The aim of any religious ceremony or puja is to strengthen the manas, the king of all senses, with the right intellect.
Build a shield that protects one from panicking during hard situations in life. Everyone goes through such situations at some point in life.
Some situations are at the personal level and some of them are at global level like the current coronavirus.
During all such times, some people panic, and others don’t.
People who don’t panic have strong immune system. Immune system does not only mean strong pathogens within our bodies. It extends to a stronger manas driven by right intellect. This combination keeps such highly immune people ready to tackle crisis at physical, mental, intellectual or even spiritual levels so beautifully. They will raise to a level of supporting others who have weaker immune system.
Let’s look at a quick anecdote along these lines. A man walked several kilometres on a hot summer day. He got very tired. He chose to lie down in the shade of a tree. As he was lying down, he told himself that he cannot even move an inch now. He lied down and looked up casually. He noticed a wild bear on the branch! He jumped up immediately and started to run away so fast that he somehow managed to escape from its sight. It is his wish to protect himself from the danger that pushed him beyond the “limits”. In this example, the person tackled his physical weakness because his manas had a strong desire to fight and stay alive.
When manas has an ability to convert fears into fights, inabilities into opportunities, weaknesses into strengths, shouldn’t we be making the best use of it? That is why, it is important to pose the below question…
How do we strengthen our manas for holistic progression?
Holistic progression implies overall growth of yourself (the soul; which needs a healthy body, a sound mind and good manas/heart). You are currently living in a body with a set of given abilities. Your journey isn’t restricted to the lifetime in this body. Holistic growth implies a peaceful and joyful time in the current body and during the aftermath of the current body. For such growth, one must follow two simple principles.
Consuming only sattvic aahar, food that keeps us calm, composed, improves our ability to distinguish between right and wrong practises, and enables us to react aptly and make a positive impact whenever necessary. Such food habits strengthen the manas and improves the intellect. This in turn makes one highly immune at all levels for any type of attack. (Bhagavad Githa – Chapter 17)
Association and submission of every deed to the almighty, the Supreme power. Satvic aahar consumed without offering to God will not serve your purpose of holistic progression. The energy produced through sattvic aahar will not materialise into use for your overall benefit until it is associated with and submitted to God.
Any prayer or any ritual (such as the current housewarming ceremony with homam or yajna etc in Vishnu ji’s house) should lead us to a state of abiding by these two principles. This must become the natural way of leading life for all. That is when any home and its residents will be truly shielded!
– From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– 02 nd March 2020, Housewarming Ceremony
– Sri Vishnu Vardhan ji, a humble and active devotee
– Prestige Villas, Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad
