Lessons from Yayati - Wisdom Conversations 2

    Yayati has been enlightening us with insights that will take us thousands of janmas to encounter. The discussions with Ashtaka are fraught with practical wisdom. Yayati expounded the ephemeral nature of even achieving swarga. As Ashtaka’s next question is on Ashrama dharma, it may be a good idea to refresh Varnas – a spiritual insight. All things and beings in Prakriti are made up of three gunas – Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. These gunas that are in constant flux determine how they get expressed as Karmas. This Guna-Karma, the inner composition and its external expression is the basis on which the Rishis classified the ancient Indian society as the four varnas – Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vysya and Shudra. There is also an emphasis on the Purushartha (Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha) with the stage in life. This is referred as Ashrama – Brahmacharya (Dharma emphasized), Grihastha (Artha), Vanaprastha (Kama) and Sannyasa (Moksha).

Storytime:

    Ashtaka continued his questions by requesting Yayati to speak upon the four ashramas. He liked to know what should be the behavioral pattern of each Ashrama.

Brahmacharya: The Brahmachari is living in the preceptor’s house.

• His dharma is not to wait on his acharya to remind him to study Vedas.

• To not wait upon his Guru to give instructions for what is expected and to be proactive and initiate his own actions, without constant reminders.

• Must have a good habit to rise up before his Guru and stay past his bedtime. (in other words focus less on sleep, but develop discipline to do his karmas)

• Must have humility, sense control, be filled with contentment, enthusiastic and committed to learning.

Grihastha: It is assumed that all Grihastha’s have the foundation of Dharma, due to the Brahmacharya Vrata.

• By observing Dharma, a Grihastha should generate Artha. This Artha must constantly be used to do Yagas and Dhaana. In short, the purpose of all Artha is not for mere Kama, but to strengthen dharma, which contains within it both Artha and Kama.

• Feed and take care of the Athithis and invited guests.

• Not hanker after other’s wealth and only take what is given to him.

   Grihasthashrama is the foundation of the society that is rooted in Dharma and supports all other ashramas.

Vanaprastha: This is an interesting idea unique to Sanatana Dharma.

• A Vanaprasthi is living on his own vigor (contrary to thinking that they will be a burden or a drain on the society). A Vanaprasthi is not dependant on others and is not stressing on the resources of the society.

• Since such a person has had his entire life rooted in Dharma from Brahmacharya and Grihastha stages, his focus is not devoid of Artha-Kama emphasis, so the mind is free of Papa orientation.

• A Vanaprasthi is inclined to give away and doesn’t hoard anything.

• Has good control on everything that feeds the different senses, including food and keeps a minimum to no interest in the worldly affairs.

• Prefers staying in the forests, away from the worldly interactions as a Muni.

Sannyasa: Though monkhood may exist in many religions, Sannyasa is a truly unique idea limited to Sanatana Dharma. Though borrowed by other Dharmic religions like Buddhism and Jainism, only in Sanatana Dharma, the meaning and context is complete. Traits of a Sannyasi must include

• Not living on a vocation (living on what is available and on alms)

• Complete control over indiryas and filled with Sattva guna.

• Renunciation of everything

• Has no permanent home and is always on the move. Lives mostly secluded and in forests.

• Has no possession and has minimal to no karmic footprint

• Even if (s)he desires and obtains higher lokas due to the Punya, he gives it up readily without any attachment. In other words has transcended desire and desire derived modifications.

    Yayati informed that such a forest dweller with a firm grip on Indriyas uplifts ten generations of his ancestors and ten of his descendants, thus impacting and elevating 21 generations with the punya of journeying in this wondrous path. Ashtaka was curious to learn more about the Munis. Yayati explained that a Muni is one who while residing in a village (inhabited place) has the forest near and while residing in the forest has the villages near. The puzzled Ashtaka sought clarity. Yayati explained as the Muni is the master of his indriyas, though surrounded by pleasurable objects of an inhabited place (village), he stays aloof as if he has no access to them in a forest. Even while living in a forest, since he has mastered his vasanas and cravings, the absence or presence of objects of attraction make no impact on his mind, thus he lives in a forest, as if he lives in a village.

