terms of name, but in reality I am a clay. With this knowledge it loses its ignorance of its appearance. We too should continue to remain as we are, but should develop Adwaita philosophy within our hearts.

Sarvam Midhya
A king had a great liking for our sastras. He appointed two great pandits in his court. One Pandit believed in Adwaita. He taught Adwaita to the king in the morning. The other Pandit was a ‘Dwaita’. He taught in the evening. The same aspects were taught to him in two different ways - through Adwaitha philosophy and through Dwaita

Philosophy.
Adwaiti pandit began with the words ‘tat twami asi’ - that art thou. You are Brahma; you are the incarnation of Sat-chit-Ananda etc. Anybody would be thrilled at the words ‘you are brahma. The king was more than thrilled.

The evening classes were diametrically opposite to this philosophy. The dwaiti pandit gave him an elaborate lecture and finally concluded ‘you are not Narayana. You are his humble servant. The king almost slept in his classes. This insulted the Dwaiti pandit since the king listened with utmost interest to the Adwaita classes. He wanted to teach the latter a lesson and patiently waited for an opportune moment to attack him.
One day the king went for a pleasure trip with both the gurus beside. Their picnic was in full swing in a beautiful forest. Suddenly an angry elephant charged in fullswing at them. The Adwaithi shouted run, quick, there comes an elephant and he ran for his safety. The king and his soldiers followed the philosopher.

The elephant created a commotion there and finally left. ‘Thank God! It has left everybody heaved a sign of relief. Then the Dwaiti pandit seized the opportunity. He said complainingly, ‘Look Maharaj! When I was teaching you, you slept in my classes. Now look at the scene! Who shouted a cautionary word first? It’s this gentleman - the advaita philosopher. Who ran first? The same person! When everything is Brahma, where is the elephant? Is it not midhya an illusion? Then why did he run? He ran very much before us. So you get it clarified from him. Dwaita is correct. Do you understand now atleast my Lord!’

These words angered the king against the Adwaiti pandit. The other pandits words sounded sensible enough. If everything is an illusion, why then did the Adwaita run in fear of the elephant? Thought the king.

He sent word for the philosopher and raised the same question. Adwaiti smiled and said, ‘Oh Maharaj! If the elephant is midhya my running too is midhya! Did I ever tell you that the karma (here the act of running) is true? When the soul is all pervading where will it run? Did I not explain to you that the soul, which cannot move, appears to move and that is maya?

Adwaita doesn’t strike off the difference between two things externally.’ Kriya adwaitam nasta dayakam’ is the proclamation of adwaita itself. The difference is seen only outwardly so it is a manifestation of maya! If we take the example of the pot, what appears to be a pot is nothing but the clay!’

Outwardly it is a pot, but in reality it is clay. When the clay gets its name and shape it appears to be pot. Is the pot devoid of clay? No! At the same time if it is clay, can we saythere exists no pot? No again! So, it means name and shape exist in usage but not in reality.

The words ‘Brahma Satyam, Jagat midhya’ don’t mean there is no jagat at all! There is the world no doubt, but it is only for usage. When we understand thus we accept twayi, mayi, sarvathra eko vishnuhu Asti - all that exists is Paramathma alone!
That’s why bhava same chittam see oneness says sankaracharya. Just as the sun God spreads his rays equally over clear water and dirty water, one God spreads himself as the world around.

There is noproblem if we operate from the world around. The problem crops up only when theworld comes in. So we should act like wise man.

‘Vancharya chiradyadi Vishnutvam - In case you wish to acquire the knowledge of Vishnu quickly (before the body decay) and to fulfil your life purpose this only is the way. Accepting the world around as the all pervading Paramathma and understanding the oneness of Vishnu.

25. Satrou mitre putre bandhau
Ma kuru yatnam vigraha sandhau!
Sarva sminnapi Pasyatmanam
Sarva trgruja bedhaagnanam “Bhaja Govindam”

Don’t waste your energies over friends, enemies, children, relatives, war and peace. You seek atma in all these. Give up the feeling of difference totally.

Enemies, friends, children (here we should take the extended meaning of children people younger than us) relatives and in matters related to them - ‘vigraha sandhi yatnam ma kuru’ - don’t waste your energy in fighting with them and in pacifying them. See everything with a feeling of oneness. Don’t create unnecessary differences.