    A Muni has no agni rituals and hence carries no agni like a grihasta, has no sensory attractions and hence lacks a permanent abode that can act like a magnet for attracting more. A Muni rises above all forms of societal marks including his birth related feelings, doesn’t discriminate any beings, lives on scanty clothing and enough food to sustain his life, without any special focus on either of them as likes or dislikes. Such a person lives in an inhabited place, yet feels as if one is depraved like living in a forest.

    A Muni has mastered self restraint, by overcoming both likes/dislikes and all forms of craving. The focus on food is limited to only cleanliness, even maintaining himself like clipping nails is with the focus on Ahimsa and bodily actions like bath are also for conditioning the mind. Such a master who is the epitome of Saatvic Karma and is highly revered. With Tapasya as the central focus, such a Muni is emaciated bodily, yet opens many doors of higher realms through such a sadhana.

    A Muni with quietened mind has overcome the pair of opposites (heat/cold, pleasure/pain, gain/loss, victory/defeat). All human beings are subject to anger, desire, greed and harming others for selfish gains. A person can be said to ground in Dharma and its understanding only when one gives up talking ill about others, gossiping, enmity, hatred of others, deception, pride, cheating(selfish) mindset, anger and desire.

    Ashtaka was now interested in knowing about food restrictions in Ashrama. His aim was to translate these regulations and transcend the papas that accrue with eating. Yayati refers to Kavala – a measure of food that indicates a handful which can fit a mouthful (without stuffing either). A Sannyasi can partake only eight Kavala, as the focus is not on food. As also is the Vanaprastha who gets sixteen Kavala. The addition is only to indicate the transition from the prior Grihastashrama, where up to thirty two Kavalas are allowed. The Brahmachari, the growing child, has no such restrictions. NOTE: The Kavala is the daily intake and it is not to be dangerously misinterpreted as per meal. Also though not discussed but understood is the number of meals is unlike the modern pattern of eating numerous ones. Eating was restricted to one or two times a day.

    Ashtaka now questions on the superiority between the type of Munis who live in villages and the ones in forest. The Yati who lives amidst the worldly objects and Grihastas, yet has mastery over his indriyas attains devamsa (divine qualities) first. The wise taking refuge in the Vedas realize the illusory nature of the Universe, by aligning and regulating their life to shastras. They are already focused on attaining the Supreme Consciousness. The ones who believe only in rediscovering the truth by stringent Yoga/meditation, also realize the same truth, after a lot of effort through practice. Thus the former who take refuge in Vedas and following Ashrama dharma attain it faster.

    One who is afraid of Papa and is always bound by Dharma attains felicity. Anything that promotes/creates himsa is rooted in untruth. Performing an action without attachment to outcomes and not having an attitude of ownership of objects and being rooted in dharma is honesty. That is piety and what Yoga implies.

    Thus Ashtaka Yayati conversation on the subtle nature of Dharma ripe with deep wisdom takes a different turn. Ashtaka now wants to help the fallen Yayati, which we will address in the final part of this series.

Practical Applications:

Forgotten food wisdom refreshed by modern science: The traditional practices of fast and feast cycle, which was systematically ridiculed by the sickular forces in India, is now officially understood as a scientifically sound one. There are many wonderful food regulation practices built in to the Indian culture. The restrictions in the quantity of food and the periodicity of eating kept us as a sound civilization. Unfortunately, swept by the western idea to eat whenever, however, whatever the mind desires has produced a lot of metabolic diseases in the Indian society. It has transformed into the world’s largest disease pool be it for heart disease, diabetes and many more.

    The key to a healthy mind begins with a healthy body. Science is now realizing the importance of eating in a short eating window, eating right and with an emphasis on quality and quantity of good food. Since it takes a lot of time for science to percolate into culture, it is easy to hold on to the traditional rishi wisdom and guide the masses.

Sense control: Controlling the Indriyas, an idea that was central to the dharmic civilization for many millennia has been under attack by excessive consumerism and sickularism. Only shastras are the sole refuge that highlight on the importance and need for sense control. This is the foundational idea that not only unlocks the spiritual world, but also a key idea behind a prosperous society. The gap between us and the shastras can be due to many factors – our ignorance, lethargy, sickularism, consumerism, complete breakdown of the ecosystem and more. Only the shastras and gurus who promote shastras by following it are our only refuge. Sense control is the key that can transform our lives being driven by vasanas or the mind enslaved to the senses and tap into our potential.