You need a clarification here. I know you get a doubt here. When one learns the sastras and treats every one equally why then does he have enemies or a feeling of enemity? Please understand this carefully.

Enemity are of two types. 1. From our side 2. From the opponent’s side. I may not hate somebody but the other person can treat me as his enemy! Some people hate us like hell for no fault of ours! Be good to such people also ‘Sarva sminaapi pasyaatmaanam’ - see the soul in everything.

‘Sarvatro gruja bedhaagnanam’ - utkruja means leave it. Wherever you find a difference, leave it with a proper understanding. Feel the differences as the Atma Vibhuti. This is Adwaita philosophy.

Earth shadows fly, Heaven’s light ever remains - said sShelley beautifully. The objects die, but the light that gives life to the objects never dies. To be able to see this light, which shines over things that have name and shape - is Adwaita Darsanam. This is gnana.

26. Kamam Krodham Lobham Moham
Tyaktav tmaanam pasyathi soham
Atma gnana vihinaa moodhaa
Ste pachyante naraka nighudaaha Bhaja Govindam.

Leave aside Kama, kroda, lobha, moha and seek knowledge about thyself. The foolish people who have no knowledge of the self, unable to leave the six desires, stick to them and suffer in the hell of samsara.

Soham pasyati - Sri Sankaracharya wants us to see oneness of all creatures through saha aham. Some people think that they attain peace if they pray with. Soham santhi is one that exists. It cannot come and go. The minds natue is to put us in tension. If we constantly chant soham soham mechanically, the poor mind gets irritated and so it becomes blank. Many people mistake it to be shanti.

If we have cataract in our eyes, we can’t see properly. Accordingly as long as we have kama, kridha etc in us, we can’t seethe oneness ‘saha aham’ in others. ‘Kama, Krodha, lobha, moha, atmanam tyaktva Kama’ is to feel that we get happiness from things other than us. That is an illusion. This has to be given up through analysis. It means, we should give up the desire for objects, but we should not give up ‘karmas’ - actions. Purushardam, responsibility... should be fulfilled properly. They are called, Karthrutva Karma. The interest in money or objects is called kamya buddi. This desire, which binds us to something, has to be given up.

As long as we have ‘kama’ we possess krodha too. ‘Kamabhangame krodham’ just as a shadow follows a man, krodha follows Kama closely.

Lobha means krupanatvam. A feeling that they should not spend even a single paise. Some people feel as if they lose their very life if they lose their money. This feeling is ‘Lobha’. Many people have this feeling of lobha not only with regards to money, but also with regards to knowledge. So, we should reason out properly and leave this lobha.

Every object has a utility value. If we expect more than what it can give is called moha. For example, we expect permanent happiness out of money, gold, objects, vehicles and our relatives, out of our foolishenss. Vedanta calls this, Sobhanaddyasa. This is called Moha.

Atmanam - doesn’t mean atma. Here we have to treat it as ego or pride. The foolish thought I am second to none is ego. This ego too has to be given up. This too has to be driven out through reasoning.

Kama, Krodha, lobha, moha, mada, and matsara - all these six put together are called ‘Arishadvargalu’. These six are our constant enemies seated inside us. Sri Sankaracharya hasn’t specialy mentioned matsara in this sloka. But since this is one of the six, we have to include this too! Matsara means jealousy. Shakespeare said, ‘Jealousy, thy name is woman’. Jealousy is born before we areborn. We can’t live inhappiness if some body comes up in life. This jealousy brings our downfall. That’s why Sri Krishna proclaimed in Gita Vimatsaraha - be without jealousy.’

We require maturity of mind to attain the knowledge of Adwaita. To understand even ordinary things properly, we need to have maturity of mind. Then imagine how much more matured we should be to understand, jeevabrahma ikyam - Brahma and we are one and the same. Where there is sensitivity, pity, sympathy, concern, love and affection there arises the seed of Adwaita. If we drive out kama, krodha and others through our gnana, we can understand the full meaning of ‘Soham’ clearly.

‘Atma gnana vihiinaa mooda’ - one who doesn’t have knowledge of the self is a great fool. Mooda is a fool. Visseshena moodana is vimoodatva means you know everything, but you don’t seem to know anything.