Dharma: This is a foundational idea, characteristic of Sanatana Dharma. Unlike the dogmatic ideas of religion, especially Abrahamic, Dharma is often wrongly pigeonholed as religion. Dharma represents the widest vision that encompasses all aspects of human comprehension and beyond. In other words, it expresses the complete picture as aligned with nature. Sanatana Dharma emphasizes this by cultivating good empirical qualities like Satya, Karuna, Daya, Daana etc. This must be inculcated into the young minds both by discipline and by proper understanding. This forms the bedrock of Indian society and civilization.

    As we secularize the education and openly tolerate the hinduphobic abuses by the motivated forces, the dharmic ecosystem gets systematically broken down. This is obvious in the complete disruption of Varna and Ashrama. The colored values of the society has led to the discarding of Dharma and Moksha. Even Artha is limited to what is needed to drive Kama, not sustain Dharma. Restoring Dharma in our lives require the association with Shastras to increase. This Satsangha alone can restore the complete human potential.

Role of Grihasta: This is the pivotal Ashrama of Indian society, yet the most affected. Though we are living in a largely Grihasta way, as the school phase doesn’t offer the Brahmacharya focus and the nonexistent Vanaprastha stage, a few sannayasis exist, but with none of the traditional emphasis. As noted the corresponding Purushartha that is representative of the Ashrama is also missing.

    The only way to recover the real values is now solely on this Ashrama. By overcoming the never ending rat race of chasing the desires and limited wealth, which is only the means to Kama, one may overcome this quagmire. The only solution is to turn our periodic gaze to Dharma, which will force us to expand our vision, eventually alter our Gunas and Karma. This also will be passed on to the next generation as an example, eventually leading to a critical mass to re-establish some institutions.

Old age responsibility: The modern Indian society is increasingly imbibing the western problems as it has been neglecting the innate values. One such issue is the ever-growing old age homes. The broken family structure due to the modern ways of living favors the parents to have one or two children and put all their energies on them. Due to various factors including lack of proper understanding on part of both elderly parents and adult children, compounded by the global citizenship, the parents who were so attached to the children neglected to take care of their own needs. Children who may or may not be able to take care of the elderly or due to the independent needs of the aging household, what used to be the responsibility of the family is now outsourced.

    The elderly instead of developing detachment are buried and knotted with more desires. If we map Vanaprastha and the need for regulating Kama, the current elderly doing the exact opposite only accentuates the woes. This again can be traced to an entitlement mindset instead of a Dharmic one. Neglect of Shastras amplifies this dark problem plaguing the minds of many aged. The only solution is to take a deep look at the Rishis wisdom. This definitely is not to absolve the youngsters from doing their duties. But instead of trying to look for the children to change, change can and only begin from within. The parenting generation must understand that chicks will abandon the nest. Prepare for it emotionally and most certainly financially. Yayati emphasizes that at this stage, though we don’t follow the elderly must be self reliant with minimal attachment to family and maximum focus on Dharma, regulating Kama and Indriyas.

    Yayati has been a gold mine of wisdom. By slowly taking a peek into the wisdom of Mahabharata we have been profiting from such timeless insights into human nature. After all the analysis, one cannot escape the conclusion that Dharma alone is the bedrock and beacon to every individual in the society, irrespective of their situation or stage in life. Vyasa has been extremely kind to give us the Vedas classified, the Puranas including Srimad Bhagavatam, the Brahma Sutra and the most easily digestible Mahabharata. May we strive hard to tap into his compassionate wisdom that will uplift everyone and make us tap into the fullest Purushartha potential.

ॐ तत् सत

Lessons from Yayati - Wisdom Conversations 1

    Analyzing Yayati’s life, his thoughts and expounding have been extremely insightful in relating with our lives, with events that can span numerous janmas. To digest this vast wisdom we have broken his life lessons into the episode prior to Yayati meeting his first wife, Devayani, his endless desires, evolving viveka and vairagya through renunciation and his ascent to swarga. The key to better understanding is to constantly relating these episodes back to our personal lives.

Storytime:

   Ashtaka had inquired the falling Yayati on who he was and what was the reason behind his fall. In fact, the latter question was bothering Ashtaka more. Yayati informed that he was the son of Nahusha and the father of Puru. He was falling from Swarga, the abode of Devas, Rishis and Siddhas, as his punya got tainted due to disrespecting all living beings. Yayati was still having a tinge of ahamkara. He said he did not wish them first as he considered older. He interpreted shastras that say that one who has wisdom (vidya) or tapasya or older by age is worthy of worship. Ashtaka corrected him that only vidya and tapasya alone mattered amongst Dwijas.

    Yayati informed that papa is inimical and antithetical to good karmas. One who lacks humility is infected by such papa. Sadhus never approve this papa and were keen on strictly adhering to doing only good karmas. There was once abundant wealth of such punyas in him, which he had acquired and cannot be acquired without explicit effort, but now he was devoid of it. One who is enthusiastically focused on the welfare of Atma is considered as courageous. Let us note the pearls of Yayati wisdom.

• Having earned wealth (through dharmic means), one must spend it on yagas and yajnas; focus on earning knowledge by reciting the Vedas the courageous individual earns his access to swarga by transmuting this knowledge through tapasya into Jnana.

• Wealth must never delude one. Humility is critical. Even acquiring the Vedic wisdom, one must keep vanity at bay.

• Our past Karmas cast an impact on our present actions. This is referred as Deivam, commonly reduced as destiny/fate. Discounting the Deivam factor has lead to the destruction of many enthusiastic men of action.

• The wise never get exult or grieve as they understand karmaphala is not mere result of current karma alone (hinting again at deivam’s role). Equanimity despite the nature of incidents in life, be it happiness or sorrow, is the way of the wise and brave.

    Yayati said that he was not perturbed at the fall from swarga. There was no fear or anxiety in his heart. All living beings will have to traverse this journey, but will definitely attain that highest state eventually. Sukha and Dukha are ephemeral and what is the point of this pointless sorrow? Using Viveka he overcomes anything that results in dukha.

    Ashtaka continued his questions at Yayati, who was still a bright star in the sky. He desired to know about the details and duration of his stay in the different worlds, which Yayati proceeded to narrate. (The time lines referred here as thousand years in different world cannot be directly translated to our time, as Yayati was the maternal grandfather of Ashtaka. Time is relative. Since there is no mapping provided in this context as times of his stay has no direct connection with our research, it will suffice to note that Yayati visited Swarga and Brahmaloka with long stays in each place).

    Yayati’s mind was still hankering for desires. The vasanas were still sprouting making him hanker for the pleasures of Devaloka. One day, a celestial messenger appeared and pronounced thrice in a loud voice (that since his mind was only hankering for pleasures) – “Ruined”. As the fall was instantaneous, the bystanders exclaimed at the shocked Yayati, whom he inquired, where is the path to Satsangha. On being directed his fall got guided amidst these sages.

NOTE: The two reasons for the fall might seem different. Yet if we recall the Bhagavad Gita 16-21, Kama, Krodha and lobha are three doorways to naraka. Whether it was lobha and Kama or it was lack of humility that opened the doors for Yayati’s fall, it has crucial lessons for all of us. Punya is also finite, especially if we are busy testing these doors to naraka.

    Ashtaka liked to know more details surrounding Yayati’s fall. Just as a person of this world, without any wealth is abandoned by friends, family and relatives, Yayati informed that once Punya gets depleted, the Devas abandon such an individual. Everyone who enters Swarga based on the Punya, have a pitiful fall upon the exhaustion of the same.

Birth as a human: Ashtaka was now curious to learn about this fallen Atma and its transmigration as a human. Yayati said the driver of this samsara – moving from one body to another, is Karma and unless one gets cleaved from them, it is impossible to escape its perpetual harmful effects. Ashtaka noted that there is no specified naraka but Yayati seemed to be hinting the earth as a lower plane.

    Yayati explained that all living forms thrive as plants or animals, but move up or down the chain. By eating vegetation, humans get their energy. The atmas that reside gain entry to a body through the human sperm and egg. The atmas may reside in the sky, air, water or vegetation. The human modification through the senses and intellect is a mere layer surrounding this atman. Upon his death, due to his Karmas, a new sheath is procured for its expression and thus a new janma happens.