‘Te pachyante naraka nighudaha’ - such people face many problems in hell. ‘Hell’ doesn’t literally mean hell here; it means they face hell of a problem.

Where Agnani is, there hell is. If you examine your own life, you realize how much of a hell you are making it. Life is nothing but misery and disappointment, but no exciting moments in it. So, an agnani cannot derive pleasure how much ever he tries.

A man who closes his eyes and walks staggers in his walk even if a man with open eyes leads him. Similarly a man, who closes his mind’s eye and leads his life, staggers in his life. Wherever he puts his foot, there is hell. On the contrary, if a gnani puts his step even in hell, it turns into heaven, whereas you keep a agnani in heaven for a few minutes he can turn it out into hell.

Then what should we do to come out of this agnana?

27. Geyam Geetha Nama sahasram
Dheyam Sripathi roopa majasram
Neyam Sajjana sange chittam
Deyam deena janaya tu vittami Bhaja Govindam

We should keep reading Bhagavad Gita and chant sahasra Nama. We should meditate upon God constantly, Visualizing Hisform inour heart. We should be friendly with good people. Weshould be charitable to poorpeople.

This sloka gives us good ways and means to drive out our agnana.
Natu vrudha vakyam, samuchcharyao taam is the line given in ‘Sadhana Panchakam’. We should not speak even one single sentence unnecessarily. We should speak such words that are useful to us as well as to the listeners. This is also called’ vachaka tapasu’. This tapasu purifies our speech and it is also used for a good cause.

To attain this vachaka tapasu, weshould read ‘Geyam Gita nama sahasram’ - We should read Bhavad Gita. We should read everyword of it slowly and should retain it in our mind. This helps us understand the philosophy well.

Whatever we wish to attain in life, our mind should be inour control. Our mind acts as a monkey, which drunks wine, which is stung by a scorpion, which is infected by a ghost and which jumps over fire. So whether welike it or not, it has the quality to waver. As it wavers it touches both good and bad. So we should read, nam sahasranam - we should chant sahasra Nama of our favourite God everyday.

We should chant the sahasranama understanding the meaning of each Nama. When we understand the meaning and chant sahasranama, our mind, which lingers on lakhs of things, limits itself to one thousand things. The next step is japam. In japam we chant only one nama. So our mind comes down to one element from a thousand. After that we should do ‘tatva chintanam, meaning reason out things.

After vachaka tapasu we should do ‘manasika tapasu’. ‘Dheyam sripathi rupamajsram’ -- Ajasram means forever. Does it mean you should stop your activities and sit before God forever? No! Nirantaram as long as you pray you should not think of anything else. We should pray to God Sripathi mentally. Sri means maya. Pathi is Parameswara. Parameswara is mayapathi. We should pray to him in our mind otherwise it becomes merely a lip moment.

There is a dhyana sloka for every prayer to visualize the God you are chanting to. A sculptor carves the image of God chanting thoe sloka. We should chant sahasranamas keeping God in mind we should put in a little effort to do so.

If we wish to proceed smoothly in our spiritual path, we should follow one aspect clearly. That is - ‘neyam satjana sange chittam’ - we should keep our mind constantly in the company good people. Physically we may not be in touch with good souls, but we can concentrate our minds on the discourses of great people. That will fetch us great results. Since we are studying ‘Bhaja Govindam’ now, we can say that we are in the company of Sri Sankaracharya! Body present, mind absent, is commonly used. Instead of being bodily present with the great saints and mind roaming around, it is better to be physically present in mundane world and to be mentally involved in the company of Mahatmas.

‘Deyam dinajanaya tu vittam’ - The society around us has a role to play in our progress. So, when we have derived some help from the society, it is our minimum duty to repay the society. Hence a part of our weath should be spent in charity. Only then can you say that you have spent your money in the right path. Matrudevo bhava, Pitrudevo Bhava... ‘Add to this list deena devo bhava, daridra devo bhava’ said Sri Vivekanands. However much money we have, a share of it should be spent for the society, especially for the poor.

Unfortunately, we are not able to part with money because we feel we attain happiness with it. Sri Sankaracharya is driving out this branthi, illusion, from us through the following sloka.