Raise of human beings: Ashtaka asked how using Vidya and Tapasya a human being raises himself to higher lokas and also what karmas aid in this journey. Tapas, Daana, controlling the indriyas, regulating the manas, modesty (staying on the path of dharma and not violating is defined as modesty), aligning the internal and external worlds (with dharma) and compassion to all living beings (naturally implies not eating meat) are considered as major doorways to swarga.

    Tamas leads to complete destruction by feeding one’s vanity. Abusing the vedic understanding and arrogantly considering oneself as learned will lead to transgressing other’s reputation and eventually close the doors for one’s own felicity. Such know eventually doesn’t bear good fruit.

    To destroy the papas four prescriptions are given by the wise – doing agnihotra (this is not merely ritual, but doing it with a spiritual connect), mouna (this is not merely being silent, but silence of the mind and the indriyas), studying vedas and performing Yagas. There is a strong spiritual evolution with all these actions while it is simultaneously negating the papa karmas. If they are performed only for the sake of their end result or for fame, these actions only induce fear in oneself. The key here is even these cleansing actions must be done with the right attitude, else will sprout more negative.

    When one gets a reward or the end result of a karmaphala, one must not rejoice. Humiliation must not induce sorrow. The wise (and realized) are always honored and honorable. The not wise do not learn and emulate the wise. These unwise ones tie the agnihotra, mouna, studying vedas and performing yagas to a certain outcomes. Unless this purpose driven action is given up, its entire benefit is not realized.

    Regulating the manas (and indriyas) one turns inward towards the path of Brahman. This provides him lasting peace in this life while earning him moksha upon shedding his body. Ashtaka Yayati conversation continues...

Practical Applications:

Karma – the engine of Samsara: Yayati gives a complete picture of every Atma’s journey. Karma is a constant and no one escapes from doing it or its effects. Aligning karma with Dharma results in Punya and going against it results in papa. These also leave the tendencies as vasanas in the sukshma sarira. The Karmas also determine which sarira a Jivatma takes. Thus Janma-Karma-Janma cycle is never ending and this is termed as samsara.

Yayati suggests to raise above the pleasure and pain, hankering of the Karmaphala to break this bondage of samsara, thus resulting in moksha.

Ephemeral nature of Swarga: Hawking heaven by following certain beliefs is the hallmark of a desire driven samsara bound person. All the punya credited against a person is finite, however large it may seem. This finite credit cannot yield fruits indefinitely, however one may delude oneself. Yayati also showed us that vasanas are still going to trail us into swarga. Even if the Punya is not tainted by these vasanas, once depleted, the person has to return to the lower lokas (including earth) for the exhaustion of other karmas.

The three gateways to naraka: The desire centered mind is always suffering from three defects – Kama (lust), krodha (anger/rage) and lobha (greed). The Bhagavad Gita goes into the details of why and how these three are the guaranteed gateways to naraka. ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति । एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ॥ te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālaṁ kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante (BG – 9-21).

Cleansers of papa: Papa is a very dangerous direction of the Jivatma, born from the bad karmas. To break this predicament, shastras and Yayati prescribe numerous prescriptions. They range from dhyana, daana, tapasya etc but all these are centered on being rooted in dharma and cleaving oneself from the outcome of karma. This attachment predicates our next forced move, thus dragging us deeper into the nets of samsara. All the different approaches from bhakti, jnana, dhyana or even karma yoga, focus on fixing the underlying karma, which is impossible to correct unless there is a guna transformation. Studying the words narrated by Yayati repeatedly can have such a profound immediate effect.

    Yayati highlights the simplest vehicle for guna transformation in the form of satsangha. This not only implies association with sadhus or gurus, deliberate focused connection with the shastras, but also an intense effort to connect with our own real SELF. This Jivatma is purely in the form of jnana, yet clouded by our karmas, vasanas, raga, dvesha etc. The life of Yayati encapsulates what every Jiva undergoes in thousands or millions of janmas. Imbibing and living the wisdom of Yayati will correct our internal imbalances due to our desire and desire centric lifestyle. May Yayati’s wisdom continue to guide us in this arduous spiritual journey, one that is only complicated by our own karmas.

ॐ तत् सत