28. Sukhataha Kriyate raamaa bhogaha
Paschadanta sareere rogaha |
Yadyapi loke maranam saranam
Tadapi na munchati papa - charanam Bhaja Govindam

Man longs for sexual life to derive pleasure out of it, but ultimately his body becomes infected with diseases. Though death is inevitable on the earth, people are not able to give up their sins!

‘Sukataha Kriyatho raamaa bhogaha’ - we bind ourselves with our family and our relatives and we find pleasure in it. We ignore the quest for knowledge. But ‘paschaadanta sareere rogaha’ - whichever body is deeply involved in material desires, that body becomes a disease prone body. Any desire stretched too far brings disease. Barthruhari explained well the same aspect in this line ‘Bhoge roga bhayam.’ Realizing this fact, we should enjoy ourselves only as much as required and lead a happy, comfortable life in the society. As long as we have ‘dhanaagama trushna’ - a craving for money, we cannot be treated as true rich people.

‘Yadyapi loke maranam saranam’ - Though we earn a lot and though we are not willing to forego anything, we have to give up everything. Other things may or may not occur, but there is no question of May not in matter of death. Death is inevitable. We can’t take anything with us. There is no exception to these two rules.

‘Tadapini munchati papacharanam - nobody ever feels that whatever we do, ultimately we have to travel on the road to death! So we do all bad things in the mad desire for money or comfort. We amass sins along with our wealth, we don’t help others a wee bit, we try to harm them and gradually we become ‘Vimoodatmas.’

How do we come out of this? ‘ There is a way out of it’ says Sri Sankaracharya in the following sloka.

29. Ardha manardham bhaavaya nityam
Nasti tataha sukha lesaha satyam
Putraadapi dhanabhaajaam bheetihi
Sarvai trashaa vihita reetihi Bhaja Govindam

Please realize that money causes harm. Money can’t give you a weebit of comfort too. This is true. The rich people are scared of their own children. The whole world is like that!

Ardham anardham - anardham means one that has no meaning, many people interpret. This sloka as ‘dhanam anardha - dayakam! But it is wrong. Money is never useless. It has its own uses. Ask those great people who call dhanam anardha dayakam - money is useless - if they will part, with their money to me?

Ardham anardham - These words convey a beautiful meaning. I have already explained the four purushardhas - dharma, ardha, Kama, moksha! The ardha in the purushardhas provides security. ‘Sarvaihi purushaihi ardhyate - Every man longs for security. He feels he gets this security through money. So, automatically he feels that his security is gone the moment his money is gone. But actually, the security is gone the moment, money is more. Money can give you comfort but not a sense of security.

‘Naste tataha sukha lesaha satyam’ - Money can’t give you a wee bit of comfort too! Says Sankaracharya. If you have money, you have sorrow blended with comfort. If you don’t have money, you have sorrow blended with discomfort! You have money or no money, sorrow is inevitable. So, you should use money as it should be used and spend it for a good cause.

Doyou know what Alexander, the great conquerer’s last desire was? He said, after I die, make two holes in my coffin on either side and put my hands out of the coffin. All those who run madly after money, should learn, looking at my hands, that they cannot carry even sand with them. The doctors are expressing their inability to prolong my life, nay one breath of mine, even if I surrender my entire kingdom at their feet? If that is the case now tell me - is money valuable or is life more precious? All the people should realize this. They should know, Alexander the great, left the world empty handed! ‘If that is the fate of the great conquerer what will be fate of poor insignificant creatures like us?

‘Putradapi dhanabhaajaam bhiitihi’ - If we have more than required we can’t escape trouobles from our children. Our own kith and kin harm us. We read in newspapers many times, how ruthlessly children murder their own parents, for money!

‘Sarvathraisha vihitaa reetihi - This is the law of life - anywhere inthe world. If you have more money, you are prone to more problems - This is universal truth. So we should earn only as much money as required - not a penny more, not a penny less. If it fulfils our material needs, it is more than enough! If we get more than we require, we should spend that for the poor or for the society. Amassing wealth should be a part of our life but our life purpose should not become amassing wealth. If our life purpose is amassing wealth, however much we long for we cannot attain happiness. This is true, so the statement, ‘Ardham Anardham’.

We should digest all the facts that Sri Sankaracharya is explaining to us, we should lead a proper life in the society and we should incessantly, make an effort to attain gnana. Since we are longing for a security that money cannot give, let’s say -

Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam, Govindam Bhaja Moodamath